TESTIMONIALS

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Don’t miss out on the remarkable experiences that have left our customers in awe. SafariWise has garnered a loyal following of animal enthusiasts, nature lovers, and adventurous souls, all captivated by our exceptional service and passion for wildlife. Hear their resounding testimonials of unforgettable encounters, seamless planning, and expert guides that have made their dreams a reality.

Immerse yourself in the wonders of the African bush, guided by our knowledgeable team who go above and beyond to ensure every moment exceeds expectations. With SafariWise, you’ll witness breathtaking wildlife sightings, enjoy luxury accommodations, and contribute to conservation efforts.

Take a cue from our satisfied customers on platforms like Google, Trip Advisor, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn, who attest to our dedication to creating truly extraordinary safaris. Their glowing testimonials speak volumes about our commitment to providing immersive and ethical experiences.

But time is of the essence – don’t delay in securing your spot. Book now with SafariWise to embark on an adventure that will forever leave its mark on your soul. Join the ranks of those who have experienced the magic firsthand, and let the wild wonders of Africa become your reality. The call of the wild awaits!

    
 
 
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   Chuck Guthrie 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. What are the best trips to Africa I have ever had! The details of the planning were the most amazing. Knowledge of our guide, Neil was the best I have experienced after four trips to various countries in Africa. If you’re going to do Namibia Safari Wise best choice.
  
 
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   Friends of Bells Yew Green 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Rob, Richard and I returned today from an outstanding tour of Namibia with Neil of SafariWise - my first, but definitely not my last, and Rob and Richard’s fourth trip, each to a different destination.  From start to finish the itinerary matched our interests and included the incredibly varied landscapes - including the famous dunes - “desert-scapes”, the sea - dolphins, pelicans, sea birds, glowing red sands and rocks with ancient rock art, the German heritage town of Swakopmund, interaction with the friendly local tribespeople, just as an outline!  Then there’s the breathtaking astronomy opportunities - the dark skies have to be seen to be believed.  There’s incredible sightings of an extraordinary array of wildlife both in and out of nature reserves and national parks, from the smallest to the largest: tiny insects, reptiles, mammals and myriad birds - breathtaking variety.  Animals that are desert adapted:  elephants, giraffes, brown hyenas, spring boks, oryx, zebras and on and on, even pangolin.  For us the leopards stole the show but then there are the lions and cheetahs…. So maybe you are beginning to see the picture I’m painting?!  What makes this tour outstanding is the SafariWise team’s expertise and experience in putting together a trip of a lifetime.  Neil has well over thirty years of knowledge and, frankly, anything he doesn’t know probably isn’t worth a mention!  Berdene and the office team also made this trip accessible for me too as I was recovering from a leg injury.  Thank you.  We would recommend without any hesitation.  (Oh no, I forgot to mention the great accommodation, staff and food, plus additional guides - ah, well!  Go and find out for yourself!)
  
 
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   Sheila Wright 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Another superb trip with Neil MacLeod of Safariwise, this time to the Indian subcontinent. Close views of more than 20 Tigers, but also of many other amazing mammals, birds and reptiles including a Sloth Bear with two cubs riding on her back and a young family of Golden Jackals! The extension to the foothills of The Himalaya was incredible - thickly-forested slopes full of exotic birds such as the extraordinary Great Hornbill (otherwise known as the flying banana!)  and the colourful Long-tailed Broadbill, with the distant snow-covered peaks of the high mountains as a backdrop. Very good to see so many of nature's cleaner-uppers, the vultures, on this trip, too - now critically endangered throughout the world by both intentional and unintentlonal poisoning. Accommodation and food was of an excellent standard  throughout.
  
 
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   Fanja Rasolohery 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. 3pays visités! Magnifique prise en charge de l'aéroport de Windhoek à l'aéroport de Vicfalls en passant par tous les magnifiques endroits . Je donnerais 10 points sans hésitet
  
 
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   Totte Malmström 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. The best
  
 
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   Whitney Garrah 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. If I could give 10 stars I definitely would! Every detail from our pick-up to our final good-bye was first class! Thank-you for an amazing experience and a truly life-changing trip!

3pays visités! Magnifique prise en charge de l’aéroport de Windhoek à l’aéroport de Vicfalls en passant par tous les magnifiques endroits . Je donnerais 10…

The best

If I could give 10 stars I definitely would! Every detail from our pick-up to our final good-bye was first class! Thank-you for an amazing experience and a truly life-

    
 
 
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   Karen C 
 
 
 
 Verified Rave Review for Safari Wise I just completed leading my 20th African safari. I have worked with 3 different suppliers in addition to Safari Wise. By far, Safari Wise is the most competent and outstanding company. Questions are answered promptly and correctly. Lodges selected are excellent. The day by day itinerary is enriching and delightful. They facilitated both photography opportunities and natural history interpretation. I can't say enough good things about the owners of Safari Wise, Neil and Berdene, and their ability to create and deliver successful, enjoyable trips that prove to be an excellent value. Perry Conway, Professional Naturalist and Guide from Colorado USA
  
 
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   Carol B 
 
 
 
 Verified Excellent company to travel with. Since 1984, I have taken many dozens of photography workshops and trips, so I have had the opportunity to experience a wide variety of photographic adventures. I was extremely impressed with the recent trip to Namibia that was put together for us by SafariWise. We spent 18 days touring Namibia and covered an incredible amount of ground during that time. The entire trip was exceptionally well planned and thoughtfully organized. We experienced everything from the famed red dunes of Sossusvlei and the haunting silver ghost town of Kolmanskop to exciting safari drives through Etosha National Park. Our lodges were gorgeous and strategically located, allowing us to maximize our time in the parks and at the various photographic locations. The accommodations were not only beautiful and comfortable but also ideally suited to our itinerary. Our main travel vehicle provided the seven of us with plenty of room and made the long drives comfortable. When we were on safari, we either used the lodge's safari vehicles or had a second vehicle available, ensuring that everyone had plenty of space to photograph. This made a tremendous difference, allowing us to concentrate on photography without feeling crowded or rushed. Overall, this was an impressive photography trip. SafariWise did an outstanding job of planning and executing every aspect of the journey. From the incredible locations and accommodations to the thoughtful logistics and attention to photographers' needs, the trip exceeded my expectations. I would highly recommend SafariWise to anyone looking for a well-organized and truly memorable photographic adventure.
  
 
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   Richard W 
 
 
 
 Verified Splendid Namibia with SafariWise Brilliant trip superbly organised and expertly delivered by Neil Macleod and the SafariWise team worthy of 5.5stars . Excellent accommodations ranging from a ranch in the Gamsberg,glamping in Death Valley to the luxurious Hansa Hotel in Swakopmund. Food was always of the highest standard and quality. The itinerary provided a wonderful balance of culture, wildlife and landscapes, a photographer’s haven.
  
 
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   tina j 
 
 
 
 Verified Safariwise in India Having been with SafariWise on quite a few of their tours I had no qualms about joining their (and my) first adventure to India. Everything from airport pickup to airport drop off was well organised. Accommodation was varied, as expected, but all interesting and acceptable. Tigers, sloth bears, and elephants to wonderful bird life to dragonflies- so much to see. Also included trip to Agra to see the Taj Mahal (where many birds were seen!) and Agra Fort. All in all a colorful, dusty, hot, wildlife and general life experience, well done Neil and team (so much background work that goes into these trips) - would I go again? YES - February next year!
  
 
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   Sheila W 
 
 
 
 Verified A Taste of India Another superb trip with Neil MacLeod of Safariwise, this time to the Indian subcontinent. Close views of more than 20 Tigers, but also of many other amazing mammals, birds and reptiles including a Sloth Bear with two cubs riding on her back and a young family of Golden Jackals! The extension to the foothills of The Himalaya was incredible - thickly-forested slopes full of exotic birds such as the extraordinary Great Hornbill (otherwise known as the flying banana!) and the colourful Long-tailed Broadbill, with the distant snow-covered peaks of the high mountains as a backdrop. Very good to see so many of nature's cleaner-uppers, the vultures, on this trip, too - now critically endangered throughout the world by both intentional and unintentlonal poisoning. Accommodation and food was of an excellent standard throughout.
  
 
      Posted on Tripadvisor  
   
   Sus K 
 
 
 
 Verified 5-Sterne-Plus! Besser gehts nicht. Als Familie hat uns SafariWise ein individuelle Ferienreise durch Namibia mit unzähligen Highlights organisiert. Von der Ankunft bis zum Abflug in Namibia wurde alles liebevoll zusammengestellt. Auf unsere Fragen und Anliegen wurde eingegangen und prompt weitergeholfen, keine Frage ob nun Sonntag war oder sonst ein Feiertag. Wir durften wunderbare Aktivitäten und Tours erleben und die Unterkünfte waren immer Erstklassig. Traumurlaub mit grosser Wissenserweiterung und vielen Wow-Momenten. Vielen herzlichen Dank und jederzeit gerne wieder.
  
 
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   Traveler64383081023 
 
 
 
 Verified Great safari holiday Went on a 2 week birdwatching safari to Namibia, Botswana and Zambia, organised through Naturetrek but with this company. There were 15 guests and 2 leaders, Hano and Andrew. We stayed at various lodges: some pretty basic and others quite luxurious. We travelled in 2 safari vehicles and visited numerous and varied sites in order to find a huge variety of birds and other animals. Food, drinks and ‘’comfort stops” were well organised . The guides were extremely knowledgeable about the wildlife and also the geography, history and culture of the different regions. They were extremely kind, helpful and patient, with great senses of humour enabling a camaraderie between us all which greatly enhanced our experience. Nothing seemed too much trouble and they even organised a birthday surprise for 2 of the guests who had birthdays while with us. We would thoroughly recommend this company and ,particularly, our 2 guides.
  
 
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   Robert M 
 
 
 
 Verified Wonderful Safari. I have just returned from a three-week trip with SafariWise in Namibia, Botswana and Zambia. The whole trip was planned very well, the driver/guide was excellent in every way – for ever cheerful, friendly, considerate, fantastically good at spotting all sorts of wildlife and knowing what it is by ear as well as sight. There was one difficult complication caused by the authorities that came completely out of the blue and it was handled with good grace and efficiency. While travel arrangements had to be changed everything that was planned took place. I would be more than pleased to both recommend SafariWise and use them again myself.
  
 
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   ClivePPP 
 
 
 
 Verified A class experience organised by a company that really knows how to run a safari We have just returned from a privately organised trip with SafariWise and can readily recommend them to anyone. Six of us with guide Hano Smit traversed Namibia from Walvis Bay to the Caprivi Strip and then spent a few days in Botswana and Zambia ending up at Victoria Falls. The pre-trip information was extensive, the support and guiding outstanding and the wildlife was amazing. Accommodation was of a consistently good standard and there was a clear effort every day to ensure that we saw as much wildlife as possible. The vehicle was ideal, especially for photographers, and arrived clean inside with clean windows every day. The company is clearly keen to ensure the customer has a memorable experience and our group is a testament to that. We all travelled with the company in 2024 and were so impressed we came back again! Clive and Janine, Cambridge UK
  
 
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   Sarah 
 
 
 
 Verified Namibia's Skeleton Coast and Etosha Pan, an incredible trip. I have recently returned from a trip to Namibia's Skeleton Coast and Etosha Pan. A truly memorable trip. Our guides Andrew du Preez and Hano Smit were exemplary and expertly steered us through the itinerary. Their knowledge was huge and readily shared with us. Andrew spoke of geology, history and culture, all brought alive with interesting stories and anecdotes. Hano's passion for birds was infectious and he rekindled my enthusiasm for birding. The desert landscape was awe-inspiring and remarkably full of life. We added a boat trip to see seals, dolphins, and sea birds. This did not disappoint!. On leaving the coast, we travelled to Damaraland. Utterly beautiful. Etosha was incredible, teeming with mammals and birds under the huge African sky. Here there were many incredible and even emotional encounters with mammals, and birds were spotted by Andrew and Hano which could easily have been missed. The flood lit waterhole at the camp was a real highlight. Last stop was Okonjima Reserve a treasure indeed. Many more 'first sightings ' and close encounters. The travel between stops was made fun by spotting mammals, birds and even reptiles...eagle eyed guides at work! The accommodation and food was lovely throughout and being vegetarian was not a problem. An incredible and busy trip brought alive by our guides. They were knowledgeable, considerate and helpful throughout, always with a lovely sense of humour. A trip to thoroughly recommend, as long as you are prepared for an overwhelming wish to return!!

Personal Thank You's

stunning wildlife and scenery

Dear Neil,

Thank you so very much for what was a most wonderful safari. Heloise, Saskia, Harry and I all immensely enjoyed the trip – partly because of the stunning wildlife and scenery and partly because of the perfect way in which you ran things. I cannot thank you enough for the huge effort and attention to detail that you put into every aspect of the trip. It went way beyond our expectations and we saw so many diverse and wonderful sights that my head is still reeling!

It was also really good to see you again and I am sure that it will not be the last time that we meet. Thank you also for the lovely cookbook that you gave us on departure – we have a large collection of cookery books and I enjoy reading them in bed! Saskia is already planning to prepare some of the dishes and wants to write to let you know how they turn out! One aspect of the trip that I did not expect was the effect that it had on Heloise – never would I have imagined her playing the Impala poo game! Yet she gave it a go. Also, seeing her eyes fill with tears at the airport when she said goodbye shows that she does have a soft side after all!

Anyway, thank you again for a most wonderful time, for our best family holiday and for your great good company.

With best wishes to you, Berdene and Neil Leslie.

Jonny & family

It was a wonderful time

Greetings Everyone, We would just like to say thanks to all of you for being such a great group of fellow travelers. It was a wonderful time. We are still enjoying the trip as we share our memories with friends and family and show them some of our many photos. Special thanks to Neil and Robbie for sharing all their knowledge and fun – first class guides.
Best wishes for a nice spring and summer (or winter for those “down-under”).

Kathy and John

It was great to meet the team

It was great to meet the team behind the front men, and of course, the camping lot…..have sent away my photos to be done and really looking forward to getting them.

Love

Tina Jones

Thanks again for organising everything so expertly!

Thanks again to Jill for organising everything so expertly!
Thanks too to Neil, Robbie, Malakia, Samuel, Simson, Berdene and Liezel for making it all possible.

Jackie Downey

thanks for another fabulous safari

To Neil, So very many thanks for another fabulous safari. If you look after all your clients as you did with us – you will be overrun with customers.
Take care of yourself and your family.
Love from us all

Jill

Met dat mailtje wil ik U bedanken voor het gidsen in uw zeer mooie land Namibia!

Hallo Robbie,
Met dat mailtje wil ik U bedanken voor het gidsen in uw zeer mooie land Namibia!!Ik kende uw land helemaal niet maar door uw hulp heb ik nu een beter idee hoe uw land in elkaar steekt!! Het was gewoon een super reis, vond Bart ook.
Bedankt U hebt goed werk geleverd.

Groetjes Danie

thank you and your team for a wonderful experience

Dear Neil,
Just a quick message to thank you and your team for a wonderful experience (not calling it a holiday as I’m tired out!) Have had lots of lie-ins since my return and I’m still tired, but it was worth every waking moment.
Best regards to everyone especially Robbie and the three chefs S.,S. and M.

Jo Gardner

two of you contributed in very large part to the great impression that Namibia made on me

Dear Neil and Berdene
Thank you so very much for the generous hospitality that you showed to Barry and me when we stayed with you last week. I had a wonderful introduction to Southern Africa and am already looking forward to coming back. But a country is made of more than landscape and birds, and the two of you contributed in very large part to the great impression that Namibia made on me. So, thank you.
With very best wishes,

Jonathan Barnard

Bedankt voor je goede zorgen tijdens de fijne reis

We zijn inderdaad goed thuis gekomen. Bij aankomst in Frankfurt Duitsland werd de luchthaven een half uur later gesloten wegens de stofwolk.
We hebben goed genoten van Namibië en ik ben zeker dat Martine en Ik later bij leven en welzijn er nog zullen teruggaan.
Heb vandaag de dvd met de foto’s verzonden. Ik hoop dat je er zal van genieten.
Stuur je me even een mailtje bij ontvangst dan weet ik dat de dvd goed is aangekomen.
Hopelijk kan je dit Nederlands lezen maar ik denk het wel.
Bedankt voor je goede zorgen tijdens de fijne reis.
De groeten van Martine en Jos en de rest van de groep.
Nog veel succes en misschien tot later
ps Sinds onze thuiskomst is het laatste wat Martine en ik iedere dag zeggen: “lekker slaap”. Toch een mooie taal het afrikaans!

Martine en Jos

we’ll be back

Thanks for giving us all a truly splendid experience – we’ll be back

Gerald and Mandy Brook

expert guiding service

We would have truly missed a singular opportunity to see big game and entirely different geography and habitats had it not been for your excellent advice, planning and expert guiding service.

William Satterfield

the best trip we’ve ever had

To Neil, although far too short(!!!!), it was probably the best trip we’ve ever had.

Gill and Neil Friswell

Thanks for the great time

Neil – Thanks for the great time we’ve had with you!

Gary Player

Finally

Finally, very many thanks for a great trip – thank you Neil.

Mark Barden

Ticked all of our boxes

Justin Pettett

Berdene I just wanted to drop you a note to thank you for organising an amazing trip for us. Our family have never been to Africa and the amazing experiences we had we will never forget. All the places you recommended were incredible for their own reasons and we enjoyed the contrast of the dry areas to start with through to the Chobe river cruises. We saw an amazing array of animal life which ticked all of our boxes.

I want to make special mention of Charl and Jakes who treated all of us to an amazing time and took care of everything. You could have mistaken them as the owners of your business they did such a great job, as they were passionate about all of us having the best possible time and making sure that we were well catered for. Meeting them both and spending time with them just makes us want to come back to African soon for another adventure.

Thanks again and all the best.
Regards
(June 2023)

thanks for going the extra mile safari wise!

Hi Neil
Well its been a while since we arrived home and while it took a while to readjust our clocks to be back on Pacific Time, we at least did not suffer in any other way.

I know that I wrote a trip advisor report on the trip but I wanted to write to you specifically to thank you for your leadership during the Uganda tour. I know that I was a bit concerned with some of the aspects for the first couple of days, however you did an amazing job of listening to my concerns and acting positively to ensure that my experience was top notch. I really appreciate the little extras that you took the time to arrange – the private boats, the anniversary cake and wine, the wonderful catered breakfast at the delta and while we didn’t have to change our rooms for air conditioning at Mweya Safari Lodge, your concern and offer to have our room changed was thoughtful and considerate. While not quite a photo tour (I know my definition might not mesh with yours but based on my experience) I have no complaints. Michelle and I really had a great time and we can truly say that there were just far too many highlights to answer the question that we have been asked so many times since we got home – The question being; what was our favourite part of the trip.

While we were clients of Safariwise, you treated us like friends. Again, thank you for everything and we hope to be able to join you, or perhaps Charl on a future trip. And not to forget, please pass my thanks on to Berdene for doing all the work that she did to ensure that this was a successful trip.

David and Michelle Axford

Jakes was an excellent guide and host. He really put himself out to help us all. Florence’s difficulties didn’t prove to be a great problem and she became very fond of him. She certainly learnt a lot. Harry’s lifetime ambition now seems to return to the Skeleton coast to do some more fishing!!

We’re all now looking forward to coming back again in the not too distant future. No doubt our son,Philip and his family will want to come with us next time when they hear all about our trip!
Thank you

Carol and Paul (Aug 2023)

Please thank Neil and Jakes for a wonderful holiday, perfect for me. I loved the desert scenery and all the birds and animals and learnt so much from Neil and Jakes about all aspects of Namibia.

Thank you so much,

Susan Howard November 2023

I wanted to thank you for everything you did to make our visit so enjoyable. The welcome packet with all the personalized items was appreciated. The map was especially helpful.
Sorry we didn’t have a chance to meet in Swakopmund, but thank you for helping to facilitate my reunion with Tas, it was a highlight for me, so many wonderful memories.

It will take me a while to process my images because our spring is in full swing here with a lot of chores around the property. Our town is also in the path of a total solar eclipse, so on Monday in the middle of the afternoon the moon will block the sun and it will go completely dark for 4 minutes. Friends from outside the area are visiting to witness the event and I am trying to get camera filters and plan how to photograph it.

Wishing you all the best,

Bill March 2024

Dear Berdene,
We want to thank you ever so much for organising an amazing trip through Namibia for us. We enjoyed every minute. Every day brought something new and we learned and saw a lot about not only the wealth of animals but also the interesting geology and its traces. We thoroughly enjoyed being guided by Pierre. Not only has he a wealth of knowledge, but he is also very pleasant company. He was not only utterly professional in every way, but also helped us when our age and mobility problems needed an extra hand. He was amazing at spotting anything animal or plant wise on the way.

We loved the accommodations. We also visited the Mesosaurus Fossil camp near the Quiver trees and Giant’s playground. Giel Steenkamp, who found the fossil on his farm, Spitzkop, has a little museum and he does a nice talk about the findings. It was, of course, also very nice to meet you in person and to see Neil again.
With best wishes,

Marianne and Charles June 2024

hano smit is a great guide

Good afternoon Neil,
We’ve just returned from a NatureTrek trip to Namibia, Zambia and Botswana where we were guided by Hano for most of the time.

We had a great time with him, his knowledge, professionalism and experience were really impressive as was his enthusiasm. We were incredibly lucky to see the species we did, especially the double sightings of pangolin at Okonjima and the honey badgers in Etosha, no mean feat given how much grass there was after the rains. Jules, my husband had always wanted to see Cheetah, so that was a highlight for him, I had to wait until Moremi for mine, the Wild Dog. We had an impressive bird list by the end, considering there were only three of us, alas Sousa Shrike was the big dip.

Please thank him for us, he’s a credit to your company.

Debbie and Jules

enjoyed our trip to Namibia very much

Hello Berdene, Just to let you and Neil know that we enjoyed our trip to Namibia very much. Thank you for arranging it. Okaukuejo was slightly run down, as you had warned us, but OK. Halali was fine and we had the best night waterhole experience there. Mokuti was good and Erindi very good, particularly with its waterholes next to the dining area and our room, and the variety of mammals.. Thank you for adding it to our itinerary. The vehicle was just right for us, with good viewing on three sides, and quite comfortable. Dayne Braine is an excellent guide. He spotted the birds and mammals and identified them exceptionally well not only on the game drives, but also in walkabouts in the camps and lodges. He drove carefully, handled all the arrangements of the trip very satisfactorily, and was good company. All the best

Makis

The accommodations were nice

We really enjoyed the holidays and are happy that everything went so well. We were very surprised by your welcome gift at the airport and of course we also used Neil’s book on tour. The accommodations were nice.

Patrick Freitag

thank you for the many ‘extra surprises’ and experiences you made available to us

Dear Neil,

Thank you for the photos. I thought you and Jakes were a great team and outstanding guides.

On a personal level, I thank you for your support and kindness and excellent company. On a group level, I admired your tolerance and thank you for the many ‘extra surprises’ and experiences you made available to us. Nature was kind to us and there were many special events we managed to witness with your help and guidance.

I hope that now, world wide, covid is controlled or, at least, less of a threat and that your business and Jakes’ job prospects will return to pre-pandemic levels and that you will both manage to lead happy, successful lives in your beautiful country with you families. I certainly will not forget the two of you and our amazing adventure!

My love and best wishes

Sheila

I just wanted to thank everyone involved

Dear Neil & Jakes, My wife and I recently completed the NatureTrek journey from Windhoek to Livingstone with Neil and Jakes. I just wanted to thank everyone involved. I’m sure there must have been a lot of organisation and reorganising, with all the COVID related changes but we felt it went remarkably smoothly and we had the trip of a lifetime, this being our first time in Africa. Could you please pass on our thanks and congratulations to everyone, including Neil and Jakes who we didn’t really get chance to personally thank at the end. I hope Jakes made the long journey home safely. He deserves special recognition, as it is clear he really goes above and beyond to make sure everyone is looked after. Please make sure he receives this thanks from us personally? We had a simple journey home and are currently shocked at the 1°C temperature and already miss African skies.

Mike and Peg Saul

thank you again for a most amazing and memorable trip

Dear Neil, We would like to thank you again for a most amazing and memorable trip. You were a very inspiring guide and your knowledge of the wildlife is amazing. We enjoyed your and Jakes’s company very much. We have already planned to visit South Africa again and we hope to combine this with a visit to other parts of Namibia. Maybe we will meet again. We hope sincerely that the tourism will pick up again. Thank you again and we wish you and Jakes all the best for the future.

Charles and Marianne

Neil was marvellous throughout

But now for the trip….thanks so much to you and Neil for putting it together for us. We had a wonderful time and all really enjoyed it. Neil was marvellous throughout and took care of everything so well.A highlight of the trip were the early morning chasing around the waterholes at Etosha looking for a pride if lions that we found. The animals were a revelation – I did not think that we’d see so many; but we also greatly enjoyed the extra little detours to see the meteorite, dinosaur footprints and the sink hole. Heloise and Saskia had never done this sort of holiday before – usually beach and pool – but both enjoyed it so much that they’d like to return to Africa.
We had 3 nights in Johannesburg after the trip you set up for us, and so got home yesterday morning (Monday 9 August). EVERYTHING you had arranged ran smoothly and exceeded not just expectations but hopes! We had many good sightings so have come back so that amongst the LARGE number of photos there are ones of Pell’s Fishing Owl, mating lions, White-tailed shrike, leopard in tree, … well basically LOTS. When I have sorted the photos I will send you a DVD with a selection and if we make a general trip report it will be saying good things about you and the various lodges, Caprivi cars, and about Pride of Africa and through them Papadi Safaris, Grant Craig (and his cook!). So THANK YOU everybody who has been involved in making this happen for us, and you will hear again when we have had time to sleep and sort out what to send you.

Arthur and Lucy Norman

We definitely need to come back

Dear Berdene

We had a wonderful trip and it is one of our most memorable holidays ever. We loved the country and how easy everything worked out. Everything was perfectly organised. All the hotel rooms were great. Also the tours you booked for us were amazing. Thank you for the beanies, we definitely needed them, as it was so cold.

Since we have not seen the lions, we definitely need to come back – or maybe to Botswana?

(July 2026)

Marc Frei

It was a wonderful time

Greetings Everyone, We would just like to say thanks to all of you for being such a great group of fellow travelers. It was a wonderful time. We are still enjoying the trip as we share our memories with friends and family and show them some of our many photos. Special thanks to Neil and Robbie for sharing all their knowledge and fun – first class guides. Best wishes for a nice spring and summer (or winter for those “down-under”).

Kathy and John

It was great to meet the team

It was great to meet the team behind the front men, and of course, the camping lot…..have sent away my photos to be done and really looking forward to getting them.

Love

Tina Jones

Thanks again for organising everything so expertly!

Thanks again to Jill for organising everything so expertly!
Thanks too to Neil, Robbie, Malakia, Samuel, Simson, Berdene and Liezel for making it all possible.

Jackie Downey

thanks for another fabulous safari

Jill

Met dat mailtje wil ik U bedanken voor het gidsen in uw zeer mooie land Namibia!

Groetjes Danie

thank you and your team for a wonderful experience

Jo Gardner

two of you contributed in very large part to the great impression that Namibia made on me

Jonathan Barnard

Bedankt voor je goede zorgen tijdens de fijne reis

Martine en Jos

we’ll be back

Thanks for giving us all a truly splendid experience – we’ll be back

Gerald and Mandy Brook

expert guiding service

We would have truly missed a singular opportunity to see big game and entirely different geography and habitats had it not been for your excellent advice, planning and expert guiding service.

William Satterfield

the best trip we’ve ever had

To Neil, although far too short(!!!!), it was probably the best trip we’ve ever had.

Gill and Neil Friswell

Thanks for the great time

Neil – Thanks for the great time we’ve had with you!

Gary Player

Finally

Finally, very many thanks for a great trip – thank you Neil.

Mark Barden

Thanks again and all the best.
Regards
(June 2023)

Justin Pettett

thanks for going the extra mile safari wise!

Hi Neil
Well its been a while since we arrived home and while it took a while to readjust our clocks to be back on Pacific Time, we at least did not suffer in any other way.
I know that I wrote a trip advisor report on the trip but I wanted to write to you specifically to thank you for your leadership during the Uganda tour. I know that I was a bit concerned with some of the aspects for the first couple of days, however you did an amazing job of listening to my concerns and acting positively to ensure that my experience was top notch. I really appreciate the little extras that you took the time to arrange – the private boats, the anniversary cake and wine, the wonderful catered breakfast at the delta and while we didn’t have to change our rooms for air conditioning at Mweya Safari Lodge, your concern and offer to have our room changed was thoughtful and considerate. While not quite a photo tour (I know my definition might not mesh with yours but based on my experience) I have no complaints. Michelle and I really had a great time and we can truly say that there were just far too many highlights to answer the question that we have been asked so many times since we got home – The question being; what was our favourite part of the trip.
While we were clients of Safariwise, you treated us like friends. Again, thank you for everything and we hope to be able to join you, or perhaps Charl on a future trip.
And not to forget, please pass my thanks on to Berdene for doing all the work that she did to ensure that this was a successful trip.

David and Michelle Axford

Hi Berdene and Neil
Thank you for the wonderful time we’ve all had in Namibia. You’d obviously worked hard to get everything in place for all 5 of us. We were overwhelmed with the warm welcome we received and we were delighted to meet you together with Hannah in Swakomund. What a lovely evening, excellent food and company . Also thank you for the Beanie hats you sent with Jakes the next morning and the replacement for the edition of your book I’ve lost.
Jake was an excellent guide and host. He really put himself out to help us all. Florence’s difficulties didn’t prove to be a great problem and she became very fond of him. She certainly learnt a lot. Harry’s lifetime ambition now seems to return to the Skeleton coast to do some more fishing!!
We’re all now looking forward to coming back again in the not too distant future. No doubt our son,Philip and his family will want to come with us next time when they hear all about our trip!
Thank you

Carol and Paul (Aug 2023)

Please thank Neil and Jakes for a wonderful holiday, perfect for me. I loved the desert scenery and all the birds and animals and learnt so much from Neil and Jakes about all aspects of Namibia.

Thank you so much,

Susan Howard November 2023

reunion

It will take me a while to process my images because our spring is in full swing here with a lot of chores around the property. Our town is also in the path of a total solar eclipse, so on Monday in the middle of the afternoon the moon will block the sun and it will go completely dark for 4 minutes. Friends from outside the area are visiting to witness the event and I am trying to get camera filters and plan how to photograph it.

Wishing you all the best,

Bill March 2024

Dear Berdene,
We want to thank you ever so much for organising an amazing trip through Namibia for us. We enjoyed every minute. Every day brought something new and we learned and saw a lot about not only the wealth of animals but also the interesting geology and its traces. We thoroughly enjoyed being guided by Pierre. Not only has he a wealth of knowledge, but he is also very pleasant company. He was not only utterly professional in every way, but also helped us when our age and mobility problems needed an extra hand. He was amazing at spotting anything animal or plant wise on the way.
We loved the accommodations. We also visited the Mesosaurus Fossil camp near the Quiver trees and Giant’s playground. Giel Steenkamp, who found the fossil on his farm, Spitzkop, has a little museum and he does a nice talk about the findings. It was, of course, also very nice to meet you in person and to see Neil again.
With best wishes,

Marianne and Charles June 2024

hano smit is a great guide

Good afternoon Neil,
We’ve just returned from a NatureTrek trip to Namibia, Zambia and Botswana where we were guided by Hano for most of the time.
We had a great time with him, his knowledge, professionalism and experience were really impressive as was his enthusiasm. We were incredibly lucky to see the species we did, especially the double sightings of pangolin at Okonjima and the honey badgers in Etosha, no mean feat given how much grass there was after the rains. Jules, my husband had always wanted to see Cheetah, so that was a highlight for him, I had to wait until Moremi for mine, the Wild Dog. We had an impressive bird list by the end, considering there were only three of us, alas Sousa Shrike was the big dip.
Please thank him for us, he’s a credit to your company.

Debbie and Jules

enjoyed our trip to Namibia very much

Makis

The accommodations were nice

Patrick Freitag

thank you for the many ‘extra surprises’ and experiences you made available to us

Dear Neil, Thank you for the photos. I thought you and Jakes were a great team and outstanding guides. On a personal level, I thank you for your support and kindness and excellent company. On a group level, I admired your tolerance and thank you for the many ‘extra surprises’ and experiences you made available to us. Nature was kind to us and there were many special events we managed to witness with your help and guidance.
I hope that now, world wide, covid is controlled or, at least, less of a threat and that your business and Jakes’ job prospects will return to pre-pandemic levels and that you will both manage to lead happy, successful lives in your beautiful country with you families. I certainly will not forget the two of you and our amazing adventure!
My love and best wishes

Sheila

I just wanted to thank everyone involved

Mike and Peg Saul

thank you again for a most amazing and memorable trip

Dear Neil, We would like to thank you again for a most amazing and memorable trip. You were a very inspiring guide and your knowledge of the wildlife is amazing. We enjoyed your and Jakes’s company very much.
We have already planned to visit South Africa again and we hope to combine this with a visit to other parts of Namibia. Maybe we will meet again. We hope sincerely that the tourism will pick up again.
Thank you again and we wish you and Jakes all the best for the future.

Charles and Marianne

Rave Review for SafariWise

I just completed leading my 20th African safari. I have worked with 3 different suppliers in addition to SafariWise. By far, SafariWise is the most competent and outstanding company. Questions are answered promptly and correctly. Lodges selected are excellent. The day by day itinerary is enriching and delightful. They facilitated both photography opportunities and natural history interpretation. I can’t say enough good things about the owners of SafariWise, Neil and Berdene, and their ability to create and deliver successful, enjoyable trips that prove to be an excellent value.

Perry Conway, Professional Naturalist and Guide from Colorado USA

July 2026
Karen & Perry C

It was our own paradise

Jan Wilshaw

It was a wonderful trip and for me nice to see it through the kids’ eyes. Sarah’s faux pas could have spoiled it but Anja and Hanri were wonderful. Bravo to both. Sarah, JP and Charlie have not done long haul trips before so are naive regarding such things as passport expiries and time needed to get to these places.

Flying business class really helped as we managed to get sleep. Camp Okavango was great and Monty our guide even took the boys fishing one morning (Charlie said” can’t believe it – I’m fishing in Africa!! )… and then the chef cooked a fish for their dinner.

Charlie chose an Elephant encounter in Victoria Falls and it was amazing to walk with them and feed them at the sanctuary. Everyone there was so committed to their welfare, and watching the sunset on the Zambezi surrounded by animals was awesome. The Lodges were great, but our favourite was Zungulila Bush Camp – we felt like it was our own paradise, especially when Gin and Tonic was served in the river.

Thank you so much for putting together a wonderful trip.

(Aug 2026)

Excellent company to travel with

Carol B

Since 1984, I have taken many dozens of photography workshops and trips, so I have had the opportunity to experience a wide variety of photographic adventures.

I was extremely impressed with the recent trip to Namibia that was put together for us by SafariWise. We spent 18 days touring Namibia and covered an incredible amount of ground during that time. The entire trip was exceptionally well planned and thoughtfully organized. We experienced everything from the famed red dunes of Sossusvlei and the haunting silver ghost town of Kolmanskop to exciting safari drives through Etosha National Park. Our lodges were gorgeous and strategically located, allowing us to maximize our time in the parks and at the various photographic locations.

The accommodations were not only beautiful and comfortable but also ideally suited to our itinerary. Our main travel vehicle provided the seven of us with plenty of room and made the long drives comfortable. When we were on safari, we either used the lodge’s safari vehicles or had a second vehicle available, ensuring that everyone had plenty of space to photograph. This made a tremendous difference, allowing us to concentrate on photography without feeling crowded or rushed. Overall, this was an impressive photography trip.

SafariWise did an outstanding job of planning and executing every aspect of the journey. From the incredible locations and accommodations to the thoughtful logistics and attention to photographers’ needs, the trip exceeded my expectations. I would highly recommend SafariWise to anyone looking for a well-organized and truly memorable photographic adventure.

July 2026

Sunrises & Sundowners

Rahel & Nico

Dear Berdene,

We’d like to thank you once again from the bottom of our hearts for planning and booking our trip to Namibia! We stayed at many wonderful lodges, saw lots of animals up close, and marveled at the vastness and tranquility of nature! We enjoyed many sunrises and sundowners. In short: It was truly beautiful. Thank you for the helpful materials with the vouchers, the book, and all the other gifts!

Kind regards from Switzerland!

(Aug 2026)

outstanding tour of Namibia

Sue

Rob, Richard and I returned today from an outstanding tour of Namibia with Neil of SafariWise – my first, but definitely not my last, and Rob and Richard’s fourth trip, each to a different destination. From start to finish the itinerary matched our interests and included the incredibly varied landscapes – including the famous dunes – “desert-scapes”, the sea – dolphins, pelicans, sea birds, glowing red sands and rocks with ancient rock art, the German heritage town of Swakopmund, interaction with the friendly local tribespeople, just as an outline! Then there’s the breathtaking astronomy opportunities – the dark skies have to be seen to be believed.

There’s incredible sightings of an extraordinary array of wildlife both in and out of nature reserves and national parks, from the smallest to the largest: tiny insects, reptiles, mammals and myriad birds – breathtaking variety. Animals that are desert adapted: elephants, giraffes, brown hyenas, spring boks, oryx, zebras and on and on, even pangolin.

For us the leopards stole the show but then there are the lions and cheetahs…. So maybe you are beginning to see the picture I’m painting?!

What makes this tour outstanding is the SafariWise team’s expertise and experience in putting together a trip of a lifetime. Neil has well over thirty years of knowledge and, frankly, anything he doesn’t know probably isn’t worth a mention! Berdene and the office team also made this trip accessible for me too as I was recovering from a leg injury. Thank you. We would recommend without any hesitation. (Oh no, I forgot to mention the great accommodation, staff and food, plus additional guides – ah, well! Go and find out for yourself!)

(June 2026)

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