Nick van de Wiel of Tailor Made Safaris
Tailor Made Safaris
- Located In:
-
Netherlands
- Size:
- 5-10 employees (Founded in 2009)
- Member Of:
- FGASA, TKZN, MHCTO & EDTEA
- Tour Types:
- Self-drive mid-range & luxury tours
- Destinations:
- Price Range:
- $84 to $366 per person per day (USD, excl. int'l flights)
Reviews
NL
65+ years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
An excellent tailor made safari holiday
Whenever you decide to book a safari in KZN, in Tailor Made Safaris you will find an excellent partner, who translates all your wishes into an adventurous and beautiful experience. You will feel at ease traveling in SA with a complete set of information and documentation and a TomTom and cellphone provided (for free) by TMS.
50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
A wonderful introduction to Kwazulu Natal
Booked with Tailor Made safaris following a recommendation and were very pleased with the service. I have mobility issues but a plan was made to help with this so we could experience wildlife, the battlefields and some of the Drakensberg. We loved the Zululand Rhino Reserve, St Lucia and Huhluwe-Omfolozi. The tour of Isandwala and Rourke's Drift with a Zulu guide was inspiring and fascinating, and the Drakensberg were everything we had expected. Great accommodation, good catering and a comfortable vehicle, all at an affordable price. We would happily use them again and indeed hope to do so in the not too distant future.
NL
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
We had a great time in South Africa, all big 5 and many more
Last februari we went on a self drive holiday to South Africa with Tailor Made Safaris.
We got a beautifull road book with the hole trip, every acomodation and all voucher in it. We coud'nt go wrong.
Gps and mobile phone in case off... We did'nt use it. Everything was fine. We saw the big 5 and many more animals.
NL
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Amazing
We were travelling to St Lucia with an 6 month old baby. I can recommend that to everyone of you. In the first place everything was perfectly arranged by Tailor Made Safaris. We really liked the book with the itinerary. The welcome package was nice, accommodations were great, the safaris were wonderful (as we saw a lot of different and beautiful animals) and the service of Tailor Made Safaris staff was excellent. Even if it was a quite short stay in South Africa, we really enjoyed it and would like to thank Tailor Made Safaris for their wonderful job!
NL
Email Sjors | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Great tour of the elphant coast.
In september 2014 we made a 3 week self drive “tour of the elephant coast” witch was a great safari/ holiday
The journey was well organised, we received our book with the description and planning of our tour, a few weeks before we left, together with a South African phone and tomtom (navigation).
When we arrived we picked up our car, and our journey began. With the book as our tour guide. Our first destination was Mkuze game reserve, were we spent 2 days on self drive safari’s. we saw allot of wild life, with all the time we wanted to take pictures and enjoy the scenery.
We also visited Kosibay, then we went to Tembe elephant park. Tembe is great luxurious park with perfect service and staff, It had a little les variety of wild life in comparison to the other parks.
From st. Lucia we visited the wetland parks, especially the boat tour and the night drive are recommended. Also the roads in the parks are very well maintained, so self drive safari is very easy
Our last park was Hluhluwe. This a great park if you want to see rhino’s, it also has a lot of hills with some great views over the park.
We had a great Holiday, we saw al lot of animals up-close and made some great pictures.
If we visit Africa in the future, we wil certainly book with tailor made safari’s again
Thanks for the great holiday.
DE
Email A. Faerber | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
An intensive and awesome Landscape Photo Workshop in Namibia
I did have an absolutely great time in Namibia. For what reason? Here, I would like to refer to the reviews from my co-travellers Mark Weaver and Mick Rust. Their comments did hit the spot. Nothing more or less I could add.
Thank you very much for these wonderful days, Nick, Freya and Emil.
And thank you very much for my great companions: Mark, Marc, Mike, Selwyn, Sue and Tony!
NL
50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
A fantastic holiday in South Africa!
In July 2014 we booked a tour with Tailor Made Safaris. The tour was well organised and went smooth, and we still had the freedom we were looking for.
We didn’t have a good start though; Our first flight was cancelled and our luggage was not there when we arrived in Johannesburg (it was still in Amsterdam). After lots of phone calls with the airline company and airport, Tailor Made Safaris came to the rescue and took over this hassle, even though we booked our flights ourselves. In times of need you get to know your travel agency: Tailor Made Safari’s did everything they could to make sure we had our luggage back as soon as possible!
After a day in Johannesburg we went to Thendele and Didima, both wonderful destinations at the Drakensberg Mountains. What a views and beautiful resorts! We did some great walks (in between the baboons). Make sure you lock your chalet, before the baboons are inside…
After visiting Kloof and Durban, with the Moses Mabhida Stadium which is worth visiting, we went to St Lucia. You can do lots of nice activities there. We did the hippo and crocs boatcruise and went on the Wetland Game Drive (where our guide also teached us some Zulu).
Rocktail Beach is a superb resort. They pamper their guests in a beautiful environment. We booked the Ocean Experience (with whales!), snorkeled and drove around on quad bikes.
If you want to have a close look at elephants, you must stay at Tembe Elephant Park!
After Tembe we went to Kosi Forest Lodge. A nice lodge where you can bath yourself under a sky full with stars. The manager has two African Wild Cats, which were just like our cats at home. We snorkeled and did some walks.
Our next destination was Ithala Game Reserve, where we had some guided game drives. Our car was too small to go for a drive on our own. We were told that the elephants in this park are bit unpredictable, so we kept our distance. Besides the game drives we also made a safari walk with an armed ranger.
After Ithala we went back to St Lucia. We saw lots of whales during our whale watch trip. We also booked the Cultural Village tour. Our tour was on a saturday, so the school was empty during our visit. But the Sangoma predicted our future and we took part at an impressive church service with lots of dancing and singing.
We would recommend The Elephant Interaction at Bayete and the Cheetah Rehabilitation Centre also!
Our last destination was Leopard Mountain, Zululand Rhino Reserve. Geert-Nick recommended this destination and it was definitely worth visiting! This resort has lovely chalets, faboulus views and the staff makes sure you have a great time.
We saw lots of animals at this stunning park: Lots of lions with their cubs, buffalo’s, elephants, white and black rhino’s, giraffes, zebra’s, etc
On our last morning in South Africa we saw an African Wild Dog. The chance of seeing one is rare, according to our guide you have more chance to see a leopard!
There was no better way to end our tour!
So, Geert, Freya and the Tailor Made Safari’s team, thank you for organising this fantastic trip!
NL
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
A amazing experience
Well organized . Our wishes are realized. The book was incredibly convenient and a nice souvenir afterwards.
The team was always open to questions. The trip has met our expectations. It was a great experience which is partly made possible by Tailor Made Safaris.
NL
Email Jacobien en Wim de Bruine | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
A great safari tour in only 5 days
We heard about Tailor Made Safaris from our dutch friends who live in Kaapstad, they told us the had great experience with them, and so did we. Their name "Tailor Made", the every right to use it. We only had 5 days, but they made it possible for us to have a great time. From the time the picked us up at they airport until they the dropped us there again. We had the privilege to have a privat guide, which was perfect for a first time safari. We spent 2 nights in the Hluhluwe Imfolozi Park, which was unique and we spent 2 nights in St. Lucia, at a very nice guest house. I can recommend everybody to book their Safari with "Tailor made Safaris" because they do what they promise and wil make your stay unforgettable!
Email Mark Weaver | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
An absolutely first rate Photographic Tour, a great group and we learnt so much.
Duration: 12 day Photographic workshop visiting the highlights of Namibia (+ one day either side of the tour and 4 nts in St Lucia, SA).
I should start by explaining that I have been on safari tours before with this company and knew the high levels of service that would be provided. Also, I have done a small amount of wildlife photography and although I am happy with it, there is significant room for improvement in all aspects of my photography knowledge. Landscape photography was however something completely new to me and 12 days of complete submersion in this subject was very daunting to say the least.
I should not have worried.
Tailor Made Safaris and their partner company Lime Photo were first rate. The level of tuition was outstanding with Nick and Emil making themselves available to us probably way more than they should have. One catered to the needs of those newer to digital photography like me and the associated software and one to the more proficient guests. "Classroom" theory dealt with Lightroom and Photoshop as well as composition, balance, interest, subject matter and much, much more.
The practical’s covered, star trails by different methods, astrophotography, sun rise, sun set, blue hour, dawn and dusk and obviously daylight shoots as well as covering the elements covered in the theory sessions.
At the start it has to be said that I was completely out of my depth (as perhaps were others) but we were all treated as individuals and it took no time at all for our hosts to gauge out ability levels. Noticing I was struggling without me having to ask for help showed an understanding of guests (my) shortcomings and I was given assistance when needed but was pushed to stretch myself too. My learning curve was vertical; there was no curve, which gives one a fantastic feeling of achievement when good shots are taken.
It has to be understood that this is a work shop; but this is NOT grinding, boring and tedious work. This is enlightening, broadening, exciting and exhilarating work. Yes there are some very early mornings and long days but the rewards can be seen in your photos… No pain, no gain!
The inclusion of the option to take a photography flight over the dunes was outstanding and for many, a once in a life time opportunity. This is a completely different type of shooting to that we had been learning to that point. This is a point and continuous shooting on auto focus style while looking for patterns, composition, balance etc…it definitely got the heart racing. Seeing Deadvlei, Dune 45 and wild Oryx on the dunes from the air was amazing!
Due to the scale of the country and the high number of Photographer Bucket List locations visited, there is quite a bit of traveling but due to the structure of the tour, the transport arrangements, the views and photo opportunities en-route the traveling is easily considered to be part of the experience rather than a chore. If you offer to assist with the driving as I did, it makes the journey even more of an experience.
Due to the traveling, the preferences of the guests, weather and the need to sometimes split the group to get the best from the locations, the tour; and so the timings need to be a little fluid, this requires one to go with the flow and it keeps things interesting. This type of tour can’t be run to the tick of a Swiss watch.
The accommodation ranges from basic but comfortable to Namibian 4 /5 star, the food ranged from marinated fillet steak sandwiches cooked by Nick and Freya under the stars in a stunning national park to good wholesome hotel and/or restaurant fair…I would go for the steak in that location any day!
A few words about my fellow guests, I had a good idea before I left the UK that this was going to be a great tour because of those running it, but without the ladies and gents that attended; their humour, their understanding of limitations in fellow guest’s abilities, their appreciation of the needs of others; their willingness to help when needed and their tolerance of seven other strangers in close proximity for 12 days, this would not have been the outstanding experience that it has been. My thanks to all of them.
All in all… A fan-bloody-tastic tour. Nick with his un-flappable attention to tour detail and logistics, his concern for guests comfort and enjoyment and his calm, always patient teaching method. Emil with his exuberant and ever present photographer’s admiration of every vista that this magnificent country presents to you, his un-ending enthusiasm (even at 02:00) and his phenomenal knowledge of photography. They make an ideal team.
In all my reviews ask “Would I go back?” But this applies to properties and sightseeing tours/safaris, so it’s not appropriate here. So I will ask "Would I book with Tailor Made Safaris for another Photography Workshop?"
Absolutely!
This was a tour of more shooting and more tuition, great coaching, low guest to instructor ratios and first rate sights all at a good value for money. Enjoyment level 10 out of 10.