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:
- $83 to $365 per person per day (USD, excl. int'l flights)
Reviews
NL
Email eric thijssen | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Last minute safari
We suddenly decided to go on a safari. Received the contact details of tailormadesafari via a colleague and sent them a mail. Received answer right away asking what and how we wanted things planned. We received an offer for a self-drive safari combined with severall guided game drives and it fit perfectly with our whishes. Because it was last minute, phone and gps were delivered personally by Geerts father on the day before our plane left. Disregarding their advice with respect to getting a hotel at Johannesburg in between flights to Durban (we should have listened but will be a lesson for the next time) arrived in Kwazulu Natal. Trip was everything we wished for. Wonderful B&B very good choice of guided game drives and an exceptional place for the last 3 days of our safari where we got pampered (great food and drinks included) and were driven around twice a day to spot the animals on big 5 territory. Can only recommend tailormadesafari to anyone planning or just decide doing a safari in South Africa as their knowledge of the area offered something extra's. Great job and thanks for a onforgettable holiday.
NL
50-65 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
A really tailor made safari holiday with outstanding services and places to stay
Tailor Made Safari's really has succeeded in delivering us an outstanding holiday. It all started on the Holiday Fair in January 2014 in The Netherlands were they had a very well organized stand. On basis of our wishes Tailor Made Safari's worked out very quickly a very well balanced trip to make in the Kwazulu Natal province of South Africa. One week before leaving the Netherlands we received a mobile telephone for emergencies, a navigation device and a fotobook with description and gps locations of places to stay and places we were going to visit. All pre-prepared for our trip to make by ourselves in South Africa. This made it posible to start directly our trip in a very relaxed way, directly after arrival at the airport. The rented car, the places to stay overnight and the host services were of a very good quality and the people we met were very friendly. With the mobile telephone we had received we kept sms contact with Tailor Made Safari's. They always reacted promptly and this gave us a very save and secure feeling. Tailor Made Safari's made it possible that we were able to make this trip on our own without their help, just as they had told us.
We thank all the teammembers of Tailor Made Safaries for this unforgetable trip. Lambik (53), Sandra (52), Tanja (20) and Daan (18)
NL
Email Ger, Marlein, Sarah, Wouter en Maureen | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
A memorable trip to KwaZulu-Natal
A memorable family trip to celebrate our 25th wedding anniversary.
Through our acquaintances we got in touch with Safari’s op Maat. Directly after our request Geert contacted us by phone to discuss our preferences. Very short after his call he sent us, within budget, a proposal of several pages including pictures through email.
The service Freya and Geert gave us was excellent, hospitality is their middle name! They arranged everything perfectly and gave us a lot of personal attention! We will never forget the first day. After a long flight Freya arranged a abundantly lunch in the middle of the wild park surrounded by animals, and this was just the beginning…
We visited several wild parks and every time we were surprised by the wonderful locations and beautiful lodges, a separate little camp of four huts with a cook, just for us, truly amazing!
The parks, all with their own charms, from which we started several (super exciting!) walking safaris and game drives with wonderful sights. Geert and Freya, with four eyes for detail, recognized the animals by sight and gave a lot of new information about the animals and their living area. Between the safaris, park visits and game drives we snorkeled in Kosi Bay, which was also a wonderful location, and interacted with elephants and a cheeta, amazing, to approach these animals so closely with the ultimate bonus to touch them!
This trip is certainly one we will never forget!
NL
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
a wonderfull jurney!
Wow! What a safari holiday! We have seen amazing and beautiful sights, and had loads of great experiences! The logistics of the holiday were exceptionally well taken care of by Tailor Made Safaris, the food was good, the diversity of activities/destinations superb, and the South African people great! Of course you go on safari for the animals, but also the cultural experiences of Zulu villages and the general experience of the beautiful landscapes at the parks were fantastic. In short, a holiday that I would love experience again!
NL
Email Bart, Karin, Jaga, Cor, Marieke | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Elephant Coast from a different perspective
In the summer of 2013, we had a wonderful holiday! Thanks to “Safari op maat” we experienced the real South-African feeling and we were sure that we would return to this amazing country.
At that time, we had not thought that our next holiday to South-Africa would take place immediately next year but it did. We met each other again on the holiday fair in Utrecht and we decided to visit “the elephant coast” once more but then from a different perspective. .
A guided travel plan was organized, which took 5 days longer compared to our previous visit. At our request, we visited Tembe Elephant Park and St Lucia again. The rest of the destinations were new for us.
During the first week we traveled through “the Dragon Mountains” where we stayed at different locations in the area. The accommodations were truly fantastic and the views breathtaking. The area was great to take beautiful walks and if you’re less mobile you also could enjoy the amazing views from camp.
After “the Dragon Mountains”, we travelled to national parks with many wild animals and few tourists. There we were able to experience the African feeling by going on safari by foot and tracking rhino’s. In between the different national parks, we enjoyed a couple of days in Sint Lucia. The accommodations chosen by “Safari op maat” varied from good to very good and the visited wild life parks were astonishing. As during our first holiday, the guide did everything to give us a memorable experience and he did it again!
Thank you again for this wonderfull and memorable holiday.
IS
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Absolutely excellent trip :)
All communications beforehand, advice during planning etc was excellent. The flexibility we desired was no problem and we got to do, see and experience pretty much all that we were hoping for (given the location and time of year). The one thing I can think of was some mix up at one of the accommodation places where - in theory - the guide could perhaps have been a bit better at sorting it out quicker with the staff there, but in the end it was really irrelevant and all worked out fine. We don't have a single complaint and highly recommend Tailor Made Safaris. We also recommend you don't stay in the Indian Ocean in sunny weather for too long at a time, without re-applying sunscreen. Learned that the hard way ;)
NL
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Dream holiday South Africa
Because Geert-Nick is a friend of ours, we immediately knew to book our trip to South Africa, with Tailor Made Safaris.
They have already exceeded our expectations. No long travel days and a perfect combination between safaris, relaxation and culture. The customized travel guide was our perfect guide. This guide made sure we were in the right places in time, he also told us where to do some shopping and where to enjoy a lovely meal. We have enjoyed every day to the fullest, Tailor Made Safaris has ensured that we made great memories for life! We look back on a super trip, a real dream trip that we will never forget. Thanks for all the great memories and hope to see you next year in Africa.
Best regards Stanneke van Cleef & Renee Stakenburg
NL
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
If you want a real South African experience, then you should really go with Tailer Made Safaris!
At Tailer Made Safaris you can compose your own South African safari trip. They know the best and most beautiful places and things to do. They offer a good variety of nature and culture. Very well organized for a reasonable price! We can recommend it. It is also very nice for kids. If you go to South Africa, don't miss Tembe National Park, Kosi Bay, Drakensbergen and Soweto!
The best way to celebrate our 25-year friendship!
July-August 2014
A few years earlier, we were for the first time together in Cape Town and we knew for sure; we will come back to this beautiful country to celebrate our 25-year friendship!
Tailormade Safaris made us the perfect trip; one day after arriving in Johannesburg we were already on the bike to make a sporting tour through Soweto. Along the way we met several nice people and drank some home-brewed beer in a local shebeen.
We were introduced to the beautiful scenery in the Drakensberg where we walked surrounded by different species of deer and monkeys. We drove routes trough a lot of varies landscapes, it was beautiful. Just as the night we spend in a luxury guesthouse in Kloof. After that the journey went on to St. Lucia where we met the many hippos and crocodiles. In Kosi Bay we met the underwater world and we could snorkel among colorful tropical fish.
Then it was time for other kind of large wild animals we encountered in the various wildlife parks such as Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park, Tembe Elephant Park and Pongola Park. We were even witnessed the capture of an impala by three lionesses! A unique and very special moment that will remember a long time.
The guest houses and lodges that were planned for us were great too; from pleasant to super luxury!
We have seen a lot and really enjoyed it, as evidenced by the thousands of photos that we have made! In short; we never could have celebrated our 25-year friendship in any other way!!
Greetings from Toine and José from Tilburg
and Ben and Jolanda from Wijk bij Duurstede
NL
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Family Santegoeds - Een fijne reis tot in de puntjes verzorgd!
Thursday 15th of May 2014
Well, holidays in South Africa, what are you writing, what are you thinking about? Of course, you write about what you already knew in advance and about what you see in real life afterwards. The wilderness, animals, beautiful landscapes, the tension when an elephant walks right next to your tent during the night. A perfect country if you love photography. We have seen the beautiful Milky Way for the first time. And all of this in South Africa? No, we have only been in the region KwaZulu Natal.
That was it? No, not at all. Most people we met, have impressed us. Casual encounters with great people. As Steve, B & B manager, he insisted that we didn’t go to bed without supper, drove us to a takeaway, drank a beer with us, exchanged information, thoughts and expectations. He gave us a glimpse into his life and his country. A very warm, cheerful, positive man. Or like a moment in the early morning in a nature reserve, we made coffee for 3 cleaning ladies spontaneously. They were very surprised that we served them coffee instead of the opposite. A dinner with a South African man and with a couple from Ireland. He was as a 5-year-old boy emigrated from the north of Holland and he was excited to talk Dutch with us. And we South-African with him. We talked about past and present, in the Netherlands and in South Africa. The couple had worked in Ireland, in a hospital, for years. They were back in South-Africa to enjoy the country where they have worked and lived for so many years. Don’t forget Theo, entrepreneur par excellence and a good man. What a invention to get people acquainted with your village, the people in your village acquainted with people from far away. He received us in his house. He helps the village to getting a better life environment, especially the vulnerable, young people. How little children in a nursery with so little, have fun and radiate energy. The 17 -, 18, 19-year-old students at a high school willing to participate in a game from the Netherlands and treat you with a swinging concert.
We’ve got so much energy from these people, sunshine can’t equalise this. Be there for others, listen and show understanding. And amaze, learn and appreciate how special the world is. Surprised by the openness and friendliness, we have enclosed Kwazulu-Natal and its people in our hearts. Engaged, engraved in our memories. Thank you for making this possible, Geert and Freya.
During our short stay, we’ve got to know South Africa as a country which is developing. Of course, with all the problems and contradictions. But who are we to judge. The Netherlands have had 200 years to become the democracy as we are nowadays. South Africa is just a democracy since 20 years. And in a huge country with so much diversity. A multicultural society. An example for The Netherlands.
Chapeau for Nelson Mandela
Hans and Sonja Santegoeds, Olland, The Netherlands