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
Email Mark Weaver | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Outstanding game viewing, first rate accommodation... A fantastic time to be repeated soon!
We are proud to have been the first to provide a review for this fantastic team and we are so please that every review since has been just as positive. Well here we are less than 12 months since our last trip with Tailor Made Safaris and again we have to congratulate them on providing another first rate vacation, now that has to be a good recommendation! This trip we thought we would pile on the pressure, so my wife and I brought our daughter, her partner, my Mum and Dad, we were to meet up with Ollie (our son) again and his girlfriend was to join us for a few days at the start of the trip! To add further interest, my parents would do a different tour after 6 days and then meet up with us again for the last day. I have to say that even with all these complications the Tailor Made Safari team just got stuck in and came up with absolutely fantastic tours for everyone. Mum & Dad did the more scenic/cultural side of things. Ours was much more of the wildlife direction with a little rest in the middle. I would consider this to be quite a complex pair of trips and jet the response to our many and probably sometimes annoying questions was always prompt, efficient and clear.
The accommodation recommendations were varied (B&Bs to 5* lodges, first class tents to hi quality beach hotel) but all were great. Little things are what often count in the customer care game. We mentioned in our pre-booking questionnaire that my wife likes Earl Grey Tea with skimmed milk. That was what was provided at every accommodation, great attention to detail!
To pick up the format of our last review we had more things to tick off our respective Bucket Lists; Cheetah in the wild…not one though but six…and on a kill!
Ollie saw an Aardvark which is extremely rare.
We saw Black Rhinos …with calves which were had not managed to see last year.
Memories – this time in addition to the cheetah, there was sitting in bed in a tent at Tembe while a wild elephant roamed in the camp just feet away.
Sitting in an open game viewer while two lioness, one adolescent male and four cubs pass just feet away.
Visiting the Zulu village and seeing and playing with the kids at the crèche.
Sitting in the deck at Ithala Lodge enjoying a fantastic fillet steak salad while laughing and joking with my family and Nick (now also part of our family weather hi likes it or not).
The whole trip was so full of new and fantastic experiences and many very happy memories that are far too numerous to list here.
Tailor Made Safaris again created a diverse, interesting trip with plenty to see and do, good quality accommodation and importantly fantastic game viewing. Ollie was kept engaged and learnt things that he otherwise may not have and the rest of us saw and learnt more than I could have imagined.
The mix of B&B, in park, luxury safari tent, reserve lodges and hotel accommodation was great.
Again, I will have to repeat myself from the last review, “With any holiday of this type there are two important questions
1) Would we pay good money to go again?
2) Would we recommend the guide company to friends and family?”
Our answer in both cases is again a resounding yes and while still in Africa, Mum & Dad had already started planning another trip with Tailor Made Safaris for 2015!
Thanks Nick for being a fantastic guide and for putting up with us, keep up the good work.
The Weaver family
United Kingdom
NL
Email Nicolette & Arie Oorebeek | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Super tour
We could not have picked a better tour operator than Tailor Made Safaris.
First of all they advised to limit our travel distance instead of doing all of Africa in one trip so we would have more time to enjoy our expeditions within the three weeks of holiday we had available, but secondly we only briefly mentioned we would celebrate our 40th aniversary with this trip and they managed to raise special focus to this by all lodges we visited, which made our tour so much more memorable. We had great sightings of the big 5 wildlife thanks to the expert knowledge and skills of all safari guides. Very good mix of lodges, from fairly basic to fine luxury places, just the way we liked to experience and all located in places with limited numbers of visitors, but maximum numbers of animals to see. Travel distances never too far, always an easy drive, pre-programmed GPS provided by Tailormade Safaris, as well as an emergency handy phone with African number to limit cost (if any). Very friendly staff everywhere, trying to make life as comfortable as possible for the guests.
Siyabonga Kahula !
NL
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
A top holliday!!!
We had a top holiday with Tailor Made Safaris!
Last June we had the journey of our lives after booking with Tailor Made Safaris!
Everything was arranged and taken care of to perfection, we only had to enjoy and watch the animals we saw which included all members of the Big 5!
Family Roest-Wester (Soest, Netherlands)
NL
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
An unforgettable journey. In one word: Awesome!
It was memorable and we are confident that we will go back. We greatly enjoyed the Drakensberg , the many animals that we saw ( zebras , giraffes , antelopes , the " cats " including lions, elephants , wild dogs , whales , dolphins, turtles , etc. ) And the very friendly locals. Tailor Made Safaris planned a wonderful trip for us by listening to our needs and delivering what we asked for. The three and a half week trip provided a variety of activities and adventures and also a chance to relax. The Mozambique and Swaziland extensions, each for a few days were very nice. The accommodations was very good (luxury bed and breakfasts to beautiful luxury tents). We found it very helpful that Geert and Freya were continuously accessible and worked ceaselessly to please us. An unforgettable journey. In one word: Awesome! Thanks a lot for everything and see you soon!
NL
Email Manouk Goettsch | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Best holiday ever!
We never been on a holiday outside of Europe and I am so happy that we booked our holiday with Tailor Made Safaris!
We booked a self-drive tour from Drakensbergen, via St. Lucia, to Mozambique, Tembe Elephant Park and we ended our fantastic journey in Swaziland.
Everything was perfectly arranged. The accomodations, the navigation, the excursions. We never booked a holiday that was so well-organized.
Also all the accomodations where beautiful, clean and of high quality.
We recommend Tailor Made Safaris to all our friends and we ensure you that you can't find a better operator for your dream journey to South Africa!!
NL
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
A great self-drive trip through Northern South Africa!
Geert and Freya, we want to thank you for the great service you have given us in the preparation and compilation of our self-drive trip. Tailor Made Safaris has provided us with good information, through the wonderful book produced by Geert and also via skype and email sessions prior to the holiday. The trip we did was a good fit for our needs and requirements and our perception of South Africa.
We can absolutely recommend Tailor Made Safaris! No better organizer!
A cordial greeting from Marcel and Brigitte Kramer, Ronald and Wiesje Kramer,
Hengelo, The Netherlands
NL
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
A perfect combination of wildlife, nature, photography, adventure and relaxation!
We have come back from our lovely trip through Kwazulu Natal (Mkhuze, Kosi Bay, Tembe Elephant Park, St. Lucia, Hluhluwe, Drakensberg) and it has taken us quite a while to work our way through the many beautiful photos and videos.
The trip was a perfect combination of wildlife, nature, photography, adventure and relaxation. Tailor Made Safaris has shown us this beautiful part of South Africa in a special way, with a highly skilled and attentive private guide and a sturdy 4x4 Land Cruiser. An unforgettable safari experience! As active travelers and ‘hobby’ photographers the many "up- close and personal” encounters with Elephants, Rhinos, Giraffes, Lions and Wild Dogs, and the beautiful nature was a real treat.
The trip was diverse and varied: forest, savanna, tropical forest, dune, beach, marsh and rugged mountains; various environments and wildlife parks came into our over three week trip.
We can also tick off 2 more UNESCO World Heritage sites from our wish list: Ukhahlamba in the Drakensberg and the iSimangaliso Wetland Park. Due to the good organization, the beautiful accommodations and personalized treatment of Tailor Made Safaris, we feel privileged to have been able to experience such a safari.
Darja and Sander (The Hague - The Netherlands )
NL
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Phenomenal Honeymoon
Phenomenal Honeymoon!
Firstly we want to thank Tailor Made Safaris for our phenomenal honeymoon! The trip exceeded all of our expectations. Everything was perfect; romantic lodges, deserted beaches, private dinners under the stars, but also culture and safari!
We started with a few days on the beach to rest after our wedding. From our porch we looked out over the sea and deserted beach. After that we went to a romantic lodge in the woods, where in the evening candles and oil lamps were lit everywhere, both inside and outside and on the paths running to our lodge. In the evening we enjoyed a private candlelight dinner in a clearing in the forest.
After this our safari really started and we saw many animals to admire in the Mkhuze Game Reserve, Tembe Elephant Park, St. Lucia, iSimangaliso Wetland Park and Hluhluwe -iMfolozi Park ; all different but all equally beautiful. And in the evenings we enjoyed African braais, it was very cozy. Your private guide was not just a guide but also a private cook and chauffeur etc.
During the trip, the program was adapted to our needs, and was not rushed, everything we did was relaxed. We really feel that we have experienced real Africa, and not just sightseeing on the tourist trail!
Tailor Made Safaris, thank you again!
Sandra and Sebastian Weijers, The Netherlands
NL
Email Jan en Martine | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Coming home with a shameless amount of pictures!
For the second time we went with Geert on the hunt for big and small game in South Africa. Not in the home province of Geert like last year, but in Pilanesberg, Soutpansberg, Kruger and the Panorama route. What an experience yet again to see such beautiful landscapes, filled with many animals that Geert can tell fascinating stories about. Pilanesberg is really a beautiful park and was a logical bridge between Johannesburg and Kruger. Soutpansberg is a wonderful place to unwind; what views!
And then of course Kruger. We drove to the south from the north (Punda Maria), and have thus gained a good overall impression of the park, both in nature and facilities. Unforgettable days! The afternoon trip out to Kruger Moholoholo Rehab Centre was definitely worth it.
Finally we did the Panorama route with Graskop as our base. Beautiful views - a must!
Also thanks to Geert we again came home from a brilliant holiday with many great memories and a shameless amount of photos, we have attached some examples.
For all images, see: Note Tailor Made Safaris: very worthwhile to watch! There are really beautiful pictures!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/joco_knoop/sets/72157631849966852/
and:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/---martine---/sets/72157631951767533/
Geert , until next time!
Jan and Martine (Utrecht, The Netherlands )
NL
Email Frank Veldhuijzen | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
A great experience!
A great experience for us, something we had not expected in our wildest dreams
Surprising! Enjoy a real holiday and learn something! The design of our trip was perfect with game drives interspersed with other interesting things from South Africa, and seeing how the locals live, with time to also enjoy a good book in the lodge in St. Lucia.
It isn't necessary do think about somebody else: our next trip to SA will be with Tailor Made Safaris