African Adventure Safaris
- Located In:
- Size:
- 1-5 employees (Founded in 2011)
- Member Of:
- Field Guides Association of Southern Africa
- Tour Types:
- Customizable private tours and fixed group tours
- Destinations:
- Price Range:
- $135 to $219 per person per day (USD, excl. int'l flights)
Reviews
Awesome Botswana Adventure
We are retired, have always enjoyed the outdoors/camping/hiking, have traveled internationally for pleasure (much of Europe, China) during the last 14 years. We have always developed our own itineraries, made our arrangements based on budget and have never gone with a group or tour. We had thought about an African Safari, but because of the potential high cost and the thought of being on a tour with luxury accommodations, etc., we had never seriously considered one. When we decided it was the time for an African Safari (no specific
country) we knew it could not be on our own and we knew for us, that it needed to be hands on basic camping, focusing on adventure and wildlife vs luxury accommodations.
We researched many small Africa based tour operators that offered various levels of participation safaris. We made a list, emailed and spoke to several...all were friendly. Safari Bookings was one of the very helpful resources we used for our search. After reading the reviews of Anthony and his trips, emails/conversations with him, we felt he was the one that would provide the type of African Safari adventure we wanted. He was articulate, knowledgeable (degree in Biology), passionate about Africa, its wildlife, and life in the bush.
Based on our timing and interests, Anthony put together a 15 day Botswana itinerary using his
experience and knowledge of the weather and wildlife viewing in October.
Our Botswana adventure was all that we wanted/hoped it would be and more. It was basic hands on camping, good food based on our requests, fantastic game viewing, great learning experiences, and exposure to the local people and cultures. Anthony works hard to make each of his trips a unique, passionate, personal experience for his guests...nothing cookie cutter about his safaris. We had great game viewing, amazing close encounters with different animals...and we always felt safe and secure. His knowledge and experience in the bush quickly instills confidence.
We are hoping to schedule another hands on, real deal adventure with Anthony in the very near future.
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Email Bryan Cockel | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
If You Want Depth Of Experience, You've Come To The Right Place
We spent 10 amazing days with Ant Washford in Botswana. If you want some scripted "African adventure" you've come to the wrong place. BUT...if you want to have an experience with someone that has depth of experience, that is a joy to sit around a campfire with, someone that can think on his feet and get things solved and done, then you've come to the right place. I've traveled extensively in over thirty countries in the Developing World. I'd have to say, that if you want to go have a REAL adventure with someone that you can trust, I'd vote for Ant Washford (and Anne), and his crew. You can't argue with experience..
CA
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Incredible Kalahari experience!
Anthony Washford is simply the best. He can spot the most elusive of animals or birds, he is at one with the bush and he is incredibly fun too. What a great trip camping and viewing wildlife on walkabouts in the Kalahari desert, and touring the Okavanga Delta by Mokoro canoe. The experience is one I will never forget and one I would love to repeat one day soon!
50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
fabulous trip to north Namibia
Just returned from 16 day safari in north Namibia expertly led by Anthony Washford. We travelled with a small group of six and our guide and leader Ant. Brilliantly organised .Ant has a passion for Africa and Wildlife.
He is very knowledgeable and resourceful and will go out of his way to show the very best on offer. We visited very remote parts of Namibia and came across amazing wildlife and landscapes. I would highly recommend this trip.
65+ years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Namibia: extraordinary landscapes,great people, exciting adventures, what a trip!
This is the third trip I have undertaken with Anthony (Ant) and each has been amazing. Botswana/Zambia, Uganda and Namibia. Each trip has been beyond my most extravagant dreams, exciting, unpredictable, enormous fun. Anthony is amazingly knowledgeable about animals, plants, and landscapes, and is always good humoured. He is extremely competent dealing with all the unexpected things that happen in Africa and always comes through. A good (and inventive) cook, the food is excellent. I travel alone, and with a small number of fellow travelers the group very quickly bonds under Ant's influence. A great guide, raconteur, driver and all round good guy. I thoroughly recommend African Adventure Safaris to any one who wants a taste of 'real' safari travel!
Email David Hollingworth | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
A Namibian Adventure
Wow - as usual any trip with Anthony is going to be an exciting adventure and Namibia far exceeded my expectations. I have travelled with Anthony over several years in various African countries and I would not imagine having a more competent , professional and confidence inspiring leader. He is also great fun! I know that behind the scenes there is to be a lot of work preparing for any trip but despite the unpredictable the organisation was well tailored to the circumstances and I would not hesitate - in fact going further - I cannot see myself using another organisation for any trips in Africa. In these days of careful spending I can say that every single cent is worth it on one of these adventures with African Adventure Safaris. Exciting stuff and I cannot wait to go out with these guys again.
US
50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
A Passion for Adventure
We worked with Anthony and Anne for a year, fine tuning what we wanted to do and see, and the result was a three-week adventure in Botswana that we will not forget. From the moment we met Anthony, his passion to get back into the bush was intense and contagious. After spending the summer in Nova Scotia, he seemed itching to get back into his comfort zone, and we were the beneficiaries of that itch. He made a three-week camping trip seem easy, showing up with a rig that was fully equipped with tenting and picnicking gear, extra water, sleeping bags. While he was fully prepared, there was nothing formulaic about the preparations - he was able to accommodate our low-carb diet without concern, he was prepared to stop for anything we wanted, and detour for a shopping break here, a bathroom break there, and a photo-stop to capture the perfect African sunset. Beyond all that, his knowledge was stunning - there wasn't a bird he couldn't identify, not only to the species, but to the subspecies and color variation. He could identify them by their calls, and before we left, our bird list had well over a hundred sightings. As we drove over the sandy roads, he would suddenly pull to the side and look down, spotting the tracks of lions, leopards, hyenas and on and on. He made it all interesting - whoever knew all the things you could tell from elephant dung? how many different ways termites contributed to both the natural and human ecosystems? And so much more. It was a different style of safari - not always easy and not always comfortable. But it was filled with the things you can't imagine and we will never forget.
AT
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Up, close and personal
We wanted to experience Africa this time "up, close and personal", after having spent time in a luxurious lodge in SA. That didn't do it for us. We felt privileged, but not connected. We wanted to do a walking safari and be really close to the African Earth and Animals. Then a well travelled friend of mine told me about African Adventure Safaris. And that was the lucky draw of all time! Within a week, Anne and Ant organized everything for a private tour for us 2! So amazing the communication and organization upfront, but that was only a taste of what was yet to come: Anthony is not only a fantastic guide with a knowledge that is at eye-sight of those of the Bushmen, inspiring and able to translate his love for the bush to the guests with a passion and dedication - he is superman in one person: a nevertiring driver, coping with bumpy, waterfilled roads with the patience of a Buddha and an adventurous spirit at the sime time; a 5* chef of the al fresco cooking - very creative and delicious, he is a brilliant story teller of his experiences, he just makes you comfortable and part of nature. And this is a wonderful, rare gift. We had the time of our life! Visiting the Rhino Sanctuary, Central Kalahari (in lush green!), Okawango Delta, Moremi and Chobe, we had such phenomenal encounters with the beauty of the mammals, birds and the jaw dropping landscape. We wish we were still there. We are graceful and thankful - also to Anne, Anthony's lovely girlfriend, who was so supportive and great to have around - for this once in a lifetime experience! We will definitely travel again the magic soil of Africa - with African Adventures Safari!
DE
Experience level: over 5 safaris
African bush - the best place to be...
I have been to Botswana a couple of times for more or less days with other tour operators before who were absolutely fine but the trip with African Adventure Safaris in person of Anthony Washford “Ant” just outranges any of my former experiences. Why is that? It is a mixture of the places that Ant has chosen for his tour which are for the major part unspoiled. The Central Kalahari and the Nxai Pan are just mind-blowing with so much to see topped by camping wild in relative loneliness but also for the more known places like Savuti or Moremi Ant has chosen real great spots to camp. Ant himself is not just a great host who has an amazing knowledge and a passion for the bush and its animals that you cannot resist but I also would like to mention that it was amazing to see how he interacts with the locals with a good mixture of respect, humor and kindness – they just love him. Most of us don´t want to go on holidays without good food – Ant is a good cook, don´t worry about this! I had a blast sitting on the camp fire after dinner, listening to the sound of the bush or to one of Ant´s stories. I have been in Africa for like 12 times and I if should make a guess – I would recommend African Adventure Safaris and so Ant (I´ll go to Madagaskar with his company in next March)! It is the places you go but since you cannot force nature or weather it is also the company/the guide on your side who makes your trip memorable.
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Email Bryan Cockel | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Getting out to see the real Africa
We retained African Adventure Safaris for a one month trip through Botswana, ending at Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe. Botswana is still a wild place and if you want to get away from the structured tented camp/concession arena and get out there, AAS is a great choice. Antony "Ant" Washford has decades of experience in the African bush and his on-the-ground skills are absolutely invaluable. Beyond that, Ant is not only a great host, but a fantastic storyteller and knows how to run a bush camp. Ant is absolutely encyclopedic about birds, wildlife and ecosystems, so if you're interested in more than just the "big 5" (lion, buffalo, rhino, leopard, elephant), he's great - having said that, we did see alot of, and all of, the "big 5" as well. To that end, Ant is a great tracker and takes the time to explain what he's reading, which is fascinating stuff. Just sitting around the fire swapping stories with Ant is worth a million bucks. Finally, part of getting out to see the "real Africa", that is, camping in the bush, is the adventure of it all and that includes running into challenges and solving them. Again, that's when you want to have the years of experience of some like Ant Washford and African Adventure Safaris where the attitude is that everything is an adventure and in good spirits. We'll never forget our time with AAS and Ant Washford in the Botswana Bush. Can't say enough good things.If you want to hear more about some of the fantastic experiences we had with AAS, check out my blog: www.bryanjanetravels.com. (By the way, I"m not related to anyone at AAS, nor am I receiving any compensation of any sort for these comments - just a small payback for a fantastic experience)