Walking Stick Travel & Tours
- Located In:
- Size:
- 1-5 employees (Founded in 2010)
- Tour Types:
- Budget camping tours where clients assist with camp chores
- Destinations:
- Price Range:
- $200 to $350 per person per day (USD, excl. int'l flights)
Reviews
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Email Jordi | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Excellent mobile safari with different activities, they will adjust and satisfy your requests & need
This is an small company run by Phillimon, a tourist guide born and grown up in the Delta region, who has many years of experience in safaris and an excellent knowledge of the area. I recently travelled to the Delta with my wife and they organized a great 6-day mobile safari for us including a range of activities (mokoro, walking, river boat, plane). They were very helpful trying to adjust to our special needs and requests and to do the bes of our trip. As many lodges and resorts in the area are owned by foreign firms or people, booking with local companies is a way to enhance empowering of local residents as well. I recommend Walking Stick for mobile safaris in the delta.
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Email Katerina | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Camping and Safari at Moremi Game Reserve
I spent 4 nights on a camping safari at Moremi Game Reserve with Philemon and his crew. It was a wonderful experience. The Walking Stick crew is obviously experienced and prepared. I felt well-taken care of, and the camp facilities were above what I could have expected, with a large tent with cots for beds and en-suite bathrooms. Most importantly, Philemon (our guide and company owner) has extensive knowledge of the animals and the habitat. Even after having been on multiple safaris before, I felt that I learned a ton from him. He was great at tracking animals and keeping our game drives varied every day. He combined useful information with interesting stories from his experiences, and he also taught us a lot about the cultural context of the different peoples who were historically inhabiting the delta. I'd happily use his services again.
Email Chris | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Wonderful and surreal experience!!
The holiday was fantastic. We were very well looked after by our experienced guides who were attentive to our needs and also informative and helpful in all aspects of the safari. With no wifi and no mobile phone coverage, this trip was the perfect get away and one I would thoroughly recommend to anyone wishing to do a 'proper' safari!
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Email Salamandra | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
A unique encounter of wildlife and local culture
Phillimon was great with replying to emails quickly during the booking phase (the only delays were when he was driving a safari himself for a few days at a time). Using a money order as a form of payment seemed unusual but everything worked out fine. The car and crew picked us up at the airport and drove us back there with plenty of time, even if it meant that the crew had to wake up extra early to pack before a long drive back. The game drives were extensive and varied, and Phillimon was always going the extra mile to check spots where rare animals may be. And that's how we say 3 leopards (probably 2 different ones but one that we saw twice) in 4 days. Phillimon is a good tracker and is able to read the behavior of several animals as indicators of where the big cats are, while explaining to us what he is doing and his understanding of animal behavior. The tent accommodation was our best experience so far, with real beds, and en-suite toilet and shower in a fenced, private space, all that while camping 60 miles from the paved road: Real luxury while remaining simple. The food prepared by the cook was excellent and very hygienic. Breakfast, tea time and dinner were shared with the guide, which was the occasion for conversations about the local traditions, the use of plants, the Bushmen culture (the natives of this area who were traditionally hunter gatherers and have a profound knowledge of their environment), etc. A very unique experience, I totally recommend it!
Email Elloura | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Walking Stick are the Best!
Walking Stick a wonderful locally run company and Philmon and the team were fantastic, made my experience very special. Saw every animal you could wish for and with someone who really loves the bush which was a bit infectious! Every effort was made to make my trip wonderful, you will not be disappointed! No-one else had booked on the dates I was going so I ended up on a private safari which was amazing and unbelievably incredible value. Don't pay a bunch of money to stay in a foreign owned hotel, go for something authentic!
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Email Roger | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Highly recommended
I recommend Phillemon and Walking Stick without any reservation. From our first communication all the way to the end of our six-day safari, he and his team were terrific. He was always prompt and clear in communications when we arranged the safari, and was flexible when we wanted to make a modest change. The two other staff with us, Kenny and Josiah, were unfailingly friendly and helpful. Four things stand out in my experience.
(1) Philemon is an excellent guide with astonishing ability to see and identify animals even from considerable distances. He knows every by-way and clearly knew how to maneuver our vehicle to get the best possible views of animals we encountered.
(2) While the relatively modest price tag for Walking Stick was one of the attractions to us, we felt like we were treated extremely well. The tent was very large, with a wonderful walk-out awning, and an enclosed area behind for the toilet and shower (which worked just fine). The food was very good - thank you, Josiah - and plentiful. Especially marvelous cakes baked on the open fire.
(3) We had a family emergency back in the States develop six days into our 10-day planned safari and had to rush back. Phillemon and his team completely got the situation, did everything they could to get us back to Maun, and then were invaluable in helping us figure out the complexities of making last-minute travel arrangements. We are indebted to him.
(4) Walking Stick is a small, locally-owned and operated company in a field largely dominated by larger enterprises with capital backing that local enterprises can rarely compete with. Going with an outfit like Walking Stick invests directly in the local economy - and you get tremendous local knowledge in the bargain.
Again, we happily and enthusiastically recommend Walking Stick!
Email Johan | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Walking in the Delta is simply the best way to see wildlife on the planet.
We went back to Botswana and Phillimon and his team from Walking Stick this year, this time with my 77 year old mother. Last year, we just walked the whole time on the various islands created when the water from Angola essentially breaks Chief's island in the Delta up into smaller bits and pieces.
This year we also went to the Khwai area with Phillimon driving us around year.
In Khwai we saw a lot: leopards eating impala in tree; wild dog killing Wildebeest (not recommended for the faint-hearted), lions mating; hyena but it can get a bit crowded around the animals with all the lodges' vehicles competing at the sightings. Great camp though; good food and Phillimon and his assistants making the camping as pleasant as it can be.
We planned the Delta visit better this year, going in by boat is great but it is quite long so flying out on the return works well. As last year,walking in the Delta with Phillimon and the two other guides and seeing lion on foot; lots of elephant etc is an extraordinary experience. They take great care to explain footprints and tons of other aspects about the area where most of them grew up. And the Delta itself is of course one of a kind. We shall be back.
Email Julie & Lawrence | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
An experience of a lifetime!
We recently returned from our first ever safari trip. From day one the contact with Philimon was prompt and thorough. Any questions were responded to rapidly and without delay. He made us feel reassured and that was a key point for us. The food was excellent, the staff friendly and helpful. The service was excellent. We were very impressed with the safari and there was never a dull moment. The whole experience proved to be very eventful. Philimon is an extremely helpful and knowledgeable guide and nothing is too much trouble for him. The accommodation is what was expected but the food did however exceed our expectations, was wonderful and hearty. We were very impressed with the service we received and would recommend them to any and everyone.... why would you go anywhere else? These are local people who know this land like the back of their hands and they are happy to share their knowledge and experiences with you. Best experience of my life and we look back fondly on our trip.
Wonderful and safe safari !
Family with two children aged 9 and 12, we loved the three days spent with Philimon, our guide and driver born in the Okavango Delta. Philimon is very well organized and always on time. He knows his area beautifully and we have always felt safe with him. He adapted our safari to our criteria. We wanted to see felines and mokoro. We were served! 9 lions and 4 leopards not counting wild dogs, elephants, hippopotamuses and all the others. The camp was beautiful, two large tents with comfortable camp beds, WC, shower for each tent. Jo, the cook, does magic on his fire! Stewed dishes, fresh bread and brownies! The food is really delicious, hearty and suitable for everyone.
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Email Sara Diez | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Great mobile safari
Our 2-3 days mobile safari with Phillimon and his team was great! The 3 of them set up a big tent with an en-suite bathroom for me and my boyfriend. Game drives with Phillimon were also great. He is very good at finding and following animals. The food Phillimon's assistants cooked was very tasty and plentiful and they cared we always had some drinks, fruits or biscuits while we were resting at the campsite. We also enjoyed a speed boat trip with phillimon over the okavango delta when we return to maun and was awesome!