Team Wild Planet Safari
Wild Planet Safari
- Office In:
- Size:
- 1-5 employees (Founded in 2010)
- Member Of:
- SATSA & FGASA
- Tour Types:
- Custom mid-range tours that can start every day
- Destinations:
- Price Range:
- $200 to $410 per person per day (USD, excl. int'l flights)
for a custom tour
Your request will be sent directly to the operator
If preferred, you can contact the operator directly
Reviews
US
Email Daniel Ricciardi | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Perfect Kruger Safari
My girlfriend and I recently went on a four-day/three night Kruger tour with Ryan and could not have asked for a better trip. Driving past other tours carrying nearly 20 people with only one guide made us keenly aware of how lucky we were to be able to ask Ryan questions whenever we had them. Ryan's knowledge of the park’s ecology is constantly on display, whether he was talking about animals, insects, birds, or plant life.
Having our own private tour also gave us flexibility. We were able to customize our trip, allowing us to go out to see animals when, where and however often we wanted to. Whether we wanted to take an extra drive, go outside of the planned route to find a lion (success!), or drink Savannah Dry’s until passing out, Ryan was eager to do it. On our last day, Ryan drove all over known rhino routes because we hadn’t been lucky enough to see a rhino up close (which was literally the only animal in Kruger that didn’t practically approach our vehicle). When you are on larger group tours, that kind of personal touch just isn’t possible.
Behind every man is a great woman, and Ryan and Thale are no exception. Before arriving in South Africa, we were in constant communication with Thale despite the fact that she was in her third trimester. We were initially apprehensive about not being able to pay by credit card (extremely high fees) or PayPal (only works with one bank in South Africa), but Thale made us feel completely at ease throughout the entire process.
If all of that wasn’t enough, Ryan and Thale were kind enough to have us over for dinner the week after our tour for our last night in South Africa. We could not have asked for a nicer, more hospitable couple to show us around their beautiful country. They love what they do and it is evident from the moment you first contact them until they drop you off at the airport. We cannot recommend Wild Planet Safari highly enough. Thank you for making it an unforgettable trip!
FR
Email Penny wilson | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
A fantastic tour
We have just returned to Europe after the trip of a lifetime to South Africa, some of it spent on safari with Ryan in the Kruger National Park. Ryan and his able assistant proved to be wonderful guides. Ryan's knowledge of African wildlife is excellent and we saw up close every species we could have wished for, large and small. We were a group of 6 and our every need was catered for in the sheer magnificence of the African bush. Ryan could not have pulled off a more charming, educational and spectacular trip for us. It was beyond our wildest dreams. Thank you Ryan and team! Your passion for Africa shines through and it is infectious. We will be back for more!
NZ
Email Maree Woods | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
The safari experience of a lifetime!
This safari trip was the first taste of Africa for 2 NZ couples meeting up with SA friends for the first time in 33 years. A very special reunion and our 4 days on safari was a fabulous start to this trip. Ryan is such a friendly, knowledgeable person about all aspects of Africa. Nothing was too much trouble. We saw so many animals in their natural habitat. It was a photographers dream to get up to close to them and then quietly watch their interactions. No rush, no pressure. Ryan knew where to find the animals and tried his hardest to make sure we saw them all. I would thoroughly recommend Ryan's company to anyone wanting a personalised safari. You will not be disappointed.
NZ
Email Glenis Harrison & Yochanan Miller | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Amazing Safari Experience.
December 2015 will remain memorable for many years to come as this was our first time in Africa and our first animal safari. Right from the initial contact with Ryan and his wife Thale through to the safari itself we were super impressed with communications and organisation. On Safari with Ryan and his co worker was the most amazing experience. Ryan has a wealth of knowledge and passion about Africa and the wildlife. We were a party of 6 and spent 4 days in the Kruger National Park having lots of fun and seeing more wildlife than we could have wished for. Thanks Ryan we will be back in 5 years and will be in contact to do another safari.
Email Tony Bilbie | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Extremely Enjoyable 3 day - 2 night Safari
The communication throughout the process from the initial enquiry right through to the day before we were collected was quick and detailed. We were given a number of options of which areas to explore and different accommodation types prior to booking and everything was organised for us by Ryan and Thale.
We flew in from the UK and stayed overnight in a hotel close to the OR Tambo airport, Ryan then collected us from the hotel the following morning and we drove to Kruger (with a stop off halfway for 15 minutes), arriving at Skukuza just after 1pm.
When we arrived at Kruger mid afternoon, Ryan sent us off to grab some lunch whilst he went and checked us into our accommodation. When we returned around 2.30pm our luggage was already in the room and we were then took on an afternoon safari, seeing a large number of animals and birds.
Evening meal was BBQ steak and salad cooked outside the accommodation by Ryan and his assistant which was excellent and we sat chatting and drinking the local wines under the stars.
Morning 2 consisted of an early start where we saw most of the Big 5 and Ryan cooked us bacon and eggs breakfast at a picnic area overlooking the river, watching the monkeys play. A good long day of exploring, seeing many of the animals and birds. We then returned to the camp mid afternoon where we were left to chill out and top up the stock of beers and wine.
Again, a BBQ evening meal outside the accommodation where we were given ostrich sausages and a local veg dish which was good washed down with some local brew. We were then surprised to find out that Ryan had booked us on a night safari, a nice touch. We completed our Big 5 list on this night safari, seeing a leopard walking around the park, sadly we didn't take a camera.
Day 3 we again took an early morning safari, checked out of the accommodation and took a drive back to OR Tambo airport ready for our flight down to Cape Town.
The service we received from Ryan, Thale and the rest of the team was personal yet professional, and Ryan's knowledge of the animals and birds (mating habits/diets etc) was excellent and added to the experience we got from the trip.
I would certainly contact Wild Planet Safaris next time I am looking at exploring southern Africa's wildlife regions and would have no hesitation in recommending them to anyone looking to experience it.
US
Email Siena | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Amazing Experience!!
Our safari with Wild Planet Safari far exceeded our expectations. Our guides did an amazing job and have a wealth of information and experiences that make them great at what they do. We learned so much and had a blast doing it, and they knew just where to take us to see what we wanted to see. The food was great, and they were able to cater to a vegetarian diet which was highly appreciated. Wild Planet Safari clearly puts in a lot of work to make your experience incredible, and we can't say enough about our week at Krueger. We would highly recommend them!!
US
Email Amer | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
3 day safari in February
Me and my wife had an amazing time on this trip to kRuger national Park. We got to see a lot of animals including the big five it was such a fascinating trip and well worth the experience much greater than I expected the food that Ryan cooked for us was also excellent .my wife and I enjoyed every moment we got to see lions feasting on a buffalo A pack of wild dog giraffes elephants and even a leopard. The views were astonishing and Ryan was a excellent tour guide and he was very knowledgeable he explained to us the history and the nature of the wild animals . I definitely recommend to book with this tour operator to anyone that is interested in a safari!!
US
Email Laura | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
We had a wonderful safari experience ! Ryan was a very knowledgable guide and made our safari wonder
Every detail was taken care of! We were very comfortable with Ryan as he was very organized and friendly.
US
Email Joe | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Excellent and knowledgeable guides enabled perfect viewing of the Big 5
Communication and service were great, and overall enjoyed our experience. Ultimately everyone's goal is to see the big 5, and we saw them all and more thanks to the determination and expertise of our guides. They understood the tricks and necessities to navigate the park at the right time as well as the right places to see the different wildlife, while avoiding super crowded areas. Certain services, such as walk-about and night drive, are not allowed by private guides within Kruger - but Ryan arranged these tours on our behalf with the in-house park rangers.
Accommodations were exactly as expected - however, we were completely blow away and happily surprised by the additional hospitality when our guides prepared our meals the entire time we were in the park.
The overall logistics were convenient and helpful. They picked us up in Jo-burg, transporting us all the way to Kruger National Park. The drive and scenery and additional information along the journey were wonderful. They also drove us back to Jo-burg and dropped us off at the airport with plenty of time to catch our flight.
One downside was being in an enclosed vehicle the whole time, rather than the perceived experience of "open vehicle safari"; however, the enclosed vehicle enabled them to provide the Jo-Burg pick up and drop off, so that was a trade-off we proactively chose. Ultimately, the enclosed vehicle did not prohibit our views nor the overall experience of the safari.
We were very happy with our experience and would recommend to others looking for a great safari experience within the national park.
best safari experiece
They were great about getting back to me and answering questions. I would recommend this company to all.