Testimonials

Jambo Richard!

Just a note to thank you for arranging another wonderful holiday in Kenya for us - so many priceless memories to add to our collection and to continue to savour over the months ahead. We're not great photographers but we did get a photo of the two of us this year with our guide at Kicheche Mara Camp, Amos.

Mary and Simon Elks, Penzance, England

Once again your legendary organisational skills triumphed, many thanks. Great time throughout, saw just about everything you could name:  Two lion charges, one serious, leopard most days especially around Mwamba & Tafika, wild dog in the north park, huge herds of buffalo, good numbers of eland and elephant. Extensive carmine colonies, Pels fishing owl, crowned crane on the salt flats together with pennant winged nightjar.

Bill Dennyson, Roxburgh, Scotland

Just returned from a fantastic holiday in South Africa and I would like to thank everyone at Aardvark for all their help in making it happen. I had done quite bit of research before contacting Aardvark, but Alice and the team were incredibly helpful in figuring out what kind of holiday we wanted and shaping the plans accordingly. It really helped to talk to someone who’s actually been there! Everything was wonderful – the accommodation was fantastic and although we never seemed to have enough time in each location we were never rushed, we managed to do most of the things we wanted and we didn’t spend too much time in the car.

Highlights for all of us were: Cape Point, whales at sunset in Kalk Bay, ostriches in Oudtshoorn, playing with the cheetahs at Tenikwa Cheetah Sanctuary in Plettenberg, Big Five safari at Impodimo in Madikwe, and probably best of all was horse riding at Ants Hill in the Waterberg – even the novice riders amongst us were cantering by the end of our stay

Paul Rayner, Kincardinshire, Scotland

Firstly, we would like to thank you for planning and organising the holiday of a lifetime for us. Paul used an expression a lot whilst we were on holiday, 'completely exceeded our expectations'. To be honest he was a little sceptical and not sure before we left that a safari was the ideal holiday for him - now he is a real convert!  In summary we had an absolutely amazing time in Africa. You really listened to our needs and what we were looking for - it was our African dream come true.

Julie and Paul Scott, Kent, England

We can't thank Joanna and Aardvark Safaris enough for making our holiday one that we will remember for the rest of our lives.  We were both blown away by Rwanda.  It has to be the most beautiful country we have every visted and the experience of spending two days gorilla trekking was just heart poundingly awesome. After our four nights in Rwanda we spent a week enjoying the stunning white coral beaches of Zanzibar where the hotel Joanna recommended was absolutely first class and the food incredible.  We also loved the Nairobi hotel for our two stopover nights which really was a country house in the city.  I would have no hesitation in recommending Aardvark to any of our friends and family as everything went like clockwork.   I will definitely use them again when we plan our next African adventure!    

Jacqui and David Currie, London, England  

We LOVED it, had the best time. I loved the simplicity and tranquility of Mumbo Island, the riding was totally fab and we fell in love with the horses and all the animals at Kande Horse, and then were blown away by Kaya Mawa - and our very own Honeymoon Island!! Wow!  It was a perfect, perfect trip.

Charlie and Jo Saunders, London, England

For our first anniversary/belated honeymoon we knew we wanted a safari, but that was about all we knew. My initial idea was Botswana and in a couple of days Victoria had put together some itineraries for us and also the suggestion that Zambia would provide an equal safari experience yet offer us more for our budget.

How right she was. Kasaka River Lodge was a fantastic experience with amazing people and a superb range of activities from game drives to canoeing and fishing on the Zambezi for Tigerfish. We combined this with a few days at Victoria Falls and then we finished with a week in Cape Town.

Victoria did an excellent job at organising and offering tips and advice on every aspect of our trip. Aardvark certainly gave us a holiday of a lifetime and we can't thank them enough. We will definitely be back for more.

Matt and Shirine Swan, Sussex, England

The peaceful and remote island of Mumbo in the middle of Lake Malawi was our down time complete with bucket showers and a hammock side lake view.

Aardvark's team created a tailor made holiday, they are the perfect planners for a special holiday which is that little bit different.

Tim and Helen Stephens, Surrey, England

I have found Aardvark Safaris an excellent company to deal with. The information and advice about where to stay on our trip, was excellent and thorough. All communication prior to the trip was faultless and friendly. The trip that was eventually decided on ran extremely smoothly. All our expectations were met, and in some areas exceeded! My family and I had a wonderful time visiting Zambia and Botswana. I am sure we shall use Aardvark Safaris again.

The Harris family (and Anthony Aardvark), Bucks, England

We are just back from the most sensational holiday in Namibia and South Africa – thanks so much for organising.  All arrangement went smoothly.  Tswalu was superb – amazing game, wonderful guiding and tracking, signs of spring emerging all around, seeing the habituated meerkats was unforgettable.  The Motse was jaw-droppingly luxurious, with first class food, quite extraordinary given the harshness of the surroundings.  Fugitive’s Drift and Rob Caskie and team – it’s difficult to convey what an engrossing, engaging, moving experience the trips to Isandwala and Rorke’s Drift provided. We are most grateful for your assistance in arranging all this for us, and look forward to further delights in the future.

Marion McMurdo and Grant Hutchison, Dundee, Scotland

Six weeks to go before my wedding and I was getting worried that after reading the Seychelles guidebook from cover to cover I hadn't yet booked the honeymoon.  Then I rang Aardvark and Victoria came to my rescue with her wealth of knowledge and experience.  She listened to what we were looking for and our budget to put together a fantastic itinerary.  We spent five relaxing nights on La Digue cycling to all the different beaches and playing with the giant tortoises before following Victoria's suggestion to go to Denis.  Whilst La Digue had been lovely, Denis took our breath away.  We had a beach to ourselves, snorkelling on the coral reefs with all sorts of fish and some turtles.  The food was amazing, especially the fish, and the service superb.  My only advice is to follow Victoria's recommendations!  As my wife Agnes said throughout 'This is the best honeymoon I've ever had!'.  Thank you Victoria, thank you Aardvark.

Ben Chris, London, England

All I can say is that the holiday was unbelievable. At Rekero, Victoria had already requested a particular guide for us who she felt would be best suited to us as a family, and how right she was. Dickson was the best guide ever, and the memory of him and my children imitating the noise of wildebeest grunting as we crossed the Mara plains will stay with me for ever. We all had lumps in our throat as we said goodbye to him at the airstrip before flying back to Nairobi.

The things that most impressed me were as follows - Aardvark listened to what we wanted, and then suggested destinations accordingly; they were very responsive; they clearly know all their destinations personally, and very well, so were able to give first hand, balanced & independent commentary on each; they organised every aspect of the trip; and just before we travelled they sent some lovely literature such as animal and bird spotting guides to get us in the mood.

I would have no hesitation in recommending to anyone that they use Aardvark, and I would guarantee that, like us, they will have the holiday of a lifetime.

John McConnell, Kent, England

I knew next to nothing about Africa when I approached Aardvark in the first place in January this year, except that several people had recommended Namibia to me. From my first discussion with Victoria it was clear she was an expert and she spent a lot of time and effort in talking through exactly what we would enjoy and put together a fantastic trip for us, three weeks in Namibia driving ourselves (mother and daughter team), finishing with three days on the Zambian side of the Victoria Falls. It was just an unbelievable holiday which ran seamlessly - organised by Victoria and the excellent Wilderness Safari team in Namibia who not only met us from all our flights and transported us to hotels and back but provided us with a huge cold box full of drinks which lasted for half the holiday! From the dramatic scenery of Fish River Canyon in the south, to the dunes at Sossusvlei and the wonderful wildlife in the north we were completely captivated and can't wait for our next trip. A big thank you to all involved but particularly, of course, to Victoria.

Judy Acton, North Yorkshire, England

The Wilderspin and Chatters family, Hampshire, England

A trip of a life time! … this is what we said last year after our return from Zambia, but already then I knew the “African Bug” had bitten us badly and that we will be back for more … again we called upon Victoria, the best listener in the business, she did her magic and listened to Eva, Hannah, Lara and me, which is not easy with everybody talking at the same time and wanting different things … but Victoria quickly noticed a common theme and suggested Mozambique. It was a wonderful choice, with thousands of miles of Indian Ocean, an exciting mix of Portuguese and African culture and music. The people are friendly and beautiful and the sea is always close. We followed Victoria’s recommendation and went to the more remote north eastern part of the country known as the Quirimbas National Part and Marine Reserve. At the breathtakingly beautiful Londo Lodge we did the PADI Open Water Diving course and were released into the Indian Ocean with its teaming sea life. We saw big fish, small fish, dolphins, whales and we swam with turtles. We walked along empty, unspoilt beaches, visited local villages and admired the catch of the day from local fishermen; we felt safe and welcome above and below the water. Was it a trip of a life time? Oh yes, definitely, but Victoria be warned we will be back for more.

Ernst Schlogelhofer, London, England

We simply wanted to give you some feedback on our trip and let you know how much we enjoyed the holiday you put together for us.  Sheryl and Simon were great hosts throughout the three days at Three Tree Hill. We enjoyed having a tour in the historic battlefields, the Spioenkop reserve and hiking in the Drakensberg.  We did some great game viewing in the Hluhluwe reserve and got to see many elephants, rhinos and giraffes as well as buffalos and zebras. Unfortunately, no lions or cats so we'll have to come back!  We eventually drove to Rocktail Bay Lodge, which we also enjoyed. Thanks to you, we slept in the honeymoon suite, which had just been built and overlooks the sea and its many whales going to Madagascar for the winter. We spent a lot of time watching them from our own deck and that was an unforgettable experience.  Again, many thanks for putting together this journey for us and arranging every detail of it, we are looking forward to our next vacation with Aardvark.

Vanessa Delnaud and Benjamin Robine, Clamart, France

Our first holiday with Aarvark - to Kenya, in 2007 - was such an effortless success that the company was a natural port of call when planning this year's trip. Victoria's helpful and friendly advice was impeccable, the itinerary perfect. I fulfilled a lifetime ambition to trek gorillas in Rwanda: being able to experience these amazing animals from only a few feet away was unforgettable. We were then fortunate to be among the first guests at the new Sayari camp before relaxing in Zanzibar. For once, teenspeak has it right - 'awesome'

Minor-De Pauw family, Belgium

The Nelson family travelled with us on a family safari holiday to Zambia and South Africa staying in the following camps and hotels:

Kasaka – Lower Zambezi, Zambia
Nkwali – South Luangwa, Zambia
Franschhoek Country Hotel – Winelands, South Africa
Afton Grove, near Cape Town, South Africa

Their children, Chloe and Daniel, each wrote the story of an African safari day. Both are fantastic, so we’ve given them each their own website page:

Click here for Chloe’s story of her family safari day

Click here to read Daniel’s story of his day on a family safari

Without out a doubt Aardvark and its staff helped make our trip of a lifetime so much more special with the personable and experienced service.  Having such confidence in who we were dealing with allowed us to relax so much more and enjoy our trip - which was unbelievable!  The strong links that Aardvark has in Botswana were really evident as well as their very good reputation. All round just brilliant, thank you very much. 

Alice and David Murray, Edinburgh

We were lucky enough on our trip up Kilimanjaro to be accompanied by Victoria herself who was doing her research on the area the best way possible, by doing it herself! The guides, the porters, and the crew at the base camp were without exception incredible. The organisation was impeccable and we felt tremendously well looked after for our entire time on the mountain. Walking into the fully prepared camp shortly before dusk after a hard day's trekking it was a wonderful boost to the spirits to see the entire group of guides and porters standing waiting for us and singing as we arrived. The omnipresent cup of tea was also greatly appreciated! We really can't say enough good things about the entire team. When we return to Africa for our next big adventure we will undoubtedly be using Aardvark Safaris who looked after us amazingly well before, during and after our trip.

Jon and Allison Beer, New York, USA

The easiest most stressless wedding around!  From leaving the UK to arriving back everything was expertly organised in a friendly and professional manner.  Nothing was too much hassle and we had the most memorable fews days of our lives.

Flora and Tom Corbett, Inverness, Scotland

Victoria Langmead at Aardvark Safaris was massively helpful, attentive and flexible in helping me put together a Kilimanjaro Climb at very short notice. Once in Kenya and Tanzania I felt that I had been transferred into safe, competent hands, and I had a truly amazing time on the mountain. I would unreservedly recommend Aardvark Safaris and Summit Africa to anyone planning a Kilimanjaro climb.

Robbie Stern, London, England

We were delighted with Aardvark. Their knowledge of Africa is second to none and their expertise ensured we had honeymoon perfectly tailored to our needs. Indeed the service provided delivered beyond our expectations and we would have no hesitation in using Aardvark again for future trips and recommending them to family and friends.

David and Beverly Lee, London, England

Our trip was truly memorable and if we do travel I that part of the world our starting point would definitely be a call to Aardvark.

David and Judith Halkerston, Edinburgh, Scotland

We have been on two trips with Aardvark now - one to Rwanda (gorilla trekking), Tanzania and Zanzibar and one self drive to Namibia. Both trips were entremely well organised, drawing on local knowledge and Victoria and her colleagues spent time getting to know exactly what we wanted from our trip, and although not the cheapest holiday, they have been truly amazing experiences.

I'd challenge any Africa enthusiast not to find trekking the Virunga with mountain gorillas or ballooning over the Namib desert life enhancing experiences. We are currently thinking about where Aardvark can take us for our next African adventure.....

Alison Tattersall and Chris Fox, London

I am sitting at my desk in a state of depression after the most fantastic trip to Kenya, I keep having to look at photos to remind me that it was not all a dream!

Thank you do much for organising such a brilliant trip, we loved every moment of it. Louis, Mary-Jo, Dion, Emilie and Richard were great and took us under their wings and we were do fortunate to have three other fab families there over Christmas, it was the prefect start to the holiday – 110% relaxation! The people working there were wonderful.

Off Beat Mara was fab as well, the tents were great although Muffet had an interesting night with a buffalo scratching its backside on one of the guy ropes – not much sleep for her that night! Frank and Julietta looked after us really well, a good way to spend Hogmanay.

We loved Sosian. What a fantastic place and such a treat to have the place to ourselves with Steve and Annabelle and his family. I managed one ride and even jumped off the middle waterfall jump – Malcolm could not quite believe his eyes! It was a prefect break.

The Leslie Family, Gorebridge, Scotland

Hi Alice, I think Chris has already spoken to you saying that we have now decided to go to Califonia instead of Africa for our honeymoon.

I just wanted to write to say how helpful and professional you had been with all of our enquiries. You gave us honest and good advice but what impressed me the most was the efficiency of answering our emails, (your other competitors have still to respond after 2 weeks.)

If we were ever to travel to Africa I would have no hesistation in using Aardvark Safaris.

Laura Beard, Scotland

I have had a dream of Africa in my mind for 40 years. This dream came true on my honeymoon to Lewa.

All the colours, the smells, the magnificence of the animals in their natural surroundings, the sensation of a real, untainted existence, and the people.

A big thank you to the people at Ardvark and especially to the kindness of the friends we made in Lewa Wilderness Trails for fulfilling my lifelong dream!

Charlotte Kennedy, Seville,Spain

We had the most fantastic trip to Kenya. We love it! It exceeded all our expectations!

Miranda Arkwright & family, Dublin, Ireland

We just wanted to say thank you so much for sorting out our trip when it went a bit pear shaped, we really did appreciate having someone back in the UK who knew what we liked and could make an educated guess as to what would suit us. The place you sent us was brilliant, we had some really amazing sightings plus a great walk up to the platform you can sleep on at night.  So a BIG MASSIVE thanks from Mark and I for getting stuck in and sorting it out.

As to the rest of the holiday Lewa, was absolutely unbelievable - we wished we had put another night there as it was so good and we did not get to do all the things we wanted to!  The Karisia walking Safari was the highlightthough and we really did not want it to finish. I can't believe they can cook up such wicked meals in an ammunitions box! We were even surprised at the luxury of our accommodation, both of us expecting something far more basic.What a way to celebrate our Silver Wedding. We will definitely be doing that again.

Camilla and Mark Youde, Berkshire, England

Riding with PJ and Barney in Botswana was the highlight of our trip. We felt as if they were friends who had invited us to stay for a while.  The care and attention they gave to every part of our stay with them was fantastic. The Lower Zambezi national park was also spectacular.  We canoed down silent backwaters filled with drinking hippo and buffalo. 

As a family we have many special memories of this stunning trip. We were cared for by wonderful people, we learnt heaps, we laughed lots, we ate delicious food, saw beautiful sunsets while drinking sundowners and listening to lions roar.  Every day we had an adventure.

Would we do this holiday again?   Yes, most definitely and we would not hesitate to contact Aardvark to help us.

Penny Dickson, Perthshire, Scotland

I would like to put on record our collective appreciation of everyone at Aardvark for an excellent holiday in the Western Cape. All the hotels were excellent and the time scheduled in each was spot on with transfers perfectly coordinated.

The Body family, Chelmsford, England

Being on horseback in Africa was an unforgettable experience, seeing the countryside and wildlife from a horse offers a completely unique perspective - to such an extent that the small amount of time we spent in a vehicle seemed tedious by comparison.

Our trip was immaculately put together by Aardvark with every detail taken care of. Patrick and Nicola at Ride Kenya were organised, professional and very good company. Their hospitality made it a real safari experience rather than feeling like just another wageni treading a well worn path - in fact we never saw another tourist during our week on horseback. The horses were excellent, the standard of guiding irreproachable, the camps were comfortable and luxurious and most importantly our hosts did everything possible to make us laugh (more often than not above and beyond the call of duty).

Hamish Baillie, London, England

For our first holiday to Africa with our three boys aged 8, 11 and 13 Kenya surpassed all our expectations! From the excitement of the animals spotted in the Mara, to the luxury experienced staying at Borana and the thrills of the water sports at Manda Bay, Aardvark definitely provided an amazing trip which we will not forget in a long time.

The Sayer family, Wantage, England

Alice, I don't know if anyone else from our trip has been in touch since we came back but I thought I would just email and say what a wonderful holiday it was. Everything worked perfectly even the 8.30 booking of supper in Hurumzi Street Stone Town, which I was especially impressed with. It was all fabulous.

I would also like to say how awesome Nicola and Patrick at Ride Kenya were. They really looked after us and once Patrick realised we were up for a bit of an adventure and would pretty much give anything a shot then he went into a sort of overdrive. It all culminated in a human pyramid with the camp staff on the last night. I have attached a photo.

Thanks again and please pass onto your team how much we appreciated their efforts.

Alex Reading, Edinburgh, Scotland

It was my first time travelling in Africa and I was travelling alone so arrived with a certain level of trepidation at Dar Es Salaam airport at 6 in the morning.  I couldn't have been better looked after however and was met with beaming smiles by a collection of helpful representatives from Coastal Aviation who herded me through to the domestic terminal and on to a local plane to Arusha without me even having to dig out my documents.  At Arusha I was passed into the capable hands of Hoopoe who were in charge of my destiny for the next week climbing Kilimanjaro.  They couldn't have been more charming and helpful and I had absolutely no worries being alone during the journey or the climb itself.

Sophie Brewer, London, England

I can honestly say the trip was the best we have ever had and we stayed at some of the most amazing places I could imagine. We saw everything on safari that we wanted, including lions, cheetahs, elephants and even a leopard feeding. Both camps we stayed at (Tortillis in Amboseli and Rekero in the Mara) were incredible and the staff couldn’t do enough for us. We even got some special treats as a honeymoon couple.

I would recommend anyone to use Aardvark Safaris, you couldn’t find a better level of service or attention to detail. Their help and advice was fantastic and our honeymoon was better than we could ever have imagined.

Steve and Bev Richardson, Manchester, England

Words alone cannot express the wonderful experience Ian, Tony & myself had at Rekero & Kichechie camps in Kenya.  Our sincere thanks go to the whole team at Aardvark and especially Jo for tailoring our holiday to exactly what we wanted.  Both camps were exceptional and faultless and there is not one thing we can think of to improve either of them.  You are a great crowd at Aardvark and when we were able to visit you, you all made us so welcome even though we interrupted your board meeting. We wouldn't hesitate to recommend you to anyone else and we hope to use your services again.

Carol, Ian & Tony Lowe

For both John and I going to Kenya on safari was a life changing experience and not just a holiday. I dont think I will spend two weeks on a caribbean beach ever again! Seeing the animals in their natural habit, watching and listening to the behaviour is indescribably humbling. I just know that I can never not go back to Africa.

Lisa Genovese, Hampshire, England

Thankyou Jo and the Aardvark Team for helping to plan a memorable trip for our group of five - all 70 plus and friends since our University days.We had all been to Africa before but Zambia was a new and unknown destination which proved to be angreat choice for our reunion.

The four camps provided a variety of excellent accommodation, ranging from the simple but charming Sindabezi to the elegant and luxurious Luangwa House. The different locations gave wonderful and varied oportunities for game viewing - in some cases without moving from our beds!

We particularly enjoyed the water-based activities which included a swim in The Devil's Pool on Livingstone Island(for some), fishing (for others),bird and animal watching by canoe and boat and of course the mandatory Sundowners.

Thelma Drinnan, Brisbane, Australia

Thank you for some fabulous suggestions and organising. It was truly the holiday of a lifetime.  You were personally toasted with wine one night in Tswalu for your excellent choices.  

Debbie O'Sullivan, Hampshire, England

Thank you for organising the most wonderful riding experience I could imagine. I was struck by how good the horses were - a pleasure to ride and definitely the best way to see Africa. It was unforgettable, I'll be back!.

Harry Meade, Wiltshire, England

How do I even begin to put into words what a truly wonderful holiday we had in Tanzania. We embarked with a little trepidation, could the holiday live up to the wonderful time we had with you on the Malawi-Kenya-Zanzibar trip in 2006? The resounding reply is yes!!

All the arrangements were seamless and each location more than lived up to the information you had given us. The hospitality from the welcome, accommodation, food and local information could not be faulted or bettered. Our photographs do not live up to the wonderful memories we all treasure. How do you begin to capture the vast beauty of Africa and its people? Or the gentle singing of the Askari guards drifting through the rain to alert me of their presence in the dark?

Thank you so much for helping us to put together another wonderful trip. Your knowledge of Africa and your ability to fulfil clients' requirements and expectations is phenomenal.

Alison & Michael Roberts, Ilkley, England

Richard, Kenya was just sensational and everything worked perfectly. We saw most of what I wanted although the migration seemed to take place very early but that is fine, animals have a mind of their own. The contrast between Sabuk & Saruni in terms of location, wildlife etc. was great. We are looking at getting back next year and trying Tanzania or Botswana maybe starting in the Mara again.

Englehardt family, Singapore

I have travelled with Aardvark several times and without exception found their advice unbiased and helpful. Unlike some operators they are not frightened of advising against lodges which they feel would not suit me – an invaluable asset when travelling as a lone female in Africa and one that much prefers small bush camps and feels uncomfortable with luxury at the expense of wildlife. Aardvark found me my own heaven on earth – Mwagusi in Ruaha with a close second being Old Mondoro in the Lower Zambezi. Their arrangements have always worked smoothly leaving me with no worries and more time to gaze with wonder at the unfolding panorama that is the African bush.

Mary Guy, Lincolnshire, England

Thank you so much for organising such an honeymoon.  Every detail was well thought out and the properties you chose were of very high quality.  This was a trip we will never forget.

Brad and Adriana Markel, Calgary, Canada

I've been meaning to contact you since getting back...Namibia was FANTASTIC! We all agreed it was one of our best family holidays. Thank you for organising such a wonderful trip. Accommodation and game viewing exceeded all expectations. Okonjima was brilliant and Etosha just incredible. At one waterhole (Kalkheuwel) we saw loads of animals including 56 elephants. To see them appear through the bush single file is not a sight we will easily forget.

We really couldn't have been happier with everything you arranged. it all went like clockwork.

The Capes family, Hampshire, England

Thank you again for such a wonderful trip - we will highly recommend Aardvark and Kasaka to anyone who is interested, and especially if they have concerns about taking kids on safari.

Our two children had the experience of their lives and really thrived during their stay - if anyone says that children are not able to go on safari we would love to tell them about how well it went for us.

The Griffin family, London, England

Our first trip to Africa was in 2004 to Cape Town, the wine districts and Botswana. Further adventures followed to Namibia, Kenya, Zambia and recently another to South Africa. Everything happens with an Aardvark trip. On one occasion our flight was so badly delayed at Heathrow that we would obviously miss our connection at Johannesburg. Even at 10pm the Aardvark machinery clicked into place and by the time we eventually arrived in Windhoek, the private charter had been re-arranged. The camps are first class, the arrangements work and other people we have met always seem to be as happy as we are with the Aardvark Team. We can thoroughly recommend Aardvark Safaris - our one remaining challenge is to actually see an Aardvark!

Martin and Valerie Slade, Sevenoaks, England

San Camp is a great little camp - the meerkats on our heads, walking with the Bushmen and quad biking into the salt pans was absolutely fantastic.  Our game drives and trip out on the water in a dug out canoe at Pom Pom were wonderful. At Savuti we spent hours with a pride of lion and their kill and tracked leopard and cheetah to mention just a little!

Thorntree River Lodge was different again. We enjoyed a helicopter trip over the Victoria falls, Hamish the hippo who grazed the lawns at night, a trip to a local village and the elephant ride! 

All in all, the trip was fantastic. We enjoyed every minute and have already recommended your company to all who have asked about our holiday of a lifetime! Thank you so much Jo and Aardvark.

Kathleen Huey, Saffron Walden, England

The depth of knowledge and attention to detail Aardvark provides is outstanding, no hard sell just un-biased genuine advice. I would not use anybody else.

Philip Ellick, London, England

We have travelled with Aardvark twice and on both occasions they have surpassed our expectations - not only do they send you to places you were unaware of but they have been there themselves and know what you can expect. It's not just about the places, but the camps and guides they select show you the real Africa - the spirit and welcome of the continent.

As an example, I will never forget playing 'hunt Henry', when one of our guides pretended to steal our goats and then with the help of the other guides, my boys and myself tracked Henry and captured him with our spears! Great fun and a good use of the bushcraft skills we had been shown.

Mike Armstrong, Leeds, England

I just wanted to drop you a line to say thank you for our wonderful honeymoon. We left Vuyatela on Tuesday after the most incredible week. We have wanted to go on a safari holiday for a number of years and our honeymoon gave us the perfect opportunity. Vuyatela exceeded our expectations on every level. The people are so genuine and kind, we felt at home immediately. The scenery and animals were just amazing – lions attacking buffalo on our first drive, the beautiful one-eyed leopard with her kill, and a herd of elephants sauntering past as we lay on our deck. Our surprise private dinner and petal-filled bath was such a lovely touch and made us fall in love with Vuyatela even more.

Thank you all so much for a truly exceptional honeymoon, and we really hope to come and visit again.

Lindsay & Simon Hunter, London, England

We are just back from a wonderful trip to Zambia and Malawi and I wanted to put on record our thanks for organizing the trip for us.  As you will remember, when I first contacted you we had decided we wanted to go to Africa and go on safari but had no idea where to start – not even which countries would be best for us.  Your advice on what would best suit our requirements, including keeping our two teenage girls happy was invaluable.  

The Cowper family, Herts, England

Ernst Schlogelhofer, London, England

I emailed Aardvark initially with a rough idea of what I wanted to do for my holiday. The help I had in the following couple of weeks was superb, with honest advice about the different options. The beauty for me was that I could come home and check my e mails at night, think about what was on offer and reply with my thoughts - and Alice would work on that the next day. It worked so well for me, plus small things like the suggested packing list etc. made it much easier as it was my first time doing this sort of holiday.

Claudia Nisbett, Berkshire, England

I know Vicky found you very easy to work with and that compared to other companies you seemed to quickly understand our interests and needs and were able to design a honeymoon which fitted just right.

Andy & Vicky McCracken , London, England

All in all a great holiday and quite a shock to get home to cold and Pennine snow.  Thanks for all your superb organisation, as usual!

Peter and Cathy Smith, Cumbria, England

I knew nothing about Africa and so the thing that I appreciated the most about Aardvark was their willingness to spend time discussing what I liked and did not like. Also, I kept changing my mind and they accommodated all my changes with equanimity.

It is because of this approach that we had, in the words of my daughter, “the best holiday ever”. And that is from a 14 year old on a two week holiday with just her parents, and no access to the internet, to mobile phones, or to hair straighteners. Mind you, we didn’t tell her about the lack of electricity until we were packing!

Maria Gee, Berkshire, England

Our holidays are always organised at the very last minute and Aardvark rose to the challenge to arrange the holiday of a lifetime with only ten days notice.  The choice and variety of places was perfect for our needs, plenty of action, so much to see, new experiences and memories which will never be forgotten.

Thank you all so much for giving us all such a wonderful time together as a family and so many happy memories and pictures of our once in a lifetime holiday.

Sarah and Stephen Vantreen, Devon, England

The team at Aardvark were wonderful in planning and arranging our trip to Tanzania, nothing was too much trouble or too difficult to do. They directed us towards camps that were perfect for what we were looking for - sumptuous luxury (me), intrepid adventure (the rest of the family). But even the intrepid adventure was luxurious – delicious food and, amazingly, hot showers in a camp with no running water.  At the luxury end there was wonderful adventure and incredible animals.

The Whalley family, Roxburghshire, Scotland

Finally, thank you so much to you and Gale for your patience in changing the trip so many times and even having to deal with us missing our flight.  I have been regaling my friends and colleagues with the details and have been delighted to recommend you.

The Youngs, Glasgow, Scotland

All in all my dreams and expectations were not only fulfilled but surpassed. Taking the children was no problem at all, they had a great time, which they still talk about, and of course we can’t wait to go back.

Geoff Hall, Shropshire, England