These reviews will give you a good idea of what you can expect on safari with the Nature Travel Team.
What an incredible adventure!
Paul Martindale
I recently spent 13 days traveling around Namibia with Nature Travel Namibia and guide extraordinaire Nick Buys. What an incredible adventure! Each day presented us new landscapes and wildlife. We traveled from Windhoek to Na’ankuse Animal Sanctuary to Etosha National Park to Damaraland and back to Windhoek. Traversing some 1600 km and staying at 5 different camps, this carefully laid out plan let us bear witness the diversity and amazement Namibia has to offer. Nick’s knowledge and experience put us into prime locations and situations to capture the wonders placed in front of us. What a life changing experience!!
Best trip ever!
Stephen Barten
I was part of a group of five wildlife photographers who toured Namibia for two weeks with Nature Travel Namibia. Having never been I didn’t know what to expect but my experience far exceeded my highest hopes, and I came home with far more experiences and “keeper” images than from any prior trip. It was my best trip ever, and I’ve done wildlife photography tours on 6 continents.
We stayed in four different lodges and they ranged from very nice to posh. I was especially impressed with and enjoyed Onguma Bush Camp and Mowani Mountain Camp. The menus were varied and delicious with good choices for all palates. We moved between lodges in Nature Travel Namibia’s spacious and comfortable van. Our game drives used the open trucks with three bench seats belonging to each lodge.
Our guide, Nick Buys, was fantastic. He’s a wildlife/conservation veterinarian who also is an experienced game tracker and birder. I’m convinced we saw twice as many animals and behaviors due to his direction than we would have done with another guide. He not only found numerous animals, but also predicted when they would move, where they would move, and positioned our vehicle so we could capture unique images when they did. He was a master at suggesting when to change locations and when to stay; we often sat while other tourists near us drove away, only to see dramatic animal action soon after.
Nature Travel Namibia took great care of us, from our airport pickup to our final airport return. All travel, meals, and lodging were arranged, but Nick also made changes on the fly as our schedule changed and in accordance with our goals. He booked extra game drives and activities whenever we had down time and made sure they were private rather than group ones. He made sure our meals were available when we got back late. He even arranged for veterinarians in our group to observe a cheetah immobilization and health assessment at a wildlife sanctuary. Nick is truly a wildlife expert and fountain of knowledge. He was friendly, funny, and interesting, and a great companion. He meshed with our group as if he was an original member.
Our trip exceeded every expectation. I would book another trip with Nature Travel Namibia in a heartbeat and hope to do so again soon.
Perfect Trip to Namibia for 2
Crispin & Alison
My wife and I just came back from a fabulous 2 week tour of Namibia, courtesy of Nature Travel Namibia (NTN). In short, the entire trip was even better than we had hoped, from planning through execution. As far as planning goes… from an initial conversation in July, our trip was planned in August and we travelled end Sept / early Oct. NTN did a great job working with us on all the details, and tailoring a trip to meet our needs. The plan NTN provided included literally everything – not just an itinerary but all the transfers, excursions, safari drives, accommodations and meals. The execution was even better than the planning. On arrival in Windhoek, Lucky, our guide for the trip came to meet us. Lucky is an exceptional guide – he is passionate about animals & Namibia and made sure our trip was enjoyable throughout. He was also a fascinating travel companion – our conversations ranged from regional history & culture to world affairs. Finally, he lived up to his name – we had exceptional wildlife spotting in the 5 days we spent in Etosha (although in reality it wasn’t simply good fortune – Lucky deployed all his experience & planning to make sure we found the animals). So overall a 5 star experience for us… and we are planning a return trip with our son to fit in the bits we missed!
Go to Namibia!
Edward Mikol
As a photographer I explored multiple locations with Nick through Nature Travel Namibia. He has an exceptional understanding of the “lay of the land” and the nuances of this beautiful country with it’s remarkably varied terrain. You will have excellent photographic opportunities as Nick knows where to find the wildlife and can often predict their behavior. If you need an animal identified…he’s on it. A truly professional guide intimately familiar the flora and fauna. Go to Namibia!
Fantastic Experience with Nature Travel Namibia
John & Tina Valsamopoulos White – Crete
When we finally decided to pursue an ultimate trip on our bucket list, Namibia, as a result of a small family inheritance.
We contacted several Tour and Game Drive operators covering Namibia. We provided them all with a detailed brief as to what we wanted for this trip based on our numerous years of experience with safaris in Kruger, Botswana, Zambia, Kwa-Zulu Natal, Uganda etc.
We subsequently received a couple of positive replies but Nature Travel Namibia through Nicolette Muller, seemed to be the very best at understanding our requirements and tailored a 16 day trip accordingly, which other companies seemed to miss.
Consequently we decided to go with Nature Travel Namibia and they then adjusted plus tweaked the itinerary to meet our exact requirements.
We did in fact ask for their best Guide/Driver. What we got was an absolutely fantastic 16 day trip far surpassing our expectations and the Guide/Driver (Marc Cronje) was nothing short of superb, almost a walking encyclopaedia on wildlife and nature.
In short without doubt the best African Safari trip we have ever had since 2001.
Not sure what else we can say except Nature Travel Namibia is by far our ultimate choice for any future trips and would 100% recommend them to anybody.
Great tour for solo traveller
Rachel
March 2022
Had a last minute work trip to Namibia, and was lucky enough to have Nature Travel Namibia arrange a tailor-made trip that fit into my limited travel time, with very short notice. Had a fantastic time, my tour guide was incredible and very knowledgeable and can thoroughly recommend Nature Travel Namibia.
Windhoek Day Birding Trip
Kristen
March 2022
A veterinarian and conservationist, Nick Buys is a consummate professional. He delivers outstanding customer service, responds quickly yet thoroughly to communication and is incredibly knowledgeable. He listens to your birding “wish list,” tailors the itinerary based on those goals and delivers results. Nick is personable and has an amazing sense of humor. After a day birding with Nick, you feel like family. I highly recommend Nature Travel Namibia and look forward to birding with Nick and his team in the future.
Namibia Safari
Janeen Hernan, Hobe Sound, Florida USA
December 2021
Over the last nine years I have traveled with Nature Travel Namibia and Nature Travel Africa four times. My recent journey to Namibia, again, exceeded my expectations. The trip was well planned with attention to detail from a packing list to dining tables with a view. Travel during this time of covid adds a layer of concern, but Nature Travel answered all our questions, kept us informed, and arranged necessary testing.
Our guide and driver Nick Buys has an uncanny ability to identify wildlife from extreme distances. Nick says it is not necessarily due to keen eyesight, even though that helps, but by recognizing shape, color, movement and location. Highlights included: a journey far into the Skeleton Coast where we were able to view the desert elephant, and sitting at a watering hole in Etosha National Park at night and hearing the roar of a lion, realizing not only that it was close but how powerful an animal it is. Most of all we had “fun”.
Even after multiple trips to Africa, I feel it is still full of adventure, just waiting for me. I highly recommend Nature Travel and will use them again to wander and explore Africa. A special thank you to Nick Buys, Nicolette Muller, and all the staff.
Outstanding, worldclass customer service, responsive, knowledgeable guide, exceeded expectations
S Trivedi
July 2021
Nature Travel Namibia is a world-class tour operator that provided excellent value for the money spent. Nicolette, our tour organizer was excellent and responsive. While in the USA I got responses within time zone differences, while in Namibia, responses were in real-time, and believe me you will need real-time support when your airline changes flights at apparently random times when you do not have Internet access or things happen beyond your control (provide your booking login details to Nicolette). Nicolette’s response was the main reason for me choosing Nature Travel Namibia, but it just got better from there. My guide and driver Marc Cronje was outstanding; he was friendly, very knowledgeable, and flexible; the hours spent in the car with Marc were filled with interesting discussions and an informal discourse on birds (by the way Namibia has some amazing birds).
The tour was customized for me as a single traveler, another feather in Nature Travel Namibia’s cap (in fact it is a group of companies that does bird watching – Nature Travel Birding, NT Kruger, NT Africa, etc.). One of my requirements was to visit dark sky locations, since Namibia has one of the darkest night skies in the world; consequently, the first several nights were catered to dark sky and Southern Milkyway viewing in Keetmanshoop, Sossuss Dune Lodge, and Star Dune Camp. I was told that Nicolette has personally visited the lodges she recommends, which is a huge plus. The accommodations (I chose mid-range) as chosen by Nicolette were outstanding.
I spent 16 days in Namibia, and this was my second trip to African in two decades, and I was totally blown away by the experience and the efficiency of the tour operator. In summary if you are looking for a tour operator to visit Namibia (or Kruger in South Africa, or for birdwatching anywhere in the world), without reservations I highly recommend Nature Travel Namibia. I did go in time of the COVID situation, and though Namibia is on the USA travel.gov “do not travel list”, it is safer than many cities in the USA; all individuals everywhere in Namibia use masks and hand sanitizers and the population density is much lower than any of the major metros in USA. As a final disclaimer: I was neither paid nor coerced into writing this review, and the words are all my own. Hope you enjoy your upcoming trip wherever it may take you. Cheers!
What a Great Trip! 380 Bird species, and 50 species of Mammal
Mike Sylvia, Galway, IRE
May 2021
This was my first trip to Africa let alone Namibia. My main focus for the trip was to see as many bird species in Namibia as possible. After researching for a good guide that I thought would be a good fit, I chose Nature Travel Namibia (NTN) mainly due to my talks with owner Nick Buys. His attentiveness and quick thorough responses to my many questions made the decision easy. I never use guides or tour companies for my travels so this was going to be new for me. I am usually the guide or part of a team that is showing clients the places I go, which means I know what to look for in a good guide. With Africa being a new continent and with the Covid landscape I decided this would be the best way to be safe, healthy, and see the most on my trip. Nick made it happen on all points. Never was I worried that he did not have my best interests in mind and did all he could to make them happen. It was just him and me for 14 days on the road.
During the time I learned a lot about him and his passion for Namibia, wildlife, and touring. He is dedicated on all fronts. Initially I set a lofty goal of 350 species as a goal for the trip. He planned out a route that would bring us across many of the unique habitats in Namibia from the City of Windhoek to the North and Northeast of the country. This area covered the various scrubland, acacia, grassland, desert, mountain, riparian, marshland, flood plain, coastal, and dune habitats of the area. This gave us the best chance to focus on the near-endemic and endemic species as well as have good chances to pick up the Southern Africa species as well. Obviously, this plan worked and was exceeded. Having both of us totally motivated 24 hours a day helped as well. We worked very well together. After a couple days we had definitely gotten to understand each other and communication was easy.
Nick has been involved in the landscapes of Namibia since a young age and his family took part in many camping trips to many of the game parks growing up giving a lot of field knowledge. He is a veterinarian as well working with various agencies on tagging, relocation, and other operations with big game. It was apparent that he knows the animals well and how they will respond and what to look for when around them. Mainly to make sure they are not nervous or feel threatened and when we should be quiet or move on even if the scene is breathtaking. Animals first. I appreciated that as I have the same values.
Gillian Ainslie, Cape Town, South Africa.
29 April – 10 May 2021
I heard about Nature Travel Namibia and Nature Travel Birding through a presentation at the African Bird Fair organised by Birdlife South Africa in August 2020 by Zoom. As I had some funds available from a cancelled international trip in 2020, and no likelihood of other international travel in 2021, I took the opportunity to use the money to indulge my recent passion for birding. Birding friends recommended Namibia as a great birding destination and, after sending an inquiring email to Nick Buys of Nature Travel Namibia, I got immediate information about all the options available and suggestions for the best itinerary. The trip was organised by Nick via multiple emails and one phone call. All my queries were answered fully & promptly, allowing me to make all the decisions necessary to plan a dream trip, despite the nightmare logistics of international travel in the Covid-19 era.
Marc Cronje was my guide and he looked after me wonderfully, from meeting me at the airport in Windhoek and travelling onwards for 12 days. We drove to Rundu in the Caprivi Strip, then through Mahangu, across the border to the Okavango Panhandle in Botswana (including fabulous birding boat trip), back into Namibia for a further couple of days at wonderful Mahangu National Park (and yet another great boat trip), then 2-3 days in Etosha National Park, and then a day each at the Brandberg in Damaraland, the Erongo Mountains, Swakopmund & Walvis Bay and then back to Windhoek. Namibia is fabulous with great scenery, people, game and, most importantly for me, birds.
Marc was an excellent guide: very knowledgeable and enthusiastic about all birds, wildlife and photography. He knew exactly which spots to go to find all the various bird species, allowing me to see almost all the targets we were looking for. I saw 270 different bird species over the trip (including many many “lifers”) and over 30 other animal species, with plenty of time to get good observations and photos. He was a careful driver and liaised very well with lodge staff, park staff and border officials. In addition, he was really great company and also very patient and helpful with a relative novice both as regards birding and photography. He even managed to fix my camera after I damaged it early on, and thus salvaged an important component of the trip for me. The lodges and food were good, particularly the Erongo Wild and the Mahangu Safari Lodge. I have recommended Nature Travel Namibia & Nature Travel Birding highly to many friends and hope to use them again myself for any future visits to Namibia or other parts of Africa. I have been well & truly bitten by the birding travel bug!
This was my second trip to Africa with Nick Buys and the travel team at Nature Travel Namibia. The experience to say the least was amazing. We had many request and questions prior to our safari and all were answered and taken care of in a timely and professional manner. One of the many highlights was hanging on edge of Victoria Falls in the Devil’s Pool. Also the beautiful sunsets on our river cruise in Chobe National Park with 100’s of animals in view. I even caught a 18 pound cat fish in the rivers of Caprivi Strip in Namibia. These were just a few highlight all arranged by Nature Travel Namibia. I highly recommend Nature Travel Namibia for any of your travel plans to Africa.
I have been on two Nature Travel Namibia tours, and I am convinced they are the best in the business. Last year, I contacted Nick Buys, the founder of Nature Travel Namibia and told him exactly what I hoped to do and he created an itinerary specifically designed to my desires that far exceeded my expectations. Nick and his entire team were so professional and easy to work with, and they gave me the adventure of a lifetime camping in the Caprivi Strip. Traveling with Nick was like getting shown around a new part of the world with an old friend who knows everything about the place. I could have spent months in the Caprivi and never found some of the off-the-beaten-track places Nick took us straight to. Nick is so knowledgeable about African wildlife, and he is an especially talented ornithologist. I will never forget the eight days I spent with Nick in the Caprivi Strip for as long as I live. The NTN team is passionate about conservation, so this trip is sure to provide both an unforgettable adventure, as well as a great way to do your part to protect African wildlife. I couldn’t recommend them more.
Liz: June 2019
In June 2019, I was lucky enough to travel with Nature Travel Namibia on their Save the Rhino walking safari. It was truly a once in a lifetime experience and excellent in every way hence the 5 star review. It was everything I’d hoped it would be and more. Nick, our leader, was professional, hugely knowledgable, fun and passionate about Namibia and its wildlife and he had a great back up team who took care of the driving and all the camp arrangements. Seeing rhinos up close when you are out walking was amazing and tracking them was both exciting and a little nerve-wracking! We saw at first hand the wonderful work which is being done on rhino conservation in Namibia. Take a tour with Nature Travel Namibia and I’m sure you’ll have a fabulous time.
Jandeb: March 2020
Nature Travel Namibia organized a fabulous 11 day tour for us which was exactly what we wanted. Our guide, Lucky, was outstanding, being knowledgeable, open, flexible and with a great sense of humour. He made the safari very special. There is so much to see in Namibia! Enjoy!
The Palmers: March 2020
Our self drive trip with Nature Travel Namibia in March was planned to perfection starting and ending in Windhoek. Every Lodge had its own unique character. Cleanliness, service and friendliness amazing. Our various guides along the route were outstanding in their knowledge of their particular subject, from finding geckos and scorpions in the desserts of Swakopmund to Lion , Cheetah and Rhino in Etosha. Nick and his team were always just a phone call away and were there for support when the cover virus struck. Can’t thank them enough.
POjana: March 2020
In Feb-March of 2020 I made the plunge, fulfilled my life long dream, and went to Africa, specifically Zambia, Botswana and Namibia. Nature Travel Namibia handled the tour, and I couldn’t have been happier. Marc and Charyl were excellent leaders. On the one hand they were professional and no-nonsense which made me (as a solo female traveler) feel protected. On the other hand they both had a light and humorous side which gave us all some good laughs and a fun time. But the thing that really made the trip was their incredible knowledge of the areas we traveled. This trip focused on birding, and they bent over backwards to make sure we saw our “target” birds….and some beauties there were at that!!! For people who go on a mammal-oriented safari, the birds may not be that important, but for birders, the beauty and wonder of birds is a total “high”, plus birders are also super interested in the mammals. Both Marc and Charyl were highly knowledgeable about the ecology of the areas we visited and the behavior of the birds/animals. They well also well informed about the human activities of the area and even the geology! I saw and learned so much! All those other things on my bucket list have now evaporated. Next trip – back to Africa, hopefully on a different trip with Nature Travel Namibia!
Sarah (United Kingdom): February 2020
Planning and support from San-Mari prior to the trip was outstanding. The plan included everything we wanted but the actual trip exceeded our expectations. Our guide Marius was brilliant; knowledgeable, fun, worked hard to find some amazing animal sightings and drove like a pro. The Living Desert Tour with Chantelle was oustanding. Lodges were very good and food plentiful!
We would always use Nature Travel Namibia for any future visits and recommend them highly.
Susan & Andy: February 2020
We chose Nature Travel Namibia due to their high ranking and we were not disappointed. Our tour was 4 nights in Etosha + 2 nights in Swakopmund. Our excellent guide, Marius Siemens, was highly experienced and always able to answer any questions we had. He brought us to those special spots where his experience indicated animals would be in the vicinity. We saw : Elephants, Rhinos, Lions, Cheetahs, Oryx, Giraffe, Wildebeeste, Springbok, Hyena and more. Highly recommended. Many thanks Marius.
Geraldo: December 2019
We had one week for a safari around Namibia, with kids. The country have astonishing landscapes with a wide range of scenarios from deserts to the magnificent Etosha National Park. The itinerary and lodges chosen by Nature Travel Namibia got the proper spirit of a safari with kids. They have been so careful and dedicated to what we needed and wanted while tailoring the itinerary!We would like to thank the whole team and specially ou guide – Marc Cronje, that was always kind and adventurous with our daughters, and showcased solid knowledge of wild life behavior, land and safety. Always keeping the whole family curious and talking in a way that we could clearly understand the details of the land and animals we got the chance to see.
Thanks taking our family on a adventure of a lifetime, Marc and Nature Travel Namibia!
Annsofie and Lena: November 2019
We are two travellerfriends who decided to go for a safari/round-trip in Namibia.
We were scanning the Internet to find the perfect tourcompany, and after talking to many companies we finally found them: Nature travel Namibia! Our contact there, Nicolette, was so helpful and the service and information she provided was incredible. We are so impressed! Of course our expectations built up to a very high level. The outcome of the safari was way over our expectations!
Our safari, a private guided 8-day Namibia Classic safari, was guided by our superfantastic driving guide, mr Marius Siemens. Marius made our safari to a “12 points out of 10”!We travelled from Windhoek through the Namib desert and the mighty dunes. West to the coast to flamingos and seals around Swakopmund, through Damaraland and on to Etosha for 3 days wildlife safari. It was so amazing! We got to see so many animals at a so close range!! Marius knew all the right spots to go at the rihgt time!We cannot thank Marius and Nicolette enough for this outstanding holiday – we will be back for sure!
We really would recomend other travellers to book a safari with this tour-company!!
We have both been travelling around the world for over 20 years now, and this one is geting a top ranking! Thank you so much, Nicolette and Marius for an unforgetible experience!
David and Deborah: December 2018
This is a belated review of a private 14 day nature trip of Northern Namibia in December 2018 that was led by Marc Cronje of Nature Birding Travel, who served as our superlative and indefatigable host, guide, driver, fixer and companion throughout.Beginning with an airport pick-up at Livingstone in Southern Zambia, the tour encompassed a brief stop in Zimbabwe to visit Victoria Falls; two days in Zambia to bird the Zambezi River; two days in Botswana to bird the Zambezi floodplains and Okavango River, and the remainder of the time in Namibia, with a route that took us through the Okavango to Etosha for 4 days; a day in the spectacular, other-worldly Damaraland region; two days in the Erongo Mountains, where we stayed at the amazing Erongo Widerness Lodge; and a final morning of coastal birding in Walvis Bay.We are experienced, well-travelled birders with an equally strong interest in all other forms of wildlife, as well as in natural landscapes and ecosystems, so our hope for this tour — which was fully realized — was to experience a wide range of Southern African flora, fauna and avian life at an unhurried pace that would allow for full immersion. As this is a review rather than a trip report, we do not provide here a detailed account of species sighted, but the birding and wildlife experience was richly rewarding and exceeded expectations, with nearly 350 species of birds sighted, 40 species of mammals (including no fewer than ten separate encounters with lions), and one exciting sighting of a Black Mamba on the first morning of the trip.The itinerary of the trip was exceptionally well designed, with consideration given to keeping daily travel distances manageable in order to allow time for leisurely enjoyment of all wildlife. The well-chosen lodges were (other than in Etosha NP) small, privately run establishments with individual character and charm, allowing for varied experiences while delivering a uniformly high standard of service.
Marc Cronje proved to be a world-class guide, whose deep knowledge and appreciation of wildlife, landscape, and birds is matched by his superb wildlife spotting and identification skills and by his infectious enthusiasm and passion for his job. He worked tirelessly on our behalf, from first light until night fall, and even then he was always eager to go owling.
Beyond his skills as a nature guide, Marc is a great communicator with a robust sense of humor. His patience, politeness and respect for others was a pleasure to behold and a real asset when dealing with border officials, a necessity on a trip that encompassed four countries.
We could not recommend Marc and Nature Birding Travel more highly and look forward to arranging our next nature safari adventure with him.
S & F – October 2019
This birds and mammals trip in Southern Africa was our second trip with Nick Buys. We have been already with him in Namibia 4 years ago in a very succesfull trip.We visited South of Zambia (Nkanga River Conservation Area, South Kafue and Livingstone surroundings), the Caprivi Strip (Kwando River and Mahango Game Reserve) and Northern Botswana (Okavango Panhandle and northern Chobe).
The places we visited were wonderfull. We felt the privilege to be the only ones in the middle of the bush and his fauna in the very preserved Nanzhila Plains-Kafue National Park. We had excellent boat trips on Zambezi, Chobe, Okavango and Kwando Rivers. Sunsets were stunning !
We stayed in very comfortable and peacefull lodgings were we could appreciate the magic of wild Africa.
This trip was focused on a list of possible life’s firsts, for both birds and mammals. The lists was not so long, as we already have been in various trips in eastern and southern Africa. It consisted most of all in specialities and endemics, as Black-cheeked Lovebird, Schalow’s Turaco, Pel’s Fishing-owl, Bradfield’s Hornbill, Chaplin’s Barbet, African Broadbill, Miombo Tit, Copper Sunbird, Black-eared Seed-eater…
We managed to see more than 300 bird species, and almost all the possible species on our list that occurs in the area.
We only failed for 3 species of Miombo forest, certainly because of the severe drought that occured this year. Actually forests were very quite, and Nick had to work hard to find us some dificult birds in that conditions. On the other hand, and certainly because of the drought, this trip was very successful for small raptors as African Cuckoo-hawk, Lizard Buzzard, Western Banded Snake Eagle, African Goshawk, Ovambo Sparrowhawk, Little Sparrohawk, Eurasian Hobby, Dickinson’s Kestrel… We had excellent sightings of a Lanner hunting a Cape Turtle Dove, a Dickinson’s Kestrel drinking at a water hole and a pair of Little Sparrohawks breeding.
Mammals sightings were also great, with 45 species.
The best was the day spent with a troup of 21 Wild Dogs in Kafue (10 adults and 11 puppies) : they spent the day lying and playing at the side of a water hole in the company of many herbivores (surprisingly very relaxed) and birds who came to drink, including Black-cheeked Lovebirds. At the end of the afternoon, we could follow them one hour hunting in the bush. At the end, we didn’t see them catching anything, but a pair of breeding leopards managed to catch an impala that was running away from the Wild Dogs !
Thanks to some night drives and night walks, we also had a good selection of nocturnal mammals, with 2 species of Galago, Common Genet, African Civet, Bush Pig, South African Porcupine…
We want to thank Nick warmly for this trip. Again we really appreciated his qualities as a guide, his professionalism, his excellent knowings in the species and the habitats, his sens of respect of nature, his organisation, his patience and his excellent sense of humor.
We hope to come back soon in Africa for another such succesfull trip with him.
GBannk: October 2019
This morning the four of us went on a half day birding tour at Avis Dam with Nature Travel Namibia. Previous, our guide, was outstanding. He was well prepared and very knowledgeable. He waited to make sure we each saw the bird, asked if we were okay, didn’t rush and did his best to show us a photograph of the bird. I highly recommend Previous.
Katleen: September 2019
We recently went on a 3-week self-drive tour that was completely organized by Nature Travel Namibia. They booked us a 4×4 rental car with rooftop tents as well as all of our accommodations and some of the activities. Everything was organized exactly as we wanted, and we had no unpleasant surprises during our trip. Just the holiday you would hope for, nice and relaxing but also full of wonderful activities to enjoy the wildlife and landscapes to the fullest. Communication with Nature Travel prior to the trip all went very smooth, they are very friendly and helpful and always eager to assist you in any way possible. The tour itself was wonderful, we absolutely loved Namibia and will certainly be coming back! We will definitely book via Nature Travel again, so highly recommendable!
Susanna and Markku: September 2019
We just game back to Finland from our two weeks Namibia-tour. This has been our dream for a long time and now: wow… just wow-wow-wow. We could tell so much about everything we have experienced and enjoyed and how wonderful everything was. But… we say: perfect in every way. We do not know, how something could have been better.We can not thank enough Nicolette, who was so helpful and kind in advance and made all reservations and listened our changes and wishes and made every of them possible! Such a perfect personalised service, and how in earth she can be so fast!
And Marc, our guide. Ten points in expertise about nature, animals, history etc. Ten points in making our holiday so easy and relaxing. Ten points in taking care of us and our needs. Ten points in exceeding our hopes and dreams. Ten points in beeing just a wonderful person and part of our holiday, not just a guide. And ten points in listening to finnish sense of humour…
Nicolette and Marc really made our dream come true, and even more. Now we are not dreaming of a white christmas, but we are dreaming of a new trip/holiday with help of Nicolette, Marc and Nature Travel Namibia.
Ed C – August 2019
It was very easy to communicate via email with Nick on any Questions we had. I was traveling with my wife and 4 friends and all communications that they had with Nick were answered via email promptly.Every place we went to on the Safari was excellent, in viewing the animals, the lodgings that he had set up for us. The service staff at all the locations we visited were very friendly and went out of their way to make our vacation wonderful. All of us in our group have agreed that Nature Travel Namibia was the best for our safari trip from start to finish.
Karen J – August 2019
We’ve just finished a 15 day Namibia / Botswana Safari, ending with a visit to Victoria Falls and it was amazing! Our guide Marc Cronje, with his vast knowledge and experience, made every sighting exciting, no matter what we were looking at, and got us some exceptional (and sometimes unexpected) spectacles, including Honey Badgers digging for food whilst a number of Pale Chanting Goshawks stood by waiting to steal their prey and a family of Bat-eared foxes roaming around under the early evening sun. Marc worked tirelessly throughout the trip, his enthusiasm never waning, nothing was too much trouble, a thoughtful and caring guide. NTN organised beautiful lodges and accommodation, a surprise highlight being 2 days camping which we would definitely do again. To say we had a great time was an understatement, we are already thinking about saving for our next trip with them!
Me and my boyfriend had never gone to Namibia or any other country in the southern part of Africa. We were a little bit worried, specially about hiring an agency we had never used before (not even heard about, as in Brazil people don’t usually go to African countries other than South Africa). However, since the beginning of our contact with Nature Travel (many thanks here to San-Mari, who was always kind and helpful), we were very well supported in every single thing we asked: general overview of the places we would visit, details about other options, how much time to spend, price targets, etc.
One of the most amazing things about Nature Travel was that, even though the trip was being planned for us, when we had an idea that didn’t seem very well for them (fox example: too much time in a place, too many distant places, etc.), they would tell us the truth and argue with us (in a nice manner, obviously) why we shouldn’t do that. They really cared about what would be best for us! With all that being said, we cannot say another thing than that we had a wonderful time in Namibia: it was certainly a trip that we’ll never forget. We would like to thank the whole Nature Travel team for their assistance, specially San Mari and Marius. The latter was our guide throughout our trip and we REALLY had a wonderful time with him. All his knowledge, kindness, professionalism and good humor contributed a lot to make our trip as incredibly unforgettable as it was. He was always trying to read what would be best for us. We could see that the thing he wanted the most was to give us the best experience possible. We will definitely continue planning trips with Nature Travel and recommend them to all our friend and family!!
Angelo – July 2019
We booked lodges, cars and activities and everything work out fine.Communication was very good and welcome at the airport perfect.
Nicolette and all the staff were very accurate and professional.I really recommend their services.
Caprice – June 2019
From the beginning of our booking this safari, Nature Travel Namibia have been wonderful. All the help and suggestions for booking transfers and extra activities etc from the office staff, to our wonderful tour guide, nothing was too much trouble.
Robert and Esther – June 2019
All trips all multifaceted and rarely does everything goes right. However, somehow Nature Travel Namibia manages to provide a service that is flawless and beyond memorable. Their selection of accommodation was superb, their suggestions for itinerary were excellent, their attention to detail unequal, and when there were issues beyond their control, they made every effort to resolve them expeditiously. This has been one of the best trips of our lives. We were five people on a self-drive but the support from Nature Travel Namibia was always there. Namibia itself is amazing, for the range and scope of experience, from landscape to safari, cuisine, and some of the most gentle and hospitable people you will meet anywhere. And the example of racial harmony in Namibia is inspiring to see and provides a lesson for all of us and a beacon for Africa. Without doubt we will return and it will be with Nature Travel Namibia.
Our private tour took us through astounding desert scenery, to the tops of unimaginable dunes and to sightings of incredible wildlife at fabulous watering holes. We started with a visit to the incredible dunes of Sossusvlei. Our guide Charl ensured we got to them in time to photograph them in the best morning light possible. Climbing to the top was a wonderful experience as was wandering among the 900 year old trees on the salt flat. From there it was off to Swakopmund and a safari to look for the little five in the adjacent Namibia Desert. Our local guide Chantal, was amazing with her knowledge and ability to track the tiny creatures – from the Sidewinder snake to the Palmetto lizard. Our flight, arranged for by Nick, over the Namib Desert was truly amazing. To see the dunes from the air reinforced our great decision to have seen and climbed them. The final part of our experience with Charl and Nature Travel Namibia was the safari in Etosha Park. We saw an amazing array of animals – from lions and elephants at a watering hole to an impala staring down and challenging a leopard to chase him. The leopard didn’t! We enjoyed mostly excellent accommodation throughout the trip along with very good meals. Charl was an incredible wealth of knowledge and willingly shared that knowledge. We all felt very comfortable and safe while he was driving – which was quite a lot. The distances we had to travel over gravel roads was the only downside, although unavoidable, of the trip. Thanks again for a terrific trip. We can’t recommend Nick, Charl and Nature Travel Namibia enough.
Having birded around the world I can confidently say that Nature Travel Namibia put together one of the best safaris I have ever enjoyed. Everything was perfect – the pre-trip information, the organization, the quality of the accommodation and food, but most of all the professionalism and friendliness of the guide Marc who managed to find nearly every one of the specials that I’d gone to see. Will definitely use them again.
Raji- April 2019
My husband and I went on a 12 day tour of Namibia covering Erindi private game reserve, Etosha, Damaraland, Swakopmund and Sossusvlei. From the start, I was impressed with the professionalism and responsiveness of our contact San-Mari. The trip was a fantastic introduction to Namibia especially due to our guide, Lucky who was knowledgeable, resourceful and friendly. He made the trip a memorable one for us. We will definitely go back to Namibia with NTN again.
Heather- Canada: February 2019
Nature Travel Namibia was very fast and responsive to any questions we had.
We had a wonderful guide and driver named Previous. He had 15 years experience guiding in Namibia and 2 years in Etosha game park. He also has a degree in wildlife management and is a big birder! He was also a lot of fun! We had our own 4×4 with AC and did the 8 day Classic.
We have lived in Africa and been on many safaris but this one was special. We had not been to Namibia before and so depended on NTN for advice. They suggested the big red sand dunes of Sussevlei, which were an amazing sight. We went early in the morning to climb one at sunrise. We stayed in beautiful game lodges. Then we drove to the Atlantic coast and saw shipwrecks, seals and rock carvings. We went on a desert tour of the little five which was so fun!
The tour ended with 3 days in Etosha game park. Because Previous had worked there he knew all the spots to go to and where the animals would be. People say you can self drive and you can but we would not have seen or understood what we saw. we also had a flat tire which he fixed. we saw others stuck in the sand. Did you know you have to let the tire pressure out in sand? Nope? Me either.
We highly recommend Nature Travel Namibia!
M Stanley: February 2019
From the moment I first made the enquiry with Nature Travel Namibia, nothing was too much trouble. I think we revised our itinerary about 6 times but Esmari was happy to accommodate and advise on destinations and activities. We also kept them waiting until the last minute to confirm such are the vagaries of our situation with staff travel but regardless we got exactly the holiday we wanted. Jakes was our travel guide for the 2 weeks and was totally fantastic. When we travelled around Etosha he was a mine of knowledge on the birds and animals and able to spot them at 100 meters – without Jakes I don’t think we would have seen half of what we did given the time of year and vegetation.
I can’t recommend Nature Travel Namibia enough.
Liz – November 2018
Nick takes care of every angle of a birding safari from the areas visited to the lodges we stayed in.
Nick communicated by email and sent an itinerary of the places we would visit and the lodges we would stay in. (That way we could look up the lodges ahead of time). I had birded with Nick before so I knew he would take care of all the details. The lodges were great-usually by a river or waterhole.
I was very excited when one night a hippo came up beside our tent to eat!
Nick will stop whenever you want to take pictures. That was great. Everybody had a window seat as he only takes six people on a tour.
Everything was great.
Mary – 22 September 2018
We had a wonderful time. The entire trip was very enjoyable and interesting. Namibia is a stunning place, Lucky was a fantastic guide; very knowledgeable, an amazing spotter of all types of animals and great company.
We were particularly grateful because SAA caused a missed connection at Johannesburg and our rebooked flight the next morning was cancelled. Nature Namibia’s communication with us throughout, not only this setback but from start to finish was excellent and Lucky went above and beyond what could reasonably be expected when we finally arrived, by driving late into the night to get us to our first destination to try and get us back on track with our safari – excellent service, thank you.
Joe Poon – September 2018
Our representative from Nature Travel Namibia (hereafter NTN) is excellently professional. She continuously communicates with us on refining the itinerary and bookings, at the same time arrange our places of visits according to the tightly available lodges. Even during our trip when she is away on annual leave, another representative was assigned to us so we can contact her any time for any questions. 5-star service.
Lodges choices are marvellous too. Except due to very limited availability for all other lodges for one particular night, all lodges we stayed were specially themed with well equipped facilities and delicious food. Even on that particular night when we stay in a simple camp, it was also a valuable experience. As it was our honeymoon trip, NTN has informed all the lodges and tour operators and each and every single one of them have prepared special arrangements to help us celebrate this special occasion.
Vehicle they provided us function very well too. A manual 4X4 that can go through all kinds of road condition in Namibia, with only 3000+ km usage, I practically doubled it after the trip. A little problem is with the GPS, which directed us twice away from main road but through non-existing routes through the wild, but at least we were able to continue.
I definitely recommend NTN to anyone who are considering travel to Namibia, you won’t regret engaging them.
Anna – September 2018
I expected to love traveling in Namibia, but our 9-day tour with Nature Travel totally surpassed my expectations! Namibia is stunningly gorgeous and I can imagine no better way to experience the country than the trip that Nature Travel prepared for us. We went to all the spots a first-time visitor would want to see from the red dunes in Sossusvlei, to Swakopmund, to Etosha with many stops in between. The lodges were all lovely and the countryside you drive through is unending beauty. But what made the trip so special was having the best guide imaginable–Previous Tsvigu. Not only had he spent years working in the parks and in conservation, but he is also a passionate birder. So he knew the birds and animals in a way that brought the experience to life. He could easily identify all the birds we encountered, and had an incredible eye for spotting them. In Etosha, his intimate knowledge of the animals and their habits helped him to predict where they would be and when they would move, so he was able to place us in the best spots for viewing them. He was also deeply knowledgeable about Namibian history and culture and always generous with his knowledge. And he had a ready smile and laugh. We would not have seen half so much without him, even visiting the same places.
From initial contact and trip preparations through to the day we left, Nature Travel could not have been more attentive and professional. Thank you for an utterly fabulous trip!
They are excellent to work with and I can’t wait to use them again.
Nick Buys and his colleagues were extremely attentive to all of my requests and they put together a 3 week Luxury multi-country Safari that became an unforgettable experience. They were consistently flexible and accommodated all of my last minute requests and changes. They were also excellent at troubleshooting and solving problems as they arose. This was my 5th trip to Africa and Nature Travel is, by far, the best Travel Guide I have ever worked with. I will certainly use them again in the future.
From the start to the end we were given outstanding service.
I have just returned from a two week self drive Safari in Namibia along with some friends which was organised by Esmari at Nature Travel Namibia. What an incredible experience! Our accommodation was outstanding, the food excellent and the vehicle we were given brilliant. The trip exceeded our expectations and I cannot recommend the company highly enough. Simply brilliant!
Susan and Mark A. – June 2018
We had the delightful experience of booking 2 separate safaris with Nature Travel Namibia. We spent 6 days in Botswana and a week in Namibia.The trip was almost seamless, with complex transfers by van, small planes to Okavango Delta locations, and truck safaris to remote places all mixed into one trip. Nicolette Muller was our liaison for the planning and she always responded in a very timely manner to our thoughts, ideas and logistics planning between the United States and Africa. We particularly appreciated her “paring down” of our ambitious itinerary for both Botswana and Namibia given our time constraints!All the staff and guides at the lodges and tented camps were professional, kind and paid much attention to the details. We can easily give a particular shout out to Previous Tsvigu, who patiently chauffeured and guided us through the history, animals and landscapes of his adopted country, Namibia. We had one particular experience where we were worn out after a long day’s drive and wanted to rest at the lodge, but Previous felt we needed to see the desert-adapted elephants in Damaraland. We knew that tracking down these animals was hit or miss, so we told him to go it alone, and come back to retrieve us if he found them. Sure enough, he raced out to the sight, found three elephants, and raced back to grab us for what turned out to be a lovely sighting of grazing elephants and a wonderful sundowner experience of the grasslands on the hood of our truck!These kinds of attention to detail are what separates this travel company from the masses. They are smaller and truly care for their clients’ welfare and experience. The variety of experiences and things we requested (mokaro boat rides) are not always easy to find. Thanks again to Nature Travel Namibia which we can wholeheartedly recommend!
Stephanie Ranson – March 2018
From start to finish Nature Travel Namibia were fantastic, and we had an amazing holiday. As a family holiday with 2 young children our requirements were well thought out and NTN proposed an interesting age appropriate itinerary which would be enjoyable for all of us. We stayed at several different hotels / guest houses which were again, thought of with our children in mind, and each place added something to the enjoyment of travelling around the beautiful country. The suggestions of places to visit and added excursions were brilliant and again just added to the fabulous holiday, we spent several days in game reserves and seeing all the animals was a truly magical experience for all of us, not just the children!! The specifics of the tour such as the vehicle hire, accommodations and pre booked extras / excursions came in voucher form which we were given on arrival at Windhoek, along with maps and driving instructions for each leg of the trip. Every individual aspect ran smoothly and everything we booked was ready and waiting for us as and when we arrived, this was fantastic as we didn’t need to worry and we knew that NTN had very professionally sorted everything ready for us prior to our trip.Communication was excellent with revising and finalising our itinerary and we were so pleased about our holiday that we have just contacted NTN again about organising our next trip, and we will be repeat customers.We could not fault Nature Travel Namibia in any way, and would highly recommend! An excellent, professional and very knowledgeable company!
Nature Travel dealt with our plans totally professionally from start to finish. All bookings for Kalahari, Okavango and the flights around the area went off like clockwork and their recommendations for lodges were exactly what we wanted.
The whole trip will stay in our memory forever and NT are very highly recommended, especially as booking direct for that area of Botswana is not straightforward.
Vivian Choi – 9 February 2018
The staff of Nature Travel Namibia are efficient and friendly! They replied emails quickly and the arrangements are also good! They can tailor-made the itinerary based on your requests which is very flexible! Our guide, Holga is a very responsible & experienced tour guide, we had a very good time with Holga during our trip in Namibia!
N&NM – October 2017
This was our fifth birding and wildlife trip with Nature Travel Namibia and once again we had a fantastic time.
We only had a few days in Namibia so we reached out to Nick who suggested a short customized trip for us; all within a few hours’ drive of Windhoek. The whole trip was perfectly organised and we saw all the endemic birds in the area! Nick has exceptional knowledge of the birds and mammals of Namibia, and is especially passionate about conservation in his country. We are already planning our next trip with Nature Travel Birding!
Arancha – August 2017
Three of us spent two weeks traveling over Namibia, Botswana and ending in Vic Falls. Esmari put together a tailored-made programme with stays in the most iconic places from the Namib Desert, Naukluft Park, Swakopmund to Etosha, the Caprivi strip, the Okavango Delta and Chobe and ending in Victoria Falls. We loved her readiness to address our specific requests. The combination of landscapes, colors, wildlife and people was simply stunning. We had a great guide, Lucky Gaoeb who drove us around and helped us discover nature and the countries. Super professional and passionate about his country. He knows every animal and plant! Namib Desert is a must do, keep enough time to discover it and walk around. For wildlife, Etosha Park is a must but if you have time also visit Mahangu reserve were you will have a closeness to wildlife. You cannot miss the Okavango delta, and if you can do a helicopter ride to get an aerial view of this immensity of water. All lodges selected by Nature Travel were excellent. Particularly nice were the Gondwana Namib Desert Resort in Sesriem and Musharra Lodge in Etosha. All and all, highly recommendable! Do visit Namibia.
Beth – July 2017
We had a great 12 day trip through parts of Namibia. We were a family of 4 with a guide provided just for us.
We traveled in a comfortable vehicle from Windhoek into the Namib desert, to Swakopmund, then onto Etosha Game Reserve finishing with a great stop over at the Okinjima Afrikat Foundation to see some leopards and cheetahs.
Esmari was very helpful with arrangements at nature Travel Namibia and our guide Holger was very helpful, experienced and informative.
We were very pleased with the fabulous Namib desert experience, and also with the amount of beautiful African animals that we saw in Etosha National Park.
The accommodation all worked well- and particularly enjoyed staying at Okaukuejo Resort with the access to the water hole for animal viewing!
The Africat Foundation Okinjima was also a particular highlight with lovely rooms, food and experiences. We recommend 2 days there instead of only one.
Holger looked after us very well and we are very pleased with how it all went.
We definitely recommend this tour to other people.
Patrick – June 2017
We spent 8 days in Namibia. The program was very well prepared and our driver/guide was extremely competent. Nothing to add but thank you very much for this extraordinary trip!
Karen Woodward – June 2017
I’m an experienced traveler having been to 46 countries. This was my third trip to Africa where I’d visited 7 countries but not been to Namibia yet. I discovered Nature Travel Namibia through Safari Bookings and couldn’t be more pleased. One never knows quite what to expect when trying a new company. What a wonderful surprise this was. Nick Buys has an infectious love and knowledge of his country and wildlife. We made a last minute decision to travel. With such short notice, he was able to arrange for everything we wanted and was flexible as the trip progressed. Accommodations were superior with wonderful meals. We were on a safari trip, but my boyfriend is also a birder. Nick knows his birds and got me hooked on them too. All future trips to Africa will be with his company. I’ve recommended him to all my friends. I know he also leads birding trips elsewhere and we will definitely go with him.
Bruce Davies – April 2017
Nature Travel Namibia provided an excellent introduction to the marvels of Namibia. The logistics were seamless, the trip itself was amazing, accommodations just right , our guide Kit was perfect , and I would go back with them anytime . Esmari, running their operation, who I have not met but have corresponded with before, during and after the trip, was professional, alert to specific needs, and a delight to deal with. My son, currently a Peace Corps volunteer in Comorous, met me in Windhoek for this trip. It was a trip of a lifetime and it could not have been any better.I recommend Nature Travel Namibia without reservation.