SafariWise
SafariWise
5
8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Monday
8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Tuesday
8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Wednesday
8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Thursday
8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Friday
8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Full view
About
SafariWise is a family run business. Our knowledge of Africa and our experience in leading specialized safaris has continued to grow over the last 23 years. We are a tour operator based in Namibia, specialising in tours within our own country and throughout Africa. We have extended our boundaries due to various demands of our existing clients and newly fresh enquiries. Who does not want to be able to tick-off the migration at Masai-Mara or have a close encounter with the gorillas in Uganda. Come with us ... we lead the way! We offer a wide variety of safaris, from camping tours to fly-in safaris, self-drive or guided tours, individual travel or group tours, general holidays or specialized birding and photographic tours, as well as several scheduled tours. Our featured tours are there to inspire, not dictate. We focus our efforts on tailor-made African experiences that suit you and your budget.
Swakopmund, Namibia
Meets animal welfare guidelines
Awards
Travellers' Choice
2024
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
Popular mentions
5.0
38 reviews
Excellent
38
Very good
0
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0
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0
Terrible
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MikeandPeg2015
London, UK22 contributions
Mar 2022 • Couples
My wife and I recently completed a 17 day trip with Neil and Jakes through Namibia, Botswana and Zambia. Organised through NatureTrek in the UK but run by Safariwise. We had an amazing time due in no small part to the guides and the organisation. It was principally a birding tour and this time of year is ideal for that, not for mammals. However we also got good sightings and action from all the major mammal species along with around 300 bird species, mostly new to us. Neil and Jakes did a fantastic, patient, job of picking up sightings, getting us all onto them, endless explanations etc. They also handled the small problems and paperwork with COVID testing and borders very well. Victoria falls were a fantastic icing on the cake at the end.
I recommend Safariwise in general and the guides and their vehicles in particular for trips in this area, very highly indeed.
I recommend Safariwise in general and the guides and their vehicles in particular for trips in this area, very highly indeed.
Written 16 March 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
sheilaford
London, UK2 contributions
Feb 2022
This was a wonderful experience. The itinerary was excellent and we witnessed some amazing wild animal behaviour and saw everything we expected (except leopard) and more. Our guides managed to spot other unexpected wildlife such as honey badgers. In addition, we literally spotted hundreds of species of bird, many of which were endemic or rare.
Our two leaders, Neil Macleod and Jakes de Jäger were superb. Their knowledge of wildlife and especially birds was almost unbelievable and enabled us to witness so much that we would've otherwise missed. Their enthusiasm never waned although they were constantly at our disposal. The long drives and ever alertness to the world we were travelling through must have put a terrible strain on them but it never showed. They were always supportive and tolerant and exceptionally good company. I cannot speak highly enough of them.
Accommodation and food were very good and at times excellent. I particularly enjoyed Camp Nkwazi which was our last stop near Livingstone.
We were never bored; there was always something wondrous to see from the huge mammals to tiny birds, insects and reptiles as they appeared. As a solo traveller I was always made to feel comfortable which was important.
Our two leaders, Neil Macleod and Jakes de Jäger were superb. Their knowledge of wildlife and especially birds was almost unbelievable and enabled us to witness so much that we would've otherwise missed. Their enthusiasm never waned although they were constantly at our disposal. The long drives and ever alertness to the world we were travelling through must have put a terrible strain on them but it never showed. They were always supportive and tolerant and exceptionally good company. I cannot speak highly enough of them.
Accommodation and food were very good and at times excellent. I particularly enjoyed Camp Nkwazi which was our last stop near Livingstone.
We were never bored; there was always something wondrous to see from the huge mammals to tiny birds, insects and reptiles as they appeared. As a solo traveller I was always made to feel comfortable which was important.
Written 25 March 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
David A
Victoria, Canada12 contributions
Jun 2023
This was our fourth safari with Safari Wise. (3 in Namibia and 1 in Uganda) We had met our leader,Neil McLeod in passing during past safaris however this was the first where he was leading us.
We were very impressed with how much Neil cared that our experience was top notch. Neil would regularly check in with us to ensure that everything was good and if not (which was rare) would endeavour to make it right. And certainly the little extras went a long way in showing us his concern for making the safari a memorable experience. One night, unknown to my wife and me, Neil arranged with the lodge for a wedding anniversary cake and wine for our dinner. It was totally unexpected but certainly appreciated.
Another event that was a total surprise was our morning boat ride down the Victoria Nile to the delta where it flows into Lake Albert for a fully catered breakfast.
Uganda was a pleasant surprise. If you are a Birder or a nature photographer then you will be in your glory.
We highly recommend Neil and his team at Safari Wise for your African adventure.
We were very impressed with how much Neil cared that our experience was top notch. Neil would regularly check in with us to ensure that everything was good and if not (which was rare) would endeavour to make it right. And certainly the little extras went a long way in showing us his concern for making the safari a memorable experience. One night, unknown to my wife and me, Neil arranged with the lodge for a wedding anniversary cake and wine for our dinner. It was totally unexpected but certainly appreciated.
Another event that was a total surprise was our morning boat ride down the Victoria Nile to the delta where it flows into Lake Albert for a fully catered breakfast.
Uganda was a pleasant surprise. If you are a Birder or a nature photographer then you will be in your glory.
We highly recommend Neil and his team at Safari Wise for your African adventure.
Written 1 July 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
tina j
Bridgnorth, UK138 contributions
Aug 2024 • Friends
yet another fantastic safari with Safariwise - Namibia for the 3rd time. Everything from office contact re your trip to being greeted on arrival to making sure everything is in order on departure....excellent - but the best bit is what happens between arrival and departure. stayed at great variety of lodges, food at all was excellent, some long days on the road but stopped for photos, food etc that made the time go quickly. Cant recommend Safariwise enough - for their professionalism, friendliness, knowledge etc - book one of their safaris or do a tailor made safari (to other African countries as well as Namibia). Thank you Neil, Berdene and the rest of Safariwise team.
Written 9 August 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
wpohley
Franklin119 contributions
Mar 2024 • Friends
A friend and I did the 3 country (Zambia, Botswana, Namibia) birding/photography tour in March 2024. Excellent communication during the planning stage and the trip was spectacular from start to finish. From airport pick up to airport drop off everything was arranged. The introductory packet with map, trip info, bird list and other goodies was appreciated. The vehicle was very well maintained and was excellent for wildlife viewing and photographing. The accommodations were excellent and close to where we needed to be to find the wildlife. Neil was very flexible making some changes during the trip to enhance the possibility of viewing wildlife. The food was excellent everywhere we stayed. I highly recommend Safariwise, they know Africa very well and design an amazing tour.
Written 22 April 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Carol B
1 contribution
Aug 2023 • Family
This was our 5th trip with SafariWise. This time we took our daughter and 2 of her children - our 14yr old grandson and our 8yr old autistic granddaughter who also has many food allergies. We were a bit apprehensive but nothing was a problem. We had a fantastic holiday. Berdene had organised a programme to suit us all and Jakes was an excellent, knowledgeable and friendly guide, many times going beyond the call of duty. We’re looking forward now to planning our next SafariWise trip.
Written 11 September 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Mariana
Johannesburg, South Africa2 contributions
Oct 2023 • Family
From the beginning, the service has been spectacular. They have listened to our wishes and the result has been an incredible week in Namibia. We were 3 families so we were a significant number of people. Children of all ages and everything has turned out better than expected. They have accompanied us throughout the trip, they welcomed us at the airport, they have quickly resolved any inconvenience we may have had. I 100% recommend the service and experience of Namibia. Thank you!
Written 22 November 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Sheila W
4 contributions
Oct 2024 • Solo
Namibia’s Etosha Pan and Skeleton Coast
This was a superb wildlife-watching experience, offered by the UK company Naturetrek and operated by Namibian ground agents Safariwise. Expertly led by Neil MacLeod and Hano Smit of Safariwise, their superb spotting skills enabled not just many interesting birds and mammals to be seen, but also a wide range of lizards - some colourful, others very well-camouflaged!
I was particularly delighted to see two Cape Foxes – after trying unsuccessfully for years to see these beautiful desert-living canids with their pale silky coats and large ears. I also very much enjoyed seeing two African Penguins, a Humpback Whale, a Heaviside’s Dolphin and very many Cape Fur Seals and White Pelicans on a wonderful boat trip on the Skeleton Coast. Other interesting sightings included a colony of very locally distributed Whistling Rats – which sound like birds singing from the thick bushes in the semi-desert areas they inhabit. We also saw Dune Lark, found only in Namibia, as well as plenty of other beautiful birds and many of Africa’s large mammals, too – including desert-adapted Elephants, Leopards, Rhino and a Cheetah. Human interest, too – with a visit to see well-preserved rock paintings done by the local people many hundreds of years ago. A truly amazing trip – with very many highlights, which I can thoroughly recommend.
This was a superb wildlife-watching experience, offered by the UK company Naturetrek and operated by Namibian ground agents Safariwise. Expertly led by Neil MacLeod and Hano Smit of Safariwise, their superb spotting skills enabled not just many interesting birds and mammals to be seen, but also a wide range of lizards - some colourful, others very well-camouflaged!
I was particularly delighted to see two Cape Foxes – after trying unsuccessfully for years to see these beautiful desert-living canids with their pale silky coats and large ears. I also very much enjoyed seeing two African Penguins, a Humpback Whale, a Heaviside’s Dolphin and very many Cape Fur Seals and White Pelicans on a wonderful boat trip on the Skeleton Coast. Other interesting sightings included a colony of very locally distributed Whistling Rats – which sound like birds singing from the thick bushes in the semi-desert areas they inhabit. We also saw Dune Lark, found only in Namibia, as well as plenty of other beautiful birds and many of Africa’s large mammals, too – including desert-adapted Elephants, Leopards, Rhino and a Cheetah. Human interest, too – with a visit to see well-preserved rock paintings done by the local people many hundreds of years ago. A truly amazing trip – with very many highlights, which I can thoroughly recommend.
Written 26 November 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Jamie Buxton-Gould
Devon, UK10 contributions
Feb 2024 • Solo
This was the first time I have visited Africa and the safari was absolutely incredible! Our guides Neil and Jakes took us to Etosha, the Caprivi strip, Chobe and Victoria falls so capably, with good humour throughout. Their awesome ability to spot wildlife allowed us to see and hear hundreds of amazing species and immerse ourselves in the landscapes we visited. I would 100% recommend a trip with SafariWise, it was such an exciting trip and the dream of a lifetime come true!
Written 14 March 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Peter
Hartlepool, UK773 contributions
Mar 2024 • Friends
I went on a holiday booked through Naturetrek, starting in Windhoek Namibia and ending at Victoria Falls Zambia. Neil and Jakes were our drivers and tourguides, all I can say they were tremendous . Great spotters of birds and mammals. Both Great guys , good sense of humour, laid back always ensuring all guests had a great time. The tour was well organised, we stayed at some great places and the food was of a good standard. Travelling over a thousand miles , what a trip , seeing great sights, never to be forgotten. Highly recommended.
Written 8 March 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
I am planning a visit to Namibia from 18 to 25 September, 2015, and would like to know the tours you have available and their costs. I'm interested in seeing the Big 5 and highlights of Namibia that can e sen in only a week.
Written 4 August 2015
Hi Michael. Many thanks for your enquiry. I sent you a personal message. Kind regards
Berdene
Written 4 August 2015
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*Likely to sell out: Based on Viator’s booking data and information from the provider from the past 30 days, it seems likely this experience will sell out through Viator, a Tripadvisor company.