After a personal and enthusiastic visit by Oscar at our home, he quickly mapped out a wonderful trip, completely based on our wishes. Just before we left, we received the navigation and a detailed itinerary. Even though we were looking forward to this immensely, we never imagined that the trip through this beautiful country would be so special! During this trip, we did the Garden Route by rental car from Cape Town to Port Elizabeth, and then from Johannesburg via the Panorama Route (a private reserve), the Kruger National Park and Swaziland, to the coast. Except for the flights, Oscar arranged everything for us down to the last detail. He allowed us to be able to see and experience the different facets of South Africa in one trip. The views of oceans, mountains and reserves from the accommodations or in the areas were often too beautiful and special to explain in words. The long car rides (which were necessary to cover the enormously long distances in South Africa) were not a problem at all due to the carefully selected itineraries. To sum up: a very nice trip that we owe to Oscar's dedication, experience, enthusiasm and network. Worth mentioning: We had only booked a rental car in advance from the third day. But because the weather in Cape Town was quite bad we wanted the car a day earlier. Oscar was able to arrange this for us within a few hours, and without any problem the car was at our accommodation the next day. Then when we couldn't get the navigation to work, Oscar again helped us arrive at our destination before dark.
Linda & Jeroen, journey to Botswana
From day one to day fourteen everything was arranged perfectly, every detail and every mile according to the booklets. Fantastic nature and views, campsite's and lodges very well organized and perfectly matched! The self-drive concept is recommended to everyone, exciting but also very relaxing, because you become one with everything you encounter. Oscar thank you so much for this wonderful trip and we will definitely use your services again soon!
Paul Nanne, journey to Namibia
In December we took a trip through South Africa put together by Oscar, which was organized to perfection. From Johannesburg we traveled via the "Drakenberg Route" to the "Greater Kruger", where an unforgettable safari awaited us. Oscar had booked a beautiful lodge for us, where we were completely pampered. A great experience, where we were amazed every day by the impressive nature. Seeing the Big Five, accompanied by amazing rangers and people at the park, was an experience beyond all our expectations. The Ngala reserve booked by Oscar did everything they could to make the most of our trip, from breakfast in the jungle to searching for leopards at night, amazing!After the safari we flew back to Johannesburg and then on to Port-Elizabeth. Here we started the flower route with Jeffreys Bay as our first destination. A beautiful surf spot, where Africa Safaris had booked a cozy family hotel for us. After several more wonderful nights in Swellendam, and Hermanus we traveled further to the wine region of Stellenbosch / Franschhoek. Again a fantastic place, with wonderful wineries, super food, and a wonderful hotel. Finally, we concluded our trip in Cape Town, where again we were pleasantly surprised with the accommodation booked for us and were able to fully enjoy this living metropolis. With the help of Oscar we were able to have a trip to remember. Through an orientation meeting, Oscar was able to completely tailor the trip to our needs, all hotels, and accommodations were fantastic. Totally organized, in the most beautiful places and completely carefree.Thanks again for this great experience!
Jan Zomerdijk, journey to South-Africa
Our trip through Namibia in January 2017.What a beautiful country! Nature is overwhelmingly beautiful with intense colors and breathtaking views. The trip was perfectly put together by Oscar Haartman and extensively documented. Adventurous and unforgettable! We drove about 3000 km with 2 cars incl. tent on the roof. The alternation of campsites and lodges was absolutely fine. The beautifully located campsites also made camping an experience! Kalahari desert, Sossusvlei, few days coast and Etosha game reserve, how much we enjoyed! Thank you Oscar for your great service and guidance, you gave us a great trip!
Frans & Miriam
Having previously taken an amazing trip organized by Oscar in Namibia, we were convinced that our tour of South Africa would also be fantastic. And it was! Through the beautiful Panorama Route we came to Greater Kruger and visited two different parks where we stayed in beautiful lodges. We saw an awful lot of wildlife during the game drives and received good explanations from the rangers.Our safari highlight was a leopard, early in the morning, eating a deer at the top of a tree. Next to the tree were two hyenas waiting for falling remains, beautiful !Via Johannesburg we flew on to Port Elizabeth where the Garden Route surprised us with its beauty. We visited among others: Knysna, Plettenberg Bay, Hermanus, Franschhoek and Stellenbosch. We stayed in beautiful lodgings with great food, and don't forget the wines! Thanks in part to Oscar, we had a great vacation in South Africa!
Mark & Saskia
In October we went on safari to Tanzania which was an overwhelming experience for us. Spotted almost the entire big five, only the rhino unfortunately did not show itself. Beautiful lodges, farmhouses and very comfortable tented camps including hot shower by the attentive guides. Our guide Amiri gave us 10 days to fully enjoy nature and beautiful animals.We enjoyed this adventurous trip and also on behalf of Oscar it has become a great safari for us.
Mary
South Africa trip February/March. First a short stay in Zambia near the Victoria Falls at the Royal Livingstone hotel, it was fantastic. The giraffes and zebras walked in the hotel gardens here, truly beautiful. Then the safaris in South Africa, the Hannah Game lodge, Arathusa and River Bend lodge were weekly spectacular, maybe worth repeating. The drive from Port Elizabeth to Cape Town was also varied and beautiful, from the beautiful coast through the mountains with the vineyards to the beautiful Cape Town with Table Mountain, Cape of Good Hope and of course the penguins. Oscar really sensed what we wanted! It was wonderful.
Harry & Hetty van de Hazelkamp, journey to Zambia and South-Africa
Through friends we were made aware of Oscar Haartman .. An initial meeting and exchange of ideas immediately gave a very good feeling. We came up with a beautiful trip to South Africa, completely in line with our wishes and interests. Never been to Africa before so it was high time to cross this off our bucket list. In April we flew to Johannesburg and were neatly met at the airport, welcomed and escorted to our rental car. The trip was a huge highlight. Round trip through the northwest, Kruger Park and Swaziland. Three weeks of pure enjoyment of nature and wildlife. Everything was well organized, good travel descriptions, TomTom was provided but not really necessary. Fine accommodations, good food and drink. It is fascinating to see so many animals in their natural environment and up close. The expectations were therefore high. And these were more than fulfilled. To highlight two absolute highlights: Parfuri Walking Trail - 4 days walking safari from a tented camp in the middle of the bush. Simple but very nice, excellent guides, very good meals and an unprecedented experience in the middle of nature. Rocktail Camp - far from civilization but with an excellent lodge and located on the Indian Ocean. After this fantastic trip we have lost our hearts to Africa and are already thinking about our next trip in that direction. Oscar, thank you very much.
Paul & Irma Palfenier
In the summer of July and August we traveled to Namibia. We had a super trip. Oscar helped us very much and put together a beautiful trip. His advice on organizing the trip was very valuable. Among other things, we liked the flight trips on certain parts of the trip. We are already looking forward to next time! Thank you Oscar!
Erik, Klarina & Iris
In May, put together by Oscar, we took a wonderful tour of Malawi and Zambia.Via Johannesburg and Blantyre, Thawale Lodge was our first destination. The cozy lodge is located around a watering hole where, throughout the day, various animals can be seen. Our next destination was Mvuu Camp, located in Liwonde National Park. The boat ride towards the camp could already be called a gamedrive with hippos, huge crocodiles and elephants. Mvuu Camp is located in a great spot with a magnificent view and we made beautiful game drives and saw a lot of wildlife. Everything here was organized to perfection From Liwonde we drove to Lake Malawi to relax for a few days. By boat we were taken to the Blue Zebra Lodge, located on a small island on the lake. Here we spent relaxing time sunbathing, swimming, eating and drinking. After these days, we flew by small plane to Mfuwe in Zambia. The Mfuwe Lodge is located in the South Luange National Park, where we enjoyed seeing lions, leopards, giraffes, zebras and buffalo. Our final stay: Chindeni Bushcamp consisted of four guest accommodations and a central meeting place was located on a beautiful lagoon. The night sounds, game drives and sunrises there were amazing. It was an unforgettable trip, which again was very well arranged by Oscar!
Wilma, Herman, Greet & Johan
We ended up at Oscar more or less by chance via the internet, and we did not regret it for a moment! We had a super diverse trip through South Africa, with beautiful accommodations, in the most beautiful places, and saw a lot of wildlife during the safaris. Really great, and Africa is really beautiful. Everything during the trip was arranged down to the last detail! A truly customized trip is made for you, based on your own wishes and preferences. Locations are all more than excellent and in great locations. Absolutely recommend to book a trip through Oscar. If you want to go to Africa without worries, get to the most beautiful places, spot lots of wildlife and want to book a varied tailor-made trip! We are definitely going again!
Remko & Jenny
We had an unforgettable and fantastic honeymoon through Botswana and Zambia! We wanted to go to Africa for safari, nature and relaxation. Already in the preparation Oscar helped us very well to determine the destination and advised us about the different accommodations. This is how we ended up putting together a diverse program. After the visit home beforehand where Oscar went through the itinerary with us one last time, the anticipation only increased! Our trip was great, one accommodation even more beautiful than the other. We saw the big 5 and many more animals, we were pampered and enjoyed the hospitality and pure nature. The program flowed seamlessly and the best part was that all the locations had arranged something special for us because we were on our honeymoon. Really a 'wow' vacation that we will remember for a long time, great! Thank you for the super organization and advice!
Imre & Leonie
When arranging a vacation, we always work with a travel company that is fully specialized in our destination and knows the country from personal experience. Oscar is such an expert when it comes to Africa. Searching the internet for a possibility to combine safari with snorkeling, I ended up with Oscar. I did not have time for an orientation meeting, but this was no problem at all. By asking a few specific questions about our wishes, Oscar came up with a wonderful travel proposal for our trip to Botswana and the Seychelles. Last-minute surprises caused by our lodge in the Seychelles were solved immediately and well. In addition, Oscar also thinks along practically, so for example we did not have to take our "Seychelles beachwear and snorkels" on safari and vice versa. We enjoyed a wonderful vacation in November and for Oscar nothing else but praise!
Salmans
Our tour of South Africa was a great success thanks in part to Oscar. Everything was taken care of and arranged down to the last detail. We arrived at the most beautiful places to stay and we were well prepared for everything, thanks to the extensive information. We only had to enjoy all the beauty that South Africa has to offer. Oscar picked the best accommodations for us, which we would never have found ourselves, it was outstanding!
Family Boer
Sitting on the terrace of your lodge, you see a bunch of elephants bathing and drinking on the other side of the river, they suddenly cross the river to our side just like that, fantastic!
Flip & Maaike
Thanks to Oscar Haartman we had a great safari trip in the Kruger National Park. The preparation was very pleasant and also just before and during the trip he showed all commitment. Perfectly directed, kudos!
Family Jonkers
Unforgettable safari trip to Botswana. Oscar Haartman thought along from the beginning about our desire to make a beautiful trip somewhere in Africa. He came to our home and inventoried all our wishes and immediately came up with a very nice proposal. The core of the trip was a river safari, an 8-day camping trip in the bush of Botswana at 3 different locations and a 2-day stay in the luxurious Seba lodge in the Okavango Delta. Beforehand, we received handy bags for the plane(s) to the Delta, a handy booklet with the contents of the trip from day to day and vouchers and tickets of all our activities. In addition, Oscar booked all of our flights. From the beginning, things went smoothly. In Kasane we were met by a guide and a night in a lodge was a good start for the boat safari. Then our guide DT was waiting for us, he remained our guide and driver throughout the tent safari. Here waited our first surprise. We had a private tent safari. VIP, there were no other guests. The boat safari started with some wonderful experience, a herd of elephants on the shore with 3 little ones, they were protected by the mothers when the crocodiles started to move. The boat can then move up to close. No risks are taken. 2 Young elephants, frolicking deep in the water, beautiful birds, buffalo, . In short, a wonderful first impression. After the boat cruise on the way to the base camp. So that is a safari in itself. We encountered many animals. Meanwhile, the tents were set up by the staff: KeKe and Life. They were also cooks. The wood fire was burning and the food was already prepared. Every day a delicious hot lunch and a hot evening meal. Crackling fresh. Fresh fruit, good fresh vegetables and delicious meat, beef, lamb chops, chicken, everything. The daily program: 06.00 up, 06.30 breakfast, 07.00 on safari, 09.30 coffee/tea on the way with fruit, 11.30 lunch at base camp. Siesta until 15.30, 16.00 safari until 19.00. Dinner and sleep at 21.00. We quickly got used to this. The sounds at night of the animals and staying in the bush makes the experience of nature very intense. During the Siesta and at night elephants and other animals come up close to your tent but it feels very safe and responsible. There was nothing but nature, it was an awareness of not having to do anything and just sitting and enjoying all the beauty around us and experiencing it together. The safari trailer was very well equipped with chargers for electricity and the phone. There was no Wifi anywhere, so that was kind of comical. The guides communicate with each other using radio. Every day a very special experience: a pack of lions with little ones, they were lying by a pond, all the time to watch them. A herd of elephants around us. Zebras. Beautiful birds. Hippos. Ostriches. Cheetahs. Leopards. In short, too much to mention. The trips on dirt roads with giant puddles of water from one camp to the next were wonderful. The experience of the warm wind along your face and through your hair, stopping along the way for lunch and coffee, encountering a leopard, zebras crossing, it was overwhelming. We felt very safe with our guide DT, an excellent guide and driver. No risks were ever taken and there was very good coordination with the well English speaking guide and escort.Arriving in Maun we flew with Wilderness safaris to the Seba lodge. What is not possible in the Netherlands, we were allowed to fly alongside the pilot. The Okavango delta is a beautiful nature reserve with lots of water. The Seba lodge was a very luxurious accommodation. We were very much looking forward to it after camping. A normal toilet and a wonderful shower and a super bed with mosquito net. No more quickly closing the zipper of your tent to keep the mosquitoes out. Getting your things together with a flashlight, it does have its charm. The Seba lodge exceeded all our expectations, shower and go on safari again. Two leopards had captured an impala and placed their prey at the top of a tree. A hyena walked around, dropping off again because there was nothing left for him. Beautiful candlelit dinners in the evening, delicious breakfasts, we were pampered top notch.Unfortunately Virgin Atlantic had removed our seats from the return flights. This caused some hassle on the return trip. We were very happy that we had booked with Oscar Haartman. Our travel agent was also available outside office hours. He called Virgin Atlantic for us and he arranged that the system failure at Virgin Atlantic was recognized and fixed. This just goes to show how important it is to book with a good travel agent who is there for you when hassles arise. We ended up flying business class back from Johannesburg. In short we flew back luxurious and with a smile, that's how we experienced it, safe, nice quality, very good guides and a wonderful impression of a truly beautiful country.
Bert & Lida Bakker
During the 1st telephone consultation with Oscar, we indicated our wishes for the round trip to South Africa. This was quickly followed by a nice travel proposal in which our wishes were considered. Well before we left we were informed about for instance the birth certificates for the children traveling with us. A checklist for packing the bags and everything was again neatly described in a complete report with contact information, directions, vouchers and interesting facts for us as visitors. Arriving in South Africa we were received very well and the rental car was waiting for us. The trip has been, in a word, wonderful. Beautiful locations; Nottens Bus Camp is indescribably beautiful. Beautiful nature, lots of wildlife and very sweet people who provide fantastic service including delicious food. Likewise for Hannah Game Lodge, Hippow Hollow Estate and Cape Riviera in Cape Town. In short, wonderfully organized. Our compliments! We enjoyed this immensely with the whole family. Our compliments! Our heartfelt thanks.
Antoinet Maliepaard
Took a 10 day safari in Tanzania in late February. Ngorongoro Crater and Serengeti National Park. Discussed and worked out the whole trip from A to Z with Oscar. And 200% met the expectations. Accommodations, great and the care extremely good. And then the nature and animals we were allowed to see and experience daily under the guidance of our guide. An amazing experience. A feeling of peace, space and nature. And of being spoiled. A unique experience.
Harry & Marjan Hooijer
We wanted to go to South Africa someday, maybe. Until we got talking in the Beurs van Berlage with Oscar Haartman. "May I make a suggestion?" Okay, who knows. This will, that won't, when and where, and can it be done differently? So it began, and so grew a program that rang like a bell. By rental car from Johannesburg towards private game reserves in the northeast, game parks par excellence. From lodges that lack nothing. Through Swaziland. To the east coast with its wetlands and the deep blue of the ocean. Over the autumnal Drakensberg Mountains back. In April, through wide and green country, with friendly people and in complex relationships, but oh so beautiful. Perfectly talked through and with a detailed itinerary in our pockets. "Have you seen this, and that?" What not! Better guidance is hardly imaginable.
Henk Strietman
We were at the Beurs van Berlage last January to familiarize ourselves with our trip to Namibia in May.It soon became clear to us that we were late in preparing for this trip because Namibia is a vacation country on the rise and you actually need to plan your vacation a year in advance. At the fair we found, among others, the booth of Oscar.His enthusiasm and knowledge about Africa immediately appealed to us.At our request he visited our home to discuss our wishes. Based on the conversation with us, he put on paper a beautiful trip for us with the highlights of Namibia starting in Windhoek and ending in Livingstone, Zambia.His concept was good almost immediately.The first positive impression he made at the expo he fully lived up to. It turned out to be a nice variety of nights in lodges and nights in our tent on the roof of our Toyota Hilux. In particular, the end of our trip in the Caprivi strip was a nice ending to Namibia. We stayed there at Nkasa Lupala Tented Lodge, highly recommended. Nkasa is an island the size of Texel and the entire island is a National Park. There you experience more emphatically how beautiful the nature of Namibia is with animals in a natural and non-touristic environment.Because of his knowledge of Namibia, Oscar knew how to select beautiful camping places and lodges.In short, a great trip as we experienced it with great thanks to Oscar.
Eric & Jaap
I met Oscar at an expo and quickly he asked, 'Can I make a proposal?' Um yes, but I have to discuss it with my husband. It's non-binding.... Soon I was able to convince my husband Wil that Oscar is the best travel consultant for us. We haven't been regretful of that for a second! After the initial proposal and some study on our part, Oscar came to our home with beautiful maps and extensive information. And oh, how we enjoyed that. 19 days of Namibia, 3 nights at the Victoria Falls and 7 nights of mobile safari in Botswana (highly recommended!). Beautiful accommodations, lots of animals seen up to a night visit from hyenas. The untold amount of colorful birds! We did not get bored. With Oscar's great advice, a wonderful trip was put together. Great receptions, extremely friendly and helpful people. Especially the mobile safari was a fantastic crew with a lot of knowledge and expertise. Above all a lot of fun! We are impressed how respectful our crew is with nature and their love for the animals. So wonderful that they wanted to share this with us! Oscar, thank you! See you next time.
