—What other travellers say
STORIES
Some participants of our Air Safaris self-fly or group tours in Southern Africa have been willing to share their experience with you on camera at the end of their trip and we started to collect them just recently in the fall of 2019. We hope that these stories will inspire you to come to Africa.
Robert Taylor from Jamaica
I have learned to live in the moment
Robert, hailing from Jamaica, arrived without any preconceived notions or a pilot license in hand. His unfortunate encounter with inclement weather had caused him to miss the checkride for his FAA Private Pilot License (PPL) examination. However, undeterred by the setback, he embraced the experience wholeheartedly. Accompanied by a safety pilot, he relished every moment and used the opportunity to enhance his piloting skills, emerging as a more proficient aviator.
Christina from Canada
We were treated like kings and queens
Christina enthusiastically recounts her enthralling journey through an African flying safari. She effusively praises the awe-inspiring deserts, the sand and dunes discovered in Namibia, recounting the breathtaking beauty that unfolded before her eyes. Additionally, she shares her exhilarating close-up wildlife encounters in Botswana, where she was privileged to witness nature's wonders up close.
For culinary enthusiasts, South Africa stood out as a gastronomic paradise, with delectable food offerings that delighted Christina's taste buds. Lastly, she commends the exceptional personalized service provided by African Flying Adventures, emphasizing the care and attention lavished upon her throughout the safari, ensuring a truly unforgettable experience.
Dave and Heather from Toronto
We came into this trip with
no expectations
In this captivating video, Dave and Heather, hailing from Toronto, graciously recount their remarkable journey as participants of our tour. Beginning their adventure in Cape Town, they embarked on an awe-inspiring voyage, traversing the breathtaking landscapes of Namibia and Botswana.
Heather expresses her profound appreciation for the abundant natural beauty and stunning landscapes encountered along the way. She fondly recalls the pleasure of forging new connections with fellow travelers who accompanied them throughout the tour, enriching their experience with meaningful interactions.
With their time together being invaluable, Dave and Heather entered the tour with no specific expectations. However, they are delighted to share that their decision to embark on this remarkable journey proved to be exceptionally wise. The duo wholeheartedly believes that they made an exceptional choice by selecting this tour, as it exceeded their every expectation and gifted them with treasured memories to cherish.
Frank Kelner
This is a trip. It is a must.
Frank, the CEO of a prominent airline in northern Canada, boasts an impressive flight log, accumulating over 35,000 hours of flying experience across a diverse range of aircraft, spanning from floatplanes to the PC12. Together with Debby, they joined Dave and Heather on our tour, and the experience surpassed all expectations.
The journey was nothing short of outstanding, marked by the remarkable airstrips they had to navigate and the challenges they encountered along the way. Despite the potential hurdles, SJ and Johan, esteemed partners of African Flying Adventures, exhibited exceptional skills in keeping the group cohesive and ensuring a seamless experience for all.
Frank passionately asserts that this trip is an absolute must-do. He enthusiastically recommends it to others, emphasizing the remarkable job done by SJ, Johan, and the entire team.
Debbie
Once in a lifetime experience
Debbie found herself overwhelmed with countless breathtaking memories that defied description and eluded explanation. These beautiful recollections, too exquisite to be captured in mere words, left her in awe. For Debbie, this journey proved to be a once-in-a-lifetime experience, filled with indescribable moments of sheer wonder.
Every leg of the trip and every passing moment brought her immense joy and fulfillment. The profound impact of each adventure and every cherished instant resonated deeply within her.
Clayton from BC, Canada
It was beyond my expectations
Hailing from upper British Columbia, Clayton and Christina embarked on their African journey, anticipating an extraordinary adventure with us. Their expectations were not only met but exceeded as they encountered a series of incredible experiences and unforgettable moments throughout the trip.
Randy from British Colombia, Canada
The organisation and the adventures were second to none
Randy and Kim, who call Fort St. John in upper British Columbia their home, embarked on an African adventure. Randy, bringing along his extensive experience as a bush pilot in Canada, eagerly embraced the opportunity to fly into the bush strips of Africa. They found solace in the fact that all the concerns typically associated with piloting in a foreign country were expertly managed, enabling them to fully enjoy their flying experience amidst the African terrain.
Laurent - Sommelier
Laurent from the Cote d'Azur
Accompanying Alexandra on their African adventure was her husband Laurent, a sommelier from the beautiful Cote d'Azur. Laurent dedicated a few days to exploring the Cape Town and Stellenbosch regions, indulging in a delightful wine-tasting experience together with SJ. SJ, a winemaker himself, introduced Laurent to the rich variety of African wines and to some of the talented winemakers behind them.
Alexandra from Cannes-Mandelieu
Alexandra from Cannes
Alexandra and her husband Laurent traveled from Cannes-Mandelieu for a week. Alexandra, a professional pilot, runs Orbifly, a flight school in the southern part of France. She highly recommends Africa as a destination for those who love flying, nature, and wildlife. She could only stay one week but is looking forward to come back soon.
Kim from BC, Canada
I would do it again in a heartbeat
Kim, originating from British Columbia in Canada, embarked on her African journey with a clear mission in mind: to witness the captivating presence of penguins. Her mission was met not once, but twice, as she had the opportunity to encounter these delightful creatures in two different locations. The first encounter unfolded at Boulders Beach, near Cape Town, where she was captivated by their playful nature. The second sighting took place on Halifax Island, situated off the Namibian coast, further deepening her appreciation for these charming birds.
African Stories – Loes en Matthijs
To me landing at Tanda Tula was like WOW!
Loes expressed her awe at the extraordinary experience of landing in the heart of the wild, right on Tanda Tula airstrip. The sheer magnificence of this moment left her exclaiming, "WOW, this is incredible!" She marveled at the fact that such an experience couldn't be replicated anywhere in Europe. Loes attributed this unique opportunity to the extensive knowledge and expertise of SJ and Johan, who knew of places inaccessible to the average traveler. The African Flying Adventures team ensured a seamless journey by conducting preflight briefings each day, allowing for efficient exploration of numerous destinations within a relatively short timeframe.
The testament to the exceptional experience provided by African Flying Adventures was evident as Matthijs and Marloes fulfilled their promise to return, joining the team for yet another remarkable trip. Their decision to embark on another adventure was a testament to the unforgettable experiences and cherished memories they had previously encountered.
Climbing Big Daddy Dune
Climbing Big Daddy Dune
Climbing Big Daddy (Sossusvlei, Namibia) was one of the highlights for me on our trip with my wife, son and friends in a Cessna 206. At 325 meters, Big Daddy is the highest dune in the Sossusvlei area.
African Stories – Michael and Susan
Leopards and Wild Dogs
Michael and Suzanne were only with us for a bit more than a week in Africa before they had to return home to Canada. Let’s hope they get the opportunity to come back again to complete the tour they had started.
Yuri from The Netherlands
Once in a Lifetime Experience
Yuri came to Africa and was initially not sure what to expect. He joined our 1-week 4x4Drive Adventure into Moremi Game Reserve in Botswana which included flights to Botswana from Johannesburg and back, a 4x4Drive Adventure in the Okavango Delta / Moremi Game Reserve and a classic safari at Limpopo-Lipadi Private Game Reserve, Botswana. Yuri was just one week in Africa but enjoyed every minute of it. Hear his story.
African Stories - Nadia
We explored every corner of Namibia
Nadia came to Namibia with her family from Spain. She explored every little corner of Namibia and loved it all. She felt very welcomed and encouraged to take the adventure.
African Stories – Jim
Each day was better than the day before
With over 40 years of flying experience in Canada, Jim embarked on a thrilling new adventure by taking to the skies in Africa. He encountered a refreshing change in radio operations and faced the occasional challenge of navigating unfamiliar airfields. However, each passing day brought forth a sense of improvement, surpassing the previous day's experiences.
Now, Jim and Cathy have become integral members of the African Flying Adventures family, having joined multiple tours and immersing themselves in the exhilaration of the African skies. Their insatiable appetite for these journeys stands as a testament to the exceptional experiences and indelible memories they have amassed through their continued participation.
African Stories – Kathy
I don’t really want to go Home
Kathy came along with her husband Jim from Northern Ontario in Canada. She enjoyed the wildlife and felt at ease in Africa and did not want to go home at the end. The Coronavirus travel restrictions had started to kick in when their trip was about over and they were able to get back home safely via London back to Canada.
African Stories – Hans
Africa was Totally Different to me from what I had Imagined before
Hans visited us twice in Africa prior to joining our Air Safari Tour and had his pilot license validation already arranged during a previous visit with us. To him, Africa came as a pleasant surprise meeting up with friendly people, enjoying good food and feeling safe all over while flying around in Southern Africa.
Kim + Welmien from South Africa
Two Leopards in One Tree
Kim and Welmien are both from South Africa and joined us in October 2019 as staff on one of our tours. In this first story, they share their enthusiasm for the African bush with you. Both Kim and Welmien are involved with African Flying Adventures as Kim is married to Johan, who together with Sjoerd runs African Flying Adventures, and Welmien is in charge of our reservations desk.
African Stories – Armin
An Experience I will probably Never forget in my Life
I had been dreaming about coming to Africa for a long time and this was just a dream come true. Every day was a new adventure. Flying to Swaziland and landing on a short bush airstrip was one of the highlights to me. We were welcomed there by locals dancing around our aircraft.
African Stories – Azra
Rafting on the Zambezi River was one of my highlights
Azra came along with Armin from Bosnia and Herzegovina and could only join our Air Safari tour a bit later. She flew commercially to Victoria Falls and joined us for the last week and visited Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe, the Okavango Delta and Moremi Game Reserve near Maun in Botswana.
African Stories - Henk
Overwhelming Experience
Henk signed up last minute. His normal glasses broke while he was on safari, so he was wearing his sunglasses instead. Henk had never been in Africa and recommends everyone to come and experience Africa.
Gregory from Switzerland
Father and Son flying Together through Africa
Gregory came to Africa with his father and flew around through South Africa, Zimbabwe, Botswana and Namibia. We had the privilege to support them all along.
African Stories - Carlos and Rosa
Air Safari Namibia
Azra came along with Armin from Bosnia and Herzegovina and could only join our Air Safari tour a bit later. She flew commercially to Victoria Falls and joined us for the last week and visited Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe, the Okavango Delta and Moremi Game Reserve near Maun in Botswana.
African Stories - Charlie
Took about 5000 photos!
Charlie came along with his parents for a first time to Namibia and really wants to come back. He enjoyed traveling with a plane through Namibia which made the trip so much easier and enjoyed taking a lot of pictures.
African Stories - Sarah
Flying in Small Planes
Sarah from Florida recommends coming to Africa with African Flying Adventures because you get to a lot of places in a relatively short time where you would otherwise not have the opportunity to visit them in one trip. She felt in love with Namibia.
African Stories – Melanie
Flying in Africa Makes you a better Pilot
Melanie joins us regularly as volunteer and support (pilot) team member. She is a joy to be around and she loves talking about aircraft and technology.
African Stories - Allen (part 1)
The waiting was worth it
Allen contacted us in 2019 with the desire to come to Africa to fly an aircraft on a safari tour through Namibia with his wife and some friend. However, first a knee injury (he could not fly the aircraft anymore) and after that the corona pandemic resulted in quite a delay before he could finally come over to do his trip. We kept on supporting Allen and rescheduling the lodges. He finally had his wish come true in October 2022.
African Stories - Allen (part 2)
Flight following done right
African Flying Adventures supported our flying trip and followed us all along on our Garmin Inreach satellite track. We were able to send them messages while in flight where they would accommodate our arrival at the next bush airstrip.
