Profile photo for Adele van Jaarsveld
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active 13 hours ago

Adele van Jaarsveld

Born and raised in South Africa, my passion for travel started at an early age, as my family traveled throughout Southern Africa at every opportunity. I soon learned that it's really not only about the destinations that you reach; it's the whole journey and what you get to experience along the way. I love good food, good company, campfires and a wide open sky. And these are the things that Africa is all about.

What places and activities do you specialize in?

"We arrange safaris in East Africa, gorilla excursions in Rwanda and Uganda, and Mount Kilimanjaro climbs. We operate ethical Kilimanjaro climbs and are are proud Partners for Responsible Travel with Kilimanjaro Porters Assistance Project.

We arrange photographic tours and can tailor the accommodations to suit all different budgets. We offer cultural tours, active adventures and beach vacations to destinations in the Indian Ocean"

How did you get involved in travel?

"When I finished school, the choice to turn my love for travel into my career was a natural one. So, I studied travel and tourism, and have been helping people plan their tailor-made African safaris and holidays for the past 18 / 19 years.
I still love every second of selling our beautiful continent and fulfilling someone’s dream to travel.

I have traveled extensively within South Africa, as well as all over Southern and East Africa. Some of the most notable places I’ve visited include Namibia, Malawi, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Mozambique, Kenya, Tanzania and Rwanda. Internationally, I’ve also traveled through Europe, Thailand and various parts of the USA."

Please share a unique travel experience you will never forget.

"There has been so many unique experiences from swimming in Devil's Pool over the Victoria falls, hot air ballooning in the Maasai Mara, mokoro trips in the Okavango delta, seeing a river crossing in the Serengeti etc, but i think my biggest highlight was seeing the Gorillas in Rwanda. Since i can remember it has been my dream to see them in the wild and i was lucky enough to do this a few years ago. I think this is something i will never forget. "

Recent trip reviews for Adele

Douglas

Tanzania Safari · Tanzania - Oct 10 - Oct 26, 2019

Traveler: Douglas M. - Local specialist: Adele van Jaarsveld

First I want to thank Adele in South Africa ( she works at Duma Explorer that provided the safari services) who helped me plan every step of the way in this safari. She was excellent and her first draft of an itinerary was very close to the final version. Since this was a solo photographic safari, I was concerned that my specific needs might be difficult to accommodate. It did not take long to realize that Adele was on target and did a great job is meeting my needs.

My journey started off... read more

First I want to thank Adele in South Africa ( she works at Duma Explorer that provided the safari services) who helped me plan every step of the way in this safari. She was excellent and her first draft of an itinerary was very close to the final version. Since this was a solo photographic safari, I was concerned that my specific needs might be difficult to accommodate. It did not take long to realize that Adele was on target and did a great job is meeting my needs.

My journey started off a bit rocky. I was met at the airport in Arusha by a person from Duma Explorer, but not the one I expected. Apparently, my guide, who I knew to be highly qualified for my trip, had a car accident and, although unharmed, was unable to make the safari. The man who met me at the airport assured me that he was well qualified and that we would have a wonderful trip together. This sort of a surprise certainly causes apprehension and some anxiety. The next morning, my new guide took me to meet Wilson, my planned guide. While Wilson was unable to lead my trip, after meeting him, I felt reassured that everything would be fine. Read on for my review of my safari.

My guide, Chaduu, was fantastic. He knew the wildlife very well, not just the names, in some cases the Latin genus and species as well as their behavioral characteristics. This would be pretty meaningless if we didn't find animals. Chaduu knew the favorite haunts of many animals (mammals, reptiles and birds) so we saw, identified, and photographed a great number. He was also helpful in answering my questions about animal behavior. Finding wildlife is also a matter of luck and I have to admit that we were very lucky. This was a solo photographic safari. Chaduu and I were together for many hours a day for 17 days in a safari vehicle together. We never seemed to run out of discussion topics, and discussed a wide range of subjects. He was very careful to obey park rules of the road and "parking locations". In addition, photography requires patience, hoping and waiting to see some interesting behavior. We spent a great deal of time waiting and as a result got some amazing photos and observing some incredible behavior. He never complained and seemed always eager to experience seeing animal behavior, knowing that patience is necessary. Chaduu was excellent in helping to position us for the best angle for a photo and responding to every request to move even a few feet in on direction or another. His assurances on day one were completely accurate and I was happy to have Chaduu as my guide.

I was also interested in tribal cultures and people. I was not disappointed. We engaged Hadzabe bushmen and Datoga metal workers and women. Each tribe lives in their ancient ways and the people were fully authentic and friendly. Duma provide a local expert who spoke the native languages. He was very helpful in the success of meeting, engaging and photographing these tribal people.

Granted this was a solo safari. Chaduu and I could pretty much do what we wanted without having to consider the needs of others. That fact in itself made this photo expedition worthwhile and greatly contributed to our success. We were a terrific team, working together every step of the way. Chaduu was always a professional.

Overall, my experience in preparing for this trip as well as the trip itself, met or exceeded my expectations. Good job and thanks so much for your help along the way.