Testimonials

Our South African trip organized by Experiential Travel and Neville was first class in all respects.

Deanie and I have been to Africa and various other countries over the years and this experience was truly remarkable from the start. Small details like all flights and transfers being on time and being met by lovely people who are passionate about hospitality.

The first class accommodation in Cape Town, Paarl and our 3 Safari unique environments and experiences were exceptional. South Africa is an extraordinary country

My grown sons and I had dreamed of a trip to South Africa since they were small boys. Having gotten through the pandemic and with the boys wives both saying it was time to start a family, we all agreed it was now or never. One of my sons is a budding photographer and met Neville through a photography club. When he learned Neville was also the owner of Experiential Travel who specialises in upscale trips to Africa, it was a match made in heaven.

Neville was able to take our ideas and form them into the trip of a lifetime! Cape Town, the Garden Route and Manyeleti Private Game Reserve. We literally saw all that could be seen - whales, great whites and penguins off the coast, the gorgeous wineries and breweries around Cape Town and all the Big Five plus cheetah, honey badger and more on our incredible safari.

We had added a side trip through another tour operator that turned out to be a disaster but with one e-mail to Neville he turned a horrible experience into an amazing augmentation to our trip. Neville is more than just a tour operator or travel agent, he is a friend throughout your journey making sure you are happy, safe and well cared for.

The boys and I have been home for a few months and we are still revelling in the memories of our amazing trip - which simply wouldn’t have been possible without Neville. On getting home we learned the first grandchild will be joining the family soon - I can’t wait to plan my next family adventure with Neville and Experiential Travel.

Neville has years of African travel experience and proved to be a knowledgeable planner with a keen ability to match a traveler’s personal interests to different itinerary choices. 

From touchdown to takeoff in Johannesburg the trip was seamless. We learned that Neville was never far away, whether in Melbourne or travelling; and with boots on the ground in Africa through his partners, he was able to tweak and make travel adjustments for us in real time.

It was an extraordinary trip made during an extraordinary time that will forever be fondly remembered.

Neville did an outstanding job of patiently answering all our pre-trip questions and was a font of knowledge about the landscape, animals, people and culture along the way. Planning and executing such a trip requires attention to detail and an appreciation for the individual differences inherent in any travel group. Neville certainly took the stress out of undertaking this type of adventure and incorporated some lovely surprises along the way.

When the idea of a safari was raised over dinner with friends one evening I was initially hesitant to be involved. I’m not a seasoned international traveller and had heard many stories of the possible dangers in visiting Africa, both cities and country. I am so pleased I was convinced to go because it turned out to be an experience of a lifetime.

Experiential Travel has always accommodated me with premium air travel where possible. I’m a big guy, and it’s much appreciated. For me, it makes the trip so much more enjoyable at the start, the end, and in-between. I have also requested single accommodation at times, and again, where possible they have done their best to make it happen. I don’t mind paying a premium for trips that provide a lifetime of memories!

I traveled to Namibia with Neville and a group of photographers last year. One of the most valuable things Neville provided was pre-trip planning. Having never been to Africa, I was unsure of what I should pack for the two week adventure. Neville provided me with the help I needed to make sure everything went smoothly. His knowledge and planning made for a smooth and stress free adventure.

Evelyn was great, she looked after us really well and her stories from her life in Maun added real depth and reality to our experience. You simply MUST get her hosting more trips :) Thanks so much for your help in creating this adventure - we WILL be back. Please do keep us informed regarding any experiences you may think we would enjoy. (I'm already starting to think about Uganda/Kenya for the mountain gorilla).

Neville provided valuable and thoughtful advice prior to the trip on matters such as inoculations, luggage parameters (for flights on small planes within the country), recommended clothing, mobile phones and internet access and plenty more. This made for a trouble free and relaxed trip. Above all, Neville made it a fun and truly memorable safari.

My Neville Jones-curated safari experience was one of the most memorable trips I’ve ever had. From the superb guide and the perfectly pitched combination of wild and luxurious accommodation to the amazing depth of tour planning and Nev’s endless patience and depth of knowledge – every aspect of the trip was an amazing experience. In fact, I can feel another trip coming on right about now.

Africa is even more beautiful than I had ever expected. The Safari (both permanent and mobile) was amazing. Your organisation from start to finish was tremendous and your knowledge of the region meant we traveled to places rich in wildlife. Can't wait to go again!!

My husband had completed the overland trip through Africa as a graduate in his mid-twenties and with his first wife. After hearing about the trip for 20+ years I wondered if we would ever be able to undertake a trip to Africa that belonged to us and would become a shared memory of adventure and excitement. Neville set up an itinerary and activities that far exceeded our expectations. The small camp environment, the experienced guides and the wonderful food all led to our trip being completely differentiated from my husband’s backpacking trip. The ability to undertake “glamping” (glamour camping) in Africa was wonderful.

Neville took the stress and hassle out of organizing our Africa experience and gave us an unbelievable experience which we will treasure and remember for the rest of our lives.

I had a memorable experience with Experiential Travel, visiting Namibia in with a group of 14 photographers on a two week trip. The venture was a notable success and I would happily recommend Experiential Travel to others for two principal reasons. Firstly, Neville Jones is an experienced international award winning photographer who lead the trip in person and based our itinerary on his many prior visits to the country and specific reconnoitring of this route. Previously, Neville enjoyed a successful business career and this combined with his photographic skills ensured we all enjoyed superb photo opportunities and first class travel and accommodation logistics.

Thank you very much for making the recent Madagascan adventure available to us. We were completely blown away by the scenery, the wildlife, the people and the accommodation. These far exceeded our expectations. It was impressive to see how industrious the people were, there was food available everywhere, but all produced by human toil. Our guides were extremely helpful, knowledgeable and accommodating, and gave us a great insight into life in Madagascar.