About

About Aardvark

In October 1999, our founders John Spence and Richard Smith began a small company called Aardvark Safaris in England, dedicated to custom, unique travel in Africa. Today, Aardvark has become the UK’s top safari operator and has expanded our expertise to the US, led by John and a staff of passionate Africa specialists, introducing Americans to the joys of authentic, personalized travel in fourteen African countries.

The term “tailor-made” is overused in the travel industry but at Aardvark, no two holidays are alike. We combine our expertise with clients’ wishes to create individual trips for multi-generation families, singles, honeymooners and friends.  All of us have lived and worked in Africa and return every few months to see new properties and revisit old favorites to ensure that we consistently offer the finest camps and lodges, top guides and most exciting holidays to our clients.

Seasoned travellers (and journalists) turn to us for the best kept safari secrets, hidden Indian Ocean beaches, the hottest wildlife locations, most exclusive camps and the inside track on unspoiled Africa. In 2010, 75% of our business was from repeat clients and word-of-mouth.

We believe that safaris are more than sitting in four-wheel drive vehicles watching wildlife: our clients canoe down the Lower Zambezi River, trek the last mountain gorillas, gallop on horseback in the Okavango Delta, enjoy the hospitality of local tribespeople, climb Kilimanjaro, walk with Maasai warriors, and work with conservationists.  We turn imagination into reality. That’s why our clients come back again and again, eager to explore the continent that has captured their hearts.