REVIEWS

 

– Joey Derwort, co-founder Joey & Fieke (Tantra Workshops)

“When I look back on our trip to Kidepo Valley with Erik, one feeling stands out above all: awe at the raw, untouched nature — and a deep gratitude that I was not there as a spectator, but as a guest in a landscape so rarely touched by others.

Below is a short summary of what made it unforgettable for me:

1. Few tourists, maximum intimacy

Because of the way Erik designed the trip, it felt as though we experienced the park with only a handful of people. Most of the time, we barely saw other safari vehicles, so I never felt like a “spectator” in a busy show, but rather a conscious participant.

In travel reports, Kidepo is often described as untamed, rugged, and at times giving the feeling that you’re completely alone in the park. That’s exactly how I experienced it too. The park’s remoteness and the effort it takes to reach it — long dirt roads, limited facilities — mean that only those who truly want to and dare to go there actually do. For me, that was part of the attraction: it didn’t feel “commercially touristic,” but genuinely wild.

2. Local guide, local lodgings, no tourist hotels

What really added another dimension to our experience was how Erik had organized everything: we worked with a local guide and stayed at authentic local places near (or even within) the park. We avoided tourist hotels as much as possible.

That made me feel more connected to the country, the people, and the place itself. I didn’t feel as if I was staying in an isolated bubble far removed from the real surroundings, but rather close to how people live there — and how nature lives alongside them. That choice gave the journey a sense of authenticity.

In such settings, I notice so much more as a traveler: the landscape, the silence, the sounds, the transitions from morning to night — without being cut off from it all by luxurious accommodations.

3. Sleeping in a tent on top of the jeep, surrounded by wildlife

One of the most intense parts of the trip was sleeping right in the middle of the park, in a tent on the roof of the jeep, surrounded by wild animals — even at night.

We often woke up to sounds: deep growls, the rustling of wind through the grass, animal noises near and far. At night, we would go outside with a flashlight and sometimes see dozens of eyes reflecting in the beam — buffalo, a leopard, or other nocturnal animals we couldn’t immediately recognize.

That feeling of lying among nature, not behind glass or fences, deepened the sense of truly being part of the ecosystem. Those moments — waking up to the calls of wild animals, stepping outside to see those glinting eyes in the darkness — stay with me as something magical, almost surreal. It’s something you don’t experience on an ordinary lodge safari.

4. More of a local encounter than a typical tourist safari

All in all, the quiet trails, the local elements, and sleeping out in the wild made me feel that I wasn’t just a tourist in the park. I was, in a small way, part of that landscape.

Of course, as a traveler, I’m a “guest,” but it felt less like being a distant visitor and more like being allowed in — respectfully — into their world. I felt that this approach brought me closer to the local people, not only through our guide but also through the land itself.

It wasn’t a “showcase safari,” but an encounter with a landscape that has existed in this form for millennia — and where I was allowed to dwell for a short while.

In short

If I had to summarize this journey in one sentence, I’d say it felt like I was able to land, for a moment, in a world rarely set foot in by humans — where raw nature reminded me of what a wonder it is, and what my own small place on Earth might be.

Thanks to Erik and his choice to work with local partners, I didn’t just go on a safari — I had an encounter with the ancient soul of Kidepo. I am grateful that I was allowed to be there — not just as a visitor, but as part of something larger.”

– Ralph de Groot, co-founder Procurement Tactics

“It was absolutely incredible and transformed my outlook of the world.” 

– Kjeld Harteveld, operations manager De Viersprong

“I found it truly special to experience what such a large and different part of the world looks like. As a European, it really puts everything into a different perspective. It’s also made me appreciate what I have much more, and I genuinely think we should all complain a lot less. The most special moment for me was the Christmas celebration at that family’s home.”