What Our Guests Say
A few messages from our guests…
I had an amazing experience travelling through East Africa with Nature Encounters Tours & Travel. Carol created an itinerary that was a great balance of wildlife, culture and relaxation. Every destination offered something unique and special. Two of the most memorable experiences for me were visiting the Sheldrick Trust Foundation and the Beyond Bride Rescue Foundation Girls School. Unforgettable moments! The wildlife was beyond incredible. All of the logistics were very well organized and handled by Carol. The accommodations were excellent, as were the staff at all of our hotels who were so welcoming and thoughtful, and truly wanted us to have a memorable experience. Our guides were knowledgeable and friendly! Carol exceeded all of my expectations, and I always felt safe, comfortable and well looked after. I HIGHLY recommend Carol and her Team if you are considering a trip to Africa. S.A.
Travelling to Africa with Carol was far more than a trip. It was a powerful and deeply moving experience that opened our eyes to the beauty of the land, the wildlife, and the people who call it home. After more than thirty years and over one hundred journeys, Carol still brings extraordinary passion, warmth, and authenticity to every moment. Her connection with the guides, lodge staff, and communities is genuine, and through her we felt welcomed not as tourists, but as guests. Thanks to Carol, we did not simply see Africa. We experienced its heart and soul. W.P.
I just returned from a trip to Africa organized and hosted by Carol Petersen from Nature Encounters Tours and Travel. I found the trip to be surreal;I was humbled, awestruck and felt very safe the entire time. Carol looked after all of us and her group of guides are truly so kind and knowledgeable. I highly recommend Carol Petersen and can’t thank her enough. M.J.
We have done some travelling and our February 2026 trip to Kenya & Tanzania with Nature Encounters tours and travel and Carol Petersen has been one of the highlights of our life. Carol has been going to Africa for over 35 years and her passion and love for Africa and it’s people shows. The rapport that she has with people along the way, the staff at the lodges, her handpicked guides, has made us feel part of her extended family. As the family trip planner, I greatly appreciate Carol‘s attention to detail, looking after the intricacies of our travel, at the lodges, between lodges, out on safari, allowing us to spend our precious Africa time immersed in the culture and wildlife. Carol has worked with her guides for several years. They are not only skilled drivers(And when you are there and see other touring companies, you will realize the value of that skill) they are kind, generous, and their extensive knowledge of the wildlife is almost intuitive of where the animals are and what they are going to do next, making for some spectacular wildlife encounters. They are ambassadors for their beautiful country. Our next trip to Africa will be with Carol and in our opinion there is no better way to experience all that an African safari has to offer. Thank you, Carol for a stupendous experience. R&B P.
After giving a lot of thought on how to describe this trip, will attempt to find the words but don’t think I will ever be able to do it justice. Given the travelling I have done, never have I experienced such exceptional care and attention to detail. Along with the 5 star treatment and pampering everyday, this is an homage to Carol, our most amazing leader who was tireless in making sure our safaris delivered the BIG FIVE and boy, did she. That said, Carol was so respectful about the wildlife and kindly, so informatively, educated us. This included her stellar team of driver guides who also took such pride in sharing their wealth of knowledge while constantly taking care of us. Of the four accommodations, each only got better after the other. The views with elephants just off our patios to EVERYDAY giraffes and zebras to the wildebeest migration on the Serengeti. Equal to that, Carol introduced us to the heart of Africa and made the entire group feel like family, several times over. If you are lucky enough to take this journey, this is the trip to take with her! M.T.
Wow trip of a life time. I booked with Nature Encounters Tours & Travel because of Carol’s 30+ years of experience leading Safari’s. Her experience showed in all aspects of the trip. Detailed service and help was top notch in all aspects. From booking the trip and going through all the options to the last day sending us off on our way home . Arrival at the airports being met by a representative was wonderful with helping us navigate through the experience. Carol was always available to answer questions and deal with any issues that might arise. All the accomodations were over the top and the meals were outstanding. Believe the drivers and guides were all hand picked by Carol. Their knowledge of the animals and the surroundings was amazing. Enriching our experience. The cultural exposure was heartfelt. Carol’s work with Beyond Bride Rescue at the Girls School was so moving. Not a dry eye in the group…..The whole trip far exceeded my expectations. I would definitely recommend a travel experience with Carol…….. C.S.
After travelling (twice) to Kenya and Tanzania with Nature Encounters Tours and Travel, I can’t imagine ever going with anyone else! The attention to detail and the relationships Carol has with staff (from management to waiters, cooks, etc) at each of the amazing lodges makes every day a wonderful experience. The guides we had in both countries were stellar – every animal, bird, tree were not only identified but they had lots of information available to the curious mind. The inclusion of cultural experiences like the girls school, Kazuri beads, and the Masai village were all heart warming experiences that made the trip extra special. N.C.
I have made several trips to Africa with Carol and I couldn’t begin to describe all the spectacular moments I’ve had: amazing animal sightings, beautiful African sunsets, learning and living the culture of the countries we’ve visited and meeting the loveliest people, but what stands out for me on all the trips has been Carol’s love for Africa and its people. It is so wonderful to see her interactions with her guides, the staff at all the lodges and tent camps where we’ve stayed and the teachers and students in the schools we’ve visited. The love and respect is mutual – those who have met Carol before are so excited to see her again. It’s so much fun to arrive at a lodge and see all the staff waiting to greet her, then, when it’s time to leave, her tradition of a special presentation to them all. In turn, they always have special treats for her (and her guests) in the form of singing, dancing – and cake!! To me, if you haven’t been to Africa with Carol, you haven’t really been to Africa! Diane
Nature Encounter Tours and Travels provided us with a well organized and personalized experience. Carol’s expertise and passion for the area, local people and wildlife gave us an amazing adventure to Rwanda (led by Mona) and Kenya. She knows the guides and accommodation staff very well to ensure everything went smoothly and she surprised us with some unique experiences along the way. We highly recommend taking “a trip to remember” with Nature Encounter Tours and Travels. Barb & Scott
“We would like to advise that Auram Safaris and Leopard Tours did an amazing job of looking after us while we were in Tanzania, a special thanks to Luigi and his team for looking after us with such respect and consideration, the head guide Idris and the assistant guide CP, the chef and his amazing meals to the waiter and all the porters made it possible for us to make it to the top. It would be selfish for us to let it go without giving them our warmest thanks, through you letting them that they were directly responsible for our summit success. And last but definitely not least we would like to thank you for putting together the most amazing holiday of a life time.” L&R
“We just got to Maasai Mara yesterday and Samson had us out in the afternoon for a game drive. It was honestly one of the most amazing days of my life and doing this with my girls is forming a beautiful bond between us. I will never forget their smiles. Thanks for everything. This has been a dream come true!“
“Just a quick note to let you know I arrived safely and with all my bags back home. After many hours of travel I’m a little bit wobly but wanted to thank you for such an amazing time. I didn’t really begin to comprehend the true impact on me until I started to cry somewhere over Africa last night. I never cry so the experience has obviously touched a part of me that I’d never experienced before.”
“I love taking pictures and tried to capture as much of the experience as I could. Of course, I set my camera aside often .. and “just” enjoyed the experience with my binoculars. The whole experience was as wonderful as I could have hoped. You did such an awesome job – I really don’t know how to thank you enough.“
“I am home in body only; mind still somewhere between Amboseli and the Serengeti. Wow, the sights and sounds of Africa! It was an amazing trip shared with good people. Thank you”
“Our tour leader was very organized to the last detail. They were extremely knowledgable about every aspect of the safari experience – the animals, the locals the country and much more. I could go on and on but am running out of paper!“
“You took such good care of us. We felt your touch in the day room. It was quite a shock to the system to actually have to pay attention to what we had to do and where we had to go. Every time I think of our safari adventure, the biggest smile comes on my face!“
“Every time I hear a plane overhead, I wish my trip was starting again….“
“We made it home okay and cannot stop talking to anyone who will listen about our trip, including the produce guy in Safeway yesterday. So many memorable experiences we cannot thank you enough. “
