Whereitallbegan Reviews

Excellent service

Excellent service thoughtful and considerate of your budget Easy and quick communication and excellent recommendations for places to stay as well as activities Service fee was more than reasonable and anyway it s for non-profit Highly recommendable

Serendipity brought us to Philip Rendel

Serendipity brought us to Philip Rendel and Where It All Began I came across a B B that got great customer reviews An African Villa in Capetown- also highly recommended that mentioned they had travel operators who could help put a South Africa trip together as much or as little help as you wanted We had some places in mind that we wanted to visit and some things we wanted to do in the two weeks we had in South Africa complicated by other family that would be joining us on certain dates on the trip Having sent that information to Philip he proposed an itinerary complete with guided tours accommodations restaurant selections and private game reserves for safaris We couldn t be happier with our experience with Philip and Where it All Began From his recommendations to working out the details of the trip to the trip itself to follow up after the trip he was responsive to our needs and wants Philip s hands on attention to daily details like confirming transfers restaurant reservations safari arrangements made the trip stress free knowing that he and his referrals guides were in constant contact Philip was responsive to our needs and wants and patient as we fine tuned the itinerary Lastly it was important to us to get a complete picture of South Africa not to whitewash the experience by only having the Big Five safari experience We appreciate that Philip shares this point of view and his interest in delivering ethical tourism shows in all of his choices recommendations of where to visit and what to experience He explains ethical tourism as that which considers and advocates for care of the planet and care for human beings It was enriching to us to feel like we experienced the evolving South Africa Jennifer and Alan Halperin

Great trip and many exciting and

Great trip and many exciting and breathtaking moments Everything was fine and I was satisfied with the service and attitude I recommend

Local Connections for an Enriching Experience

Local knowledge and an extensive network connected to local individuals was the key to the success of our trip Where It All Began s WIAB commitment to sustainable and ethical travel was important to us WIAB delivered on both making our trip an enriching personal experience Our customized journey to discover the wonders and natural areas of the Cape Flora Region was our main goal The spring wildflower display and meeting local nature enthusiasts was important for us During pre-trip planning and throughout the trip Philip and his team always gave astute feedback while supporting our desires AND we were able to adjust as we settled into the trip and really developed a feel for hiking and exploring the landscape Philip guided us about maps to buy and was able to order them for us plus a book I was interested in by a South African author All waiting at Parker Cottage on our arrival Personalized travel indeed All local lodging guides and other activities were with individuals who were professional experienced knowledgeable and very welcoming They gave us the privilege to be immersed in the region and the opportunity to discover or experience much more than travelling on our own It was even better than travelling on our own because everyone we met was familiar and friends with WIAB and I think that opened doors easily for us to be included everywhere we visited Our driver guide was central to day-to-day travel and quickly got our travel style our deep interest in the flora and our personalities and knew just the adjustments to make for those memorable unplanned special experiences He was very hospitable and knowledgeable and shared many of his own experiences and information that helped us better understand the country its people and its history He knew the roads knew the details of all our locations was responsible efficient comfortable and experienced with driving When changes were needed everything was done very smoothly and we received excellent follow-up each evening We could totally relax with confidence about our trip I highly recommend Where It All Began Travel and Tour Designer for your South African journeys

Meeting South Africa - it s landscape wildlife people

We had a wonderful holiday Your itinerary was just what we were looking for We were particularly appreciative of your support for businesses making a positive social and environmental impact Everyone in J Burg was lovely - the drivers hotel restaurant staff and tour guides couldn t have been more helpful friendly and informative We got a real sense of the Rainbow Nation - all its promise hope and some disappointment with the recent political situation Adam s Soweto tour was particularly poignant hearing his first-hand experience of the Soweto uprising when he was just 12 Our traditional South African meal at Phiri s was a feast and he was a delight Sarah was also a brilliant tour guide She adapted the day to meet our changing needs including interesting visits to some of the regeneration projects and included some very powerful glimpses of South Africa s painful history The Marble Restaurant was an indulgent treat Both our safaris were also amazing Rhino Ridge Lodge was possibly the most luxurious and beautiful place we have ever stayed As well as the wildlife wonderful food location and beautiful accommodation it was great to get a sense of pride in the welcome from the staff just as we did at The Peech The ethicalaspects of both businesses were subtly apparent Nibela Lodge was a beautiful location but the food and service not quite up to the standard of the other two hotels So thank you for your knowledge and understanding and the positive impact you are making We came away loving South Africa - the landscape the wildlife and the people We are so glad we found your company to guide us - and we really appreciated you being in touch while we were in South Africa - it was very reassuring to know you were looking after us Please pass on thanks to all who helped make our holiday so memorable

Confiar a ojos cerrados Trust with your eyes closed

Confiar a ojos cerrados Trust with your eyes closed in Phil and his team and whatever you expect to fulfil with your trip you ll get it Two elderly couple in their 60s one in their third trip to Africa and the other in their first are not an easy task when looking for activities to meet our interests Although we have met Phil when he was the owner of Parker Cottage and he knew who he was dealing with I praise his intuition when planning for us relaxed focused activities booking lovely and top quality places where to stay and recommending the finest restaurants He knew exactly what to offer us And we trusted him Everything just went perfect The perfect timing and the perfect decisions None of which could have been fulfilled without Phil s wise guidance Ron and Chris are part of the team both very knowledgeable great drivers and very amusing persons Coming from other continent dealing with poverty and segregation itself we understand the passion both of them put in their narrative of their country s ordeal When touring the beauty of the scenery and the exotic wildlife or enjoying the beach resorts or the glamorous Cape Town you need to be brought down to earth to get things into perspective And we thank Phil s ethical tourism for that If it is not your kind of tourism this is not your place We embraced his idea of a responsible and sustainable tourism from the very beginning I really enjoyed two months of whatsapping questions and answers with Phil in preparing the trip I liked when he asked how local we wanted to be or when he proposed something and immediately would reject it because he sensed somehow that one of us wouldn t enjoy it Honesty trust and lots of sense of humour is the key to success here Definitely all went great except Cabernet Sauvignon Salud from Chile Phil

A DEFINITE YES

This is the third holiday I have arranged with Phil all have been a great success and very enjoyable To me the main benefits are having everything in one package car accommodation flights Visiting South Africa is a great experience and something you will not forget Phil has a superb knowledge of the country and will make your holiday better by using all his experience His choice of accommodation options are excellent communication via whatsapp is simple and effective I would highly recommend whereitallbegan for your african adventure

Philip and his team did a great job in

Philip and his team did a great job in helping us plan our trip to South Africa His advice on accommodation tours transfers restaurants and little but important travelling details was very clear and included relevant links and information The payment was simple and processed fast We also greatly appreciated Philip s flexibility and superb customer service in adjusting the itinerary to accommodate different arrivals of our group members Sadly some tour members had to cancel their trip and I cannot thank Philip and his team enough for their professionalism and assistance with the trip cancellation

Simply the Best

I have made it a practice throughout my life to avoid travel agents As a rule they are not good listeners and adhere to the lowest common denominator However when I encountered Phil Rendel of Where It All Began I knew I had met a kindred soul Phil and his wife s mission is to promote ethical and sustainable tourism without sacrificing the variety and comfort that most travelers crave To my knowledge Phil and his wife are unique They are totally oriented to the needs of their clients whatever that might be from upscale luxury to guest house coziness Their expertise is deep and wide and their local contacts are extraordinary Through them I have been exposed to the complexity and promise of South Africa in a way I believe no other travel agency could have pulled off At every stage of my trip Phil checked on my well-being and if there were problems he immediately and effectively dealt with them He is totally honest and fair in his dealings with his clients I pride myself on my ability to pre-plan trips but Phil can unearth possibilities that even the most well-informed tourist could never find on their own I just finished one trip with Where It All Began and I already have started planning my second You won t find a better travel agency anywhere else in the world and you will have the added bonus of supporting a form of tourism that promotes development rather than exploitation