Home > Testimonials
Guest Comments
---Original Nachricht---
Sent: 2012/02/22 06:27 PM
To: info@alantours.co.za
Hallo liebe Angelika,
so nun melde ich mich endlich zu Worte! – Der Alltag hat mich schon wieder geschluckt, wie Du siehst.
Es war wirklich eine wunderschöne Zeit mit euch und wir haben es sehr genossen. So umsorgt zu werden, einfach himmlisch!!!! Ihr habt ja alles noch einmal getoppt! -- Wir hatten die beste Zeit mit Euch!
So langsam verarbeite ich die ganzen Eindrücke. – Eure Bilder habe ich mir auch schon angesehen, die sind ja traumhaft! – Da habe ich dann schon wieder Tränen in den Augen. – Ich vermisse Euch sehr! Wir sind uns alle so richtig ans Herz gewachsen. Aber—wir waren gestern bei unseren Freunden und die wollen nächstes Jahr SA machen und da haben wir schon beschlossen, dass wir gemeinsam mit Euch auf Tour gehen möchten. Das ist doch schon mal ein guter Plan und mildert die Sehnsucht etwas.
Der Urlaub war leider wie immer viel zu kurz und dann noch zurück in diese nasskalte Wetter in Deutschland. Wir wollen ZURÜCK !!!
So meine Liebe, drück mir meinen Alan und auch Du fühl dich umarmt!
Bis bald,
Corinna
----Original Message ----
From: Henry Isaacs
Sent: Sunday, February 26, 2012 7:23 AM
To: Alan Tours
Subject: Re: Introduction: Ubuntu and Alan Fogarty
Hello Alan,
Just a quick note before our plane to Tswalu.
I cannot express thanks adequately for our day with you last week. You show a passion and dedication to your work that is rare. I think that we are both lucky in that way.
In any case we will see you again I'm certain. In the meantime, my website: www.henryisaacs.com.
Best-
Henry
---Original message---
Sent: Saturday, March 10, 2012 8:52 PM
To: info@alantours.co.za
Subject: RE: Yngve Gustafsson wants to share "Safari South Africa 2012" with you
"Hi Alan!
Hope all is well!
We´re back in Sweden again and longing to get back to sunny South Africa.
Thank you for the fantastic Safari, it´s a memory for life.
All the best
Yngve"
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Tuesday, December 13, 2011 9:35 PM
To: info@alantours.co.za
Subject: Guest Comment of our trip with you
Dear Alan,
I cannot believe it’s already a year ago that we travelled to the Transkei with you. You showed us so many amazing places. From the beautiful sights and wildlife of the Mountain Zebra park to the peace and quiet of Hogsback and the incredible the Haven nature reserve. Diana and I still think this is spelled wrong because this must be Heaven. We never will forget our trip across the Mbashe river to the Dwesa reserve, the bull that was standing in the sea, all the seashells, thousands of crabs, the whale skeleton. Remember Diana found your walking cane, you lost it when we crossed the river. We learned so many things from you about the Xhosa culture, Nelson Mandela, life in SA (it’s all about respecting each other) and of course spotting wildlife. This trip was the icing on the cake of our trip to South Africa.
Thank you Alan!
Greetingzzz Jacques, Diana and Ingrid
----- Original Message -----
From: "Carolyn (Ritt) Wilkins"
To: <info@alantours.co.za>
Sent: Thursday, July 07, 2011 12:35 AM
Subject: Please feel free to post this letter on your website
Dear Alan,
I am writing to thank you for showing me some of the most fantastic sights I have ever seen. While on tour with you today I saw herds of elephants, buffalo, lions, antelope and many rare and beautiful birds. But the highlight of the trip came when we were able to see a large black rhino less than 50 feet from our jeep. There were several other cars touring the park while we were there but I doubt they got to see all the things we did. Your years of experience in the bush country clearly showed as you followed the animal tracks to guide us to the hiding places of even the most reclusive animals. You answered all our questions with patience and even bought us lunch.
All in all, it was a truly memorable experience. Please feel free to post this letter on your website. I cannot recommend Alan's Tours highly enough.
Sincerely,
"jazz"Carolyn Wilkins
Professor of Ensembles
Berklee College of Music
Boston, MA
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Thursday, May 26
Subject: A huge thank you
Hi Alan,
I do hope this email finds you well.
I just wanted to thank you (now that I’m back from my 2 incredible weeks at Kruger) for having shown us the Eastern Cape and sharing your knowledge (I took so many notes!) and passion of the area with us. It was a real pleasure to meet you and I sincerely hope that I will one day be able to return the favour here in Paris.
I wish you an excellent weekend and hope to see you again soon.
All my very best,
Neil Kreeger
Journalist
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Monday, May 30, 2011 5:00 PM
Subject: Addo day tour
Hi Alan.
I just got back to Canada after visiting Botswana (wonderful!) and
Norway. Thanks again for a *fantastic* tour of Addo.
With best wishes,
Roland
----- Original Message -----
Thanks to you Alan, for your hospitality on our press trip visit last week. It was a hugely enriching and relaxing experience.
Eoghan Corry
Editor
Travel Extra
Ireland
----- Original Message -----
Alan, you truly are a sweetheart.
Thank you so much on behalf of everybody for being such a wonderful guide and companion on our little adventure!
Claire
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Sunday, May 01, 2011 7:35 PM
Subject: Fabulous township tour!
Dear Alan,
Thanks again for the terrific tour of Port Elizabeth last Monday week. We're not big on guided tours (especially Frank as you would have quickly gathered!!). You really opened up that part of the world for us so comprehensively, in fact from the beginning of time. I think spending the day with you and finishing up at Red Location Museum made such an impact on Frank that that's the reason why he's calling it the highlight of his month in South Africa.
We told our son Charlie, who works in PE, that you felt that the blacks know the customs and way of life of the whites and that maybe white people don't show enough interest or make enough effort to get to know the black residents. Anyway, I'm pleased to report that yesterday Charlie and his wife Melanie and their two little boys were invited to a party in the township and to quote him "we had an incredible time...amazing singing, traditional outfits, people unbelievably welcoming, so happy to have us there, wish you could have seen it all"
We're back in Australia now ( 'hit the ground running'). We're in the middle of renovating an old house and look back very fondly on those carefree days in your beautiful country.
Best regards,
Liz and Frank Daalder
Port Elizabeth, 3 April 2011
Liebe Angelika,
vielen herzlichen Dank fuer die schoene und interessante Tour zum Seaview und Kragga Kamma Game Reserve! Der Cheetah war definitiv ein highlight meines Urlaubs! Dir und Alan alles Gute und bis zum naechsten Sued Afrika Urlaub.
Christina (aus Giessen)
Port Elizabeth 2 + 3 March 2011
Dank unserer Tochter Doris duerfen wir ein paar Tage Port Elizabeth erleben. Vielen Dank auch an euch beide, wir haben durch euch schoene Stunden erlebt. Wir werden auch Sued Afrika in guter Erinnerung behalten.
Danke, Oswald und Gerlinde Eckert aus Ingolstadt, Germany
Port Elizabeth, 7 January 2011
Next time – only with you! Thanks a lot! Vielen Dank und bis zum naechsten mal!
Svetlana & Gregor----- Original Message -----
Dear Alan,
Just a quick note to say hello and to say how much Anne and I enjoyed your company on our brief tour of PE. Not brief because of the time that we spent with you but because of the very limited time that we allowed for our time in PE itself. In fact the whole SA experience was far better than we had anticipated; the security thing never manifested itself and we met some wonderful, wonderful people, both black, white and in-between that has made a return trip a must. Including a trip to touch base with you.
OK, so we saw England beat SA at PE today, but we also saw the new football stadium, the views over PE and all the memories came flooding back.
I hope all is going well for you and I hope you like the photos you took in that township bar. That visit was amazing – I would never have thought it possible. It totally changed and coloured my perspective of life in SA.
If you need help changing peoples’ perspective of what life is really like in SA let me get involved. It’s your call.
Kind regards,
Chris
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Saturday, March 19, 2011 1:34 PM
Dear Angelika and Alan
There are a handful of days in my life which I consider 'cameo' days and our trip to Addo on Thursday is definitely one of those rare and unforgettable days.
Thank you both for all your time, care, expertise and the delicious lunch!! It is I day that I will never forget and the Land Rover is such a perfect vehicle for viewing - the parts of the park I had never been to took my breath away and some of the photographs I took are good. My favourite photos are the ones taken right near the end of the day of the elephants eating Plumbago in the evening light - just heavenly.
Warm regards and thank you again
Thella
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Sunday, March 06, 2011 6:16 PM
Dear Alan,
A week ago yesterday, you took me and two friends ( Vanessa and Jill ) to the Addo Elephant Park. It was a superb day and we all designated it as the very best way to end a super holiday in South Africa.
Once again thank you for sharing your knowledge and for being so patient with us in terms of photography. As I write this I can smell the coffee!
With very best wishes to you and Angelika,
Diane Chorley.
----- Original Message -----
My dear Alan,
finally after nearly two weeks back in Germany I just like to send a little "hello"!
On one hand we are already back to routine on the other I´m still in Africa.
I´m trying very hard to relaxed manners, which I brought back from my trip with you.
I hope you and Angelika are well and your business is good!
Can´t wait to plan the next trip with you!
All the best,
Corinna
Port Elizabeth, 24 December 2010
Thank you Alan! This was really a huge experience for us to be able to see this part of South Africa through your eyes. I’m sure this will be in our minds for the rest of our lives!
Jonas, from Sweden and Astrid, Axel, Christina
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Monday, December 13, 2010 12:02 PM
Dear Alan,
Thanks so much for a fantastic day on Thursday and for the photos. Thembisa and I both had a wonderful time and have been telling our colleagues and friends about the adventure since we got back. I very much hope we can come back and cover the stories we discussed with you. I am optimistic we may be able to go again in February or March.
Thanks again for turning our Thursday into a fascinating and informative adventure.
Josefine
Port Elizabeth, 8 November 2010
Fantastic day with a fantastic guide. Many thanks Alan, for sharing your passion + knowledge of Addo NP.
Wallace Beaton, Ottawa, Canada
Port Elizabeth, 8 November 2010
Wow, what a lovely ride! Great service, great story, great viewing. Just a fantastic day.......... I love Africa!
Marie-Anick, Canada
----- Original Message -----
Thanks Alan. We had a wonderful day and I hope your business continues to grow without losing your very personal touch.
As we say in French, “à la prochaine” (until next time)…
Wallace
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Sunday, November 28, 2010 7:56 PM
Subject: Hi Alan
Dear Alan
Apologies for this late email. We've only just come to the end of our holiday and now checking email etc. We want to thank you, once again, for such an amazing experience. You made it fun and informative. We're still talking about our day with the elephants! We've been recommending you to EVERYONE! On a more personal note, Patrick proposed!! So we'll be getting married next year! We will definitely be bringing our families to PE for the Elephant experience.
Kind Regards
Sanusha
—– Original Message —–
Sent: Sunday, February 07, 2010 5:07 AM
Subject: Thank you!
Dear Alan
At last things have settled and I have a chance to write. I do not have the words to express how our time was with you! When people ask me here how was the safari I can answer that I was so apprehensive about it as I was so excited about doing a safari for the first time and knew that it really could not live up to my expectations….
It was everything and more! What an experience.
Thank you so much for everything, your knowledge, cooking, patience and thoughtfulness. It was an experience that will forever be in my heart. I do wish that I was eloquent enough portray to you the feelings that it evoked in me.
Unfortunately all I can do is say a huge thank you to you. You made us all feel that there was never a question that was too trivial or an opinion that was irrelevant. When describing you to friends I have said that it was like having one’s own private professor/chef/botanist/ hunter/historian all rolled into one. Thank you again.
My only complaint would be that it was not long enough!
I have been asking around and have a lot of interest in the ‘girls’ doing a tour around Easter next year. The Cape section would be for about 10 days to 2 weeks and would be women only.
I am not too sure if you do organise something like this but sincerely hope that you do.
Alan,Thank you again for everything you did for us.
Lots of Love
Lovell
—– Original Message —–
Hi Alan, Firstly a big thank you from both Lee and I for the wonderful trips with you. We are agog at your knowledge and passion, and would love to think that maybe one day we can repeat the experience without the excessive heat of last Tuesday!
Lots of love from us both - I promise I’ll be in touch. Maggie
—– Original Message —–
Letter from Brian and Sandy Gallup. BC, Canada. January 12, 2010
It is a pleasure to write a letter for Alan Tours. The quality of care and service provided by the firm is outstanding.
First I should mention that my wife Sandy and I are seasoned travellers to South Africa. We have used a range of safari services and know what to expect.
Alan Fogarty is the real deal. His vehicles are clean, and in good shape and he is well prepared for any situation. You will always be safe and comfortable. He is a professional that can take an unexpected turn of events and make it an enjoyable adventure. He does a first class job of showing you the popular towns and attractions of South Africa.
However, if you truly want to see the elephant and smell the smoke of Africa, then you must ask Alan to take you far from the towns and cities, to some of his hidden away places, for a least a couple of days!
That’s where he really shines. You will get close with remote African people and wildlife in a way that only Alan Tours can provide. You’ll find yourself in wonderful places that few travellers ever get to see.
As Alan’s guest, you can experience the essential Africa in a safe and comfortable way.
Good exploring,
Brian Gallup
www.fastcutcnc.com
PS. We have recently booked our third tour with Alan. It will be a 10 day event for our party of five including our one year old grandson. (Alan will soon have him muttering in Afrikaans, I’m sure.) Our adventure will include Addo Game Reserve and the Wild Coast.
—– Original Message —–
Dear Alan,
I want to write and thank you for the fantastic tour and time you spent with me during my recent trip to South Africa. As a professor of tourism I often tell my students that tourism is a collection of travel experiences that are often among the most outstanding memories in a traveler’s life. Out of all the places I have been and the experiences I have collected, the time I spent with you in the Eastern Cape ranks at the very top. Also, in addition to your hospitality, two things that really impressed me were your commitment to a sustainable (low environmental impact) tourism operation and your in-depth knowledge of both the natural and cultural environment. We could have simply stood on those coastal sand dunes and admired the scenery while watching the whales splashing in the water. Instead, I came away with a memory of the scenery and an in depth understanding of the culture and anthropology of the early people who inhabited those dunes. Wow!
Respectfully,
Travis W. Heggie Ph.D.
—– Original Message —–
Hi Alan,
Dean contacted me through e-mail. Sounds like an interesting fellow. He sure was impressed with you and the service you offered. Here is part of his e-mail….
I have just recently returned to Canada from a trip into South Africa with my girlfriend, Amanda. While visiting, we met up with an incredible tour guide named Alan Fogarty, who I believe you are acquainted with. He mentioned you and Brian to us, and that you are from Canada as well, and are familiar with the areas around Banff, Alberta. I found that to be pretty incredible, as most travelers from Canada that I meet overseas are from Toronto (a place I have never been), and have never been to Alberta, so its nice to hear about someone who knows where we’re from.
It was our first trip to South Africa - and at the last minute, our friends who we were staying with had been called to work, and suddenly got really busy - so our hopes of travelling to all the different sights and sounds of the country were quickly going down the drain. Luckily, we met Alan through “Go Experience” in Port Elizabeth, and after the first tour (Seaview and Kragga Kamma) we were hooked. We toured to Addo with him for some Elephant viewing, did a memorable Port Elizabeth Township and Tavern tour, and had an incredible full-day offroad experience into the interior of the country. Needless to say, we were thoroughly impressed, and have several friends who are going next year who we have passed on the strong recommendation to. I work for a large tour company here in Banff, so I am aware of the different levels of service when guiding, and it was really nice to see such professionalism and passion from him. He without a doubt, Alan single-handedly made our vacation unforgettable.
Now that is quite a testimonial!
Here are a few photos of a moose claf rescue that a friend sent. Thought you’d enjoy this one.
Sandy
—– Original Message —–
Sent: December 2009
Fogarty is an example of what a tour guide should be. State of the art tour guiding is engaging your client regardless of the situation. Fogarty can even make a pile of elephant dung an utterly astonishing and memorable experience! Such guiding means that what ever the conditions, and whatever is is seen or not seen, the tour is truly an unforgettable experience!
David Newsome
—– Original Message —–
Sent: September 2008
Hi Alan, Just a social call.
When I look back over our travels together one of my favourite memories is the night in the rain with the flat tires. I tell that story the most. “My real African adventure” When we went to that farm stand for repairs and the lady offered me a drink. This was beautiful “old school” hospitality.
I told the flat-tire story, recently, to an old pal of mine. ( his idea of a holiday is for he and his wife ( he got married for the first time when he was 52)to trailer his horses to the Cypress Hill and disappear for a couple of weeks.) He thought it was really living! – Pouring rain, local guys helping to fix the tires, muddy roads, midnight, a snifter of whiskey for those that wish. You can live more during a repair in a rainstorm than most people live in a month !
I had better go now. I am needed in the salt mine.
Cheers, Brian
—– Original Message —–
Dear Alan
Back in a cold U.K. after our 4th visit to South Africa and 4th to Port Elizabeth & Addo Elephant National Park.
Mike and I would like to thank you for making our safari this year the best day we have had there by far, enhanced by your unparalleled knowledge and humour.
(Could you please conjure up a lion for us next time !!!)
We look forward to doing another trip with you in the future.
Best Wishes and thank you again
Sally & Mike Kennis
