About us
Charlie's Travels, founded in 2014 by Charles Witlox, was born out of a passion for authentic Africa, off the beaten track. We believe in the power of responsible travel, where you discover not only the beautiful nature, but also the continent's rich culture and hospitable people. Our team of local Africa experts offers unique experiences and personalised guidance.
Charlie's way of traveling
1. Africa is our home
We know it to the furthest corners and that makes for awesome trips. We put them together by going there ourselves. Trust us: you won't find these travel experiences anywhere else!
2. Local experiences
That means you get to the places of the locals. Hike with the Masai, cook with your host family in your homestay and cast a fishing rod with traditional fishermen.
3. You decide
So, what are you in the mood for? We tailor the entire trip to your needs. Along the way, you can always count on us. Even in the dead of night.
4. Responsibly on the move
While you enjoy your dream trip, you contribute to the development of local communities, economies and the environment. That feels good!
How It All Began
After several holidays in Africa with his sisters and parents, our founder Charles Witlox returned alone to Kenya in 2014 for an internship. He quickly fell in love with off-the-beaten-track Kenya, far from the comfortable beach beds and luxury safari lodges he had seen before. He bought a motorcycle and rode through East Africa, seeking authentic experiences and new friendships. And successfully so: somewhere on the Kenyan savanna, Charlie's Travels was born. A travel organisation that inspires people to venture off the beaten path and discover authentic Africa.
Our Philosophy
At Charlie's Travels, we believe in the power of authentic experiences. Africa is often viewed through a lens of prejudices and negative stereotypes, usually by people who have never visited the continent. This one-sided image, often fueled by news reports, deserves to change.
Our goal is to show travelers not only Africa's beauty but also the stories, culture, and people that make the continent so special. With us, you experience Africa not just through the trip of a lifetime but by discovering life in one of the African countries yourself. Meet loving people, admire unique traditions, and let yourself be enchanted by nature. We know Africa as our home and therefore offer safe, adventurous trips for young and old, with reliable advice based on local knowledge.
Africa Experts
Our Africa experts live and work in Africa, giving us an incredible amount of knowledge about the destinations we offer. Thanks to our presence in Africa, we're always aware of current safety situations and health risks.
We know the trips we offer like the back of our hand, and we've personally tested countless accommodations. And because we live and work in Africa, we regularly go out as a team to explore new routes, activities, and partners. This enables us to build strong partnerships with local entrepreneurs, which is essential for continuously improving our customers' travel experience.
Personal Approach
It's our mission to offer every traveler a personal and unique experience. When you explore travel possibilities in a certain area with us, you're always matched with a specific Dutch Africa expert, someone who knows the destination and local activities well. We believe this personal approach makes the difference, and we're ready to guide you in planning your dream trip.
Our Communication
We love showing you Africa through our eyes. That's why we create lots of great content to let you experience the REAL Africa. From vlogs, blogs, to videos and stories; let us take you into the beauty of this unique continent. We share hidden gems with you, share our personal travel stories and those of our local partners, and give you tips on how to travel responsibly.
Your Impact
At Charlie's Travels, we see travel as an opportunity to make a positive contribution. Your impact starts with making conscious choices, like staying in eco-lodges and traveling by train – sustainable and a unique way to discover a country.
By choosing local, you also contribute directly to the community. We work exclusively with local entrepreneurs, so you're already making a positive contribution indirectly, but we also encourage travellers to make a difference themselves. For example, do your shopping at markets, eat at local restaurants, and especially engage in conversation with the people you meet. This way, you make real connections and leave a positive impact.
In memoriam
Sadly, Charles passed away in 2022, but his spirit lives on in everything we do. We all carry a piece of 'Charlie' within us. Our shared passion for travelling through Africa connects us. You can wake us up anytime for an adventurous road trip. We know our travellers personally and are committed to responsible travel, with respect for people, animals, and nature. As true Africa experts, we strive to make a positive impact on this beautiful continent together with our travellers.
I definitely recommend traveling with Charlie’s Travels! Everything is well organized, but also the positive impact they have on the locals and country – that’s what makes them so outstanding if you ask me.
What a fantastic honeymoon we had with Charlie’s Travels! In just 19 days, we visited three countries: South Africa, Swaziland, and Mozambique. We spent a few nights sleeping under the stars in our personal camper and a few nights in luxury accommodations. Everything was wonderfully organized!
We had a wonderful trip, “made by” Charlie’s Travels thanks to the great advice from this company. All our wishes came true. Beautiful accommodations, unique experiences, the best driver ever, and everything we hoped for!
Great young and ambitious travel company with boots on the ground in Africa. We travelled with them through South Africa and Namibia. They made great experiences/activities possible that we would never have discovered on our own otherwise. For the next trip to Africa, I will definitely contact them again.
We had a FANTASTIC TRAVEL thanks to Charlie’s Travels! We had the best driver/guide and everyone was very welcoming. Everyone was on time. We had a really good time there! We went with a group of 8. THANK YOU!!!
We chose Charlie’s Travels because we had quick and good contact with them, we got a good plan right away that appealed to us, it is a Dutch organisation that is on the ground AND they have a good reputation.
We put together the trip of our dreams and are incredibly grateful for all the help. Everything was perfect! I don’t normally write reviews, but they really deserve it.
We booked a self-drive tour through Charlie’s Travels that started in Windhoek, Namibia, and ended in Maun, Botswana. The great thing about Charlie’s Travels was that they listened to our needs and exceeded our expectations. For sure, our next self-drive tour in Africa will be through Charlie’s Travels again
Charlie’s Travels helped us plan the trip of a lifetime. During our sabbatical, we toured Botswana and Namibia, and everything was great. From unique experiences to a very short line of communication. Thank you very much!
Our self-drive trip through Namibia and Botswana was a great experience. We enjoyed the professional communication from Charlie’s Travels before, during and after our trip. They are clearly an experienced travel agent and know the market well.
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