South African inbound tour operator Wild Wings Safaris celebrated its first 10 years of operation during a staff educational trip to the malaria-free Madikwe Game Reserve recently. This saw our whole team (bar our London office lady and half-day book-keeper) getting together: a very special event, as some of our staff are based in Johannesburg, some in Hoedspruit and the others at our George head office.

Coinciding with these 10 year celebrations, the company has been inducted into the Tripadvisor Hall of Fame after winning a Certificate of Excellence for five years in a row. "It's been an amazing team effort and I am so thankful to be surrounded by such competent, passionate individuals ," said Onne Vegter, who started the company in 2005 along with his brother Symen.  

Wild Wings Safaris specialises in designing tailormade African safaris to all of Africa's top safari destinations, but it has a strong focus on the greater Kruger National Park, where it acts as a ground operator and offers scheduled open vehicle safaris for small groups.  

"Kruger is where it all started," Vegter explains. As kids, founders Onne and Symen fell in love with the bush during their many family vacations to South Africa's Kruger National Park. Today, their passion for Africa and its wildlife translates into the kind of customer service, attention to detail and enthusiasm that the company has become known for among its many return clients.  

The Wild Wings team is also passionate about education, and in 2011 they launched the Wild Wings Educational Trust as a separate, non-profit entity which exists to provide better educational opportunities for disadvantaged children.  

In 2013, the company opened a branch office in London to offer a more convenient service to its growing UK customer base.  

To find out more, visit Wild Wings Safaris.