About Us

Since 1996 we at African Travel Gateway have been creating once-in-a-lifetime safaris for travellers from all walks of life! We combine our passion for Africa and its wild places with our experience of living and working on this chaotically beautiful continent. From this, we generate our excellent safari experiences that our clients testify to on the live Google Reviews feed on our homepage.

While AI & bots are part of everyone’s lives, here you will engage with experienced human beings!
It is their genuine intelligence, empathy, emotions & experience that are the critical ingredients in making our seamless tours & safaris!

We are a small and dedicated team … below is a little about each of them:

Lize Enderstein

Lize Enderstein

I started in the travel industry in 2004 and fell in love with Africa! Since then, I have visited Botswana, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Mozambique, and Namibia and have travelled extensively in beautiful South Africa. I am a Senior Consultant that specializes in FIT travel, luxury safaris and self-drive tours. I am passionate about my work, and a dedicated, and efficient person. I love to travel to meet interesting people, see exceptional wildlife, and experience different cultures. I live with my husband and two children on a farm outside Clanwilliam in the Western Cape … “Life is short and the World is wide.”

Petru van Zyl

Petru van Zyl

I started in the travel industry in August 1998 and have 21 years of experience as a travel consultant. I am a senior consultant that specializes in FIT travel, group travel, VIP clients, luxury safaris, and self-drive tours. I excel in handling complex itineraries in a professional and dedicated manner. I am passionate about travelling; has travelled extensively throughout South Africa, and visited Botswana, Victoria Falls, Zambia, Namibia, Mozambique, and Madagascar. I live on a farm outside Clanwilliam in the Western Cape with my husband, two children, and a variety of animals.

Bianca Gersbach

Bianca Gersbach

For as long as I can remember, I was passionately intrigued by Africa. Its beauty, diversity, colours and its people. I was born and grew up in South Africa and have always had a yearning to travel the beautiful areas on my doorstep. I joined African Travel Gateway as a junior consultant working under the guidance of some of African Travel Gateways’ seniors and experienced travel designers. Since then, my passion for sharing my country with travellers has only grown stronger. As a tour consultant, I want to give each of my travellers a unique and unforgettable travel experience. I look forward to creating as many of these experiences as I can and at the same time continue to explore the regions of Southern Africa I am selling.

Debbie Henwood Tiffin

Debbie Henwood Tiffin

I began my journey in the travel industry in 2013, I grew up in Zimbabwe and have had the privilege of living and working in Botswana and South Africa as well as Zimbabwe. Through this, I have gained an extensive knowledge of Southern Africa. I love discovering places that are off the beaten track. Being involved in the travel industry means I can contribute to all kinds of wildlife conservation which is a cause close to my heart. Without conservation, we would have no places to explore. Two of my utmost favourite places are Lake Kariba in Zimbabwe and the Central Kalahari Game Reserve in Botswana.

Johan Radcliffe

Johan Radcliffe

My wife & I founded the business in 1993 and have been involved with it ever since.  Together we have travelled extensively through Southern & East Africa. My broad knowledge of travel through the region goes a long way in helping African Travel Gateway maintain a wide variety of quality and original authentic products. I also co-own Dirty Boots, an adventure travel publication and a digital indemnity/waiver platform called 1Tick. I am happily married with 2 children and live in Cape Town, South Africa. I am of the very fortunate few to have been able to convert my passion into a business.  Family man, adventurer, entrepreneur and in that order.

Howard Spencer-Wilson

Howard Spencer-Wilson

Married and with two (grown) children, I live in Hoedspruit - a small town on the mid-western edge of the Kruger National Park. Having grown up in South Africa, I quickly developed a passion for wilderness areas and conservation. After studying nature conservation and attaining field guide qualifications, I started out guiding in the greater Kruger Park area. In 1999 I joined African Travel Gateway as a co-owner and general manager and have stayed involved in the day-to-day running of the business ever since. My love for the outdoor life has led me to many obscure corners in the Southern African sub-continent and still regularly guide primitive wilderness trails in the Kruger National Park.

How We Work

Once you have made contact with us, you will be paired with one of our expert travel consultants who will communicate with you directly in putting your safari itinerary together. Once you are happy and wish to book your consultant will guide you through the booking procedure and our terms & conditons. Your consultant will remain your point of contact through the planning & booking process as well as when you are in country on safari.

Industry Affiliation

African Travel Gateway is a proud member of the following tourism organizations, and is insured by SATIB (Safari and Tourism Insurance Brokers):

SATSA

SATSA stands for the Southern African Tourism Services Association, and as such is largely recognized as the most respected tourism governing body in the region. Being “bonded” with SATSA our clients get the insurance that will respond to any valid claims for compensation against forward deposits lodged with a member that has been placed into involuntary liquidation. Some peace of mind for our clients.

Safari and Tours Insurance Brokers

African Travel Gateway is insured by Safari and Toursim Insurance Brokers (SATIB), and our seal of approval testifies to the fact that African Travel Gateway’s insurance complies with minimum tourism industry requirements and with the EC Directive on Travel Trade Act. As part of our insurance, we have access to the SATIB24 Crisis Call Facility

Read Why Our Clients Love Us

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Mark Crawford
01 August 2026
Wow! That is the best word to describe our fantastic safari experience crafted by Petru and the team from African Travel Gateway. Every detail was perfectly executed: from flights, to transport, to game lodges. We stayed at Notten’s and Bateleur Safari camps - both were spectacular lodges with wonderful accommodations, terrific staff, great food and fantastic daily game drives that provided up-close wildlife viewing. Thank you African Travel Gateway for the trip of a lifetime!
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Lisa Wilson
31 July 2026
Petru is the absolute best African Safari Travel agent! We have used her three times with a group of 4 twice and recently with a group of 10, July 2026. Petru is full of knowledge, very organized and has made each and everyone one of our safari trips flawless and perfect. I highly recommend Petru and give her +5 stars
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Mary Johnson
31 July 2026
We just returned from South Africa with the King Party of 10 people. Petra arranged and coordinated every detail of our time which was wonderful! She really went beyond the call of duty trying to locate my missing iPad . Thank you so much for an out of this world experience !
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Char Putvin
31 July 2026
Our agent, Petru, was amazing. She suggested the perfect itinerary based on our interests. Arrangements were flawless from start to finish. She checked in during our trip to make sure all was going as planned. She really cared about our group of 10 and wanted this trip to be everything we dreamed about and more.
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Angie King
31 July 2026
I've been fortunate enough to use this agency 4 times; just as with the other trips, this one was spectacular. Petru is simply a rock star. This time, Petru organized a trip for 10 from the United States. This trip was flawless. Petru provides excellent communication, is extremely detailed oriented and she is very patient. She is committed to customer service. I absolutely love the app that has all our documentation and important information right on your phone. She helped me choose two extraordinary bush camps for our group and negotiated prices. She makes the process very easy to plan on our end. I do think it benefits anyone from outside South Africa to use a local travel agency. I do hope to return for a 5th time and when I do I will not hesitate to use this agency and Petru again.
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Sirisha Durbhakula
13 July 2026
Lize was a wonderful agent. Incredibly responsive and adaptive to an intergenerational trip to Zimbabwe and South Africa. Worked within our budget and gave us the best experiences!
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Tane Taylor
05 June 2026
Some trips are great, and some stay with you forever. My journey through Cape Town, the Okavango Delta, and Victoria Falls was definitely the latter. Each destination offered something completely different. The beauty and energy of Cape Town, the magic of the Okavango Delta, and the sheer awe of Victoria Falls. Despite moving between such diverse places, everything flowed seamlessly from start to finish and for that I have to thank the team at African Travel Gateway who took care of every detail with an incredible level of care and professionalism. Communication was clear throughout, every arrangement worked perfectly, and the planning behind the scenes was evident at every stage. I felt completely stress-free for most of the tour and wouldn't hesitate to recommend African Travel Gateway to anyone looking to travel to Africa. Thank you guys! I could not have done it without you and I will be in touch to plan another one soon. I have far too many wonderful photos from the trip to share, but here are a few I hope you like.
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Diogo Miranda
08 April 2026
I booked a trip to Botswana through African Travel Gateway – Customized Safaris, including a 3-day stay at Amber Camp, and I couldn’t be happier with the experience. From start to finish, everything ran smoothly and without any issues. The entire journey met — and in many ways exceeded — my expectations. The level of organization and attention to detail gave me complete peace of mind throughout the trip. What truly stood out was the exceptional support from the team. They were always available, attentive, and genuinely committed to ensuring everything went perfectly. This was easily one of the best trips I’ve ever had, and I would highly recommend African Travel Gateway to anyone looking for a seamless and memorable safari experience.
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Ali Bararsani
22 January 2026
I had a bucket list trip. African Travel Gateway is first class all the way. I travel extensively. +/- 100,000 miles for business & pleasure in 2025. I live in Los Angeles & wanted to plan a trip of a lifetime for my girlfriend ( as a surprise birthday present in September 2025 ) I worked directly with Lize Enderstein through the entire booking/travel process. She was delightful. Personable. Communicated in a timely manner in spite of 10-11 hour time difference with Los Angeles. There was a hiccup on our trip at Mostwari Game Reserve ( i.e., hot air balloon ride that had to be canceled due to bad weather ). Balloon ride was scheduled for January 2. Lize communicated me real-time on New Years Day & worked with me to process refund for that portion of the trip. The attention to detail that Lize & African travel gateway provided was impeccable. Top notch. They will be my "go to" travel agency for any & all trips to African continent on a going forward basis. Go Lize!
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Driss Moumni
30 December 2025
We had an absolutely incredible experience working with Petru at African Travel Gateway. Our two-week trip (South Africa, Botswana, Namibia & Zimbabwe) was truly once-in-a-lifetime, with memories we’ll cherish forever. Everything went smoothly from start to finish. Botswana was the clear highlight of the trip. The sheer quantity and variety of wildlife we saw was amazing, and the standard of the safari lodges — especially Moremi Game Lodge — exceeded our expectations. We really felt we benefited from Petru’s experience when it came to selecting the right safari lodges, striking a balance between comfort, amenities, and overall value for money. Petru was incredibly attentive and thoughtful in putting this trip together, especially on fairly short notice, and it really showed. We were also very glad not to have to deal with booking flights, transfers, and activities ourselves — having everything seamlessly organized made the entire journey much more relaxing. Highly recommended!
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William McCormack
20 November 2025
I cannot say enough about the service received from African Travel Agent Petru. From beginning to end it was excellent. The detail and the professionalism is to be attained by others. Ive had 3 trips over number of years and each time I am delighted with the engagement, suggestions, etc and most importantly the trips we highlights to me. Ive recommended Petru to friends and those who did reach out were also very pleased. I highly recommend this agent and company. Till we engage again, Thank you Petru and continue delivering a top service.
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Guy Hudson
20 November 2025
We’ve been booking through African Travel Gateway for over 25 years now and honestly, they’ve never dropped the ball once. They have looked after us for ages and just get what works for our family. This last trip we took the three kids (11, 9 and 6) to South Africa – Cape Town, a few nights camping in the Karoo, and then Kruger. They put the whole thing together perfectly: nothing felt rushed, everything suited the kids, and the logistics were completely painless. Cape Town was great fun (Table Mountain, penguins, the works). The Karoo nights were something else – massive sky full of stars, big campfire, total peace and quiet the kids still go on about. And Kruger… wow. We saw the Big 5 – lion, leopard, elephant, buffalo, rhino – plus heaps of giraffe, zebra and everything else, pretty much every single drive. The guides were brilliant with the children and kept everyone safe. Everything just worked – flights, transfers, the lot. They checked in along the way and tweaked little things when we needed. Proper personal service. If you’re thinking of taking kids to South Africa, we can’t recommend African Travel Gateway enough.
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Pierre Boucher
30 September 2025
A heartfelt thank you to Bianca for arranging our unforgettable journey through South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Botswana. Everything went smoothly from start to finish, and your attention to detail made all the difference. Alex and I enjoyed every moment — from the breathtaking landscapes to the incredible wildlife and the welcoming people we met along the way. It was truly the trip of a lifetime, and we are so grateful for all the care and effort you put into making it perfect. With sincere appreciation,
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Mark Montague
04 August 2025
We had a wonderful time visiting South Africa, Zimbabwe and Botswana. We had a party of 10, including 4 grandchildren ages 10 and 8 and everything went beautifully. Lize did a great job helping us plan the itinerary, booking flights within Africa and identifying the best lodging and camps for us to visit. We saw the Big 5 on two separate days and also saw African wild dogs. Each of our camps in Sabi Sands, Victoria Falls and Moremi Game Reserve had a distinct style but all were welcoming and comfortable and animals proliferated. We would definitely use African Travel Gateway if we return to Africa. Thanks Lize!
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Andrew Beardmore
18 July 2025
Working with Lize, we crafted our second fully customized self-drive adventure through Southern Africa - this time in Northern Namibia. The itinerary was a perfect blend of rugged campsites and luxurious lodges. Lize’s expert knowledge and thoughtful advice were invaluable, everything was planned to perfection. We had the most incredible time, experiencing so much of what this stunning region has to offer, yet it feels like we’ve only just scratched the surface. We can’t wait for our next adventure!

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