Diederik has been guiding since 1988, and established Touch Africa Safaris in 1991. Touch Africa Safaris is an inbound tour operator based in Johannesburg, South Africa that offers high-quality itineraries for groups of 1 to 80 travelers! We arrange mini-bus tours, day tours, coach and group itineraries as well as special interest tours such as bird watching, battlefield, culture, wildlife tours.
With over three decades of professional guiding and hosting experience, Diederik van't Hof brings academic excellence in natural sciences combined with survival, tracking, and deep historical insights into the terrains of Southern Africa.
Below is a summary of the operators Diederik has worked for and the extensive, multi-country tour itineraries managed over the years:
| Name of Operator | Type of Tour/s Done |
|---|---|
| The Safari Guys | Overland Tour Operator – Adventure 4×4 Tours through Mozambique, Malawi, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Tanzania, Namibia, Lesotho and Swaziland. |
| Touch Africa Safaris - Johannesburg |
Wildlife Safaris, Kruger National Park Safaris, Pilanesberg Safaris. Day Tours to Cradle of Humankind, Pretoria, Johannesburg, SOWETO, Suikerbosrand. National Overland Tours from Johannesburg through Mpumalanga, Kruger Park, Swaziland, KwaZulu-Natal, Lesotho (Sani Pass), Free State, Eastern Cape, Garden Route, Namaqualand, Kalahari and Cape Town. Scuba Diving Tours. |
| Touch Africa Safaris (Special Award) | In 2002 – Touch Africa Safaris was awarded the contract for the IPSC World Shoot. Managed all logistics, tourism, and transport for 1000 international participants. |
| Fairfield Tours – Cape Town | National Overland – 14 and 21 Days – Luxury Coach tours. |
| Thompson’s Tours – Durban | National Overland – 14 and 21 Days – Luxury Coach tours. |
| Direct Operations | National Overland – 21 day camping tours – South Africa and Zimbabwe. |
| Natal Parks Board | Walking Safaris and Ranger: Hluhluwe and St. Lucia Eastern Shores. |
| Clive Walker Safaris – Johannesburg | Walking Safaris – Klaserie Game Reserve, Tuli Block (Botswana), Okavango Delta (Botswana). |
| Wilderness Trust | Educational Walking Trails with school groups in the Lapalala Wilderness Area. |
Preferred Itineraries: Long overland 4×4 tours, Wildlife Safaris, Kruger National Park Tours, Pilanesberg National Park Tours, Nature Orientated Tours, Bird Watching or “birding” tours. National Coach Tours for 21 days, Historical Orientated Tours.
Have a broad and extensive knowledge of the history of South Africa, ensuring that every destination is enriched with cultural and historical context.
| Tertiary Qualifications | BSc Botany and Zoology – University of the Witwatersrand (Additional subject: Archaeology) |
| Languages Spoken | Afrikaans, English, Dutch and Flemish |
| Provinces Qualified | National Guide: Eastern-Cape, Free-State, Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo, Mpumalanga, North-West, Northern-Cape, Western-Cape |
| F.G.A.S.A. | Qualified Level 3 Trails Guide – NQF6 |
| Other Guiding | Qualified for Swaziland (Eswatini) |
| Other Tourism | Emergency Care Level 2 |
| Specialities | Overland Safaris, Wildlife Safaris, Bird Watching ("Birding Tours"), Scuba Diving, Professional Overland Operator |
| Highest School | Grade 12 - Christian Brother’s College, Pretoria |
| References | Available on request (Yes) |
| Hobbies | Scuba Diving, Bird Watching, Wildlife, 4×4 excursions |