I’m Wian van Zyl (a.k.a. “SafariWian”). I’m a professionally qualified nature guide, birding specialist, husband, father and conservation enthusiast!

I grew up on a Big 5 Private Game Reserve in the Limpopo Province of South Africa. It’s there where my love for all things nature not only materialised, but was nurtured! Growing up in a household where Nature Conservation was a big deal, it didn’t take me long to find my passion for birding and plan a life where I can go birding for a living!

I was 13-years old when I was out in the field with my Dad, as he was doing some ecological monitoring work at the time. As we drove past this wetland area, a bright red bird shot over the road and disappeared into the reeds. Instead of telling me what it was, my Dad handed me his out of date “Sasols Birds of Southern Africa” and told me I’ll find it in there. Whether it was paging through the entire field guide, from cover to cover, or the fact that this “bright red bird” was a Southern Red Bishop, I still can’t tell you what intrigued me that day! But since that day I’ve been hooked!

I started working as a Safari Guide straight out of school and ended guiding at a Safari Lodge in the KwaZulu-Natal Province. It was there that I also got into Anti-Rhino Poaching and experienced a more hands-on approach to conservation. After my stint in Anti-Poaching, I got a position as a guide in the Kruger National Park, where I worked for a couple of years before specialising in birding!

My birding career has taken me all over the World, taking clients, friends and birders from all walks of life, looking for all kinds of birds!

Now days I keep myself busy with my tour company, One Day Safaris, and go birding whenever I can!