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Wies (pronounced Veece!) lived and worked in East and Southern Africa for over twenty years. He is a true adventurer, whose first-ever job was working in Tanzania’s Serengeti.
Raised in Kenya and having enjoyed a career as a professional safari guide and Tanzanian safari camp manager, Wies is one of our foremost Africa specialists. He is our leading Uganda and Rwanda expert, whilst his knowledge of Zimbabwe and Kenya is also superb. As he spent 15 years living and working in Tanzania, his knowledge of this country is exceptional.
Wies’s father lives in Zanzibar, so every year he tries to return to Tanzania. Aside from this, Wies travelled to Botswana most recently for an extensive safari around the Okavango Delta. Check out his guide on the best activities to try for both water and land-based adventures.
With many clients unsure about whether to try an East or Southern Africa safari, Wies also created a helpful article on the differences between a safari in Tanzania vs Botswana, focusing specifically on the Serengeti and the Okavango Delta.
Botswana, Kenya, Rwanda South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Zanzibar, Zimbabwe.
Botswana, Ethiopia, Egypt, Kenya, Mozambique, Rwanda, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, Uganda, Zanzibar, Zimbabwe.
Born in the Netherlands, Wies moved to Kenya when he was 7 years old. His family then moved to South Africa before he returned to East Africa, settling down in Tanzania in 2000.
Wies’s first-ever job was working in a tented camp in Tanzania’s Serengeti! During his 15 years within the safari industry, he ran a number of safari camps across Tanzania, obtained his South African ‘FGASA’ level two guiding qualification, and finally became a walking guide in Tanzania’s outstanding Katavi National Park – an accolade many guides dream of achieving.
Due to his good understanding of all the destinations where we operate trips, as well as his sheer level of experience within Tanzania, Wies is a key member of our team. Tapping into his depth of knowledge is something that will really benefit your itinerary, as what he knows goes way beyond the vast majority of safari experts in the industry.
Wies excels when he is asked to put together complicated Tanzanian trips that go beyond the ‘norm’. During his years spent working in Tanzania, he travelled the entire country by road and also by air. Getting off the tourist track is what Wies is most passionate about. His latest passion, however, was fuelled by a YZ trip to Uganda and Rwanda in 2017, when ape met ape!
“Seeing elephants is always special – both the group dynamic within herds and the feeling that they recognise you as an individual once you have been in a specific area for a longer period of time are constantly extraordinary to me. However, one elephant experience in particular stands out. Whilst on a game drive in Katavi National Park I took a calculated risk by driving down to Lake Katavi, a seasonal lake that is absolutely heaving with wild- and birdlife during the rainy season yet is potentially almost devoid of game during the dry months. It was during the drier period that I took my clients there. On coming out of the forest, I saw what in my mind could only be one of the HUGE herds of buffalo that Katavi is famous for. Fortunately I was very pleasantly mistaken – as we got closer and the shapes became more distinctive, I realised we were witnessing something truly spectacular. In front of us, as far as we could see, were congregated elephants in their thousands, something I don’t believe many people have ever seen – and something I doubt I will ever see again.”
"AMAZING!!!! My entire experience with Wies at Yellow Zebra was TERRIFIC! I am so excited about my trip and finding Yellow Zebra and Wies. From the moment I first had a conversation with WIES! I knew I had struck GOLD!! HIS PERSONALITY shines through in what he is saying and his exuberance in describing the different areas to visit! ... He helped me plan my dream trip! He went well beyond what was expected and was so patient with me. He really cares about giving his HONEST OPINION and steered me in the right direction! He made me feel confident that I made the right decisions with his help! I would recommend Wies and Yellow Zebra! This is a great start to an exciting trip!"
"Wies is our Africa safari trip specialist. Wies very intelligent and detailed. Really listens well and so thoughtful with our planning for a dream of a lifetime trip. I’m going to Africa for two weeks with my son Chaz. Wies’s patients with us has been a true blessing so far. We leave for Kenya in September 12th until September 29th. The accommodations look fabulous too. Looking forward to leaving for Kenya with the wonderful help Wies has provided for our safari journey. Thank you for having a professional hard-working team like Wies experience in putting our Africa safari trip together."
"I made one trip to the Yellow Zebra website, sent an online request, did one phone conversation with Weis, and there we had our “just the right size for us” safari reservation.... just the right animals, just the right amount of time, and just the right price. If I went back, I would do exactly the same trip."
Brian Jackman, safari expert for The Sunday Times, The Telegraph, Condé Nast, and the BBC
