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Matt W joins YZ with ample experience of designing safaris across Southern and East Africa! We’re delighted to welcome him to the herd.
Born in London to South African parents, Matt moved to South Africa when he was quite young and has returned to the UK having lived in Cape Town for over two decades. He studied journalism, but after deciding that wasn’t for him, he found his niche arranging holidays to Africa.
Having lived in Cape Town for so long, Matt has been lucky enough to travel extensively to the areas surrounding the Mother City on a regular basis. He knows the Cape Winelands and the Garden Route like the back of his hand.
Matt’s most recent safari trip was an epic week-long adventure through Uganda and Rwanda, including visits to Entebbe, Murchison Falls National Park, Kidepo Valley National Park, and Volcanoes National Park. Additionally, he was able to tick off his no. 1 bucket list item, having encountered gorillas in the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest.
South Africa, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Victoria Falls, Botswana, Namibia, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda.
South Africa, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Botswana, Namibia, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda.
Having grown up in South Africa since the age of 6, with a mother who works in the travel industry and a father who grew up close to Kruger National Park, Matt enjoyed going on safari from a very young age. Safari was a significant part of his early years.
Family holidays to the Kruger, the Garden Route, the Cape Winelands, KwaZulu-Natal, and across other parts of South Africa were a fixture of Matt’s childhood and teenage years. Going on safari was always the highlight, though, and he looked forward the most to these trips, which imbued him with a passion for Africa’s iconic wildlife.
As he’d had an interest in writing from a young age, Matt thought it would be a good idea to study journalism. Midway through his studies, though, he realised it wasn’t the career path he wanted to take. During his time at university, he’d started working as an administrative assistant for a small tour operator, simply to earn some pocket money. However, he picked up a notable interest in the travel industry, as it united two of his primary passions: travel and wildlife.
Matt gradually moved from admin assistant to junior travel consultant. At first his work involved trips just to South Africa, but eventually he moved up through the ranks to the intermediate level and started putting together trips to other destinations in Southern Africa. He then joined one of the world’s premier online travel operators, where he learned about many more destinations and extended his knowledge and expertise to East Africa.
With a desire to spread his wings and explore more of the world – Europe in particular – Matt decided to move to the UK. Here he has taken up a position at YZ, selling safari destinations across Southern and East Africa.
“Seeing critically endangered gorilla in the wild had been a no. 1 bucket list item for me since I was a teenager, so it is natural this was my most memorable experience in Africa.
Another noteworthy memorable experience is seeing a cheetah in pursuit of a hartebeest in the Kidepo Valley National Park. It was an unsuccessful hunt, but seeing a cheetah running at full speed was breathtaking!
As I’m a keen birder, a few more memorable experiences include seeing the rare Pel’s fishing owl, African finfoot, and shoe-billed stork. I’m also quite into fishing, so any occasion I get to spend some time on the water – especially when trying to land tigerfish in Chobe – will always go down as a memorable experience.”
"A huge Thank You to Matt and the whole team at Yellow Zebra!! My tailored tent safari to Tanzania this Oct. Could not have been any better. From my initial enquiry email to phone calls, my wishes were heard and different scenarios offered. My original plan was next Oct. but when I suggested I might go this Oct. It just took some reworking and was on my way. The tent camps were all I had hoped. Comfortable, good food, great service and beautiful locations. My two driver/guides were knowledge, respectful, and good fun! Pure happiness!!"
Brian Jackman, safari expert for The Sunday Times, The Telegraph, Condé Nast, and the BBC
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