Welcome to Wildlife Beyond the Lens — where dust, laughter, and a few questionable life choices meet the wild.
I’m Niel: safari guide, wildlife photographer and storyteller. What started as a way to survive too many thoughts and too few people to tell them to has become a digital campfire — a place for the stories, scars, and snapshots collected somewhere between potholes, border posts, and badly timed elephant crossings.
I host private, tailor-made safaris — where every trip is a story waiting to unfold.
From a leopard draped over a marula branch to a lion claiming its kill, these aren’t just drives; they’re moments that become stories you’ll remember long after the dust settles. Whether it’s the quiet thrill of dawn light over a river or the chaos of a herd deciding your path isn’t theirs, you’ll be at the centre of it all.
Stories from the Bush
This isn’t just a blog or a journal. It’s a chronicle of life beyond the lodge gates — the quiet mornings, the dust storms, the mechanical breakdowns, and the moments that make you question why you didn’t become an accountant instead. Here, the stories capture the chaos, the beauty, and the unexpected poetry of bush life.
The Gallery
The photos do more than just document — they tell the stories, freeze the moments, and sometimes demand your attention. All are available as prints or canvases, perfect for anyone brave enough to invite a bit of the wild indoors.
Wildlife Beyond the Lens 