Wildphotos Safaris
Books in Nelspruit

Their work is so highly regarded internationally they were invited lecturers at the prestigious North American. Daryl and his wife Sharna are acclaimed among Africa's leading wildlife photographers.

Daryl Balfour (Delta Bravo) was born and raised in South Africa. He spent many childhood holidays in the company of wildlife conservationists such as the legendary Dr Ian Player, and along with his wife Sharna has been a professional wildlife photographer and safari guide since Daryl's photography is represented by some of the leading photo agencies worldwide, and along with Sharna he has published more than a dozen wildlife coffee-table books and countless magazine articles. Daryl has guided safaris throughout East, West and Southern Africa as well as Canada, Alaska and Antarctica, and enjoys sharing his photographic knowledge and skills with his guests. Apart from our set departures, Daryl specializes in arranging and leading private safaris for small groups or families throughout Africa. Sharna Balfour (Sierra Bravo) was raised on a farm in Swaziland and spent many childhood holidays in the nearby Kruger Park. Since 1986 she has shared a life in the wilderness with Daryl, managing safari camps in Botswana and co-producing more than a dozen popular coffee-table books on Africa's wild places and wild animals. Sharna is the rose amongst the thorns of the Wildphotos guiding team, and has turned the Wildphotos mobile safari camp into Kenya into something special that draws guests back time & again. Phil West (Papa Whisky, or Crocophil) is a third generation Kenyan who spent most of his childhood in Tsavo National Park. These formative years growing up in this great wildlife ecosystem naturally led him to a career in safaris. His specialty area has become adventure and walking safaris as well as tracking big game on foot. Having completed a degree in African History and Tourism at Oxford Brookes University in England, Phil went to South Africa to complete a comprehensive field guiding training program, where he attained the highest level of certification from the FGASA (Southern Africa Guide Association). He currently sits on the exam committee of the KPSGA (Kenyan Professional Guides Association) for which he helped compile the Silver Level Syllabus. In between safaris, Phil regularly trains Kenyan guides of all categories in camps throughout Kenya. Phil worked as head guide for three years in the world famous Lewa Wildlife Conservancy in Kenya. Since then, he has led safaris all over Africa, from tracking desert elephants in the Namibian Desert and canoeing the Zambezi River, to following Gorillas and Chimps through the Ugandan Forests. Phil has been an integral part of Wildphotos Safaris' Kenyan trips for many years. Johann has worked with Wildphotos Safaris since 2007 as a specialist guide whenever needed. It was a passion for the African bush that drew Alex (Alpha Romeo, or Sportscar) to become a wildlife guide in the mid 1990s. For Alex it is a privilege to share wildlife encounters with guests, whether it is their first visit to Africa or their fifteenth, and it is as exciting for him to do so today as it was when he first started guiding. What makes the difference between a good safari and a great one is a complete immersion into the rhythm of the bush, the endless subtleties and mysteries of the living landscape and its wildlife, big and small. Alex takes equal delight in the charismatic mega fauna of the Big Five, and the wonders of the most seemingly ordinary of plants and grasses. All of this he is ready to share with his guests, whether out in the bush or gathered around the campfire under the African stars. Alex did his guide training in South Africa and spent his first years guiding for different safari operators in East Africa. In short, Alex combines a wealth of experience with a deep and enduring love of guiding.