Africa | Ecuador
Daryl Dell
&Beyond Private Guide & Travel Specialist
At a glance
PASSIONATE. CONNECTED. COMMITTED.
Fluent in English, Afrikaans, Zulu & Xhosa
21 years of guiding experience, and counting…
Regional knowledge and expertise Africa & South America
Special interest in the natural world & all it entails
Love accompanying guests passionate about nature & want to have fun
HELLO, I’M DARYL
Driven by a profound passion for the wilderness and the creatures that inhabit it, I maintain a deep connection with nature. My commitment lies in safeguarding our world by sharing my love and knowledge with others through the delivery of life-changing and transformative journeys that positively impact our land, wildlife, and people.
I wholeheartedly believe in destiny, as my life, unknowingly at the time, was intricately designed and directed toward my current profession. It all began on my family’s horse, cattle, and sheep farm in South Africa’s untamed Great Karoo. This is where I grew up and is the place I will forever cherish as home. From a young age, I would spend days venturing through the bush alongside my Xhosa friends, exploring rivers, mountains, relying on the sustenance nature provided, studying animal tracks, plants, rescuing injured creatures, climbing trees, and becoming fully immersed in the natural world.
My guiding career commenced at &Beyond Phinda Private Game Reserve in 2002, a piece of heaven where, for over 21 years, I had the privilege of intimately acquainting myself with every cave, valley, and forest. A pinnacle moment in my Phinda journey was the discovery of a new frog species that now bears the name “Phinda Rain Frog” in my honour. Phinda also served as a remarkable abode for my wife and I, teaching us valuable lessons about the essence of life. It was there that we had the magical opportunity to raise our three children for many years, hoping to instil in them the same passion for nature that courses through our veins. And so far, it seems they have inherited it with fervour!
In addition, my affiliation with &Beyond allowed my wife, Shauna and I to explore a diverse range of lodges and wildlife hotspots during our downtime, deepening my understanding of various regions in Africa, the &Beyond portfolio, and other properties. After leading and training guiding teams at Phinda, I transitioned into the role of a Specialist Guide, venturing across Africa and even South America, ensuring that my guests (many of whom have become lifelong friends) experienced unforgettable moments. My role with &Beyond continues to evolve, and I now harness my experience and knowledge as a Private Guide to curate personalised adventures for guests, serving as a Travel Specialist as well.
I currently reside in Monzi in KwaZulu Natal, South Africa, surrounded by the breathtaking Isimangaliso Wetland Park, a World Heritage Site. Here, I am blessed with the perfect balance of proximity to my family, the wilderness, and the majestic Indian Ocean.
An &Beyond Private Guide is someone who has undergone rigorous training at one of our elite ranger training schools and who has been carefully handpicked for this role because of their extensive guiding experience. These individuals are recognised as the best in the industry offering exceptional professionalism, accomplished interpretative guiding and an extraordinary guest experience overall.
Questions and answers
GET TO KNOW ME
1. How many years of guiding experience do you have?
21 years of guiding experience, and counting…
2. What do you love to do in your spare time?
I enjoy spending time with my wife, children, and family.
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I love hiking, especially in the Drakensberg Mountains in KwaZulu Natal, South Africa. Hiking grounds me and the ‘Berg is one of my favourite places on earth. I also have a passion for birding, snorkelling, exploring new places, and propagating and planting trees. I am also an amateur geologist – I love rocks and fossils!
3. Regional knowledge and expertise?
East and Southern Africa and South America.
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More specifically, I am well-versed in East and Southern Africa, including Rwanda, Uganda, Ethiopia, Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Mozambique, and South Africa, plus birding in Lesotho. Additionally, I have spent time and guided in the Ecuadorian Amazon, Cloud Forests and Galapagos Islands as well as Costa Rica.
4. What sets you apart from other private guides?
I am competitive, passionate, and patient.
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I have a deep connection to the natural world – am constantly learning, am humbled by the wonders that surround me and am driven to positively impact and protect our beautiful planet.
5. Do you have any special interests?
Birds, frogs, reptiles, and termites.
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I am fascinated by trees and their medicinal uses, as well as fungi. I am also a keen photographer and enjoy exchanging tips with guests and capturing extraordinary sightings. Additionally, I enjoy propagating trees and restoring natural areas.
6. Where haven't you been that you want to travel to?
At the top of my travel list in Africa is Gabon.
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I would also love to see the redwoods in the United States and observe polar bears in Alaska. Torres Del Paine in Chile’s Patagonia, Antarctica, and South Georgia are also on my bucket list. Ultimately, there are simply too many places to mention…
7. Do you have a favourite animal or bird, and why?
Choosing a favourite animal is difficult, especially since I have a favourite for each area I visit!
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However, if I had to choose, I would say the sengi (elephant shrew). They are incredibly unique, cute, and elusive, and there is even one named after Nelson Mandela!
As for birds, I don’t have a specific favourite because I love them all and particularly enjoy searching for and discovering rare and new bird species. However, one owl species that has always resonated with me is the pels fishing owl. While in Botswana’s Okavango Delta, looking into its large black eyes, I instantly fell in love. They are powerful, have incredible calls, are difficult to find, and belong to a small family of owls that fish across the globe.
8. Do you have a favourite travel itinerary?
This is such a difficult question as there are so many incredible places to see and explore…
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However, if I had to choose, it would be the unexplored forests of Uganda teeming with gorillas, chimpanzees, and undiscovered species. Additionally, the wildness and magnificence of the Okavango Delta in Botswana and the vastness and abundance of bird species in Kenya.
9. Who do you most enjoy accompanying?
All guests who are passionate about nature and want to have fun.
10. Do you have a favourite memory with guests?
One particular memory that comes to mind is leaving a perfectly incredible lion sighting in the clear afternoon sun …
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… only to head towards a brewing storm. We ended up getting absolutely drenched and laughing so hard that I couldn’t even drive. Over the years, I’ve had many other enjoyable moments and good laughs with my guests.
11. Tell us one quirky fact about you
I only wear blue underwear (haha!). I also love to collect stones and beautiful pieces of wood.
12. Do you have a favourite learning you live by?
We are part of this earth. Nature talks to us and rewards us. Give it passion, love and care and it will give it back to you.
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It’s important to take the time to connect with nature, not just with our ears but with our souls, and to feel and see beyond what our senses perceive. By learning to communicate with nature as humans did in the past, we can rediscover the extraordinary powers we once had in the natural world. It’s a truly magical experience.
13. What is your most memorable sighting to date?
Wow, I have been privileged to enjoy so many memorable sightings…
From a gorilla reaching out and grabbing my leg as well as “hugging” other guests to witnessing a selous mongoose in Phinda Private Game Reserve. Observing an African wild dog and hyena fighting and scavenging a huge hippo carcass and later feeding side by side. Seeing another African wild dog chasing a waterbuck into a lake. Witnessing the survival of a waterbuck calf trapped between a crocodile, an angry hippo, and a pack of African wild dogs. Plus numerous rare bird sightings. There have been countless other incredible moments as well…
We are part of this earth. Nature talks to us and rewards us. Give it passion, love, and care, and it will give it back to you.
Begin your adventure with Daryl
Let Daryl guide you on a journey-of-a-lifetime
My favourite sightings
MAGICAL MOMENTS
Stories featuring Daryl
THE BUSH TELEGRAPH
My photography showcase
FROZEN IN TIME
Travel with me
A SELECTION OF MY ALL-TIME FAVOURITE ITINERARIES
Beyond Average Birding in South Africa
Cape Town | KwaZulu-Natal
Let me take you (and your non-birding partner) on a birding adventure like no other, discovering iconic wildlife and the vibrant cities of South Africa
Choose your ideal privately guided adventure
Journey with Daryl on one of these incredible itineraries
Keep connected
Follow @daryldellsafaris on Instagram
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