Birding On The Fly: The Premier Johannesburg Layover Birding Tour

  Amazing one day birding trips with Wian! - During a short visit to Johannesburg area, I had the chance to do a few birdwatching day trips and I was very lucky to find Wian and his One Day... read more Safaris. Since my birding time was limited to an extended weekend, the day trips offered by Wian were absolutely ideal! Wian is an amazing guide, a passionate birdwatcher and a very kind person. We had a few wonderful trips in nearby nature reserves, and besides the countless bird sightings we also experienced a bit of big 5 safaris and some great local food. I would be very happy to return to South Africa, hopefully for longer next time, and do more birding with Wian again. I couldn’t recommend him, his company, services and professionalism more!

  Layover safari 😊  - We did the flight layover birding safari and it was great! Wian is excellent! Knowledgeable, funny and prompt! It made the long Johannesburg layover very enjoyable!

  Best Layover Ever!  - My wife and I had a FANTASTIC experience with Wian! With a full-day layover in Johannesburg on the way back from a safari trip in Madikwe, we both were itching... read more for one last taste of South Africa. Wian’s layover trip was better than we could have hoped. He was communicative and professional, meeting us right at the airport (and dropping us off afterwards, too), and he was warm and eager from the moment we met. His passion and knowledge for ALL wildlife (and especially birds!) was infectious and allowed our vacation to end on such a high note. Thank you Wian, until next time!

  Grateful for birding in ZA with a real Pro! Safari Wian!  - I was quite lucky to have found Professional Birding Guide, Safari Wian, by searching on-line before making the long journey from San Francisco, California to Johannesburg for a few days... read more of business meetings. When it comes to identifying birds and animals (both audibly and visually) Wian’s talent level was off the chart. He planned the day perfectly to maximize observations. We observed over 100 species in the day while traversing Zaagkuilsdrift and the Mongena Game Reserve. While I am an avid birder, I also enjoy using bird photography as a record of the birds I have encountered - @dohrings.birds on IG. Wian was great at working to get views which were photographable. Without hesitation I would recommend use of Safari Wian’s guiding services, it was worth every dollar spent and I will definitely work with him again the next time I visit South Africa. Thank you Safari Wian!

  Unforgettable Birding Safari with Wian – A Perfect Birthday Surprise!  - I booked a half-day bird viewing safari with Wian as a birthday gift for my wife, who is a passionate bird watcher – and it was fantastic! Wian’s super... read more knowledgeable, easygoing, and made the whole experience fun and memorable. We spotted loads of birds and learned a ton. Highly recommended for anyone who loves birds or simply wants to enjoy a peaceful and enriching time in nature. Thank you, Wian

  An unforgettable experience.  - Had the privilege to have Wian as a guide on a private reserve. His skills and knowledge unlocks the hidden gems of the bushveld. An unforgettable experience for me and... read more my family.

  Excellent One Day Safari. - We had an extra day in Johannesburg and chose One Day Safari for a day trip. We booked a private full day safari with Wiam who picked us up... read more at our airport hotel. We chose to spend the day at Mongena Private Game Reserve- birding and seeing all kinds of African wildlife. It was an amazing experience. Wiam is a wealth of knowledge about birding, wildlife and photography. It was an excellent day, well spent and was way more fun than sitting at the airport. Wiam had us back in time for our evening flight home and we were sad to leave. We highly recommend Wiam and One Day Safaris.

  Rewarding 1/2 Day Birding Safari in Rietveli Nature Reserve - I had an extra day in Johannesberg and was happy to connect with Wian for a 1/2 day birding tour to the Rietveli Nature Reserve. The Rietveli was an easy... read more to access reserve, within 1/2 hour of my accomodations - it was a treat to see this reserve and the birds and wildlife there - in addition to the birds I wanted to see, we also saw Zebra and Rhinos and several of the native antelope species. Wian has a wealth of experience as a birder and guide - growing up on a game reserve himself. He was punctual and a pleasure to spend time with. If you have an extra day in Johannesberg and want to get out to see birds or other wildlife, I would recommend booking with One Day Safaris.

  Once in a lifetime, do it!  - Fantastic experience with knowledge, fun, informative guides. Wian and Val took us right through the bush, we saw lion, elephant, rhino, buck all on foot. It was an incredible... read more experience that I would recommend to anyone wanting a game experience a bit more personal than a drive. Felt totally safe, unreal, will def do again

  Walking in the wild with the big 5 at Dinokeng.  - This was an unforgettable experience walking in the wild. The guides made us feel safe and gave us interesting facts about nature. Everyone enjoyed the walk. Seeing Lions and... read more rhinos was a big bonus.

  Johannesburg Birding  - While on holiday, I organised a days birding in the Johannesburg area with One Day Safaris. On meeting Wian, I quickly realised that I had made the right decision... read more to book him. The pre trip correspondence and booking procedure was simply and efficient and we arranged my pick up for the trip via email. The day turned out to be one of the best birding experiences of my life. Wian was extremely knowledgeable on birds, animals and plants and was professional and enthusiastic throughout. He was friendly, very easy to talk to and a joy to be with throughout the day. Although I had visited South Africa on many occasions, his guiding expertise produced 141 species for the day and I managed to add 24 “life ticks” to my list. I would have no hesitation in recommending One Day Safaris and in particular Wian to anyone who wants to go birding the Johannesburg area. I will certainly book him again for my next trip.

  Breathtaking  - Best game drive I would ever ask for. I’ll definitely do it again when I get the chance. Amazing view, I saw the big 5 which was extraordinary in my... read more eyes.

  Unforgettable experience - I can’t even describe how amazing this experience was!! Thanks so much Wian for making this possible. He always made sure I got the best angles of all the animals,... read more told me interesting facts and was super funny! I was so impressed by all the animals, we saw lions, rhinos, hippos, monkeys, zebras and so many more. I think this was one of the best experiences I’ve ever done in my life!!

  Amazing Safari Day  - The safari trip was an incredible experience! We had a great day full of excitement and encounters with wild nature. We managed to see a lot of animals, including lions.... read more All of this made the trip unforgettable.

I especially recommend our guide, Wian. His knowledge about the animals was impressive. He told us interesting stories and facts, making every moment both fascinating and educational. The safari was perfectly organized, and the entire team took care of every detail, ensuring our comfort and safety.

I highly recommend this trip to all nature and wildlife enthusiasts!

  Great half/one-day safari at Mongena, easily accessible from Joberg, with lots of animals to see!  - Perfect day safari at Mongena Private Game Reserve with Wian. From initial contact whilst organising the trip, right through to the tour itself, Wian was friendly, accommodating (of our changing... read more requirements!) and extremely knowledgeable. We really enjoyed the drive, with Wian taking great care to help us see as many animals as possible during our half day tour. We saw lions, cheetahs and many other wildlife. He is clearly very passionate about the animals and provided a lot of interesting facts as we went. We really enjoyed the private tour which also included a relaxing coffee break next to a watering hole mid-drive, whilst still on the look out for more animals! As the only guide able to provide one day (or half day tours) at Mongena, I’d thoroughly recommend him especially if you are staying in Joberg or Pretoria and are short on time. Don’t hesitate to book one of these tours!

  A great day of birding  - I had a terrific birding tour in Gauteng with Wian as guide. He was very knowledgeable about species and habitat, delivering a most enjoyable day. I would recommend him.

  The best 1 day safari experience  - Wian was such a surprise. As a person that has been to Joburg so many times with work, i always had less expectations from it. But Wian gave us the... read more best safari experience in 1 day that i will never forget and i keep bragging about it to my friends. He made sure everything was smooth and on time from pick up to drop off. He is very knowledgeable and passionate of what he is doing. And in the same time he made sure we participate in organising the day so it is an experience in the real sense. The fact that we had the luck to see so many beautiful animals, and Wian made sure he gets us as close as possible to them, staying safe and protecting the animals as well, it made me think that i want to do this every single time i visit Joburg. Thank you Wian once again for giving us this unbelievable experience.

  Excellent day! - Wian was a top guide and also a wonderful person. We got on so well straight from the off and throughout the day his expertise in his field shone through,... read more and I couldn’t have had a better experience for my short time in South Africa. From a birding perspective, I gave Wian my list of species to see and he carefully adapted the day to suit my needs. As I say, Wian is a brilliant guy!

  Great Day's Birding At Marievale & Suikerbosrand - I spent the day birding at Marievale Bird Sanctuary and Suikerbosrand Nature Reserve with Wian. He was extremely knowledgeable about the local birds, both by sight and by call. Wian... read more was vey accommodating and helpful as well as good company. All in all a great day of birding and chatting. I would highly recommend One Day Safaris' birding tours to anybody.