Paul Zille

WHO IS Paul Zille ?

Paul is an economist by profession with a lifelong interest in promoting Africa’s wildlife and tourism economies to create jobs and grow sustainable businesses. Through guiding he is able to contribute to this while exercising his love of travel, exploring new frontiers and meeting people with shared interests.

His work introduced him to the treasure trove of archaeological and historical sites in South Africa that offer some of the richest evidence anywhere for understanding our human origins. From these he has woven together magical journeys of discovery – what he calls origin and
archaeology safaris - that walk guests in the footsteps of their ancestors to our earliest human origins.

Paul’s itineraries, sites and interpretations are defined by their interest and authenticity. They are all located in areas of outstanding natural beauty, blending iconic archaeology and deep history with the extraordinary wildlife and natural beauty South Africa is famous for.
The anchor destinations in all his tours are located in UNESCO World Heritage sites (Table Mountain National Park, Cape Town; the Cradle of Humankind, near Johannesburg; and the Kruger National Park).

If Paul is not awed by the stories, the science and the environments that his archaeology safaris explore, he won’t offer them. Paul lives on False Bay in Cape Town and makes daily use of the mountain and the ocean. He has two adult children.

GUIDE SPECIALISMS

Paul’s origin and archaeology safaris focus on three core areas:

• The Cradle of Humankind (near Johannesburg) - home to the most extensive and complete concentration of hominin fossils found anywhere in the world. The tour operates in the Greater Cradle Nature Reserve, a pristine highveld game reserve which is home to over 20 animal species and 230 bird species.
• The Cradle of Human Culture (in and around Cape Town) - the area at the southern tip of Africa where early humans – Homo sapiens – first evolved. The tour includes key sites which present the history, life and culture of the Cape’s original inhabitants, while exposing you to the area’s exquisite natural beauty.
• Thulamela (Kruger Park) - South Africa’s best-kept archaeological secret in the heart of the Kruger National Park. Hauntingly beautiful, this partially reconstructed hilltop settlement is surrounded by ancient baobabs and commands spectacular views across the Limpopo flood plain. Thulamela thrived between 1250 – 1700 AD when it lay at the heart of the most dynamic trading system in Southern Africa which pre-dated and outlived Great Zimbabwe.

Paul’s archaeology safari itineraries are customized around the interests of guests. These range from day-long, single destination tours to multiple destination multi-day safaris.