John X Safaris was founded in 1993 by Rick and Sue van Zijl. Their original camp was at Merriman, in the Great Karoo of the Cape Province, which lies in the central region of South Africa. Within a few years, they expanded into the Eastern Cape and hired a spike camp in the Kirkwood district, where they were the first to develop trophy hunting along the coastal areas of the region.

They also were one of the first to offer Bushpig and Caracal hunting, with dogs, and together with landowners instituted a conservation program whereby they could offer Blue Duiker to the trophy hunter. In 1996, they purchased their own land in the Eastern Cape and developed the first hunting safari camp for trophy hunters there. Part of their success has been due to listening to the needs of our clients and in that way, they managed to create a camp that meets the needs of the hunter as well as the non-hunter.

John X Safaris operates throughout the republic of South Africa. They offer exclusive hunting on a wide range of terrain - from vast semi-desert to dense bush, mountains and open grasslands. Largely as a result of their reputation among landowners, they have been able to secure some of the best hunting areas in the country.

Rick van Zijl

Rick is the brains behind John X Safaris, which offers overseas visitors an African adventure. Catering exclusively to overseas trophy hunters, it attracts approximately 260 hunters per season. He founded the company in 1983, and became a registered Professional Hunter in 1985. He is an expert on hunting in South Africa and, since securing his license, has succesfully guided both local and international sportsmen and women.

John X Safaris has access to 30 Farms throughout the Eastern Cape, Free State and Northern Cape and has hunting concessions for 10 months of the year.

Rick has now extended his operation, forming Lalibela Private Game Reserve, which caters to photographic tourists. He has introduced rhino and buffalo as a start to his aim of establishing a Big Five Game Reserve.