Meet us

Are we a tourist agency?

You’re probably wondering who I am to speak about wildlife watching in Poland. We’re not a large tourist agency, not even a small company. I’ve worked as a local guide and a tour leader for foreign tourists visiting Poland since 1998 and many of our guides have been doing it since late ’80.

So who we are exactly?

We are a group of active and experienced nature local guides, fanatic nature lovers, keen photographers and birdwatchers. Many of us are academics, others work in National Parks or nature conservancy NGO’s. Wildlife watching has always been our hobby and it became our profession. We travel ourselves so we know exactly what a good nature guide means.

Who we worked for?

We have guided nature and cultural trips for several foreign companies like British: Explore, Exodus, Wildwings, Naturetrek, Greentours, German: Deutsch-Polnische Gesellschaft, Ornitravel, Swiss: Liberty Bird, Birdline Tours, Dutch: Eco Tourist Services and many more.

Meet us in the field here »

 

 

Meet the team:

Łukasz Mazurek

Hello! I am Lukasz or Luke to my friends. I started guiding during my biology studies to gain some extra income. It came naturally to me as a fluent English speaker and fanatical birdwatcher. My desire to meet new people and willingness to share the knowledge led me to becoming one of the most sought after nature guides in Poland.

I have previously worked for the WWF at Biebrza National Park, with some esteemed accademics researching birds and the effects of traditional farming practices on their habitats. Having graduated from University in Białystok, I continued as a guide and also taught zoology at Białystok Uni. However, my love of the great outdoors drew me back to nature and I returned to work in the field. I still continue my love for farmland birds in OTOP (Polish Society for the Protection of Birds) where I coordinate the Common Bird Census in NE Poland.

In WildPoland I am the captain, the steersman and still do a lot of guiding, especially in the Biebrza Marshes. I just love it. And I always take photos on the trips, you’ve got to get used to it :)

Posing with the Green Toads in the Biebrza Marshes
With the Grass Snake in the Biebrza Marshes
In the Biebrza National Park
Scanning the horizon for Elks in the Biebrza

Birding with Naturetrek group in the Białowieża Forest
With Lionel Maumary after a successful day out birding
Searching for Fire-bellied Toads in the pond
Got one!

Smoking sandwiches for lunch with Peter J. Dunn
With Arek, guiding Bird Line trip in the Białowieża Forest
In Russia, swimming in the Baikal lake at -10 C
At dawn in the Biebrza Marshes

Welcome in the Biebrza Marshes!
Searching for Pygmy Owl in the Białowieża Forest
With Tomek Jezierczuk on a reccy in the Białowieża Forest
Coffee brake in the countryside


 

Konrad Karpieszuk

Konrad is an environmental Biology graduate and our Eastern Europe explorer. Having taught biology and computers in Poland he committed himself to volunteer teaching in different parts of the globe. In 2010 he has spent 3.5 months in Rwanda, Africa.

Konrad is our computer magician making this website work. He is also one of the most popular Polish bloggers, you can check out his blog here (in polish only).

With friends in Rwanda
On a safari in Rwanda



Arek Szymura

After the research on raptors in the forest that Arek had carried out during his forestry studies in the ’70 nothing could drag him out of the forest.

Nothing apart from school duties as a botany teacher in the Forestry School in Białowieża or his volunteery work on starting the first bird protection NGO in the communist Poland.

Now, on a fully deserved pension, Arek does what he likes best – sharing his comprehensive knowledge and showing us the most elusive animals of the forest.

In WildPoland Arek guides the nature and birdwatching trips in Białowieża Forest.


Arek explaining the details of insects life in the Białowieża Forest
Arek in the Natural History Museum in Białowieża
Arek searching for Pygmy Owl in the Białowieża Forest
Always happy and entertaining!


 

Mateusz Szymura

Mateusz has followed his dad in the forest since he could carry the big binoculars. Having such a teacher he couldn’t really escape a career in forestry. After graduating forestry in the Warsaw University of Life Sciences, he took part in building the most modern Natural History Museum in Poland which is located in the village of Białowieża itself.

His many talents were soon recognised and now Mateusz works in the National Park helping to protect this oldest forest in Europe.

In WildPoland he is our Białowieża Forest guide specializing in large Mammals and Fungi. You can see his photos of the forest in the Białowieża NP gallery pages here »

Explanations on the cone-eaters in the Białowieża Forest
Searching for Great Snipe in the marshes
Leading a group in the Białowieża Forest
Victory of nature over man!


 

Zbyszek Molski

Zbyszek studied art at the Lublin Uni. He lives in Białystok, but spends most of his time in the Biebrza Marshes or in the forests. He’s been a tourist guide for the Podlasie region and the Biebrza National Park for several years now. He is also an active member of The Polish Society for Protection of Birds.

Zbyszek is a real “renaissance man”.

Besides being a tourist guide, an expert and lover of nature, he paints and makes sculptures. He gets his inspiration from nature of course and its infinite number of colours and forms.

He calls himself a rather free explorer of nature “outside and inside of oneself”. He will show you that the animals and birds come to you on their own when you are relaxed and at ease with the surrounding and yourself.

Spotting elks in the winter, Biebrza Marshes
Starting a campfire after a long trip
Zbyszek in the field.. literally
On a ferry in the Biebrza


 

Andrzej Petryna

Andrzej has spent over 25 years birdwatching at Baltic sea-coast when working at bird migration field station where he’s gained a decent list of Eastern European passerines in hand.

Since 1990 he has spent more time in Eastern Poland guiding nature trips for WildWings, Naturetrek, Explore and WildPoland.com! at Biebrza Marshes, Białowieża Forest and Carpathians.

His wealth of knowledge, experience and sense of humour have made him one of the most sought after nature guides in Poland.





Andrzej in the Baltic coast
With Explore group in Bieszczady Mountains
There it was!
A perfect traveller :)