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OUR WILD STORY

Hi adventurer! We're Zac and Ine, a duo from the United States and Belgium whose paths first crossed in 2018 during our enriching Global Master Studies, an adventure that took us through Canada, the Netherlands, and Peru.

 

After graduation, we made the easy decision to move in together in Victoria, BC. Ine was able to secure a working holiday visa without issue, and Zac was already familiar with the city from his time living and working there before the Master's.

 

After a year in Canada, we took a leap of faith, quitting our jobs and applying for a working holiday visa in Australia. However, the unexpected outbreak of COVID-19 left us stranded in Canada without employment. As Ine's visa neared its expiration and borders began to tentatively reopen, we made the decision to relocate to Mexico for a few transformative months at the start of 2021. It was there, amidst the uncertainty, that we began creating our very first informative travel videos, and to our surprise, they resonated deeply with viewers.

Just a few months later, we monetized our YouTube channel, marking the beginning of our journey as full-time travel content creators, exploring more corners of the globe ever since.

 

What truly fuels our travels is a shared love for the outdoors, a deep respect for nature, wildlife, local cultures, and history. 

About world wild hearts
Our Story
work with us

OUR MISSION

"To empower you to plan your ideal trip, effortlessly."

Our mission is to empower you to confidently plan and embark on your travel adventures through inspiring and practical content. We deeply immerse ourselves in destinations, appreciating nature, culture, and history to bring you authentic insights. Our travel guides cater to active travelers, blending diverse activities from hiking mountain trails to exploring vibrant cities.

 

Every video on our YouTube channel is meticulously researched and edited, providing a clear overview of each destination, complete with helpful links in the description. Here on our website, you'll find more in-depth information that complements our video guides, including maps that you can access. 

Mission
Our Mission
Our Team

OUR TEAM

Zac Andrus

Zac

Video-editing, webdesign & filming

Zac is from Washington State in the US. He grew up on a small island which undoubtedly contributed to his laid-back and relaxed approach to life. His passions span traveling, sports, and all things video. From a young age, he was deeply immersed in the world of basketball, a true obsession, though he also enjoyed playing tennis and golf. His athletic pursuits led him to the University of Victoria in British Columbia, where he was recruited for their basketball team. This opportunity brought him to Canada for a decade, where he lived and worked after earning his undergraduate degree in International Business with a strong focus on marketing.

 

Complementing his Master's Degree in Global Business, Zac brings over seven years of professional experience in marketing, web design, and client engagement. He also channels his creative drive through his own web design business, Zac Andrus Creative.

In his free time, Zac enjoys hitting the trails for a hike, playing various sports, and strumming his ukulele. He even once released an album on Spotify with a friend (Zac & Zape)! Beyond his hobbies, Zac has a deep love for pizza, with pepperoni being his topping of choice.

​Favorite country

Turkey for its diversity, Thailand for its friendly people and good vibes, and Namibia for its open landscapes and pure freedom!

I travel for

A deeper understanding of the world we live in.

My life-changing trip

Studying in Canada, the Netherlands and Peru for my Master's Program. 

On my bucket list

Sri Lanka, Indonesia, and Palau

I want to go back to

The Drakensberg Mountains in South Africa.

Ine Vandenwyngaert

Ine

Travel planning, script writing, SEO, social media

Ine is from a small town in the Dutch-speaking part of Belgium. Her passion for traveling ignited at a young age. An invitation to join her friend's family on a trip to Cabo Verde (Africa) at age 14 sparked a lifelong wanderlust, marking her first adventure outside of Europe and leaving her utterly hooked.

 

With a Master's degree in Global Business and an undergraduate degree in International Tourism Management, Ine's academic pursuits have naturally aligned with her love for exploration. Having lived abroad multiple times for over six months in Canada, the Netherlands, London (UK), and the US, she truly embodies the spirit of a global nomad, ready to follow wherever her heart leads.

 

In her free time, you'll often find Ine hiking through nature or expressing her creativity through painting. She thrives in the outdoors and rarely stays still for long. A devoted fan of Indian cuisine, she admits to enthusiastically indulging whenever the opportunity arises. And of course, being a typical Belgian, her obsessions include the holy trinity of chocolate, crispy Belgian fries, and delicious vol-au-vent.

​Favorite country

New Zealand, India, Argentina, Indonesia, Turkey, Laos, South Africa, ... lots of places I loved so far

I travel for

Having new experiences, exploring incredible nature, and learning about new cultures. 

My life-changing trip

My first time traveling solo... I was studying Spanish in Costa Rica.

On my bucket list

Kazakhstan, Pakistan, Madeira & Azores (Portugal), Philippines, and Nepal

I want to go back to

India because I barely scratched the surface when I traveled there for 6 weeks.

Our travels

OUR TRAVELS

Click a destination to watch our videos or read our blogs from that part of the world

Travel Timeline

  • 2018: We studied for our Master's program in Canada, the Netherlands, and Peru. We each traveled to various countries during the program, but individually (Ine mainly around South America and Zac around Europe). 

  • 2019: We lived in Canada for a year. We were based in Victoria and traveled around Vancouver Island, the mainland of B.C., and the Canadian Rockies.

  • 2020: We started our year in Belgium, Kenya, Namibia, and South Africa. However, due to the COVID-19 outbreak, we ended up back in Canada for the rest of the year. We based ourselves in the Canadian Rockies during the summer.

  • 2021: We spent our first months with family in Washington (US). We also went on a road trip to the Southwest (Arizona, Nevada, and Utah). Afterwards, we traveled to Mexico for 2.5 months. We explored the Yucatan Peninsula and Chiapas. In June, we came back to Washington (US) and went on a road trip around the West Coast (California, Oregon, and Washington). In August, we finally were able to get to Europe. We mainly stayed in Belgium but also went on a trip to Greece and Sweden. Mid-October we headed to Turkey for 2.5 months. 

  • 2022: To kick off the new year, we traveled Egypt for about 6 weeks. We had a great time visiting the ancient temples and learning all about one of the most fascinating histories in the world. After about 2 months exploring the US (and officially getting married in Las Vegas), we headed to Portugal. In Portugal, we visited the Algarve Coast and some of the most famous cities of the country for about one month. Then, we visited Belgium for about 3 weeks to attend weddings, festivals, and do short trips (to Luxembourg!). In mid-July, we finally made it to Norway (we were talking about this for years!). We first stayed two weeks with our friends in Bergen, before going on a two-week road trip to the Lofoten in the north. At the end of August, we flew to Albania and spent 5 weeks traveling around. Afterwards, we crossed the border into the tiny country of Montenegro, where we road tripped for another 2 weeks. We continued our Balkans road trip to the neighboring country of Croatia where we explored many historical old towns such as Dubrovnik and beautiful nature. Next, we visited Scotland. Although it was one of the worst months to visit weather-wise (November), we had a great time hitting the pub scene in Edinburgh and hiking on the Isle of Skye. Coming towards the end of the year, we spent one month in Morocco, exploring some off-the-beaten path zones as well as the historical city of Marrakech.

  • 2023: This year started off with a bang! Zac had never traveled to Asia before, so we thought Thailand would be a good first entry into this part of the world. It turned out to be a great decision since the Thai people were so friendly and the country offered a lot of diverse experiences. After Thailand, we were planning to hop to Vietnam. However, Ine got denied at the airport due to a small tear in her passport. It was a blessing in disguise since we were "forced" to pick Malaysia as our backup country. Here, we found some of our new favorite animals including Orangutans, Dusky Leaf Monkeys, and Proboscis Monkeys. Next, it was off to the USA to celebrate our wedding with friends and family in Lake Tahoe. It was one of the most beautiful moments of our lives and was great to see smiles on everyone's faces the whole weekend :) After that, it was time for a US Road Trip with our friends where we visited National and State parks all across Nevada, Arizona, Utah, and Wyoming. At the end of June, we jetted off to Belgium for a bunch of weddings and events. We tried to sneak out once in a while, like to Valencia, Barcelonaand Dublin. In mid-August, we returned to the US for a family event, followed by a road trip to Glacier National Park, the Canadian Rockies, and over to Vancouver and Seattle again. At the beginning of October, we set off to Southeast Asia once again. This time we visited Cambodia, Laos, and northern Vietnam. We spent a month in each country and had some crazy but unique adventures, such as driving the Thakhek Loop, sleeping in treehouses at the Gibbon Experience, and hiking amidst the rice terraces in Sapa. It was a great ending to an unforgettable year! We headed home for to Seattle for Christmas, followed by our home in Belgium for New Year's.

  • 2024: After some recovery time, we flew to South Africa at the end of January for one of our friend's weddings. Well, we decided to explore the country in-depth and stay two months. We revisited tons of places that we had traveled to in 2020, but also added lots of new ones! Our highlights were undoubtedly spotting wildlife in Kruger National Park and hiking the Drakensberg Mountains. We also did a little detour to Eswatini and Lesotho, two small underrated countries. At the end of March, we traveled to southern Spain. We stayed for about a month, mainly traveling around the beautiful Andalusia region. After exploring Madrid, we continued our journey to Italy. We started off in Venice, followed by Milan, Cinque Terre, and Lake Como. It was a quick 3 week whirlwind trip and before we knew it, we landed in Larnaca, Cyprus mid-May. We mostly caught up with work, but also did a road trip around the island for a week. At the end of June, we flew to London for a week and explored the city. Afterwards, it was time for some weddings and family events in the US. We snuck in a short trip to San Francisco before flying to Belgium for more family time. Zac's family visited Belgium for the first time at the end of July! In August, we left to Bosnia & Herzegovina for a 3 week road trip (Zac had to leave the Schengen Zone for a bit) before coming back to Belgium for another wedding. The week after, we went on another road trip with friends from the Netherlands. We first attended a wedding in Germany from one of our classmates during our Master Studies abroad! We then drove to Switzerland and France for some hiking. We hiked the incredible Tour du Mont Blanc for 6 days and had the best weather we could have hoped for. We then hopped to the US once again for a wedding in South Lake Tahoe. This was followed by a backpacking trip to South America. We started in Colombia for 5 weeks, during which some friends from Belgium joined us for two weeks! We then headed to Santiago de Chile for week, followed by a trip to Patagonia. We hiked the W-Trek for 4 days (this was Ine's second time!) and crossed into the Argentinian side for more hiking in El Chaltén. Our favorite stop must have been Bariloche & Nahuel Huapi National Park, which we explored for over a week. We ended our trip in Buenos Aires before flying to Belgium to celebrate Christmas & New Year.

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