The Art of Guiding at African Bush Camps: Meet Our Botswana Safari Guides

Introducing Some of the Passionate Guides Behind Our Botswana Safaris

An authentic African safari experience is deeply rooted in the expertise, passion, and intuitive nature of the guide. We were founded in 2006 by professional local Zimbabwean guide, Beks Ndlovu. As we grew from the ground up, Beks prioritized the inherent value of our guides who continue to remain the driving force behind African Bush Camps today.

Our guides are trained, knowledgeable locals who love to share their passion and wisdom about the bush with our guests. At African Bush Camps, we ensure that you will be guided by the very best and experience Africa through local eyes – making us the home of the authentic safari. Our commitment to guiding is reflected in our Code of Ethics, which ensures every safari is conducted with integrity, care, and respect for both wildlife and local communities.

Guiding is at the heart of everything we do at African Bush Camps. In honor of this, we spoke with guides Sharon, Dutch, and Bae in Botswana, who shared thoughtful reflections on their work and what it means to be part of someone’s safari experience.

Our Founder and CEO, Beks Ndlovu (far right), with fellow guides.

Meet Sharon, a Botswana Guide Connecting Cultures Through Safari 

For Guide Sharon, who is based predominantly at our Signature Experience Linyanti Bush Camp, guiding is as much about human connection as it is about wildlife. It’s the people she meets and the stories they bring that make every safari unique.

“What I enjoy most about guiding people from around the world is the different experiences they share with me,” she says. “As much as I’m giving them an authentic African experience, they’re also sharing their lives and their cultures with me.”

She speaks about how guests often describe places she’s never been to by painting pictures of faraway cities and landscapes. “It expands my worldview and it helps me connect with people from everywhere. And it’s fulfilling to be able to show them what I have at home, too!”

Whether it’s teaching a child to mimic a bird’s call or skillfully positioning the vehicle to capture the perfect photo, Sharon adapts her guiding style to create memorable experiences for every guest.

Guide Sharon at Atzaró Okavango Camp.

“With families that have young kids, I keep things lively and engaging. This means coming up with short, fun activities during the drive to hold their attention,” she explains. “With photographers, I stay patient and give them space to find the perfect shot. Everyone has different needs, and I try to create a memorable experience for each guest.”

 Safaris come alive through people like Sharon: those who transform a simple sighting into a story you’ll never forget.

Meet Dutch, A Botswana Safari Guide Proud of His Country

Dutch is our Botswana Head Guide, leading guests across all our Botswana Experiences. With many years of guiding under his belt, he brings an admirable confidence to everything he does. Dutch speaks with genuine pride not just about his role, but about his country, making every journey feel connected to the land and the history of Botswana.

“Oh, Botswana is a very special country,” he starts off by saying.

One of its biggest strengths, he believes, is its small population. “That in itself is part of the foundation of our development. When the population is small, it leads to more controlled and sustainable development.”

He sees the same thinking in how tourism is managed. Botswana follows a low-volume, high-value model with fewer visitors and better experiences.

Guide Dutch on a walking safari in the Okavango Delta.

“You don’t see a lot of mass tourism movement here,” Dutch explains. “That helps regulate the number of people coming into the country. It keeps the country special, a sort of hidden gem.”

Botswana’s growing popularity hasn’t changed its approach. “If you want to come and see the animals, you need to know we only allow a certain number of people to enter the country at any given time,” he says. “Otherwise, we’d end up with overcrowding.”

Remote areas like Moremi Game Reserve and the Okavango Delta can be tough to reach, and Dutch sees that as a benefit. “We don’t allow big buses. You need smaller 4×4 vehicles. A bus with 80 or 100 people just doesn’t work here.”

When asked about his connection to the country, he reflects quietly. “I feel lucky to live in a place where we can sit down to dinner with no reason, just peace. I’m proud to be from Botswana.”

Even when he travels across the region, he feels that pride. “People ask me, ‘How does your country manage to stay so peaceful?’ I just tell them, we’re doing our best.”

He finishes with a smile. “Botswana is one of the top tourism destinations, and that makes me proud. I never hide my flag. Even far from home, I always carry something that shows I come from Botswana.”

Meet Bae, A Trailblazing Female Botswana Safari Guide 

While Dutch brings a big-picture perspective, Bae, who is based at Atzaró Okavango Camp, offers a more personal story.

Bae is part of a growing wave of women stepping into guiding roles in Botswana, thanks to our Female Guides Program run through our Foundation. As a member of the Program’s very first cohort, she stands as a shining example of how this initiative is creating meaningful opportunities for women in a traditionally male-dominated industry.

“Guiding is a combination of passion, conservation, education, and hospitality,” she explains. “It brings all those things together, and that’s what I love.”

But Bae’s story is also about something bigger. It’s about shifting the narrative for women in the safari industry.

Guide Bae at Atzaró Okavango Camp.

“I like challenges. All along I’ve seen that guiding is a male-dominated field, so I decided to break the dominancy by joining the guiding industry. I’m so happy I succeeded and I’m here now as a woman guide!”

Her presence in the field is powerful for the young women who see in her a new kind of possibility.

“I really like to see myself as an inspirer to other people and as a mentor to other ladies to come and be guides,” she says. “Being a female guide is about more than just breaking barriers. It’s about showing young girls in our communities that this kind of future is possible.”

As one of Botswana’s first female safari guides, Bae is redefining what it means to lead in the bush while inspiring guests and paving the way for future generations of women.

Our Female Guides Program in Botswana and Beyond

Our Female Guides Program, run by our African Bush Camps Foundation, is focused on developing the next generation of female safari guides in Botswana and Zambia through hands-on skills training, mentorship, job shadowing, and on-the-ground experience. Launched in November 2021, the program was created in response to a significant gender gap in the industry, where over 90% of safari guides in the region were men and very few women had access to consistent training or career development.

This two-year program includes a combination of theory, practical skills, and real-world training in African Bush Camps Experiences. Participants begin with four weeks of theory and four weeks of practical safari training through the African Guiding Academy, followed by a week of mokoro training. From there, they join as trainee guides in our Experiences, growing professionally in travel, tourism, and hospitality. With a strong focus on mentorship and building personal relationships, the Program is designed to boost confidence, strengthen knowledge, and support each woman’s journey to becoming a professional safari guide.

By the end of the Program, participants will be equipped with expertise in wildlife, conservation, tracking, natural history, photography, and safe guiding practices, helping to reshape the guiding landscape in Botswana and beyond.

A group of our Female Guides in training in Botswana.

Our Annual Guide Training Program: Why Our Guests are Guided by the Best  

Since 2016, we’ve held our annual ten-day Guide Training Program in Zimbabwe and Botswana. During this time, all 17 of our Experiences close temporarily so each and every guide can come together to learn, refresh, and share knowledge.

During this period, guides are placed into groups of six or seven, led by head and more senior guides. They take part in practical and theory sessions, which include lessons in astrology, tracking, biology, storytelling, and plant identification. There are also refresher courses in advanced first aid and advanced shooting to ensure guest safety.

This program isn’t just about skill-building, however. It’s also a chance for guides to connect and renew their passion for guiding. Over the years, it has boosted their confidence, professionalism, and knowledge, directly enriching the experience of every guest who joins us for safari. Although intensive, the program is fun and uplifting!

Guides like Sharon, Dutch, and Bae embody the intention behind this training. For them, this is more than a job. It’s a way of life they take great pride in.

Our Guides Training Program is what truly sets our guides at African Bush Camps apart, and is a large reason why we can confidently say that when you journey with us, you’ll be guided by the best. 

A group of our guides gather in Botswana to learn and share during our annual Guides Training Program.

A Day in the Life of a Safari Guide in Botswana 

A typical day for a guide in Botswana usually begins before sunrise. While guests are waking up to freshly brewed coffee, the guide is already preparing the vehicle and reviewing the course of action.

As the sun rises, the day begins with a game drive, walking safari, or other activity. Whether tracking African wild dogs on foot or observing a pride of lions from the vehicle, the guide is constantly reading the landscape and adjusting the plan to keep guests safe and give them the best possible experience.

 Late afternoon to early evenings are back out in the bush, followed by storytelling and connecting around the campfire.

It’s not an easy job. It’s physical, unpredictable, and often long hours. But for the guides who love it, it’s one of the most rewarding jobs in the world.

Guiding is an extremely physically demanding job that sometimes requires long hours.

Wrapping Up: Experience A Botswana Safari Through Those Who Know it Best  

At African Bush Camps, our guides aren’t just wildlife experts. They are passionate storytellers, cultural ambassadors, and dedicated conservationists from the communities surrounding our Experiences.

Whether it’s your first safari in Botswana or your fifth, exploring with guides like Sharon, Dutch, and Bae offers a richer, more meaningful perspective. You don’t just see the landscape. You experience it through their eyes, shaped by their own personal knowledge and lived experiences. That connection is what turns a safari from a simple adventure into a remarkable journey.

So next time you travel with African Bush Camps, take a moment to listen, learn, and connect. Because in the hands of our guides, your safari with us is bound to become something truly exceptional.