Franco Morao

Background

Franco was born on a remote farm on the outskirts of Gobabis in eastern Namibia and he was taken into the SOS Children’s Village in Windhoek at the age of two. He stayed here until he completed secondary school in 2002. By a stroke of great fortune, and with impeccable timing, the Children's Home was approached by a charitable institution called “Children in the Wilderness” who offered to take some of the kids out into the wilderness to experience natural wonders of their country. The group selected included a young, ambitious and eager Franco whose enthusiasm and passion for the natural world was apparent from the moment the bus full of joyful kids arrived in Sossusvlei. After being trained in basic mentorship skills, he was enlisted as a tent leader and was inspired by watching the camp guides at work. He knew immediately what he wanted to do in future and was determined to achieve this aim.

He enrolled for a four-year bachelor’s degree course in 2003 but soon realized that his passion lay with nature and being outdoors so he quit after just six months and went to join Wilderness Safaris. He worked at a variety of lodges as a local field guide and then graduated to join their overland explorations department in 2014. Franco took this experience on when he joined Ultimate Safaris as a National guide and he now lives in Windhoek with his wife, who also works for Ultimate Safaris, and their young son and daughter.

Guiding Experience

Franco started as a trainee guide in 2004, and learnt his trade at a variety of camps before being appointed as a full-time guide in 2006. He later went on to work as an advanced level guide on the Ongava Private Game Reserve, but first had to learn weapons proficiency and how to conduct guided walks in a ‘big game area’ which he did on excellent guide training courses in both Zambia and Botswana. Afterwards continued with his Namibian National guiding courses until he obtained his National Guiding Certificate in 2012.

He has worked near most of the iconic hotspots in Namibia including Sossusvlei, Damaraland, Etosha National Park, the Skeleton Coast, and by the Kunene. While there, he gained intimate knowledge of the surrounding areas and has put that to good use since becoming a National guide. He then acted as guide on a number of exclusive fly-in safari expeditions before deciding to join the Ultimate Safaris Naturalist guiding team. He is now a full time Naturalist guide with a great passion for our remote camps.

Personal Interests

Franco is passionate about his work and he loves socializing and meeting new people. He enjoys exercising and outdoor activities, and he has become a keen birder as well as an accomplished photographer. The combination of skills acquired over the years and an engaging personality which allows great empathy with his guests make Franco a highly-sought after private guide.

Why I enjoy guiding

Through my choice of career, I can have my office almost anywhere I like, and I also get to meet a lot of different people who are all fascinating to talk to. I always like being surprised by Mother Nature in all aspects and I really enjoy being able to share those moments with my guests - as well as being able to see their reactions. This is what keeps me motivated and enthusiastic all day and every day.

On Trail...

While on a drive in one of the ephemeral rivers up in northwest Namibia, we came across a herd of desert adapted elephants. We followed them for about twenty minutes, observing their behavior and the way they were able to move so silently through the bush and then, as they went through one of the salvadora bushes, they flushed out two cheetahs, a mother and her sub adult cub. We were so surprised that we just watched them run across and disappear and none of us thought about taking pictures. We all got out from the vehicle shortly afterwards and we saw them walking off at a distance with all the springbok and oryx looking at them. I decided this would be the perfect time to have a coffee break so I laid the table with all the goodies and all had their cups of coffee close to their mouths when, within 50 yards of us, a honey badger mom trotted with her baby in her mouth. She was trying to relocate it and, again, we were all frozen in that moment of awe. We all just stood there silently, watching her disappear and looking at each other, trying to come to terms of what just happened. It was a truly memorable day which none of us are ever likely to be able to repeat. 

Gert Van Wyk

Name: Gert van Wyk

Date of Birth: 12/02/93

Background

Gert was born in Swakopmund on the west coast of Namibia, and he grew up surrounded by the neighbouring Namib Desert. His father was an outdoor teacher who often took groups of kids on field trips into the Desert, and he also regularly took the family on camping trips to the great locations he found there. This is where Gert developed his intense interest in nature.

From that time, he went out into the countryside whenever he could, and this continued when he went to Elnatan, a school located on a farm close to Stampriet. This was a wonderful experience for an eight-year-old boy as he could walk out of class straight into the bush, and his teachers were always trying to stop him from playing with things he found there. When he wasn’t outside looking for new creatures, he was inside watching them in the little ecosystems he created for them

The family moved to Windhoek where he attended the Windhoek Afrikaans Private school. Although based in the city during the week, the family still made it out to their farm most weekends so he could continue extending his regular excursions into the bush. He also discovered nature channels on TV where he was inspired by both Sir David Attenborough and the legendary Steve Erwin.

After graduation he started work in the corporate world, but he soon discovered this was not a career he wanted. He therefore to quit and join an industry which allowed him to be in his happy place, outside learning even more about nature.

Guiding Experience

Gert started his guiding journey as a tracker/trainee guide on the Okonjima Nature reserve, which is a leopard sanctuary and home to the AfriCat Foundation. The experience gained there allowed him to qualify as an Advanced Field Guide in 2017, and he stayed on for another three years to extend his knowledge further. Unfortunately, the Covid pandemic ended his time at Okonjima, so he took a variety other part-time jobs before joining the Ultimate Safaris tribe as a Field Guide at Onduli Ridge in 2022.

He now had the chance to fine tune his desert guiding and to learn about experiential travel in the Northwest of Namibia, known as Damaraland, home to Namibia's unique desert adapted elephants, world famous SAN rock art and stunning scenery. He also had the chance to join conservation projects and accompany wild camps in the area.

All this provided invaluable experience, and this was enhanced by the opportunity to join the Ultimate Safaris National Guide team on multiple field trips and their annual guide training programmes. It was therefore an easy move to join the National Guide team in March 2024, and he could then continue to explore other parts of the vastness that is Namibia and to experience its hidden beauty. Since that time, his knowledge of the country has increased exponentially, and he has taken every opportunity to learn from the rest of the team, so his guiding skills have grown from strength to strength.

Personal Interests

Gert has a real interest in bugs and other small creatures, and he enjoys seeking them out while on safari which gives him knowledge of an entirely different dimension of Nature. He also enjoys photographing what he finds and sometimes sketching it too.

Why I enjoy guiding

Guiding gives me the best excuse I can think of to spend time in the wild, learning about nature, observing nature, and showing others what I have learned. It also means I get to meet some amazing people along the way. Solitude can bring tranquility, but being able to share an amazing moment with people who appreciate it and want to know more about it, is why I love my job.

On Trail…

If you are on safari often enough, you inevitably have some amazing sightings, and sometimes you are just in the right place at the right time to have once in a lifetime encounters. Some animals are known to be elusive, and some are just extremely rare, so being able to see either is a real privilege.

So, one winter day, I was finishing up a morning scenic drive and we were on our way back to the lodge when something on the side of the road caught my attention. “Wow! It's a leopard! Okay, let's not spook it, but let’s try to get closer to get a better view."

Slowly we creep closer, and cameras start clicking out of control as I stop the vehicle. I get out my binoculars and look at the leopard, which is a young female. I start scanning around to see what else might be going on, and I notice a weird looking rock. On closer inspection this proves to be a PANGOLIN...

I let the guests know and, as they are locating it, the young leopard wanders across to have a look too. The pangolin can roll its body up into a ball as a security measure, and it has thick scales on its body, so it then becomes a little ball of armour. On seeing this, the inner playful kitty in the leopard kicked in, and she started playing with this pangolin ball like a house cat plays with a rubber ball. Left, right, left, right, then run around and do it again. That was something truly special to witness, and also something I will never forget.

Jason Nengola

Jason was born and the raised in the capital city of Namibia, Windhoek in the heart of Katutura. Both his parents were part of the liberation struggle and later served in the Namibian defense force until retirement. Jason would spend his school holidays at the village in the northern part of the country with his siblings and parents where he would help with the crops in the field, carry water from the communal water pump and heeding the goats in the forest while eating wild fruits. His love for nature grew deeper after visiting the aquarium in Swakopmund for the first time on a family trip to Swakopmund. After completing high school in 2009, Jason furthered his studies at the University of Namibia and obtained a Diploma in Library and Information Science but later did not want to work in that field anymore so re-enrolled at the University obtaining his Honors Degree in Tourism Management. After moving back from the desert, He now lives in Windhoek with his son.

 Guiding Experience

 In 2014 until 2017 Jason worked for Eco Awards Namibia a Non-profit organization that strives to promote sustainable practices within the tourism industry as an assessor also getting to travel vast parts of the country, then moved to the Namib desert to work at Wolwedans on the NamibRand Nature reserve as a sustainability co-ordinator and later taking up additional roles as experience co-ordinator of which he started guiding as well. While in the desert he found pride and joy in having his mobile office as a land rover where he had the opportunity to show Namibia’s incredible nature to guests visiting. He felt he reached his peak in the desert and wanted a new challenge and wanted to guide country wide so now he works at ultimate safaris as a naturalist guide and being able to live his dream.

 Personal Interests

 Mammals, Birding, Conservation, Soccer and Hockey

 Why I enjoy guiding

 I love and find pride in being called Namibian, our country has such vast landscape, wildlife and so much to see and I get to show people what Namibia has to offer.

 On Trail…

 While on a wild camping trip in the kaokoland with 8 guests in search of the desert lions. We found that one shaded area where we could set up camp. After spending roughly about an hour having lunch and chatting to guests about how we will be spending the rest of the afternoon in search of this specific lioness that has not been seen in a while by the researcher and if we find her we would be able to change her GPS collar, on the contrary the lioness was watching us since we got there from close proximity as she was lying in the thickets at our campsite, after being spotted she walked off.

Johann Cloete

Background

Johann comes from a small town in the south of Namibia called Keetmanshoop.  This is where he grew up with an older brother and a younger sister, with the bush just a stone’s throw away from town – and that is where he spent most of his time after school and on the weekends.

On completing high school, he went to the Polytechnic of Namibia to study for a diploma in Electronic Engineering.  However, he was unable to renew his bursary after his first year of studies so had to leave and go out to look for a job. He started working as a trainee technician at Telecom Namibia, and then went on to become a teller at the Commercial Bank of Namibia. Fortunately, he was not satisfied with either of these professions as he felt his calling was elsewhere – and it turned out that his heart was set on being able to explore nature. The bush was calling!

Johann has a long term partner, and he splits his time between the south of Namibia and Windhoek.  He has a quiet nature, and loves to share the wonders of the bush and the desert with his guests.

Guiding experience

Johann joined Wilderness Safaris as a trainee in 2006 and he spent the next year on a variety of different training programs until he decided to settle on guiding and joined the Wilderness Safaris guiding team in 2007.  He started his guiding career in the Kulala camps near Sossusvlei, later moving to Damaraland area where he worked in different camps like Doro Nawas, Damaraland Camp and ultimately Desert Rhino Camp. Over the years, he continued attending training programs with Wilderness Safaris and doing guide courses with NATH (The Namibian Academy for Tourism and Hospitality) until he decided it was time to broaden his horizons beyond any specific lodge and join the Ultimate Safaris team of National Guides.

Johann’s vast experience in the north-west means that he is an acknowledged expert on the rare and endangered black rhinos that inhabit that region, and he has become a very valuable resource when passing on his expertise about black rhino and their behavioural patterns to the rest of our guiding team.

Personal interests

Astronomy, Tracking and learning more about them as well as everything in between!

Why I enjoy guiding

I like to explore and discover new things with guests while still being able to show them what it is that I find so exciting about Namibia, its environment, and its inhabitants.

On Trail…

On a rhino tracking expedition in Damaraland, we spotted a black rhino in the distance but, when we got closer to where it had been, we discovered that it had moved on. However, I was not prepared to give up on this so I asked one of the trackers to stay with the guests and rest, while I went on with the others to climb a small hill. This worked well as we spotted the rhino resting just a short distance off. 

I kept watch while one of the trackers went back to get the guests and the rest of the team.  While he was gone, I took my backpack off and sat down to watch the rhino. When I saw the rest of the group approaching the rhino from down the hill, I went to pick up my backpack in preparation for joining them. As I turned to get it, I suddenly noticed a leopard crawling towards me, and only about 25 meters away.  On making eye contact, I moved my backpack across my stomach and chest to provide extra protection if necessary, and slowly took out my jacket from my backpack and raised it in order to look bigger and more intimidating.

The leopard remained in a crouched position for a while longer, then raised itself and gave me a lateral pose, showing off his impressive size and giving an intimidating growl. Seeing it was still making up its mind, I gave a “controlled” shout in order to convince it that I was not suitable prey. It eventually started to move off slowly, and then suddenly disappeared altogether.

So, the lesson I learned from this was be persistent, but to remain vigilant – especially when concentrating on a single sighting as there is nothing at all to say that what I am watching will be the only animals of interest around 

Perez Kamukuenjandje

Background

Perez was born in the north eastern part of Namibia and, although his parents originated from different parts of the country, he grew up in a large family of Herero speakers. He attended Pioneers Boys School in Windhoek and left there to go directly into the tourism industry. He started work as a barman at Kulala Desert Lodge near Sossusvlei and this gave him his first exposure to the beauty of the Namib Desert – and to international tourists.

As he enjoyed learning about the desert environment and he is especially good with people, he very quickly found himself moving into the field of guiding and spent the next three years on that and constantly improving his knowledge. After that, he moved to work at CC Africa (now &Beyond) where he started as a Camp Captain setting up mobile camps ready for the arrival of guests. As before, his obvious capacity for interaction with people from all walks of life meant he quickly got drawn back into becoming a guide / ranger who escorted guests around the country.

When the programme he had been working on was cancelled in 2007, Perez worked as a freelance guide for a year then joined Ultimate Safaris in 2008. Since then he has extended his knowledge into all parts of Namibia and also into parts of neighbouring countries; he has gained hugely in experience and exposure to a wide variety of discerning visitors; and he has completed a number of the formal Namibian National guide training courses that are available.

Perez is a natural entertainer who is in great demand as many of those that have travelled with him return for a second (or third) safari – but only on the condition that he can be their guide again. Perez has great knowledge of the natural world which he loves to share with his guests, and the lively intelligence and wit that makes him a fascinating guide and travelling companion. He receives unequivocal top rating from former guests for his guiding skills and his company when travelling, and he has shown particular interest in travelling outside Namibia. He has taken several groups through the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park as well as bringing guests up from Cape Town, and dropping others in Livingstone or Victoria Falls. He is a great enthusiast who has proved to be a significant asset to the company. Perez lives with his long-time girlfriend and children, a son and daughter. He has a great involvement with his children and tries to pass on his own love for nature and the environment.

Guiding Experience

Perez started guiding at Kulala Desert Lodge and his personality ensured that he was fast tracked to becoming a full time guide. His great sense of humour and his ability to absorb a large amount of knowledge meant that he soon became head guide for the area and went off to train at Kaporota where he achieved his level 1 FAGASA qualification.

He then moved to CC Africa, where he acted as camp captain in recognition of his organisational ability and his skills in relating to a wide variety of people. He was then sent to attend a training course at Nkwazi in South Africa where he learned even more about general guiding techniques, focusing on guided walking safaris and animal behaviour. As he now had a deep knowledge of desert guiding and eight years’ worth of guiding experience, he decided to take the next step and move his guiding career onto the National level. He therefore moved to Windhoek where he took freelance guiding work that took him to new parts of the country while he worked out exactly where he wanted to settle. At the end of that he came to join Ultimate Safaris.

Perez is now one of the most sought after guides with a following of former visitors who stay in regular touch with him, many of whom return to travel with him again. In the meantime, he is ‘on the road’ and gathering more and more information, while also ensuring that he is up to date on new finds and reports about Namibia and its wildlife.

Personal Interests

Birds, animals and nature

Why I enjoy guiding

I love meeting new people and showing them our beautiful country

On trail…

When out on safari as a guide you see many fascinating aspects of wildlife and nature, but there will always be one that sticks in your mind. Mine shows the lengths that elephants and other animals will go to in order to survive. While driving in the Hoanib River in the North West of Namibia, I noticed elephant tracks leaving the river bed and heading up a valley which got very narrow and steep. I decided to follow them to see where they led and I soon got to a point where the vehicle could go no further so I continued to follow the tracks on foot. They went up into a ravine which shortly turned into a watershed by a steep mountain face. The tracks continued and as I looked up, I saw elephants on the watershed having a dust bath. I continued my way up to the watershed and I saw the elephants had moved down into the next valley, but that was not all that I saw. There was another reason why they had climbed this steep mountain and left their tracks were all over the place, even up sheer cliffs that came up to my chest. This was to chew on the Commiphora plants on the side of the mountain. There were remains of plants everywhere, some of which had been ripped up, chewed on and spat out. For some reason they needed to get something from this plant into their diet and were prepared to climb this mountain to do so. This sort of behaviour has always absolutely fascinated me. 

Peter Nuugonya

Background

Peter Nuugonya comes is from a village near the populous town of Ondangwa in the part of Namibia that lies to the north of Etosha National Park.  He proved to be a good student when at primary school and did particularly well in science – especially Biology which he found fascinating. As a result, his big dream at the time was to become a doctor. He completed his schooling very successfully at Nehale Senna Secondary School near Ondangwa but, unfortunately, he wasn’t able to go on to tertiary education due to financial constraints.

Peter moved to Otjiwarongo in 2003 and stayed with one of his father’s relatives while looking for work. He got his first job at the local company called responsible for clearing the bushes alongside the roads and that’s where he got to learn more about calls for animals and birds – although it was also a big bonus to have grown up in the bush and learned many animal tracks as a youngster. While this was all interesting enough, Peter always kept up with friends and family in the hope of finding employment that would suit his skills and interests better

Guiding experience

Peter got his first major break when we was taken on by CCAfrica at given a job at Sossusvlei Desert Lodge in the Namib Rand Nature Reserve, on the eastern margins of the Namib Desert.  He started working as a barman, but his potential was quickly recognised so he was moved to the workshop and soon started doing back-ups for the senior guides on the desert quad bike experiences offered by the lodge into the red dunes of the Namib.  Right away, he realised that guiding was a career that he would enjoy, so he started to develop his guiding skills further.

After doing some assessment modules in guiding, Peter was selected to go to the CCAfrica in-house guide training programme at the Phinda Private Game Reserve in South Africa. Here he learned about wildlife beyond that found in the desert that he’d already become familiar with, and he developed a number of good core guiding skills. He then returned to work as a full time guide back at Sossusvlei Desert Lodge which is situated in one of the most scenically attractive parts of Namibia.

While working at there, he spent a lot of time with the lodge’s volunteer astronomers and developed his own knowledge to the degree that he often ran astronomy sessions to guests at the lodge using the high powered telescope that is located there. He also had the chance to visit other lodges belonging to the company, and did a trip to Botswana for three weeks in 2015, where he got to see the Okavango Delta, Chobe National Park, the Moremi and Savuti game reserves, thus providing him with another great chance to learn more about fauna and flora beyond the desert.

While guiding in the desert over many years, Peter had the opportunity to develop his interest in birding, star gazing, photography, and overall nature but, after ten years, he felt it was time to broaden his knowledge and move his career onto wider stage. He therefore joined a new ‘family’ at Ultimate Safaris where he had the opportunity to travel more extensively around the country and to develop his guiding skills on a National rather than regional basis. He has now become a part of the strongest guiding team in Namibia and has had the opportunity to travel to all parts of Namibia as a true Naturalist guide.

Personal interests

Meeting new people, Astronomy, Birding, and Desert Ecology

Why I enjoy guiding

Peter loves learning about a wide variety of subjects and thoroughly enjoys sharing this knowledge with the guests who travel with him – while also learning from them about the very different world that they live in

On Trail…

Astronomy has been a significant part of the experience at Sossusvlei Desert Lodge since the lodge opened, and much of the experience that allows guests to take advantage of staying in ‘dark sky zone’ is brought by volunteer astronomers from all over the world.  I was lucky enough to travel around the country with a visiting volunteer astronomer on an extended tour of Namibia in 2008, and this allowed me to see the country through very different eyes and to understand why it is such an appealing destination for star gazers – especially when away from the towns and other sources of ambient light. This gave me an enthusiasm for star gazing in addition to the more normal safari interests, and I have always found that guests enjoy learning about the night skies, even if this is not something they had given much thought to before starting their safari. I have had many challenging evenings as a result, as guests’ own enthusiasm for star gazing often increases during the course of a safari and their questions become more difficult to answer. I have normally been able to rise to this challenge, but some questions require a professional astronomer to answer them and I am afraid I am not there yet... 

Sebastiaan Meyer

Background: Sebastiaan was born in Windhoek, Namibia, but was raised by his Grandmother in her hometown of Berseba. This is quite a small village Northwest of Keetmanshoop. His ancestral line moved to Berseba in the mid-1850s, after they split from the !Aman.  It was here that his realization and fascination with nature began.

Sebastiaan’s early scholar career commenced in Berseba, thereafter he moved to the capital city to further his primary school. He matriculated in 2001 and embarked on his first prospected career path, that of information technology which he obtained a Diploma for in 2004. His first employment opportunity came from Impacto Amusement as a Technician.

2006 was a year that brought major opportunities and experiences for Sebastiaan. It was at this time in his life when he coincidentally saw an advert in the local newspaper to join a volunteer program in South Africa (Vredendal). There was a condition to this program though, a written essay stating reasons for being an ideal candidate. In the end he was successful and chosen as a candidate to participate in a 6-month exchange program. Upon return from his 6-month hiatus, he once again stumbled upon an advert by National Youth council to join on a training offered by wilderness Safaris for 1 full week.  About 25 candidates went on this training and only 8 were successful. Sebastiaan was amongst the successful individuals and this is where his official journey in guiding with Wilderness Safaris started.

As it was busy season when he undertook this posting, he felt thrown in the deep end with only having 5 days to prepare for his own guided tours. Whilst employed by Wilderness Safaris Sebastiaan was also part of ‘Children in the Wilderness’ with a few other colleagues. He still found time with his intense schedule to further his studies through NATH, a local institute. Wilderness Safaris offered exposure to their staff through this, and it allowed him to work at various camps and regions across Namibia.

Guiding Experience: In 2009 Sebastiaan started at Doro Nawas as a Guide/Assistant Manager and after 4 years of service he decided to leave offered his services on a freelance basis as both a Guide and Assistant Manager. Throughout his time guiding Sebastiaan was able to travel all over Namibia ranging from Etosha, Kunene region and Hardap region.

Hilton Hotel Windhoek was his next endeavor in 2011 with its opening. He was appointed as the Executive supervisor and later Guest Relations Supervisor, and after yet again a short 3-year service ventured into the same field but with an airline. South African airways welcomed Sebastiaan aboard as a Customer Service agent.

Realisation finally hit in 2016 when he could not see himself fitting in or conforming to the fast-paced metropolitan lifestyle anymore. His heart was in nature, his passion was the bush essentially and he could not be separated from it. Sebastiaan returned to the guiding scene in 2016 as a Freelance tour guide and worked for companies such as:

Namibia Tours and Safaris, African Eagle, Sense of Africa, Lark Journeys and many others running through most Southern African Countries. 

Personal Interests: The global pandemic impacted everyone quite harshly, but this didn’t stop Sebastiaan and he took this disadvantageous moment to pursue his studies in Occupational health and Safety by starting the international general certificate on a distance basis. Whenever he is asked, “What is the one thing you would want to be aside from a tour guide?”. His response is always, ‘a Safety Officer for the Tourism industry.’

Why I enjoy guiding: Guiding allows me the opportunity to get out into the country I love and share my experiences with the guests that travel with me.

Usko Hanghuwo

Background: Usko was born in the small town of Ohangwena in the northern part of Ovamboland (North Central Namibia), where his parents have resided for many years. His family are part of the Oshivambo tribe who are primarily farmers and fall under the Kwanjama sub tribe. As a boy, he helped his parents with crops, collecting livestock from the field and milking the cows. His mother was a manager at a local supermarket, but his dad had to travel away from the village as he worked at Transnamib, Namibia’s national transport company, and he was based in Otjiwarongo on the southern side of Etosha National Park.

Usko attended junior school in Grootfontein, and this was a major shock for him as he had never had running water, electricity or a TV before, and he enjoyed them all enormously. After Grootfontein he completed his primary schooling in Okahandja where he boarded for six years, starting at the very young age of six. During the school holidays he would either head back to the village or make his way to the capital to visit family. These latter visits helped him later on as he attended the Ella Du Plessis High School in Windhoek, close to where he had previously stayed with his family

After completing school, he worked as a graphic designer with his brother for over six years. Although this was a job that could sustain him for the rest of his life, he found he was not an office person and needed to spend more time outside. He was always finding new birds and trees to learn about, and he spent a lot of time looking for a job that would allow him to do that full time. He finally got his chance when offered a position as a trainee guide at Wolwedans on the Namib Rand Nature Reserve so that is where his guiding career started. He then went on to work at a number of other lodges throughout the country until he had gained enough experience to become a National Naturalist Guide

Guiding Experience

Usko went to Wolwedans in 2009 and quickly established himself as a popular guide. He was based there for three years and quickly mastered all aspects of desert guiding. He was also able to focus on the geology of the south, the small mammals and reptiles that inhabit the Namib Desert, and some of the rare and special bird species found in this area. His time here assisted him greatly when he moved further north in the Namib Desert to work at Damaraland Camp. This camp gave him his first encounter with large wildlife, mainly the desert-adapted elephants that roam through this area. He was still able to focus on the geology of the area as that is one of his passions, but he was also able to learn about these amazing large mammals and some of the fascinating details of their behavior.

When he finished his time in Damaraland he had become an accomplished off-road driver as the result of having to negotiate his way through this stark and mountainous terrain. He then moved even further north to Serra Cafema Camp on the bank of the Kunene River where it forms the northernmost point of Namibia.

Usko spent two years there and now also had to learn how to drive a boat, to improve his birding skills, and to have his first experience of ‘cultural’ guiding. He became a stalwart in the local guiding team and was also very popular amongst the people of the local Himba community who he visited on a regular basis with his guests. He mastered the Kunene River system, where there are no large mammals but there is an abundance of bird species to be found along the river. At the same time, he also managed to complete the majority of the required courses with the Namibia Academy of Tourism and Hospitality (NATH)

These NATH courses covered a wide variety of subjects such as ornithology, flora, fauna, politics and history. With these and the experience he had picked up over the last six years, he felt ready to start as a National guide and approached Ultimate Safaris where he was welcomed with enthusiasm.  He has fitted in well as an enthusiastic member of the full time guiding team, and one who invariably gets fantastic reviews from his guests. Usko is a knowledgeable, personable and experienced guide, and he is a pleasure to travel with. 

Personal Interests

Geology, plants, birds and traveling in the areas where these are found.

Why I enjoy guiding

Guiding brings me closer to nature and it allows me to share my fascination over all aspects of with the guests who come out to visit. It also allows me to meet people from all around the world and learn more about them and where they come from

On Trail...

When I was working at Damaraland Camp, we went out early one morning for Rhino tracking at a place called Arikana. I had four guests with me and we were lucky enough to find three Black Rhino fairly quickly, so we settled down to watch them from the thin cover of a single medium seize commiphora tree. Unfortunately, the wind changed direction and the Rhino caught our scent and decided to investigate what was behind the bush that smelled so unusual. This was all a bit alarming and we were trying to work out how close we could let the Rhino get before having to break cover. The Rhino kept coming closer, but they were clearly as jumpy as we were, and not at all sure they wanted to know what was hiding behind the bush.  I told everyone to remain quiet and not move a muscle even though the Rhino were close, but one of the guests lost his nerve and decided he had to get away. Fortunately, I didn’t have to try to stop him as this was at the same time the Rhino also decided they had had enough and needed to get away too. We could hear rocks cracking under their feet as they ran off, and I looked around to see genuine relief in the eyes of those around me as they all took a deep breath and said thank GOD! As we moved away, we found the guy who had run lying flat on the ground behind a Salvadora tree with his hands firmly over his eyes.  At the end this thrilling adventure we were all happy and making fun of each other, and the other guests were particularly harsh with ‘the runner’. However, it was all taken in good heart and the important thing was that no one was hurt – despite what could have happened. 

William Steenkamp

Name: William Steenkamp

Date of Birth:  2 March 1992

Background:

William was born in Windhoek, but he has not spent much of his time there.

William’s father is a police officer in an anti poaching unit, so he spent most of his early years moving between remote areas, learning why conservation of nature and wildlife is so important. He also spent time based in the Hochveld area where he could explore freely and learn more from the local residents. His schooling was varied, and it depended on where his parents were at the time, including schools in Mariental, Walvis Bay, Outapi in the north, and ending up at High School in Gobabis in the east. This gave him great exposure to many different areas of the country. After graduating from school, he studied as a boiler maker and welder and worked briefly on building military vehicles in Windhoek and boilers at the Coast.

As a result of his exposure to anti-poaching activities, he also became passionate about preserving wildlife rather than exploiting it, and he decided that the best way he could contribute to this was by becoming a professional safari guide. This would allow him to share the knowledge he had gained and to encourage others to see the value of conserving wildlife and having a positive impact on the planet. He therefore started as a freelance guide and got his first experience of Sossusvlei in the Namib.

Guiding Experience:

William started his guiding career at Wolwedans in the Namib Desert where he was sensitized to the special considerations involved in desert guiding. He added to this after a move to & Beyond’s Sossusvlei Desert Lodge where he attended more desert guiding courses and also learned about astronomy from the resident astronomers there. He then moved on to be a lodge-based guide at Ultimate Safaris’ Onduli Ridge in Damaraland where he had the opportunity to study the behaviour of the resident mega-fauna such as desert elephant and desert adapted black rhino.

William’s long-term goal was always to become part of the Ultimate Safaris tribe and to contribute to their work on bringing genuine conservation benefit from tourism activities. This was therefore his spiritual home and the place he could make the positive impact he was aiming for. It also gave him exposure to the sort of travellers who were likely to share his ideas on how they could help him to achieve his objectives.

While at Onduli, William became an integral part of the conservation activities in the area, with involvement in giraffe monitoring for the Giraffe Conservation Fund, the Damaraland leopard project, and rhino monitoring for Save The Rhino Trust. He took every opportunity to get involved in anything to do with conservation, including spending time in the more remote parts of the northwest with Dr Flip Stander who was conducting research for the Desert Lion Project. He also regularly worked as a second guide on larger group safaris so he could see more of the country and hone his skills a National guide while working with the hugely experienced members of the National guide team.

As a result of this determination, his move to join the National guiding team in early 2023 was seamless. Since then, he has continued to widen his knowledge and develop his skills. His undoubted competence and his engaging personality mean he is now regularly requested as guide and tour leader by those he has worked with on previous departures. In addition to this, he has won the internal award for dedication in his role as a National naturalist guide for both the last two years, thus demonstrating his devotion to both Ultimate Safaris and its work on conservation issues.

Personal Interests:

William enjoys everything about guiding, the more adventurous the better. He is a keen birder and appreciates the opportunity to learn more about birds on each safari he leads. He is also very fit and spends much of his free time cycling, running and hiking.

Why I enjoy guiding:

The best part of guiding is being able to share my fascination with animals and their environment with the sort of people who are also interested in learning more about them. I am also always fascinated to hear other perspectives on the value of conservation and to learn from guests how this is dealt with in other countries.

Sossusvlei is my favourite place because it is where I started my guiding career so it will always be special to me. I love the dunes, the mountains, the colours, and the very rare flora and fauna to be found there. This part of the Namib Desert just speaks to my soul.

On Trail:

I have had some amazing experiences while working for Ultimate Safaris which have been life changing for me. I was fortunate enough to be part of a back-up crew for two conservation safaris led by hugely experienced researchers, Dr Flip Stander from the Desert Lion Project and Dr Julian Fennessey from the Giraffe Conservation Fund. I learned so much from them, but the most amazing thing was getting hands on experience of the amazing creatures they work with. This all made me feel even more grounded and fulfilled than I had been previously.

Wilson Chifike

Background:

Growing up in a small farming and mining town in the heart of Zimbabwe and regular father-and-son fishing and camping trips fostered an early appreciation for nature and wildlife.

 Being a people person, having an inquisitive nature and the desire to travel, a post-high school diploma in tourism & business studies was a natural choice for Wilson.

 After completing his studies in Bulawayo, he moved to Victoria Falls, where he did ground handling for incoming groups and individuals and gained valuable experience as a sales and marketing representative.

 His love for nature led him to become a river rafting and canoe guide, but after a few years, Wilson wanted to focus more on travelling and decided to join the biggest overlanding company in Africa. He travelled through Southern and Eastern Africa for 11 years before joining the sales and marketing team.

 Furthermore, he earned his badge as a Cultural and Site Guide in South Africa before joining the sales & marketing team of the top Zimbabwean Hotel Group.

 With Namibia being a personal favourite the move from South Africa was a no-brainer, working for Ultimate Safaris is certainly the best move ever. This has allowed him to share his passion for the African continent and contribute to conservation awareness & efforts by playing an active part as a member of the Ultimate Safaris team.

Guiding Experience:

National Park ranger training in Zimbabwe.

Zambia (GreenPop Trees for Zambia Conservation Project). Wilson is very passionate about preserving the environment & offsetting our carbon footprints.

Guiding overland tours throughout Southern and Eastern Africa

Encountered and experienced different African cultures and speaks several indigenous languages.

Personal Interests:

As the son of an education inspector, he was encouraged to read from an early age. As a result, he loves to expand his knowledge in various fields.

 He is an avid sportsman as well with basketball being on top of that list!

Why I enjoy guiding:

Africa is such a diverse and fascinating continent. Sharing my love for this continent and making sure that my clients have the best possible experience, meeting people from all walks of life from all over the world and expanding my knowledge continuously is immensely rewarding and satisfying.

On Trail:

While canoeing on the upper Zambezi we encountered elephants swimming across the river. We first saw trunks and had to pull up on a ‘safe riverbank’. We let the giants swim across in peace while we watched in awe, up to date, I haven’t encountered such an amazing sight.