I’ve been guiding for around five years. Originally, I planned to study animal sciences and genetics, but a few months before enrolling, I realised I’d be working with animals from a laboratory perspective, internally, not in the wild. That wasn’t what I envisioned. After some research, I discovered field guiding, and it felt like the perfect path, allowing me to observe and understand animals in their natural environment, exactly where they belong.
I trained through Impala Game Ranger Training and hold an NQF Level 2 Field Guide qualification (Apprentice Field Guide).
One of the animals I’m most passionate about sharing with guests is the hippo. While often underestimated, hippos are incredibly strong and fiercely protective when they need to be. They also produce their own natural sunscreen, an oily substance known as hipposudoric acid, which gives the impression that they’re sweating blood. In reality, it protects their skin by absorbing UV rays and offering antibacterial benefits.
A moment that stands out for me was during a sundowner stop at a quiet waterhole. There was no movement in sight, and the guests had stepped off the vehicle to relax. Within minutes, the silence was broken by the sound of snapping branches, a herd of more than 30 buffalo emerged, seemingly keen to crash our sundowner and join the gathering!
Conservation is vital to me. Nature supports all forms of life, animals, humans, and plants, and without it, future generations won’t be able to witness what we see every day. With habitat loss and poaching on the rise, the threat of a future where rhinos exist only in zoos or reserves vanish completely is very real. Conservation ensures these species remain part of our living world, not just our history.
Languages spoken: Afrikaans and English.
Kaingo is a 16 400 hectare (41 000 acre) private game reserve in the Waterberg District, of the Limpopo Province of South Africa. A pleasant 2.5-hour drive from Johannesburg, makes Kaingo one of the most accessible premier malaria free big game reserves in the country. It is a declared protected area with Critical Biodiversity 1 classification and a core area of the Waterberg Biosphere Reserve, which was officially declared by UNESCO in 2001.
As a declared Nature Reserve with the primary objective of Natural Resource Conservation the Reserve is run along pure, sustainable management and development principles, with an exceptionally low development and tourist footprint. Kaingo Reserve Foundation, a non-profit public benefit organisation is the appointed management authority of the reserve.
The grassy plains and savanna abound with animals such as giraffe, zebra, wildebeest, and impala. It is the diversity of habitat on the reserve that encourages such a wide range of wildlife as well as over 300 bird species, including rare species such as African finfoot and Narina trogon.
Kaingo protects a unique and special environment and the reserve’s owners, and management is deeply committed to conservation and research. It is one of the few reserves where the full tourism income goes towards positive conservation. Every visiting guest directly supports the reserve’s primary objective of conservation.
Rich in human history there is also an array of rock art sites on Kaingo. With hundreds of images spread across 15 sites, Kaingo offers the biggest variety of rock art and archaeological finds dating to the Stone Age.
Engage in fishing activities in the Mokolo River, home to 32 different fish species. The area offers picturesque spots for mostly catch-and-release fishing, with the option to have caught bass prepared by our kitchen chefs as a delightful snack.
We’re striving to conserve the biodiversity, ecological integrity, landscape characteristics and cultural resources of Kaingo Game Reserve for future generations. As custodians of nature for the next generation we have an opportunity and thus responsibility to make a significant contribution to the protection of the Waterberg.
Embark on a serene Mokolo River Boat Cruise to witness the wildlife of Kaingo. Our expert guides ensure an educational journey through the reserves beauty. With the gentle boat pace, experience up-close encounters with animals and the diverse fauna and flora of the region.
Weather Dependant
*NB: River levels are low at the moment.