Don’t get us wrong, we would never send you to a camp where the guiding isn’t excellent but you can always take that one step further – private guides are knowledgeable, charismatic, and great additions to any luxury safari – to book a private guide ensures that you will have the best guiding in East Africa and Southern Africa, throughout your safari – a good or bad guide can make or break your safari.

The Luxury Safari Company have a selection of exceptionally talented and respected private guides in all of Africa, and it is an absolute treat to be able to go on safari with these characters, whose tales of the bush never fail to amuse the gang over drinks round the campfire each evening.


We hand pick our private guides across Africa and our young guides were brought up in the Kenyan bush and their knowledge is unrivalled. On top of this they are expert photographers who can either help you, or simply get you into the perfect spot. They are endlessly cheerful and their enthusiasm is infectious, whether you’re on a private mobile safari, or simply lucky enough to have one or both of them as your private guide, you can rest assured you’ll be on the safari of a lifetime.


Chris Rodgers: Kenya & Tanzania. Chris recently guided us in Tanzania and we’re delighted to welcome him to the team. If you want a guide who truly knows Tanzania and it’s people then look no further.  Chris Rodgers, son to a world known conservationist, was born in 1988. His first six months was spent in the UK, before his parents Nicola and Dr Allan Rodgers, decided to move to India, where his dad set up the Indian Wildlife Institute. Christopher lived in India for two years and just turned four when his parents once again returned to Tanzania.  Thanks to his father’s countless field trips, Chris encountered the real Africa from an early age and just like his father he developed a passion for Africa’s people and wildlife.  Chris never left his beloved country. Today Chris is a professional walking guide, always pushing for a safari by foot. Thanks to his beautifully fluent Swahili he will take you deep into the Tanzanian bush (into areas often remote and untouched by the tourist trail) and share his vast knowledge about Africa’s fauna and flora. Whether you would like to unfold Africa’s beauty by canoe, horseback, by foot or on a traditional photographic safari, Chris will share his enthusiasm and knowledge and tell stories that will travel generations.


Rob Barber: Rob is one of our top guides in Botswana, but is actually originally from Tanzania where he was brought up in the bush. It is this knowledge that he will bring to your safari either when on his private mobile safari through the Okavango Delta or the Kalahari. He is one of the most personable, relaxed and charming guides you’ll ever meet and a safari with him and his wife Charlotte will be extremely good fun, alongside some amazing experiences with wildlife and the community through Rob’s unrivalled contacts in Botswana. His private mobile camp is comfortable with gourmet food, and always in the best location for wildlife.


Ralph Bousfield: all of Africa. Ralph comes from a long line of African pioneers and adventurers. His family have guided safaris for four generations, the first guide being his maternal great grandfather, Major Richard Granville Nicholson, who escorted Princess Eugenie to see her son’s grave and the site where he was killed in the Zulu war on the 1st June 1879. Ralph’s father, Jack, grew up hunting crocodiles in Tanganyika with his father and was one of the first Great White Hunters to turn his back on hunting become a conservationist.

Ralph studied Nature Conservation and did his thesis on the Wattled Crane as an Indicator Species of Wetland Destruction. He furthered his studies at the International Crane Institute in Wisconsin under the famous George Archibald, who captive bred the whooping crane back from extinction. Ralph then worked with his mother to establish Botswana’s first Wildlife Orphanage and Education Centre and upon Jack’s tragic death in 1992 built Jack’s Camp (with his partner Catherine) in Jack’s memory (on the site of Jack’s original, and considerably more rustic, camp from the 60’s). In 1998 Ralph co-produced and presented a sixteen part series for the Discovery Channel entitled “Uncharted Africa”, which was filmed in Botswana, Namibia, Kenya and Tanzania.

Ralph is personable, charismatic and fun – there is no better way to do a safari than with him.


John Barclay: Botswana. John guided us recently on a mobile safari and we were blown away by his knowledge – young and infectiously enthusiastic about the bush he has inherited his uncle’s (Ralph Bousfield’s) wonderfully enchanting way of telling stories and describing what you’re looking at. Born and raised in Botswana John has certainly picked up more in depth knowledge of the bush and its inhabitants from Ralph than most guides double his age.


Super: Botswana. Super was born in Botswana, and has spent all of his 30 years in the bush.  He started working for Jack Bousfield as a teenager and upon Jack’s death, helped Ralph and Catherine build Jack’s Camp.  He has been in the Makgadikgadi since 1993 and has become a true specialist in this challenging and unique ecosystem.

He has incredibly good tracking skills and eyesight like a meerkat’s – which combine to make him an expert on finding the Kalahari’s most elusive residents.  He learnt a lot of what he knows from Ralph and shares his deep and abiding passion for the pans.  There is nowhere on earth quite like this ancient superlake – and no one on earth who knows it better than Super and Ralph.


Jackson: Kenya & Tanzania. Jackson Looseyia was made famous by Big Cat Diary which he helps to present and his enthusiastic and charming characteristics are clear for all to see. Jackson was born in 1967 in the heart of the Masai Mara and grew up surrounded by wildlife, finding it fascinating from an early age. He is particularly adept at tracking. Jackson’s father was a famous hunter who came into contact with park rangers one too many times and ended up in jail – on his release he became a poacher turned conservationist and was promoted to head ranger of the Southern Mara. Jackson’s father took him into the bush for six months solid training. During this time he learnt how to handle the most dangerous animals such as elephant, buffalo and lion. Jackson quickly rose to become one of the first Masai guides and runs a well known camp in the Mara. His knowledge of the bush is limitless and his sense of humour infectious.


Please do not hesitate to contact us if you would like a private guide to accompany you on your luxury bespoke Africa Safari.