Leonard doesn’t just guide you through the Lower Zambezi. He interprets it. Born and raised here, with more than 30 years of guiding experience. Leonard was the first qualified walking safari guide in the region, but it’s not just his credentials that make him extraordinary; it’s the way he sees, remembers, and shares the bush.
Leonard’s Unexpected Journey
Guiding wasn’t Leonard’s childhood dream. He initially wanted to be a teacher. But a chance opportunity led him into the field, and he’s never looked back. What began as a temporary job helping build a camp evolved into a lifelong calling after a lodge manager noticed Leonard’s calm presence and excellent English.
Protecting the Wilderness
As former chair of the Lower Zambezi Guides Association, Leonard helped implement essential policies, including limiting the number of vehicles per sighting. “We saw how overcrowding made animals skittish. We wanted to preserve the integrity of each encounter,” he says. “Now, the guides work together. We know the lions, their movements. We respect each other and the animals.”
Understanding the Zambezi Ecosystem
Leonard’s knowledge is immense; he doesn’t just know where the wild dogs are likely to den, he knows when they’ll return to feed their pups, he reads the ground like a storybook, notices shifts in vegetation, and recalls how the landscape has evolved since the Kariba dam wall burst in 1959. And while he speaks with warmth and humour, his knowledge of the area runs deep.
“Some guests arrive expecting the Big Five. We don’t have rhino, but what we do have is a chance to see the Big Four in peace, with no traffic, no pressure. You don’t need to rush or chase. You can observe.”
A Deeper Safari Experience
More than just animal sightings, Leonard’s safaris explore history, botany, and the rhythm of the landscape. He’ll tell you why the fig trees grow where they do, which areas used to be villages, and what stories the termite mounds hold. Even when no wildlife is in sight, you’re never without something to discover.
