Throughout your trip you will be accompanied by Naturalist and Guide, Pilatwe Manga. Known throughout Botswana as ‘Pilot’ due to the similarity in his name to Pilate (as in the biblical Pontius Pilate) you will be shown this beautiful country by someone who is a born and bred ‘Motswana’ (the name given to citizens of Botswana) and is a genuine local.
Pilot was born in a small village, Shorobe, on the edge of the Okavango Delta in Botswana. He spent his early life in the bush and on a remote cattle post attending Shorobe Primary School. Shopping trips with his parents would entail travel to Maun by Mokoro (a traditional dug-out canoe). Pilot could not attend high school, due to the death of his Father, leaving Pilot to look after the family. His upbringing in the Okavango Delta led him to working with the founder of Wilderness Safaris and was the first local guide to be employed by Wilderness, and to this day, Pilot is still friends with the founder of Wilderness Safaris.
Pilot has spent many years working as a guide in Botswana, mainly as an Explorer guide for Wilderness Safaris, travelling on land throughout the country and guiding his guests in all the country’s National Parks and private areas. This job also took Pilot to the regional safari destinations of Namibia, Zimbabwe and South Africa. His greatest claim to fame is to have visited Canada for a Polar Bear Safari and to this day is still the only time he has left the African continent.
Pilot is an extremely resourceful man and is fun to be around during a safari where he likes to give his guests outstanding wildlife experiences and service that is second to none. An accomplished vehicle Mechanic, Chef and guide there is no-one better to be with to show you this fabulous country, Botswana.