Abelana Safari Camp’s seasoned walking safari guide, John Fouche, will soon be immersing his guests in the fascinating intricacies of the African wilderness when the camp opens for business in late August.

John started his career at the legendary Mala Mala way back in 1980, where he learned bush craft, how to shoot a rifle and the fine art of studying animal behaviour.

“In those days there was no such thing as the Field Guide’s Association of Southern Africa, so as long as you were healthy, could shoot straight and drive, you were good to go,” recalls John, with a laugh.

From Mala Mala John moved to the Timbavati, teaching basic conservation to school children, doing wilderness trails and working as a guide respectively, building up his knowledge and understanding of the bush.

“I then moved on to become a freelance trails guide in the Kruger National Park and a guide trainer in Ruaha National Park in Tanzania,” explains John. “I also moved into management, managing a safari camp in Botswana’s Central Kalahari, which was an incredible experience and taught me a lot about the safari industry from an operational point of view,” he says.

John will be sharing his incredible knowledge with guests on morning walks and afternoon game drives, where they’ll be learning about everything from trees and geology to big game and the smaller, often overlooked inhabitants of the African bush.

“I love and respect the bush deeply,” says John. “I also love sharing my knowledge with guests and am looking forward to the next phase of my career at Abelana.”

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