Through a series of events Josh ended up in Botswana, where he started working for a safari company as an assistant manager and trainee guide, based between Maun and the Makgadikgadi Pans National Park. After this year in Botswana Josh headed down to South Africa and successfully completed a field guide-training course with one of the most reputable training institutes, Antares Field Guide Training Center.
After his studies, Josh was offered a job in Zambia’s Kafue National Park, which entailed the rebuilding of Nanzhila Camp, and establishing new roads and safari experiences for guests. During this time Josh worked closely with the Zambian Wildlife Authority’s (ZAWA) anti-poaching unit in Kafue.
Once the Kafue project was finished Josh and his trusty, rusty old Land Rover headed west to explore Western Zambia. He fell in love with this culturally rich region and spent time as a fly fishing guide on the mighty Zambezi River. He carried on working closely with the anti poaching unit and helped to set up a community re-forestation project. With these projects up and running Josh returned to Botswana and the Okavango Delta working for a small company that focused on walking safaris. He attended courses to further his knowledge of the region and acquired an advanced rifle-handling certificate.
Josh has lead mobile safaris all over Botswana, from the luna styled landscapes of the Makgadikgadi Salt Pans through the luscious wetlands of the Okavango and on to the Chobe. He also led safaris through Namibia’s Caprivi Strip. It was during this time that Josh’s potential was spotted by Great Plains Conservation, who offered him a job, guiding from the prestigious Zarafa and Selinda Camps, as well as the Selinda Canoe Trail, a four-day safari that works its way through one of the most untouched and beautiful concessions in Botswana. Josh was in his element, so much so that Selinda Canoe Trails achieved many notable awards during his time with them. To date Josh has ‘paddled up’ over 3 500 canoe kilometers!
Josh’s thirst for adventure has led him to some very interesting places around Africa. He has successfully summited Kilimanjaro and in 2011 he became the first person to circumnavigate Lake Malawi in his kayak totally unsupported. As if this wasn’t enough, after just a few weeks of R&R he set off to tackle another of Africa’s great lakes, Lake Tanganyika - the world’s longest and second deepest lake. Here he and friends raised thousands of pounds for a small charity in Namibia, completing their journey in 22 days.
Apart from spending time in Southern and Eastern Africa, Josh jumps at any opportunity that will help further his knowledge of the continent he loves so much. This has led him to Guinea (West Africa) and Gabon (Central Africa). In Guinea he was given a motorbike, a hammock and a GPS and asked to map over a million acres around the Niger National Park, which forms part of the Upper Guinean Forest. In Gabon he joined a small team of scientists that were working for a new safari company researching an area of Loango National Park, mainly focusing on tracking and recording Gorilla activity. It was here while exploring the mangrove swamps and lagoons that Josh came across some the surfing hippos for which this park is now so famous!
In his 'down time' in Botswana, Josh and a friend or two often get dropped off in the Okavango by light aircraft and then ‘walked home’. Carrying, as little as possible, these 100-200 km treks have been a true test of their bush survival skills.
Josh is a very keen bird watcher; he never goes anywhere without his binoculars and is slowly but surely adding many new birds to his already large list. Spending so much time in the bush on safari Josh has become passionate about photography and has had pictures published in the US and UK media. Josh is passionate about Africa and all things wild and loves to share his knowledge with his guests.
In 2015 Josh canoed from the source of the Okavango in Angola to the the Makgadikgadi Salt Pans in Botswana in a epic 67 day 1702 km unsupported expedition.
Josh is now a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society London
After his studies, Josh was offered a job in Zambia’s Kafue National Park, which entailed the rebuilding of Nanzhila Camp, and establishing new roads and safari experiences for guests. During this time Josh worked closely with the Zambian Wildlife Authority’s (ZAWA) anti-poaching unit in Kafue.
Once the Kafue project was finished Josh and his trusty, rusty old Land Rover headed west to explore Western Zambia. He fell in love with this culturally rich region and spent time as a fly fishing guide on the mighty Zambezi River. He carried on working closely with the anti poaching unit and helped to set up a community re-forestation project. With these projects up and running Josh returned to Botswana and the Okavango Delta working for a small company that focused on walking safaris. He attended courses to further his knowledge of the region and acquired an advanced rifle-handling certificate.
Josh has lead mobile safaris all over Botswana, from the luna styled landscapes of the Makgadikgadi Salt Pans through the luscious wetlands of the Okavango and on to the Chobe. He also led safaris through Namibia’s Caprivi Strip. It was during this time that Josh’s potential was spotted by Great Plains Conservation, who offered him a job, guiding from the prestigious Zarafa and Selinda Camps, as well as the Selinda Canoe Trail, a four-day safari that works its way through one of the most untouched and beautiful concessions in Botswana. Josh was in his element, so much so that Selinda Canoe Trails achieved many notable awards during his time with them. To date Josh has ‘paddled up’ over 3 500 canoe kilometers!
Josh’s thirst for adventure has led him to some very interesting places around Africa. He has successfully summited Kilimanjaro and in 2011 he became the first person to circumnavigate Lake Malawi in his kayak totally unsupported. As if this wasn’t enough, after just a few weeks of R&R he set off to tackle another of Africa’s great lakes, Lake Tanganyika - the world’s longest and second deepest lake. Here he and friends raised thousands of pounds for a small charity in Namibia, completing their journey in 22 days.
Apart from spending time in Southern and Eastern Africa, Josh jumps at any opportunity that will help further his knowledge of the continent he loves so much. This has led him to Guinea (West Africa) and Gabon (Central Africa). In Guinea he was given a motorbike, a hammock and a GPS and asked to map over a million acres around the Niger National Park, which forms part of the Upper Guinean Forest. In Gabon he joined a small team of scientists that were working for a new safari company researching an area of Loango National Park, mainly focusing on tracking and recording Gorilla activity. It was here while exploring the mangrove swamps and lagoons that Josh came across some the surfing hippos for which this park is now so famous!
In his 'down time' in Botswana, Josh and a friend or two often get dropped off in the Okavango by light aircraft and then ‘walked home’. Carrying, as little as possible, these 100-200 km treks have been a true test of their bush survival skills.
Josh is a very keen bird watcher; he never goes anywhere without his binoculars and is slowly but surely adding many new birds to his already large list. Spending so much time in the bush on safari Josh has become passionate about photography and has had pictures published in the US and UK media. Josh is passionate about Africa and all things wild and loves to share his knowledge with his guests.
In 2015 Josh canoed from the source of the Okavango in Angola to the the Makgadikgadi Salt Pans in Botswana in a epic 67 day 1702 km unsupported expedition.
Josh is now a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society London