Meet our Guides: Alex & Gareth

We believe what makes a riding holiday step up from a memorable experience to an extraordinary experience lies in the hands of your guide/s. This short and snappy Q&A will give you a glimpse into safari guide Gareth’s (pictured above with his wife Alex) life in the Okavango Delta, the challenges and highlights of their job.

How long have you been running your horse riding holidays? 

I’ve been a horse safari guide for over a 13 years and have guided at many of the best safaris in Africa. Having gained my guides licence at Okavango Horse Safaris (OHS) in 2012 after being the stable manager it was a dream come true to purchase OHS in July 2025. 

And what was the background, history or reason for starting?

After a brief stint in the UK, I was home in Maun for Christmas in 2010 when my brother Richard was asked by the manager at OHS at the time if he wanted a job! My brother had just picked up guiding as a job so suggested that I go in his place. My initial role was doing maintenance, building bridges, barns, fixing cars and that sort of thing. Shortly after I was riding some of the horses and backing youngsters. When Barney and PJ suggested that I stay and help for a bit longer I jumped at the chance and the rest is history! 

How many guest horses do you have? 
60 horses

Describe your herd of horses in four words.
Happy, Healthy, Varied, Worldclass

What is the philosophy or ethos behind your horse riding safaris in the Delta? 

We have four guiding principles:

1 – OHS has always been known for its meticulous horse care and wonderful herd of horses, the herd is the foundation of our safaris and ensuring their happiness and health is critical to us.

2 – Safety is paramount. All of our guides are fully licensed and incredibly experienced riding and guiding in big game areas. Our management are all first aid trained and we regularly refresh core training such as first aid, rifle handling and emergency procedures.

3 – We strongly believe that we have a role to play in supporting communities local to OHS. Whether that be through purchasing produce from farms on our transit route to taking children from these communities into the bush we try and have a positive impact where we can.

4 – Fun. For many of our guests a horse safari is a once in a lifetime experience and it’s up to us to make it as memorable as possible. 

What do you love most about your job?

The wilderness, our horses, the people we meet, where do I start! I grew up in the Botswanan bush, owning a horse safari and showing people from all over the world our backyard never gets old. I particularly love having guests who have never been on safari before, their smiles say it all.

What is the most challenging part? 

The most challenging part of my job is keeping our camp supplied and maintained in a truly remote setting. We have a brilliant maintenance and office team who keep the show on the road. Whether that’s sourcing hard to come by potatoes in Maun or maintaining our solar power system in camp there’s a new challenge every day!

Why should globetrotters sign up for this ride? 

The Okavango Delta is a UNESCO world heritage site. Riding amongst big game in the worlds largest inland delta is an experience only a few lucky people ever get to have. OHS operates in a private concession, you will not see another tourist during your safari with us! A ride with us is as close to nature as you will ever get.

A tip that every globetrotter must know before signing up for this ride.

Come riding fit, with an open mind and you won’t be disappointed.

Finish this sentence – Don’t leave home without…

A good book 

What has been the most memorable or significant moment of your guiding career?

I would say the most significant moment of my guiding career would be taking over Okavango Horse Safaris. 

Anything else you’d like GT’ers to know about you or your ride?
Our rides are fun and challenging, we have an incredibly wild and untouched area to explore. We pride ourselves in looking after our horses and making sure that everyone is well mounted.