Private Guided Safaris > Meet the guides

Meet the guides

Safari guiding involves anything from primarily "spotting" wildlife, to an in-depth immersion course in animal behaviour, cultures, languages, history, paleontology and many other fields, and most importantly topped with ample humour. The difference in overall experience between one safari and another can be phenomenal depending on your guide.

We select our guides very carefully. All our leading guides have been conducting safaris for over ten years. They were all raised in Africa, and have an in-depth knowledge of the bush. They have chosen to be guides because guiding and being in the wild is their vocation. In short, they guide because they love being with people in the bush.

The guide assigned to your safari begins his role by being involved in the design of your itinerary, then meets you at the beginning of your safari and accompanies you throughout, sharing what is so special about the places he has recommended with his knowledge, views, ideas and sense of fun.
Click on the link below to find out more about the individuals who make Wilderness Africa such a unique adventure:

Dave Christensen
Justin Bell
Squack Evans
Marc Baker
Ole Kirimbai
Njano Mbilinyi
Wilbard Minja

Dave Christensen

Dave was born and educated in Zimbabwe. He joined the safari industry in 1987, and qualified as a Professional Safari Guide in Zimbabwe in 1989. He also has a Canoe Guide’s License.

Dave has been on the Professional Hunters and Guides Examining Board in Zimbabwe since 1992 and is holder of a Chemical Restraint License (which means he is permitted to dart wild animals). He is a very dedicated naturalist whose varied interests cover all aspects of wildlife and the environment.

Dave has spent much of his career conducting walking and canoeing safaris in Zimbabwe. However over the last ten years he has also led many safaris in Botswana, Mozambique, Namibia, Rwanda, South Africa, Tanzania and Uganda.

Although many of the safaris he leads today are in Tanzania, he and his wife, Carol, live in Zimbabwe. They have two children, Jordan and Mitch.

Dave is a passionate photographer and his work has been published in various brochures, magazines and books. He has won many photographic competitions and has had several images reach the semi-finals of the coveted BBC Wildlife Photographer of the Year award.

Dave has been guiding for Wilderness Africa since 2004, and he joined us as a full time team member in May 2006.

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Justin Bell

Justin is a keen naturalist with a broad knowledge of East Africa, who looks forward to periods spent on safari. His wide interests include mammalian life, birdlife, insects, plants, paleontology, history and culture. Justin has featured on a wildlife television programme called "Wild Things".

Justin was born in Kenya, and spent his early childhood on the spice island of Zanzibar. After completing his education, he travelled the world for nine years to satisfy an eager interest in different cultures, customs and languages. During this period he worked in a wide variety of fields, including a project to re-introduce the Arabian white oryx, a rare species of antelope, to the central deserts of Oman. He visited many countries in Africa, Asia, Europe and the Americas, as well as Australia.

In 1989 he returned to East Africa, and with his brother Damian, began conducting safaris in Tanzania. Justin is a qualified Wilderness First Responder (First Aid) and KPSGA (Kenya Professional Safari Guide's Association) Silver level guide. Over the years Justin concentrated more on guiding, while Damian oversaw the operations. Justin and his wife Gillian have three children, Laurence, Alana and Olethea.

The eternal traveller, Justin leads climbs up Mount Kilimanjaro as well as conducting safaris in various parts of Africa. He also runs Wilderness Africa's marketing.

"Justin - my everlasting gratitude and respect for your leadership skill, good humour and patience in managing our memorable ascent of Mt Kilimanjaro. It was an adventure immensely satisfying and which will grow in importance as time passes. I especially appreciate your assuming the risk of getting this septugenarian up to the summit. I pay you the highest compliment I can bring to mind for one who excels at his trade as you do - craftsman and professional. Thank you."
Mr John Robson, USA. Jan 2000

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Squack Evans

Squack was born and brought up on a large cattle ranch in Zimbabwe. He was educated at a remote boarding school in the bush of Zimbabwe, the love affair with all things wild continued. After sitting the first of the Zimbabwean professional guides examinations, he took up guiding full time in Hwange National Park and continued his licensing examinations until 2001 when the call of longer walking safaris beckoned and he returned to East Africa to run Sabuk Lodge and conduct camel safaris in northern Kenya, as well as trips elsewhere in Kenya.

In 2004 he moved to Tanzania, where until 2006 he ran Chada Camp in the remote Katavi National Park (Tanzania) and participated in training local guides. Since then he has been guiding safaris throughout Tanzania and Kenya. Squack lives in Nairobi, Kenya.

His professionalism, skill at moving a full glass from his head to the ground without touching or using his hands, in–depth bush knowledge and infectious enthusiasm charm all visitors, young and old!

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Marc Baker

Marc is a professional naturalist. His scientific background combined with his childhood experience of living in Africa, has resulted in a broad understanding of Africa’s environments, wildlife, people and history. His love for wildlife and adventure, his passion for sharing his knowledge, his sense of humour, and his boyish eagerness, make him a wonderful companion in the bush. While he is interested in a almost anything concerning nature, his focus has been ornithology.

Marc was born in England, and moved to Africa when he was 7 years old. He finished his secondary education in Dar-es-Salaam. He then joined the British Army for five years, before studying at Nottingham University in England, where he graduated as a conservation biologist.

Marc then returned to East Africa, becoming chief ornithologist with a United Nations conservation project. He then became a professional safari guide, while simultaneously continuing private consultancy. He lives in Arusha, Tanzania, with his wife Claire and their children Niamh and Oscar.

Marc is actively involved in conservation in Tanzania and is a member of the Wildlife Conservation Society of Tanzania and the African Bird Club. He has published several scientific papers, and is a regular contributor to the Tanzanian Bird Atlas, Tanzanian Ringing Scheme and the Carnivore Monitoring database. He has also written popular articles on travel and wildlife in Tanzania.

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Ole Kirimbai

Ole Kirimbai is a Maasai tribal elder. The Maasai are renowned for their love of cattle and their knowledge of the African bush.

For many years Ole Kirimbai worked for the Tanzanian Game Department as a game officer. He worked mostly in the bush of northern Tanzania, including in the area surrounding Tarangire national park. Later, when the government established anti-poaching units, he became a second-in-charge commander of an anti-poaching patrol. On one operation he was sent to the Selous game reserve for re-inforcement, and has many exciting stories to tell from those days!

In the late 1980's he began working for a tour company as a headman
(in charge of the camp crew). He became an employee of Wilderness Africa in 1991. He soon became a safari guide, and has proven exceptional in this profession. He is especially noted for his enthusiasm for learning about nature, his total sense of ease in the bush, and his cheerful disposition. He has qualified as a KPSGA (Kenya Professional Guides Association) Bronze level guide.

Apart from a genuine fascination with nature, Ole Kirimbai has a great sense of humour, and being a father of five children himself, loves entertaining children. He is a leader of his local church choir, and is a respected elder of his community.

"Your sense of timing is extraordinary. Whether its on the drive or around the fire, everything Justin and Kirimbai have done seemed like the perfect thing to do at the time."
Roger Sant, Washington DC, USA. June 2000

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Njano Mbilinyi

Njano was born Born in 1974 in Iringa, Southern Tanzania. Njano first came to work with Marc Baker’s parents in 1991. Bird enthusiasts, they had settled on the slopes of Mt.Kilimanjaro, an important bird migration route. He later worked as a field assistant with Marc on a Kenya-Tanzania Crossborder Biodiversity project, travelling throughout both countries. Njano has worked with the Max-Planck institute for Ornithology and School for International Training, helping advise students on bird related projects and life in Tanzania.

Njano then began guiding, initially based at renowned Oliver’s Camp in Tarangire national park, Tanzania, and then on safari with Marc Baker. He was also resident guide at Sayari Camp in the Serengeti. He is adaptable and knowledgeable, and guides throughout Tanzania.

Njano's confidence in the wilds, keen knowledge of birdlife and the inter-relationships in nature, combined with his charm and carefree smiles make him a real pleasure to be with in the bush. His deep understanding of Tanzania, its culture and environments are always an added bonus.

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Wilbard Minja

Wilbard is one of our Kilimanjaro trek national park qualified mountain guides. He runs all the camp crew details and assists Justin or Squack with the mountain climbers.

He was born in Marangu Village on the south-eastern slopes of Mount Kilimanjaro in 1956. He is married and has three children.

He began his guiding career on Mount Kilimanjaro in 1986 because he liked the mountain and it gave him the opportunity to assist his family in Marangu.

Wilbard received training from Kilimanjaro Tanzania National Park, (KINAPA), and is a certified KINAPA guide. He has attended several seminars on flora, fauna, first aid and rescue. He has attended and trained with NOLS on an 80-hour Wilderness First Responders Course with the Wilderness Medical Institute. He is certified by NOLS with “Advanced Wilderness First-Aid”, and ”Heartsaver CPR”. As a guide he has climbed the Kilimanjaro over 200 times.

He is known as “Mzee” (Swahili for “respected elder”) on the mountain, because of his tenure. Wilbard prides himself on his attention to detail, and takes great care in quietly managing all the details which make up each trek.

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