Our Guide
“One cannot resist the lure of Africa.”
– Rudyard Kipling (English writer)
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– Rudyard Kipling (English writer)
For nearly three decades, Andrew “Andy” Smith has dedicated his life to Africa’s wild places, earning a reputation as one of Zimbabwe’s most respected professional safari guides. His career has been shaped by an unwavering commitment to conservation, exceptional guiding standards, and creating deeply personal wilderness experiences for discerning travellers seeking far more than a traditional safari.
Andrew’s journey began with an intensive professional guide apprenticeship, where he developed a comprehensive understanding of environmental ethics, African flora and fauna, wildlife behaviour, bushcraft, tracking, and the practical mechanics essential for operating safely in some of Africa’s most remote wilderness areas. It was here that he discovered what would become a lifelong passion—the art of tracking Africa’s wildlife on foot.
Throughout his career, Andrew has worked alongside conservation organisations, wildlife researchers, and local communities across Zimbabwe. His contributions have ranged from assisting farmers by safely moving crop-raiding elephants from maize fields to supporting scientific research during lion immobilisation operations, removing illegal wire snares from protected areas, and participating in wildlife capture and relocation projects with the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority. He has remained equally committed to developing the next generation of professional guides, mentoring apprentice guides and contributing to educational bush programmes for aspiring conservationists.
In 2004, Andrew earned his Full Zimbabwe Professional Guide’s Licence—widely regarded as one of the most demanding guiding qualifications in Africa. Today, he serves as one of the National Instructors and Examiners for the Zimbabwe Professional Guides Association (ZPGA), entrusted with training, mentoring, and assessing the next generation of Zimbabwean Professional Guides while helping preserve the internationally recognised standards for which Zimbabwe’s guiding profession is renowned.
Andrew has guided throughout Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Zambia, Botswana, Namibia, South Africa, Chad, Kenya, and Tanzania, working across an extraordinary diversity of landscapes—from the floodplains of the Okavango Delta and the vast teak forests of Hwange to the Zambezi Valley, the deserts of Namibia, and the iconic plains of East Africa. This breadth of experience enables him to interpret not only the wildlife his guests encounter but also the intricate ecological relationships and subtle rhythms that make each wilderness area unique.
His guiding philosophy is centred on what he describes as photographic stalking—quietly tracking wildlife while positioning guests to enjoy intimate, ethical encounters and exceptional photographic opportunities. Rather than simply finding animals, Andrew teaches guests how to understand behaviour, anticipate movement, read the landscape, and use natural light to create meaningful wildlife photographs. He has become particularly respected for his expertise in tracking lions on foot, a discipline refined through thousands of hours following Africa’s apex predators through some of the continent’s most challenging wilderness.
Andrew’s expertise has also been called upon during wildlife documentary productions, where guiding camera crews on foot demanded exceptional fieldcraft, sound judgement, and an uncompromising commitment to safety while capturing some of Africa’s most remarkable wildlife stories.
In recognition of his outstanding professionalism and contribution to Zimbabwe’s safari industry, Andrew was honoured in 2020 with one of the country’s highest guiding accolades:
Outstanding Professional Guide in Zimbabwe
Although his work has taken him across southern and eastern Africa, Zimbabwe remains the place he proudly calls home. It is here, among ancient forests, open savannas, and untamed wilderness, that he continues to deepen his understanding of Africa’s wildlife and share its extraordinary beauty with guests from around the world.
For Andrew, the greatest luxury is not found in lavish surroundings—it is found in exclusivity, time, and genuine wilderness. It is the privilege of following fresh lion tracks at first light, quietly approaching a herd of elephants on foot, or watching the last rays of the African sun illuminate a leopard emerging from the shadows.
These are not simply wildlife sightings. They are authentic moments, earned through patience, experience, and nearly three decades of intimate knowledge of Africa’s wild places.
They are the moments that become memories for a lifetime.
