ABOUT OGS
OUR TRAINERS
ABOUT OGS
// ABOUT
OUR TRAINERS
Our team of highly knowledgeable and passionate trainers will teach you to interpret behaviour and understand the complex and fascinating interactions between the Okavango species and their environment.
African Guide Academy has a team of safari guide trainers that are unsurpassed in their qualifications and experience.
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GRANT REED
Born into a family of naturalists, Grant put up little resistance and by the age of 5 he had a modest collection of snakes and a love of birds. A childhood in the foothills of the Magaliesberg Mountains was the perfect place to nurture this passion and by his early teens he shared an impressive collection of reptiles with his brother Brent. The constant hunting for prey for the captive snakes sparked an interest in frogs, small mammals, nesting birds and other elements of wildlife.
Grant would often join his father Mike on walks he would lead for the Wildlife Society of South Africa for birders, tree-lovers and general wildlife enthusiasts. At the tender age of 16 Grant became the youngest Senior Honorary Ranger for the Wildlife Society of South Africa as well as qualifying as a botanical guide with the National Botanical Institute, and so began his guiding career.
Grant continued his weekend guiding while completing a National Diploma in Nature Conservation through Pretoria Technikon. He completed his in-service training in the Kruger National Park and moved to Botswana in 1996. Grant went on to do a post-graduate degree in Nature Conservation and did his thesis on waterfowl census.
In 2001 Grant and his brother Brent started the highly successful mobile safari company- Letaka Safaris and in the following year they registered Okavango Guiding School. Grant has become one of the most highly qualified guides and trainers in the industry, having completed his FGASA Special Knowledge and Skills (SKS) Dangerous Animals, SKS Birding and SKS Wildflowers and his passion for learning and teaching continues…
JONO HARPER
Born in kwa Zulu natal. This is where Jono found his passion for the outdoors. His speciality at the age of six has was climbing trees. Which you may still find him doing from time to time. From the age of 7 he immigrated to the London and went to school in Northern Ireland and then his high school years spent at boarding school back in kwa Zulu natal.
It was here Jono joined the school conservation club and began his education of the natural world. Thereafter studied a diploma in game ranch and lodge management and then began his career as a field guide. Jono then spent 12 years working as a safari guide in some of South Africa’s top safari destinations.
Jono’s interest are in birdwatching and tracking and exploring wilderness areas within Africa.
Jono is a professional FGASA guide and an experienced trails guide. And regional bird guide. He is now working on his specialist guiding qualifications and is exited to begin his career as a guide trainer in his favorite wilderness area.
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Julien Biget grew up in Nairobi, Kenya, where spent his childhood from one wilderness camping adventure to the next. It was a childhood filled with searching for, capturing and studying any living creature that crossed his path. His parents were avid wildlife enthusiasts and would take every opportunity to go out into the Kenyan wilderness. Through the years his passion and enthusiasm for nature and the wilderness continues to grow. Shortly after leaving school Julien decided he wanted to spend the rest of his life living and working in the bush, sharing his natural passion, enthusiasm and knowledge with those around him.
Julien joined the Okavango Guiding School team in 2017. He holds a FGASA advanced field guide and lead trails guide qualification and is currently working on achieving his SKS (special skills and knowledge) in birds and dangerous game. Julien continues to be an incredible asset to the team where he has used his passion for people and teaching to inspire students from all over the world.