13/03/2026
Born in Etsha 13, on the edge of the bush, Richard Leitseng grew up fishing from a mokoro, collecting reeds and learning animal behaviour from his parents. The Delta was his classroom.
Now an assistant head guide, he is known for his curiosity and depth of knowledge. If he cannot answer a question, he writes it in the notebook he keeps in his shirt pocket, finds the answer, and returns with it the next day. “In guiding, you never stop learning,” he says. “I like being asked questions that challenge me to dig deeper.”
His poling skills and upbringing in nature led to his first guiding role at Nguma Island Lodge, where he guided guests through the waterways and later became head poler. After studying hospitality and tourism in Maun, he joined Ker & Downey Botswana in a support role before joining andBeyond Nxabega as a guide in 2014. Nine years later, he transferred to andBeyond Sandibe.
“Being a guide,” he says, “is about reading guests as well as animals.”
----------
📸: Emma Love
📍: Sandibe Okavango Safari Lodge
🌍: Okavango Delta, Botswana
----------
