Our safari guides
Meet our passionate and fun local guides
Our guiding team has decades of combined experience. They’re passionate storytellers, amiable companions and experienced locals with years of knowledge of flora, fauna and animal behavior.
Below you’ll meet some of our guides who can be booked for privately guided safaris or photographic safaris.
Additionally, we organize tours with a network of trusted, experienced local guides who share our values of conservation, community impact, ethical photography and exceptional customer service.
Tayla McCurdy
Lead private safari guide, Africa
Born in Port Elizabeth on South Africa’s beautiful southeast coast, Tayla grew up surrounded by nature, with frequent safari holidays sparking her passion for the African wilderness. This love for wildlife led her to begin her career as a Field Guide at Kariega Game Reserve in South Africa.
Tayla’s career took her to Zambia, where she managed Anabezi Camp in the Lower Zambezi National Park, a region she remains deeply connected to. Upon returning to South Africa, she worked as a guide at the prestigious Earth Lodge in Sabi Sabi Private Game Reserve, a National Geographic Unique Lodge of the World, where she honed her skills in luxury safari guiding and conservation.
In addition to her guiding work, Tayla has trained guides at Ishara in Kenya and at Leopard Trails in Sri Lanka, passing on her extensive knowledge to the next generation of field guides. For nearly six years, she worked as a safari specialist and private guide, crafting bespoke safari experiences across Africa with a focus on ethical wildlife practices.
Her passion for ethical safaris, conservation and mentorship continues to drive her work, as she strives to create transformative wildlife experiences while ensuring the long-term preservation of Africa’s wild spaces.
Andrew Macdonald
Lead photographic guide, Africa
Andrew is a multi-award-winning wildlife photographer from Scotland, currently based in Cape Town, South Africa. With nearly a decade of experience photographing wildlife across Africa and Antarctica, Andrew has honed his craft to capture the beauty and essence of the natural world in every shot.
Andrew is deeply passionate about ethical photography, placing great emphasis on capturing wildlife in a way that respects the animals and their environment. His work is not only about creating stunning images but also about evoking deep emotions from the viewer and fostering a connection to nature.
Dedicated to helping clients capture extraordinary photographs, Andrew also strives to ensure that their safari experience results in unforgettable memories. His goal is to provide guests with more than just remarkable images but with moments that will last a lifetime.
Vundi Kashamba
Private safari guide, Botswana
Born near the Okavango Delta, Vundi is a passionate Botswanan guide known for his warm presence, deep bush knowledge and personal storytelling style.
He has guided at some of Botswana’s most respected camps, including Jao, Kwando, and with Great Plains Conservation, crafting safaris that reflect his deep love for nature.
Guests describe time with Vundi as grounding, awe-inspiring and rich with insight into Africa’s wild heart.
Jay Collier
Photographic guide, Australia
Jay Collier is a renowned photographic educator and tour leader from Melbourne, Australia.
Jay brings over 20 years of experience in guiding photographic tours all across Africa, Australia and Antarctica.
Jay has also been the head technical specialist and educator working at Canon Australia for over 14 years and held similar positions with Nikon, Olympus and Kodak since working in the photographic industry since the late 90s.
Jay brings a wealth of knowledge to guests of Aperture Travel from all levels of experience from beginners to advanced professionals, and will leave guests with a far better understanding of their camera equipment as well as the many techniques, tips and tricks to master wildlife photography and leave your safari with hard drives full of outstanding images.
Upcoming private safaris in 2025
Upcoming private safaris in 2025
Upcoming private safaris in 2025
Amos Kaggwa
Private safari guide, Uganda
Amos Kaggwa is a private safari guide, conservationist and wildlife photographer based in Uganda.
With expertise in birdwatching, nature interpretation and off-road guiding, he leads immersive safaris across Uganda, Rwanda and Kenya. Guests love his warmth, deep ecological knowledge and ability to bring the bush to life through storytelling and photography.
He’s also the founder of Kitonzi Children’s Village, a grassroots initiative supporting rural Ugandan children through education and care.
Mike Rosati
Private safari guide, Africa
Mike is a professional field guide and naturalist with over 14 years of experience leading safaris across Africa – and an all around lovely human.
Known for his calm presence and deep knowledge of the natural world, he creates immersive, meaningful wildlife encounters that foster a genuine connection to nature.
His work in the Congo with Kamba Afrika helped train and inspire the next generation of guides, and his commitment to conservation and rewilding is at the core of every journey he leads.
