Meet Our Characters: Mwezi Bupilo

Pru Allison
September 25, 2018

Find out more about life at Hoanib Valley Camp from guide Mwezi who lives and breathes the area.

What’s your full name?

“Mwezi Bupilo.”

Where are you from originally?

“Lyanshulu Village, a village located 6 kilometers east of Mudumu National Park in the Zambezi region (formerly known as the Caprivi Strip).”

What made you want to become a guide?

“After completing my grade 12 in 1999, I stayed home to help my parents look after cattle as well as doing other household work. During the period between 2006 and 2007 Lianshulu Lodge, a lodge situated in Mudumu national park introduced their guests to Communal cultural experiences. I became a local village guide and their lodge based guides started giving me words of wisdom, motivating me to become a field guide. In 2010, I studied Introduction to guiding with Natura College in South Africa. That’s how I joined the industry.”

Why is Hoanib a great area to guide in?

“It’s one of the remote corners of Namibia, where the desert landscapes and wildlife meets. Hoanib river provides unique wildlife and the area’s geology is amazing. The night sky is a wow!!”

What sort of wildlife do you see?

“Desert adapted elephants, giraffes, rhinos, and lions. Mountain zebras, kudus, leopards, wild cats, oryx, brown and spotted hyenas, baboons and monkeys have all been spotted in the area.”

What animal haven’t you seen yet that you’d love to spot in the area?

“Porcupines and caracal.”

What’s been your favourite experience or sighting so far?

“Desert adapted elephants.”