Meet the Omogolo Family

When I first came to Africa in 2007, I already felt the desire to one day realizing a project that gives me the opportunity to hide away from the rush in every-day life in my home country Germany on the one hand, and create something significant in the African bush that helps local communities and wildlife on the other hand. To make this possible, I took the first step in 2019 and participated in a Nature and Trails Guide course in the Okavango Delta for my personal enrichment.

This was after visiting Botswana for the first time in 2018. I wanted to learn and find out more about nature and all the different species that occur in the wilderness of Botswana and the Okavango Delta as well as the local culture. Returning to Germany after the courses, I went back to the office - old job, surrounded by old walls. I thought: "Was that it now?" I immediately started deeply missing the tranquility and wilderness of the African bush. I missed the state one’s mind is in, once you hear the birds calling throughout the day and a hyaena’s noise at night. I randomly looked for options on the internet for me to continue my African adventure - and there it was: An advertisement of a couple who were looking for a partner on their farm in the southern boundary of the Delta.

"That's it!", I thought - exactly what my deepest inside was looking for. Two weeks later I went to Botswana and met them in person - four weeks later I became their partner. A total gut instinct decision, that I have not regretted ever since. Especially or even more so during covid - the future of Omogolo kept me staying positive throughout the pandemic. I was simply looking forward for what is going to come when those hard times are over. And here we are now: my two amazing partners, that became true friends and my rock in the storm when (African) times were hard, retired now and I took over since January 2023. My mission is to carry on the spirit that my partners created, and secondly, to implement my visions of the past 15 years. Come and be welcomed to share my personal paradise with me!

I have always had a passion for nature and wildlife. Growing up in a big city I did not have much exposure to nature but I always had a strong sense of getting away from hustle and bustle of city life and to live in the bush. That is why I studied Nature Conservation. After my studies I worked as a game ranger in the Kgalagadi trans frontier park in South Africa where I could fulfil my life long dream to protect wildlife. After a few years I got a job as a nature reserve manager to manage a private nature reserve. I soon started to feel a strong pull to go and explore the rest of Africa to see and learn more about other countries and their cultural and natural heritage. I became a tour guide and started traveling to other countries in Southern Africa. I learnt a lot about what these countries had to offer. After a few years of travelling and sharing my knowledge of nature to the guests traveling with me I met my partner, Annitta. We traveled together for another few years as a guiding couple. We decided to settle down and to start a family. We chose Botswana as the country where we want to live and raise our children. We worked as a lodge management couple near the town of Maun. Today we have two children girl of 15 years named Thandie and a boy of 4 named Johan. Both of them love nature very much and enjoy every time they come and visit on Omogolo. Johan is already a keen naturalist and is eager to show off all the insects and other small creatures that he finds. He also loves playing games and he is the “unofficial” entertainment officer of Omogolo.

In 2019 we met Caroline and we became good friends. Over the years our friendship grew and we had the opportunity to visit Omogolo many times. Caroline gave me the opportunity to come and help her to manage the Omogolo Conservancy. As of January 2023 I became the general manager. Together with Caroline I wish to grow the Omogolo conservancy into a wildlife paradise where both humans and animals can feel safe and respect each other.

Dreams don’t always come true, but Omogolo is one that did. We bought the land in 2015 and moved there, living in a tent, visited regularly by a curious old elephant bull. We named him Omogolo. 
There was nothing to speak of infrastructure wise. No roads, no buildings, no water - nothing. After many hours of sitting in the shade of camel thorns chatting with the local folks in the area, explaining our plans and building a relationship with the surrounding community, we started work. 
Almost no wildlife was to be seen. Only spoor. And night noises: lions, hyenas, leopards and of course elephants. Over the years the animals learned to trust us and today Omogolo, while still in its infancy, is a beautiful little paradise providing water, grazing and browse outside of the recognized wildlife areas. Making more land available to the already over-utilized delta area. 
Then came the hurricane. A turbo charged bush lover from Germany that went by the name of Caroline. Partners, then good friends, together we had a lot of fun taking Omogolo forward. 
Then Covid! Two years of emptiness at Omogolo, which we managed to survive along with stress ulcers. 
While it is sad to no longer be involved, having got to know Caroline, we are happy Omogolo is in her hands. Boundless youthful energy, and a passion for the place that matched our own.  And with a new manager that is as much part of the bush as the animals themselves, Omogolo is on a good path. 
Last, but not least,to our staff, who played a major part in making Omogolo the warm welcoming place it is today, a big thank you! A more decent bunch of people will be difficult to find. 
Good luck, enjoy and re a leboga to all. Pula!