Thuto Moutloatse
Named "Best Safari Guide on the Planet" in Outside magazine’s Travel Awards, Thuto Moutloatse's life has evolved around wildlife. His passion for nature runs so deep that one of his guests once observed, “He seems to really understand the profound position he is in—that he lives our ‘trip of a lifetime' every single day.”
As a result of his father’s involvement in tourism and conservation, Thuto had the privilege of growing up in pristine natural areas of Botswana, which fostered a childhood love of the wild. He continued to hone his bush skills and passion for wilderness through hiking and horseback riding while attending Treverton College in the foothills of the Drakensberg Mountains in neighboring South Africa.
Following graduation, Thuto completed a Travel & Tourism course, undertook volunteer work at Hluhluwe Imfolozi Game Reserve, then returned to Botswana, beginning his career at Khama Rhino Sanctuary. He then spent four years as a lodge-based guide in the private Linyanti Concession. To feed his insatiable interest in Botswana’s diverse ecosystems, Thuto began leading safaris that spanned the country's mosaic of prolific wildlife regions, enhancing his natural sense for guiding and furthering his personable rapport with guests.
Thuto’s extensive knowledge of birding, tracking and wildlife photography, combined with his larger-than-life personality, have earned him frequent guiding requests from repeat guests from around the world. There is a never a dull moment with Thuto: he may have you down on your hands and knees looking at tiny critters, tracking big game on foot, or enjoying “breakfast-on-a-spade” or dinner under the stars. After going on safari with Thuto, guests return home with new knowledge and a new friend. But while you are with him in the moment, be sure to ask him about Tour de Tuli and why he loves seafood so much…
Thuto is an accomplished photographer, leading photographic safaris throughout Africa while sharing his technical expertise with guests. View Thuto's latest photography portfolio additions on Instagram at @thutomoutloatse.
Enjoy this selection of Thuto's nature photography:
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What’s in Thuto's Camera Bag:
Camera Equipment
Canon D-Mark II body
70-200mm f/2.8
100-400mm f/4
Wide-angle lens
Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark III body
14-150mm f/4-5.6 II
40-150mm f/2.8
300mm fixed f/2.8
Canon D-Mark II body
70-200mm f/2.8
100-400mm f/4
Wide-angle lens
Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark III body
14-150mm f/4-5.6 II
40-150mm f/2.8
300mm fixed f/2.8
Upcoming Adventures with Thuto:
Praise from Nat Hab Travelers:
S. Morro
"Your headline reads, 'a great guide can make a good trip into a great trip'. Thuto is beyond great. His wildlife knowledge and his personality are a combination that assured we had a wonderful experience. In the case of Thuto: a fantastic guide can make a great trip into a fantastic trip."
S. & V. Crockenberg
"First and foremost, Thuto is a formidable tracker and extremely knowledgeable about the animals and birds of the bush. He is also a natural teacher, who speaks clearly and fluently on so many topics. We learned an enormous amount from him during the safari. He is also consistently goodnatured (I already miss hearing his 'Morning, morning' wake-up call). It was a pleasure to spend time with him. He was solicitous of everyone in the group, willing to go out of his way to be sure that each person had what they needed to be comfortable and to be fully engaged in the activities."
T. Klein
"Thuto is clearly one of the, if not the, best guide in Botswana. He could be teaching at a university. He is an exceptional human being with encyclopedic knowledge of all things animal, vegetable and mineral. He has unmatched enthusiasm and infinite patience with questions he must have heard many times before."
R. Garga
"Thuto made this expedition a trip of a lifetime for me with his winning personality, knowledge of the wildlife and professionalism as a guide. We were often around formidable wildlife—huge elephants, lions and leopards—but no one in our group was concerned about our safety because we had confidence that Thuto was in control."
J. Nollman
"Thuto was amazing, very knowledgeable, courteous, friendly, lighthearted, articulate, easy to understand, good humored, aware and professional. He was most concerned for our well being, comfort and safety. He made our trip. If we return, which might be as soon as next year, we would request him."
S. Feldman
"Thuto was first rate—truly informed, a great teacher and eager to share his enthusiasm with us. He was also very willing to accommodate the guests. He had an uncanny sense of where to find animals and we were constantly amazed at his success. Thuto also had a great sense of humor, so our group had lots of laughs. I admired Thuto's flexibility and his ability to read the group's unspoken desires (e.g., for an occasional later start in the morning, for exercise, etc.) He also successfully varied our activities (jeep ride, boat and mokoro rides, walks, tracking of animals, etc.)."
R. Zamarin
"We have taken many, many trips of a similar nature, but have never had an Expedition Leader as qualified, personable, knowledgeable, helpful and all around enjoyable as Thuto. His knowledge of so many subjects, including wildlife, geography, geology, history, culture, astronomy and more, and his ability to effectively share it, is remarkable. He was absolutely terrific."
"Your headline reads, 'a great guide can make a good trip into a great trip'. Thuto is beyond great. His wildlife knowledge and his personality are a combination that assured we had a wonderful experience. In the case of Thuto: a fantastic guide can make a great trip into a fantastic trip."
S. & V. Crockenberg
"First and foremost, Thuto is a formidable tracker and extremely knowledgeable about the animals and birds of the bush. He is also a natural teacher, who speaks clearly and fluently on so many topics. We learned an enormous amount from him during the safari. He is also consistently goodnatured (I already miss hearing his 'Morning, morning' wake-up call). It was a pleasure to spend time with him. He was solicitous of everyone in the group, willing to go out of his way to be sure that each person had what they needed to be comfortable and to be fully engaged in the activities."
T. Klein
"Thuto is clearly one of the, if not the, best guide in Botswana. He could be teaching at a university. He is an exceptional human being with encyclopedic knowledge of all things animal, vegetable and mineral. He has unmatched enthusiasm and infinite patience with questions he must have heard many times before."
R. Garga
"Thuto made this expedition a trip of a lifetime for me with his winning personality, knowledge of the wildlife and professionalism as a guide. We were often around formidable wildlife—huge elephants, lions and leopards—but no one in our group was concerned about our safety because we had confidence that Thuto was in control."
J. Nollman
"Thuto was amazing, very knowledgeable, courteous, friendly, lighthearted, articulate, easy to understand, good humored, aware and professional. He was most concerned for our well being, comfort and safety. He made our trip. If we return, which might be as soon as next year, we would request him."
S. Feldman
"Thuto was first rate—truly informed, a great teacher and eager to share his enthusiasm with us. He was also very willing to accommodate the guests. He had an uncanny sense of where to find animals and we were constantly amazed at his success. Thuto also had a great sense of humor, so our group had lots of laughs. I admired Thuto's flexibility and his ability to read the group's unspoken desires (e.g., for an occasional later start in the morning, for exercise, etc.) He also successfully varied our activities (jeep ride, boat and mokoro rides, walks, tracking of animals, etc.)."
R. Zamarin
"We have taken many, many trips of a similar nature, but have never had an Expedition Leader as qualified, personable, knowledgeable, helpful and all around enjoyable as Thuto. His knowledge of so many subjects, including wildlife, geography, geology, history, culture, astronomy and more, and his ability to effectively share it, is remarkable. He was absolutely terrific."
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