Brooks Kamanakao

“I was really born in the bush” states Brooks. This rings true as he grew up in the small village of Motopi, on the banks of the Boteti River, one of the main channels of the Okavango Delta. Belonging to the Bayei tribe (the people who introduced mekoro to the Okavango Delta), Brooks had a fascination with Botswana’s wild areas from an early age. Determined to succeed, he began his career in tourism as a casual worker, was soon promoted to waiter and, as his natural talents and ambition presented themselves, was moved into the position of tracker. After a year of sitting in the tracker’s chair, he became a professional guide in 2000. Since then, Brooks has fine-tuned his skills working at Premier Camps such as Kings Pool and Mombo. In 2006, he left Mombo to join the Explorations team in order to enhance his knowledge of other areas of the country, and spend more time with guests. His superlative knowledge of the bush, friendly personality and interest in astronomy, birding and the diverse cultures of Botswana, combine to make Brooks a popular guide. Brooks has travelled to America and loves telling guests about the adventures he had there. Being a family man he enjoys spending time with both young and old and he particularly enjoys telling and educating guests about the history of Botswana. He loves walking and tracking and rarely gives up on the chase for wildlife. Brooks also enjoys photography and will always give his guests the best vantage point for photographs. A trip with Brooks will ensure that you go home with a greater knowledge of wildlife making you want to come back to Africa again and again.