Meet Your GuideSunelda “Su” Botha
If you’re looking for a guide with a calm presence and a genuine love for the bush, you’ll feel right at home with Sunelda Botha, known to most guests as Su. With six years of guiding experience and a FGASA Level 1 qualification, Su is a “slow and steady” guide who believes the best safari moments happen when you don’t rush the bush. Her goal is simple: to do her best to help you fulfil your safari dreams—while keeping the experience relaxed, personal, and enjoyable.
Growing up around the Kruger, Su has always felt a deep connection to the park. Regular visits to Kruger made it feel like a second home long before she became a professional guide, and that familiarity shows in the way she reads the rhythm of the day—especially in the quiet early hours when the bush is at its best.
Guiding style &What you can expect
Su’s guests often describe her guiding style as “lekker rustig”—taking it easy, staying present, and allowing the bush to unfold naturally. She sees safari as a reset button: a break from busy schedules and city life, and a chance to breathe again. That’s exactly the atmosphere she creates on her drives—unhurried, comfortable, and grounded in the simple joy of being out in nature.
Birding & photography On safari
While Su doesn’t label herself as a single-purpose specialist, she has a strong appreciation for both the big highlights and the small details that many people miss. She enjoys birding, always keeping an ear out for calls and movement, and she has a natural eye for photo opportunities. Su loves taking photos and videos herself—her camera is always with her—so she understands what guests are hoping to capture and when the light and angle are just right.
Su’s Kruger Favourites
Favourite animal
Leopard and elephant—both for their beauty, mystery, and endlessly fascinating behaviour.
Favourite birds
Martial Eagle—one of Kruger’s most powerful raptors, and unmistakably confident in the sky.
A Memorable Safari moment
One of Su’s most special sightings happened in the early morning before sunrise: a female leopard with three tiny cubs, and her guests were the only vehicle there. Those quiet, private moments—when the bush feels untouched and time slows down—are exactly why Su loves guiding.
Su’s Top Tips for guests
Try to enjoy every part of the experience, not only the “big sightings.”
There won’t always be a chance to take the perfect photo—but the memories last forever.
Ethics Guiding
For Su, ethical wildlife viewing is non-negotiable: respect the animals, give them right of way, and remember that we are visitors in their home. That respectful approach is what keeps sightings calm, natural, and meaningful.
If you request Su as your guide, expect a safari that’s peaceful, thoughtful, and full of authentic Kruger moments—with a guide who genuinely cares about your experience and the wildlife we’re privileged to share space with.
