Content Team 
Article By: Tshepo Botshelo
Gabatsholwe Disho Is The Founder And Director Of Bush Lark Mobile Safaris, Born And Raised In A Small Village Called Ngarange In The Okavango Region.
His face instantly illuminates when he begins to narrate his journey in the travel and tourism industry. Dressed in his casual clothes, he starts by reminding me that he did not go that far at school and that he only holds a certificate in travel & tourism that he got from the Institute of Commercial Management (ICM) in the year 2003.
Upon completion of his certificate, he got hired by Air Botswana as a reservations officer for a couple of months then later left for Sefofane Air Charters where he worked as a LoadMaster or Potter. Gabatsholwe quickly points out that from the onset he had a great love for travel and aircraft, he was always captivated and mesmerised every time they took of on the runway, an experience that led him to study travel and tourism .“I flew a lot while at Sefofane Air Charters, we would go on game drives and had some sleep-over in different lodges,” he says.
When the charter introduced a flight school to train some of the employees on improving their flying skills, he was one of the four that had passed and was given two weeks to study further the principles of flying.
However, his fascination with aircraft soon changed when he met one Tony Rummermen a professional guide or game ranger at Wilderness Safaris who he says really inspired him in the guiding field.
With Tony’s recommendation, Gabatsholwe was then called by Wilderness Safaris in 2006 for a professional guide training at Kaporota Camp for a month, a training that eventually became a breakthrough into his guiding profession.
“From the training school I shoot straight to a premium camp which was a rare opportunity at that time, but I wasn’t surprised because it was because of the passion that I had towards my work,” he says.
In 2008 his career reached another peak when he was hired by “& Beyond” and was trained as a walking trails ranger at Chitabe camp for four months. Since he was the only ‘walking ranger’ the company sent him to a seven-week training in Kwazulu Natal in 2009 and came back as a fully qualified ‘head ranger’ and was also awarded the best ‘birder’ accolade . Gabatsholwe’s career peaked when he joined Letaka Mobile Safaris to work as a professional guide and guide trainer in 2011. Driven by his passion for birds, he started learning how to guide international birding expeditions and has since had a lot of bird watching trips to Zambia and other neighbouring countries.
His highlight at Letaka Mobile Safaris was when his passion and enormous knowledge in international birding was recognized, he was the first Motswana to be accredited under the Field Guides Association of Southern Africa program.
One thing he is forever grateful about is his former employers at Letaka for sending him to United Kingdom (UK) for the ‘bird fair’ saying that it was an eye-opener as it has a huge impact on the birth of his mobile safaris in 2015. Due to his outstanding job at Letaka Mobile Safaris and the passion he had for the game, his employers rejected Gabatsholwe’s resignation in 2014. With a strong desire to start his mobile safari business he again handed in his resignation and seeing his sincerity, his employers eventually gave in and accepted his resignation in February 2015.
In March 2015 he had his first trip with his company Bush Lark Mobile Safaris to the Kalahari, Nxai Pan and Khwai for 10 days with six clients who came from the United Kingdom and Germany. These were the same clients that he had guided at Letaka Mobile Safaris. With these clients’ pay Gabatsholwe was able to purchase camping equipment and other necessities.
“I have a wonderful clientele. I funded my company from my pockets, and the first payment that I got from my clients and savings were enough to get the business off the ground,” he says with a wide smile.
Like any other business, Gabatsholwe says he did struggle a bit financially however his biggest challenge was penetrating the market as agents only send clients to fully established safari companies.
He says for one to penetrate the market he or she has to establish themselves with clients that they were acquainted with. Since Gabatsholwe understood the market so well, he bought a second hand Land Cruiser to convince clientele agents that he meant business.
“Do Not Give Up, Persevere In The End You Will Discover The Diamond You Have Been Yearning For”
Gabatsholwe’s other challenge was getting the right employees for the right job which resulted in high recruitment costs. Gabatsholwe just like other passionate entrepreneurs wishes to see his business progressing in two to three years, and diversifying it into accommodation facilities.
“Do not give up, persevere in the end you will discover the diamond you have been yearning for. Business needs focus and determination, establish on finding your weaknesses if the business is not doing well and fight against those weaknesses. Let passion be your drive,” His advice to aspiring entrepreneurs.
