How to Become A Safari guide In South Africa

Safari guide is a person who advises others, especially in matters of behavior on an expedition to observe animals in their natural habitat.

What It takes to be a Safari Guide

Most people on the field guide course, including myself were there because we love the outdoors and the wildlife, which is important, but not the most important quality of enjoying your job as a field guide. The most important aspect of becoming a field guide and working on a safari lodge is that you have to enjoy working with and talking to people.

What is safari Field Guide?

Safari Field Guides are the people who are the critical link between the guest and the game experience, as they can either make or break your African photo safari. As a visitor to the national parks you want an overall good experience and this includes the food, service, accommodation, and game drives.

What makes a good nature guide?

To be the excellent, professional and ethical field guide you will therefore need to : Have a love to be amongst people and to talk to people and share your knowledge and interpretation with them. Have a natural aptitude to facilitate things in public.

How to Become A Safari guide In South Africa

What Skills and Qualifications will I Get?

You will be studying for your FGASA Level 1 qualification (Exam and certification optional), this includes:

Mammal Introduction and Herbivore Identification

Field Guide’s Reptile Course

Spotlighting; basic 4X4 driving; planning of game drives and walks

Survey Skills: Radio Telemetry; GPS use

First Aid & CPR training (certification optional)

Individual Predator Ecology and behavior

Wildlife Management, Basic wildlife diseases, Large herbivore ecology and behavior, Basic animal tracks and sign skills

Biodiversity survey techniques (Small mammal trapping, Invertebrate surveys)

Field Safety: Radio use, Emergency Action Plan implementation and drills.

Setting up a bush camp; Sleep-out in bush; bush skills and survival

Communication and facilitation skills; dealing with guests.

Best Bits about being a Professional Safari Guide in South Africa

Best office in the world

Everyday is an adventure

Meet many interesting people

Get to see wildlife everyday

Constantly learning new things about nature

The Worst Bits about the Job:

The Pay is not great

Very Long Working Hours

Often not great accommodation

The one in a thousand annoying guest

What qualifications do you need to be a safari guide?

Each safari guide must have at least the following basic qualifications:

Field Guide level one.

Drivers licence.

Rifle handling.

4×4 driving.

First aid.

How much does a safari guide make In South Africa?

While ZipRecruiter is seeing annual salaries as high as R 1035247.22 and as low as R 204026.82, the majority of Safari Guide salaries currently range between R 340044.71 (25th percentile) to R 627193.57 (75th percentile) with top earners (90th percentile) making R 846333.49 annually across the In South Africa

How long does it take to become a safari guide In South Africa?

Become an accredited Field Guide and forward your conservation career when you spend 23 weeks training in the iconic South African lowveld; one of the best wildlife locations in the country.

Do you need a degree to be a safari guide In South Africa?

Formal training is necessary, but it is not sufficient on its own. Since your task is to ensure that visitors get the best African safari experience, you need excellent communication skills.

How much do safari guides make in South Africa?

Entry level guides can expect salaries between R4,000.00 – R7,000.00 a month. This is all dependant on what lodge you will work for, the size, the star grading, the rates, the area and the occupancy. You will also have the opportunity to earn tips.

Who leads a safari In South Africa?

guide

A guide is a person who leads travelers, sportsmen, or tourists through unknown or unfamiliar locations

What are the operational problems of a tour guide during a tour?

Here are the truth and challenges of tour guiding you will face:

No Stable Income & Labor Insurance. This is a brutal problem faced by tour guides.

Nearly Work 24 Hours.

Feel Lonely.

Repeat Traveling the Same Place.

Being Knowledgeable is a Must.

Test Your Patience.

Is a safari a jungle In South Africa?

A safari is a journey, usually one involving one or more overnight stops. It is a Swahili word that is used in East Africa. A jungle is a forest, usually one with lots of tangled undergrowth.

What are the disadvantages of safari In South Africa?

Updates to Safari are rare, Some websites do not support Safari, Although pop-ups are rare, It is hard to turn off pop-ups, it has boring look, It is founded by Apple Inc, therefore it is limited to Apple products, Safari has vulnerability to the malware,

Do crocodiles live in the safari?

They are found throughout sub-Saharan Africa in a range of aquatic habitats including lakes, rivers, and deltas. Crocodiles are well camouflaged when in the water, and are most often spotted sunning themselves on the riverbank. Nile crocodiles are perfect predators, employing ambush tactics to take their prey unawares.