If you are a nature lover and always willing to get a chance to explore the world of animals and increase your knowledge through practical experiences, then there is the only way that you should enrol for wildlife courses. And if your dreams are more than just exploring the wildlife and you want to become a field guide, then you should get enrolled for a safari guide course.
There are different options available today through which and how you can get your qualification. Plus, you have many other options regarding where to do your training. Therefore, in this guide, we have listed a few simple things that will help you to become a safari guide in the forests of Africa.
The most preferred course that is widely used is the FGASA syllabus and requirements. Let’s get started:
What should you do?
The first and foremost thing that you should do is to get your FGASA guide theory exam. And of course, just like other courses and programs, scoring passing marks is necessary. The same case goes with this. You have to pass this exam in order to become a safari guide.
You can enrol and do this exam online directly with FGASA. Plus, you can also do this test through a training provider as well. You can see there are a lot of training providers available online that mostly offer this type of course from 55 days to 3 years long. It all depends on what they are offering in the course and as your level one.
Moreover, all these types of courses, tests, and exams are done in one language only, which is obvious that it will be English. So whether you are a Spanish speaking or Arabic speaking person, if you want to pass this test, you would need to read and write in English.
Get your practical side done:
Basically, the duty of a guide is to take paying guests on game drives. Therefore, it is also important for you to learn driving as well as you must own a driving license. This is the foremost consideration, and the second component is that you must be declared competent and must possess practical skills.
Moreover, it is the rule of the course that a qualified assessor will judge and moderate you. If it can be explained in simple words, then it can be defined as you have to drive a game viewer with your guests, and at the same time, you have to explain and educate them on their surroundings.
Safety is the topmost priority:
In order to become a field guide, you must possess a first-aid certificate as well because in case there is an emergency, and you or one of your guests get wounded in the forest, you will have a first aid kit, and you will have knowledge on how to provide first aid services. Therefore, you must have a first-aid certificate, and it must be a valid certificate.
Professional driving permit:
If you are transporting guests or visitors in a motor vehicle, then you have a valid professional driving permit. Moreover, if you have a permit, then it would be valid for two years. And it is the required criteria of a guide that if you want to get a PrDP, then you must be 21 years old.
And if you luckily pass and register with NDT and are under the age of 21, then you will only conduct as a guide by means of bicycle, walking, horse, canoes, etc.
CATHSSETA certification:
Once you get qualified and declared as a competent member, then all your achievements will be saved on the database of CATHSSETA. But it is necessary to submit all the correct documentation in order to get a certificate.
So these are some of the essential things that should be done first in order to become a field guide and make a career in this field.
