The Importance of a Qualified Safari Guide

in Photo Safari Q&A by Araneta&Tan — September 9, 2009 at 5:13 am | 0 comments

Safari Guide

A qualified guide will be hugely important during your photo safari to Africa. Not only will your guide provide you with the safety and security of having someone who knows the country and the culture, but he or she will also provide you with a source of knowledge that can help to bring your safari adventure to life.

Safety

As beautiful and incredible as many of Africa’s creatures are, you must remember that they are also potentially dangerous. Elephants may look peaceful and graceful whilst walking across the plains in a herd, but if they feel threatened in any way then they can soon become dangerous. If you are in a vehicle then the threat will be minimal, but it is still important to have a guide who knows when to keep a sensible distance and when to steer well clear.

It becomes even more important to have a guide during a walking safari. Most guides will in fact carry a rifle on such a safari, usually as a deterrent but also for protection if needed, and they will know what to do should a situation become dangerous. Guides don’t just drive you around like a normal tour guide – they are experts in animal behaviour and they know how to act around the animals you will encounter.

Knowledge and Education

Your guide is more than just a person to take you from A to B. When you go on a photo safari, your guide will know the area like the back of their hand. They will be able to tell you all about the plant and animal life that you encounter, the history of the area and the local people. This will provide you with far greater insight into the country you are travelling in, and will provide you with so much more during your photographic safari.

Best Animal Spots

You may think that it doesn’t take much skill to spot an elephant when it is coming straight towards you. But there are plenty of occasions when your guide will be able to spot lions, leopards and other well-hidden animals well before you get the chance. They are trained to pick out the animals from great distances, and you simply won’t believe how sharp their eyesight can be. A safari wouldn’t be much fun if you didn’t see any animals, so a guide will prove crucial here.

Photography

When you go on a photo safari, your guide will be more than just an expert in the animals and the local area – they will also be a professional photographer with extensive experience of shooting landscapes and wildlife in Africa. They will be able to provide techniques to get the best shots, as well as taking you to the best spots for photos and providing you with expert advice to help you get the best results from your trip. They will constantly be thinking about opportunities for getting the best photo, just like you, so you can be sure that you are on the same wavelength.