Your Guide to Private Safaris
What is a private guide?
A private guide is a highly studied and skilled specialist. They have spent years developing the knowledge necessary to plan and facilitate a variety of expert safari experiences throughout different regions. They can be hired for private trips or group bookings to offer the highest level of excellence to travelers wanting an enhanced experience.
- Specialist Knowledge
- Photography
- Walking Safaris
- Birding Trips
- Cultural and Historical
- Families and Groups
- VIP Guests, Language Translation and Special Assistance
- Filming and Media
- Conservation
- Exploration
- Marine Excursions
Lodge Guide
- Knowledge of a specific area / region
- Not necessarily a specialist in walking, birding & photography
- Might be recently qualified
- No involvement in travel planning
- Employee of a specific safari company
- Available during certain times for guests
Private Guide
- Knowledge of a variety of countries and destinations
- Usually a specialist in walking, birding & photography
- Usually over 10 years of experience and multiple qualifications
- Involved in travel planning
- Consultant / self-employed
- Always available for guests
Travel Agent
- Expert in reservations and travel planning
- Offers remote support
- Handles accounts and invoices
- Works with camp reservation teams for rates
- Organizes flights and transfers
- Exceptional administration skills
Private Guide
- Expert in practical guiding skills and knowledge
- Offers on site management throughout a trip
- Partners with travel agent to handle administration
- Works directly with guides and managers on the ground
- Exceptional safari area knowledge
A private guide will be an on-site manager to facilitate the best experience for the guests in all aspects. This encompasses flights, border crossings and transfers to location management and experiences. Having a vast knowledge of the industry it is possible for the private guide to curate the day-to-day activities in a way that ensures the best wildlife sightings and camp experience for the guests. Some examples of this are arranging activity and dining times, advising the guide on vehicle positioning and species focusing, organizing special activities, sundowners and coffee stops that enhance and don’t detract from the wildlife. Special care is taken on site by the private guide to make sure the guest rooms are correct, the time between activities is used wisely and that the information is conveyed properly to guests throughout as to their options each day. Kids and family activities are facilitated by the private guide as well as any special needs a client may have – even if these fall outside of the lodge activity times.
A private guide aims to build a lasting relationship with their clients, some of these relationships span decades of travel allowing a personal and tailored experience that builds on previous trips. This is especially important for wildlife enthusiasts who wish to see different regions and have their experience personalized to their interests. There are thousands of styles of safari camps and wildlife experiences to be enjoyed – having a lasting relationship enables a private guide to stay current with your wants and needs to best advise and host each trip in a way that suits you. Whether your interests are photography, ecology, botany, birding, history, culture.
Private guides collaborate to share information on specific locations, camps, experiences, seasonality, routes and itineraries to best plan trips. This collaboration is invaluable in staying current with all regions in Africa as they change. It is also common for private guides to collaborate to host guests on one trip – especially for larger groups or guests with specific interests. The standard of guiding increases dramatically through this ongoing collaboration ensuring that private guides offer the highest guiding standard available.
An intrinsic knowledge of each area of guiding and the species which occur in it is important to customizing a safari. Having first hand guiding experience of each area of travel as well as years of specific guiding practice with all major species in Africa has a lasting effect on how to make decisions of where to travel at a certain time of year for specific guest interests.
Why use a private guide?
Professional private safari guides will spend years developing special skills that takes them to the top of their field. These specialists may have honed their skills in ecology, botany, birding, astronomy, geology, anthropology, mammal behavior, tracking, photography, big 5 walking, canoeing and boating, marine guiding, conservation, exploration, humanitarian efforts and more. These are enhanced by a knowledge of specific areas in Africa and a practised ability to guide at a highly personalized level to offer each guest the best possible experience. An in-depth understanding of cultures and personalities allows a private guide to effectively link any guest to the environment of travel in an immersive and memorable way. They will be constantly studying to expand their knowledge of Africa, its people and its natural history. Having this vast first-hand experience allows a private guide to dive deeper in all safari subjects while also staying current with conservation efforts and natural phenomena.
Managing a safari itinerary is a skill that takes years of experience. Many private guides progressed into camp management at high-end safari camps in order to learn the inner workings of the lodge industry. This is key insight into the guests experience and what is possible at a safari camp. Freelancing also allows a guide to experience many different camps and regions and learn the best parts of each style of camp and operation. Once booking trips for guests through working with reservations teams, a private guide then completes the necessary skills to plan, manage and guide a high quality safari experience from start to finish. Having a person like this on site is invaluable in enhancing your experience, resolving unforeseen issues and working behind the scenes throughout your safari to create a seamless and best value experience.
The information in the wildlife world is in a constant state of change. Camp ownership, park rules and regulations, conservation practices, human factors, transport routes, guide changes, renovations, new camp builds, safety, research, seasonality, discounts and special experiences are all crucial to a successful safari. A private guide is impartial in the way that they are specialist consultants and not limited by affiliations to any safari camp or travel company. They also have insight on specific guides to use at a variety of
camps and how best to personalize a safari in the field by asking a camp to execute certain additional experiences. These could involve bush breakfasts, lunches and dinners, special sundowner and sunrise stops, walking to viewpoints, enhanced photography experiences and flexible game drive times.
The relationship between a private guide and their guests has a distinct advantage of being able to build in between trips through ongoing support and additional services. Private guides can offer tutoring for editing photos, host virtual safaris remotely or engage in further calls and presentations to help educate and enhance the safari. Feedback loops can be set up to hear back regarding conservation efforts, donations and future planning of safari areas. Alerts to new experiences, live updates on migrations and rare wildlife spectacles are helpful in gaining early access to safari camps in prime locations as availability can quickly fill up. Another great benefit of ongoing support is that your private guide gets to know your interests and preferences and can recommend the best options for you.
Where to find a private guide?
Recommendations are the most reliable way to find a private guide. Another option is to enquire with your travel company to use a private guide – they will then give you their best options for this and you can then do further research. A private guide usually has a website which describes them and their skills and experience. Sending an email or arranging a call to find out more is easily done and free of charge. Reach out to safaris guides you have been with previously and ask them for private guide recommendations. A quick online search would offer some results of reputable travel companies and private guides which is a great start. Reach out to private guides through social media – this also has a benefit of you being able to see their recent safari content and if it maybe of interest to you.
How does private guiding work?
A private guide will stay at a discounted rate at the camps that you visit. They will travel with you on domestic flights and transfers or meet you at the camp itself. Most camps have provisions for private guides with special rooms and facilities.
Your guide will likely travel with you when multiple destinations are being visited. Private guides are also able to meet you at a camp for the entire trip or a part of a trip depending on your needs. It is especially helpful to have a private guide travel with you when visiting countries outside of South Africa as these countries have specific rules, languages, customs and camp staff.
The main costs involved in hiring a private guide are flights, accommodation and guide fee. When booking your safari a private guide or travel planner will advise a cost including and excluding your private guide and you can decide whether it is the right fit for you. Additional considerations are private vehicles to be used while on safari which greatly enhance your private experience – these costs vary depending on the number of travelers in your group.
Extra services can include photographic tutoring, newsletters, presentations, safariinformation packs, photography and content, calendars and travel planning consultations. If you have young children then a children’s safari plan and educational trip can be curated. Special access to conservation organizations and activities can also be arranged by a private guide. There are unique experiences that can be planned such as adventurous exploration, filmmaking, helicopter and private aircraft travel, exclusive use of camps, hides and vehicles and much more. The sky’s the limit when working with a private guide – you ask and they will make it happen.
