The Safari Guide of the Year 2026 competition is under way, marking 15 years of raising the bar as South Africa's top field guides go head-to-head to find the best of the best.
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The Greater Kruger region is currently a hotbed of competition and camaraderie as five of South Africa’s most accomplished field guides face off for the title of Safari Guide of the Year (SGOTY) 2026. This year marks the 15th anniversary of SGOTY, a celebration born from a vision to elevate professional guiding standards in a sector often underappreciated for its intricacies and challenges.
Initiated in 2011 by the Field Guides Association of Southern Africa (FGASA) and guided by the expertise of Lowveld-based private guide Mike Karantonis, SGOTY was introduced to address a crucial gap in the tourism industry. Until its inception, there was no independent benchmark to distinguish exceptional guides from their peers. Over the years, SGOTY has evolved into the most reputable measure of guiding standards, grounded in FGASA’s qualification framework rather than the potentially biased popularity or guest reviews.
This year’s competition is hosted at Amani Safari Camp within the scenic Klaserie Private Nature Reserve. The finalists are being challenged across a plethora of criteria, including tracking, birding, storytelling, hospitality, bush walking, FGASA advanced rifle handling, and environmental interpretation. Each skill represents the comprehensive experience that guests expect during a safari.
According to Michelle du Plessis, Managing Director of FGASA, the competition serves a dual purpose. "The Safari Guide of the Year is about more than recognising an individual. It reflects the standards we expect across the guiding profession and highlights the dedication, professionalism, and excellence required to operate at the highest level," she said.
The finalists are assessed by a distinguished panel of judges, including SGOTY founder Mike Karantonis and FGASA's Michelle du Plessis, along with other respected professionals such as Solomon Ndlovu, Roger Machin, and FGASA Scouts James Steyn and Juan Pinto. The panel focuses on attributes like continuous learning, communication, adaptability, humility, and authentic guest connections — elements essential for excellence in guiding that go beyond mere species identification and textbook knowledge.
For those eager to follow this week of intense competition, profiles of the finalists and behind-the-scenes insights are available via SGOTY’s social media channels:
Further details on the competition can be explored at fgasa.co.za/safari-guide-of-the-year.
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