Trails guiding in South Africa

A personal perspective of the ecotourism industry

Abstract

Ecotourism and safari tours – due to its unique flora and fauna - have become one of the most significant pillars of the economy of South Africa. National parks and private game reserves provide business opportunity and employment for wide ranges of the society from lodge owners and managers to field guides, from ecologists, vets and researchers to local staff living in the rural countryside. This article intends to overview some of the general characteristics of the ecotourism of South Africa, introduces the guiding industry based on personal experiences and presents the Amakhala Game Reserve from a guide’s point of view.