To be a successful South African tourist guide you must have a love for South Africa and its nature, culture, people, and everything else that makes the country special. In addition to being able to work with people, you also need to know as much as possible about South Africa.
A South African Tourist Guide must be registered with the Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism (DEAT) and every province has its own Registrar of Tourist Guides. DEAT stipulates that the potential South African Tourist Guide must successfully complete a Tourist Guiding Course with a CATHSSETA accreted training provider. Once you are in possession of a Tourist Guiding Certificate you can register as a tourist guide with DEAT.
The Three Categories of Tourist Guides in South Africa
Site Guides are tourist guides that have attained the minimum qualification to allow them to guide in a limited geographical area. This is a site-specific qualification that allows you to guide visitors on a hike on Table Mountain, a tour of the Kwazulu-Natal Battlefields, or a tour of the Apartheid Museum for example.
Provincial Guides are qualified to take tourists on a tour of an entire province such as Mpumalanga or the Western Cape for example.
National Guides are qualified to conduct tours around South Africa and can work across provincial boundaries. These guides can accompany visitors to South Africa on a comprehensive tour of of the country.
Classification of Tourist Guides
Tourist guides in South Africa can be classified into three categories:
Adventure Guides guide a range of adventure experiences such as rock climbing, canoeing, or river rafting for example.
Nature Guides conduct guided nature experiences in areas such as Game Reserves, National Parks, conservation areas and include activities such as hiking or game drives for example.
Cultural Guides focus on cultural experiences in a limited geographical area such as a museum or community with cultural significance.
South African Training Guide Resources
Below you will find a comprehensive guide that can assist you in successfully completing your tourist guide course in South Africa. The platform provides you with a range of resources that will build your knowledge of the country. The resource guide is available in all 11 South African languages.
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