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AdventurePlease note that due to the current legislation regarding work permits in South Africa, it is virtually impossible for anyone other than a South African to work for Drifters Adventure Tours as a safari guide – so this page is directed primarily at South Africans looking for a rewarding career with Drifters Adventure Tours, the industry leaders in adventure tourism.
A career as a
Safari GuideA career as a safari guide with Drifters Adventure Tours can be an extremely rewarding and challenging experience. But there’s a catch – the safari industry is a high profile game and positions for safari and ranger guides are highly sought after and, as leaders in the industry we pride ourselves on hiring the best talent to deliver the best for our customers.
As a Drifters safari guide, you will take groups of up to 17 international clients from all nationalities and walks of life on safari from the Cape Town, South Africa to Uganda. You will see the Annual Migration, solar eclipses and witness wildlife interactions seldom seen and then only by a lucky few…
Sound good? Welcome to the world of being a safari guide! So if you have what it takes to be totally dedicated and the best at what you do, then we want to talk to you.
How to become a
Safari GuideIf you have no guiding experience and would like to become a safari guide (as opposed to a field guide – better known as a ‘Jeep Jockey’), before you can approach Drifters Adventure Tours with any real chance of getting a job you will need to have fulfilled the following requirements:
You will need a South African EC1 license – that is, a heavy duty truck drivers license. Driving schools are no longer able to book on prospective clients behalf, so in order to get a booking at any testing station, you have to be present in person.
You will also need a valid Level 1 First Aid Certificate. Drifters Adventure Tours support the St Johns Ambulance Service in this regard and recommend their level 1 courses to any potential applicants (approximately R 400.00). Their courses run regularly and are of a high standard.
Once you have your EC1, you then need to get a PrDP. The PrDP enables you to carry paying passengers. To be granted a PrDP by the Department of Transport you will need:
• A doctors certificate certifying you fit to drive a heavy duty vehicle
• Have an eye test at the Department of Transport
• And, a criminal clearance from the South African Police Services (with fingerprints).
Then you need to become an applicant member of the Field Guides Association of Southern Africa (FGASA). To enrol with FGASA you will need 2 X passport photos, your First Aid Certificate, and about R 400.00. After you have enrolled with them they will furnish you with a logbook in which you will record all your future trips, and they will inform you of the soonest Level 1 examination date. Please refer to the FGASA web site for more details about this.
If you are offered a training position within Drifters Adventure Tours you might be required to complete a probationary period with us in a junior position before we put you out “on the road” so to speak. The probation period is about three months, after which you will do training trips with other fully trained and full time Drifters Adventure Tours guides, before becoming a guide yourself. As you can see, this is not an easy process! And it is not meant to be. Drifters Adventure Tours only want guides of the highest caliber working for our company, and this is what it takes to become one of them.
Apply
TodayIf you are already an experienced safari guide i.e. you have been guiding for at least 2 years, and have all of the requirements listed above, then you are welcome to e-mail a brief CV to hr@drifters.co.za or complete the form below:
Get ready to
Explore Africa
We had an unforgettable tour! The lodges were all fantastic with very nice, friendly people. We saw so much on the game drives, thanks to the game driver/guide Mac! Because of all these people and the nature, Drifters and Botswana have taken a big place in our hearts!
16 Day Botswana AccommodatedJan and Jannie, Netherlands
“I really liked the tour and Steven was a great guide who helped us out on everything. Without him the tour would have been completely different. Big thanks & appreciation to him.”
16 Day Botswana CampingLisa, Germany
“Many thanks for making sure there were gluten free options available at all times. I did not expect this to be so well organised. I would love to travel with Drifters again.”
24 Day Cape Town to Vic FallsClaudia, Germany
“We had a great time for the few days we were there. Our guide was helpful, friendly and gave great information. The tour delivered us everything we were promised.”
5 Day KrugerArnold, Netherlands
“This tour was great fun with a good group of adventurous people. This tour was better than I expected. Rafael was a wonderful guide and he made our trip so enjoyable, thanks for the great memories.”
24 Day Cape Town to Vic Falls AccommodatedIrene, Australia
”The tour was great and our guide was even better. Ed was not only a guide but a driver and a cook as well. We will definitely book again.”
12 Day Kenya Tanzania TourMathew and Susan, Switzerland
”Amazing! Thank you! We appreciate accommodation for vegetarians.”
16 Day Botswana CampingJackie, USA
”Fantastic tour with fantastic guide driver cook, Christopher. We saw soo much. I will remember this trip till the end of my days with stories to tell my grandchildren.”
24 Day Cape Town to Johannesburg via Vic FallsMyriam, Germany
”Thanks again for the wonderful Southern Circle tour!! we really enjoyed it. Thanks Greg, you’re a TOP GUIDE!”
24 Day Cape Town to Vic FallsGlenn and Tamara, USA
”We would just like to say thank you so much for a fantastic time we have had on our trip. Everything was great! We hope to return for another Safari in the future.”
5 Day KrugerHoward and Margie, UK
”The whole experience was amazing and an awesome adventure. In these 24 days we visited South Africa, Namibia, Botswana and Zimbabwe which was amazing and whole group made it just better.”
24 Day Cape Town to Johannesburg via Vic FallsChristian, Germany