Safari Guide of the Year 2026 Launches, Marking 15 Years of Raising the Bar as South Africa’s Top Field Guides Go Head-To-Head

• Safari Guide of the Year 2026 launches, marking 15 years of raising the bar as South Africa’s top field guides go head-to-head
• 18–24 June 2026, Amani Safari Camp, Klaserie Drift Collection, Klaserie Private Nature Reserve, Limpopo

Five of South Africa’s most accomplished field guides are in the Greater Kruger, competing for the title of Safari Guide of the Year (SGOTY) 2026, a competition now in its 15th year of testing and celebrating the standards that define professional guiding in South Africa.

Field Guides Association of Southern Africa (FGASA) endorsed SGOTY in 2011 to address a gap the tourism industry had largely ignored: there was no formal, independently judged benchmark for what separates a good safari guide from an exceptional one. Fifteen years on, the competition has become the industry’s most credible measure of guiding standards, built on FGASA’s own qualification framework rather than popularity or guest reviews.

This year’s competition is hosted at Amani Safari Camp in the Klaserie Private Nature Reserve, part of the Klaserie Drift Safari Camps collection in the Greater Kruger.

SGOTY was founded in 2011 by Lowveld-based private guide Mike Karantonis in partnership with the FGASA. What began as a niche industry initiative has grown into the most rigorous public assessment of guiding talent in the region, evaluating finalists on tracking, birding, storytelling, hospitality, bush walk, FGASA advanced rifle handling, environmental interpretation and overall safari delivery, the full spread of skills a guest experiences on a safari.

According to FGASA Managing Director Michelle du Plessis, the competition exists to set a benchmark rather than simply crown a winner. “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.”

The finalists

Patrick Kepe (Shamwari Private Game Reserve) brings 13 years of guiding experience and an extensive list of FGASA qualifications to the competition, with a guiding philosophy built around fostering lasting connections between guests and the natural world.

Samantha Snodgrass (Shamwari Private Game Reserve) is known for an approach that Shamwari’s Andrew Kearney describes as heartfelt and driven by ethics, knowledge and enthusiasm, qualities that have helped her consistently exceed guest expectations.

Jordan Davidson (Sanbona Wildlife Reserve), a FGASA Lead Trails Guide with close to a decade at Sanbona, has built a reputation for genuine enthusiasm for the Little Karoo’s landscapes, plants and wildlife.

Otto Scribante (Singita), guiding professionally since 2019 and trained through EcoTraining, is driven by the relationships that exist within natural ecosystems, and sees SGOTY as a platform that demonstrates how the profession continues to evolve.

Sarah Barratt (Thornybush) brings 15 years of experience across the country, along with a background in anthropology that shapes her belief that the most powerful guiding moments happen when guests realise they are part of the natural world, not separate from it.

The judges

The finalists are being assessed by a highly experienced and credible stable of judges, including SGOTY founder Mike Karantonis, FGASA Managing Director Michelle du Plessis, Solomon Ndlovu, Roger Machin, FGASA Scouts James Steyn and Juan Pinto, Director of Conservation at Royal Malewane and Chair of the FGASA Board.

Collectively, the panel is weighing continuous learning, communication, adaptability, humility and authentic guest connection well beyond species identification and textbook knowledge.

Members of the public can follow the week’s events, finalist profiles and behind-the-scenes coverage via SGOTY’s social channels.

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Author: Sky Gordon from Phoenix Collective Marketing Agency on behalf of FGASA.