It is a great opportunity to be part of the Sunway Safaris guide's training programme where we train new guides for the company or develop the already great guides on our team. Three weeks ago I (Zandre) together with 8 other guides had just that experience. Checking the vehicle and equipment, sharing experiences, recipes and how to deal with different situations that might occur on the road.
We set off to the lowveld to stay at Makuwa Safari Lodge in an amazing part of the Greater Kruger, just west of the Orpen Gate where people meet the bushveld.

The most important thing is to have a vehicle and equipment that is in order and in great condition to create a great first impression on guests, and to ensure that guides can run a trip with ease, hassle free.
As part of a guides skills it is important to keep guests captivated. Whether it be on game drives explaining animal behaviour or focusing on some specified interest, such as birding, wild flowers or even bush survival. We work on honing these skills and expanding our knowledge on many topics.

When it comes to the cooking side of it all we can certainly learn a recipe or ten from our guides. In fact I would like to think that every overland guide might be a closet chef by nature. Preparing delicious meals and sharing our recipes is essential as we support each other to make life easier and smooth out some challenges we might encounter along the way. When in Africa and on a safari it cannot be promised that everything will run smooth.

Road comfort, unmarked turns, occasional breakdowns, after all these vehicles work hard every day and are perfectly suited for the style of travel. When these problems pop up we focus on the best ways of solving it and making sure that we make an adventure of it. Remember it is an Adventure not a holiday. We truly have a wonderful team of guides. Passionate, Driven and definitely enthusiastic about guiding and taking great care or guests on Safari.