Private safari guides provide several benefits to local and international tourists alike. A private guide should boast several important attributes, namely:

• experience throughout several wilderness regions,
• excellent bush skills and understanding of animal behavior,
• a comprehensive background in ecology, zoology and botany or related fields,
• an ability to adapt and guide in any natural environment regardless of experience in the area or not,
• as well as excellent people skills and an ability to host guests, ensuring that they always feel safe, welcome and at home.

In addition to being a well above average safari guide, the true benefit of a private guide is the role which he/she plays as an expedition leader.

Guests in Africa usually stay an average of three nights per lodge or camp that they visit. At each of the camps they are assigned a different guide and there is often an overlap in the information which is given from the guides as well as duplications of sightings. However when it is one guide leading the group he/she is aware of the sightings that have already been experienced by the group and can therefore direct the group accordingly, to ensure that there is less overlap of the same sightings and information and more diversity in the type of sightings and experiences had by the guests.

Essentially a much fuller experience is to be had, when there is a private guide directing the group with intention of an amazing trip in its entirety, instead of just enjoyable but sometimes repetitive activities to be given by a number of different guides with much less insight into the groups experiences during the trip.

Another key factor to a private guide and safari is flexibility. In a randomly assembled group that one might find themselves a part of on safari, the guide is split between up to 8 or 10 people who all want something different. However with a private guide, your needs are catered for along with the group who you chose to go with. One must also remember that to have a host in your guide with you is an important factor to feeling comfortable at all times. Your private guide will ensure that you are his/her top priority above all else, something which will always make you feel comfortable and welcome.

One of the greatest benefits to a private guide is the fact that you have somebody with you from the moment you arrive in Africa. This means that there is always a clued up individual to help with your travel, border crossings, dealings with locals and in essence giving clarity as to what the further traveling entails, ensuring your safety through out the course of your trip. Your private guide also goes above and beyond a normal lodge guide who stays with you during your activity times only. A private guide is there to ensure that at no time do you find yourself bored or without something to do should you wish it. Private guides will provide slide shows, talks and activities relating to your specific interests, details of which are given during the booking process.

The insight into the countries that you visit will be far superior with a private guide who is there to ensure that you have a wonderful, full experience with all of your needs catered for. This also gives the private guide the chance to focus on finding exciting animals and sightings during the activities and giving cultural, historical and other background to the areas that you are in, between the activities. Essentially giving one much more time to absorb and enjoy the atmosphere of Africa without having too much shoved at you all at once.

Brad Leontsinis has had the fortune of working throughout Southern Africa and Zambia, first as a lodge ranger, guiding guests for an average of three nights during their stay at the lodges where he was working. He then took a position as an explorations guide for Wilderness Safari’s whereby guests could book him as their private guide for the duration of their trip in Africa. This meant that he would accompany them to all the lodges and camps which they visited.

There is no comparison in guest experience to be had between spending just a few days with guests on parts of their trips compared with accompanying them for the entire duration. The guest reviews and feedback from travel agents that Brad and I have received is by far superior with groups which have had a single guide accompany them for the duration of their trip.

For more information on private guided safaris, please contact Brad Leontsinis , Andrew Beck or head on over to our website at http://www.moyawatenga.co.za