Guide
Academy
Invest in the future of guiding
The Guide Academy is a powerful way to build a pipeline of exceptional guides, developed specifically for your lodge and its standards while creating lasting opportunities for local communities.
Guides are trained directly on your property, which means they have the unique benefit of being fully immersed in your lodge’s unique culture, methods, and standard operating procedures (SOPs). By the time they graduate, they’re not just qualified – they’re perfectly aligned with your brand, familiar with your operations, and already integrated into your team, contributing from day one.
In addition, this scalable, sustainable programme gives your lodge an unmatched advantage – exclusive, first-in-line access to the very best of Bushwise’s talent. From candidates who’ve trained directly on your property to standout graduates from all our campuses, you get to hand-pick top-tier professionals before they’re introduced to the wider industry. This is a proactive and reliable way to ensure you always have access to skilled professionals who truly fit your lodge’s needs.
As a Public Benefit Organisation (PBO), the Guide Academy offers your lodge a chance to contribute to the future of guiding and local communities, while also benefiting from tax-deductible donations. Contributions are eligible for Section 18 receipts, providing a meaningful way to support the programme with financial incentives.
Case study: Guide Academy at Sabi Sabi
In 2024, we partnered with Sabi Sabi Private Game Reserve to bring the Guide Academy model to life – and the results have been nothing short of transformative. This community-driven training approach has created a lasting impact, both on the aspiring guides we’ve trained and on the lodge itself. Our community-driven training approach has created a tangible, lasting impact for both the students and the lodge.
We recruited passionate aspiring guides from nearby communities and provided them with immersive, on-site training. Living and learning at Sabi Sabi, students were exposed to the full spectrum of lodge life – from ecology and tracking to hospitality, communication, and guiding ethics.
After graduating, they stepped into six-month placements at Sabi Sabi and other leading lodges, applying their knowledge in real-world settings under the mentorship of experienced guides.
With all of our graduates securing full-time roles at Sabi Sabi after graduation, the success of this model speaks for itself. Our partnership with Sabi Sabi has proven that this approach not only equips students with essential skills but also nurtures a new generation of guides. These guides are deeply rooted in their environment, committed to conservation, and ready to deliver exceptional guest experiences.
The Guide Academy reflects what we believe in – investing in people, wildlife, and the guiding profession.
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