Gender is no barrier: Three women share their experiences as safari guides
A growing number of women are increasingly stepping into field guiding roles despite the long-standing male-dominated reputation of the industry. These women carry a unique blend of empathy, meticulous attention to detail, and an unyielding passion for wildlife and conservation.
Tarene Labuschagne, Nelmarie Willemse and Liezel van den Bergh, are guides on the front line working at Lalibela Game Reserve in the Eastern Cape.
The reserve is a conservation project, all profits generated from the reserve are allocated to the conservation of the land, animals and wider community.
According to the reserve, the guiding team is a reflection of this broad mission each member displays an unwavering commitment to the environment regardless of gender or background while its success is built on the collective strength and vision of its guides, and each of the highly-trained women in the team elevates that success in their singular way.
Influences
All three women have nurtured a deep love and respect for nature. Van den Bergh revealed that growing up in Gauteng, she was exposed to the Kruger National Park at an early age, with her parents taking her there almost every school holiday.
“This stoked my interest in nature and the wild, and I knew I wanted to be a part of it and be able to share that with others,” she said.
Willemse’s path was a bit different with her first studying agriculture and working in winemaking before finding her calling and studying field guiding.
“I knew these were my people and I’d found my passion. I needed to be in the bush,” said the guide.
For Labuschagne, the journey was not a quick one.
“They say, Rome wasn’t built in a day and every day I work towards building my Rome. I started doing conservation and working at wildlife rehab centres, and it was during this time that I got the opportunity to do the FGASA course, which I, of course, jumped at,” said Labuschagne.
Challenges
Working in a male-dominated industry and as guides, the women said they have faced challenges, particularly when it comes to people doubting their ability to perform in the bush.
According to Van den Bergh, some guests make the judgement that a woman can’t drive a cruiser, or can’t control a difficult encounter with animals.
She highlighted that these views have never stopped them, and they continue to demonstrate not only that they can handle this but also handle their guests with charm and confidence.
“Given the opportunity, I always change their minds,” she said.
Inspiring
The guides also offered some good advice for aspiring woman field guides, or anyone following an unconventional career path.
“Don’t let anyone ever tell you what you can’t do. Chase your dreams so that one day you can look back proudly,” said Labuschagne.
On the other hand, Van den Bergh reminded women that they bring their own distinctive touch to the role.
“In many ways, women can be better guides than men,” she said.
At its core, the rise of women field guides in the industry is not just about breaking gender barriers; it is about recognising and harnessing the potential of all individuals, regardless of gender, to contribute to the stewardship of our planet.