Field guide at Lalibela Game Reserve near Seven Fountains, Ashley Meintjes, is runner-up in the prestigious annual Safari Guide of the Year competition, powered by the Field Guides Association of SA (FGASA). HJ Esterhuizen of Royal Malewane was chosen as this year’s winning guide. From June 30 to July 6, Mhondoro Safari Lodge & Villa in Limpopo hosted a
multi-day event which saw the top five guides — Themba Mabunda, Esterhuizen, Tracey Bruton, Phillip Wessels and Meintjes, compete in a range of safari-related activities. These included game drives, bush walks, photographic experiences, bird identification and calls, tracking and signs.
The guides were judged by a panel of experts which included Mike Karantonis, the co-founder of Safari Guide of the Year and Tintswalo Group head guide; FGASA senior tracker Lucas Mathonsi; FGSA managing director Michelle du Plessis; 2022 safari guide of the year winner Cameron Pearce; award-winning National Geographic wildlife photographer and filmmaker Shannon Wild; FGASA professional field guide, scout and assessor Alan Yeowart; Senalala general manager James Steyn; and the Royal Malewane director, Juan Pinto. The Safari Guide of the Year competition, which was started in 2011, honours the dedication, skill and passion of the field guides who provide unforgettable safari experiences across southern Africa.
The selection process is highly competitive and a nomination requires at least five years of experience, specific qualifications and active FGASA membership. Currently one of Lalibela Game Reserve’s most respected field guides, Meintjes has been actively guiding for 16 years. After achieving his first FGASA qualification in 2006, Meintjes went on to complete his trails guide qualification under the mentorship of Bruce Lawson at EcoTraining.
Meintjes also credits the wealth of knowledge and professionalism of mentor and guide Chris Reynecke (who was his head guide at Kichaka Lodge at Lalibela Game Reserve) with laying the foundation of his career. For Meintjes, the best part of his job is sharing the wonder and beauty of nature with his guests, especially “opening up a guest’s mind to the unseen and unknown in nature and sharing that experience with them”.
As Safari Guide of the Year 2024 runner-up, Meintjes recognises the competition as an opportunity for guides to demonstrate their development: “It’s important for guides to have a platform to showcase their skill sets, make memories and share a great experience to further ignite passion in others,’ he says. With a career growing from strength to strength, we look forward to witnessing Meintjes’s continued success as a cherished guide of Lalibela Game Reserve.
- This article was first published in Talk of the Town, July 11, 2024. The newspaper serving the communities of Ndlambe and the Sunshine Coast, with a weekly wrap of Makhanda news, is available at stores from early on Thursdays.
