Despite the longstanding male-dominated reputation of the industry, many women have been increasingly stepping into field guiding roles, bringing with them a unique blend of empathy, meticulous attention to detail, and an unyielding passion for wildlife and conservation.
This Womens Month, Lalibela Game Reserve in the Eastern Cape honours the women pioneering the path forward for others to follow, including three female guides - Tarene Labuschagne, Nelmarie Willemse, and Liezel van den B ergh .
Since Lalibela is first and foremost a conservation project all profits generated from the reserve are allocated to the conservation of the land, animals and wider community the guiding team is a reflection of this broad mission; each member displays an unwavering commitment to the environment regardless of gender or background. Lalibelas 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, highlighted Johann Lombard , CEO of Lalibela Game Reserve.
We have found the female guides are more sensitive and often tend to listen to guests in a more compassionate and honest manner, providing excellent care and service, he said.
Guides share their storiesAll three women have nurtured a deep love and respect for nature. Growing up in Gauteng I was exposed to the Kruger National Park at an early age, with my parents taking me there almost every school holiday, shared Van den Bergh. This ignited 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.
