Sarah Barratt is the second woman in the competition’s 15-year history to take the top honour of Safari Guide of the Year!
Greater Kruger, South Africa (25 June 2026) – Over the last week, the safari guiding industry’s greatest celebration and benchmark of excellence took place over a five-day competition in the Greater Kruger.
The Safari Guide of the Year competition is now in its 15th year. It both tests and honours the top performers in professional guiding in South Africa.
Throughout the course of this year’s competition, five finalists were assessed across nine key disciplines in guiding, including track and sign identification, birding, storytelling, guided walks, photographic guiding, hospitality, professionalism, advanced rifle handling, and guided game drives.
The five guides who competed for top honours this year were Patrick Kepe, Samantha Snodgrass, Sarah Barratt, Jordan Davidson, and Otto Scribante.
This year’s panel of judges included competition founder Mike Karantonis and FGASA Managing Director Michelle du Plessis, along with a stable of other highly credible names in the industry.
On Tuesday evening, a winner was crowned!
Sarah Barrat, a safari guide who operates from a well-known private game reserve near Hoedspruit, was named Safari Guide of the Year. Sarah boasts 15 years of guiding experience across the country, along with a background in anthropology. She is the second woman in the competition’s history to claim the title!
Following closely behind was Otto Scribante, who was named runner-up.
Barratt claimed top honours in two of the nine categories – industry ambassador and professionalism, and the guided game drive, the discipline most central to a guest’s safari experience.
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Mike Karantonis said the competition was built on a foundation of selflessness and a desire to recognise guides who often work behind the scenes.
The Field Guides Association of Southern Africa (FGASA) endorsed SGOTY in 2011 to address a gap the tourism industry had largely ignored. Before the competition, there was no formal, independently judged benchmark for what separates a good safari guide from an exceptional one.
“Safari Guide of the Year is about more than recognising an individual. It reflects the standards we expect across the guiding profession and highlights the dedication, professionalism and excellence required to operate at the highest level.” said Michelle du Plessis.
A huge congratulations goes to Sarah for demonstrating her undeniable skill in the bush – we love seeing a woman take top honours in South Africa’s benchmark for safari guiding excellence!
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