Welcome to

The Field Guides Association of Southern Africa

Est 1990

The Field Guides Association of Southern Africa (FGASA) is the voice of Field Guides and Trackers, recognising them as professionals and upholding the highest standards of conduct and ethics. As the Professional Body for the nature guiding sector, FGASA sets, supports, and regulates professional standards to ensure technical and ethical competence, promoting and supporting career development and safeguarding public interest.

Become a member

A voice for Nature Guides

As a Professional Body, FGASA plays a vital role in maintaining high standards, promoting professional development, and safeguarding public interest. Professional bodies represent specific professions by supporting, regulating, and promoting standards of technical and ethical competence. They advance the knowledge and practice of the profession while fostering sustainable career growth for their members.

FGASA achieves these goals by setting industry benchmarks for safety, ethics, and professional excellence. Through skills development, mentorship, and ongoing support, FGASA ensures its members adhere to a strict code of conduct and exemplify ethical, knowledgeable, and safe practices.

Membership with FGASA provides members with the opportunity to:

  • Develop their careers through increased professionalism, ethics, skills, and knowledge, progressing from one level to the next.

  • Apply for a professional designation, awarded by FGASA as a Professional Body, to formally recognise their expertise, experience and professionalism.

  • Maintain Career Development Pathways, a structured and fully supported framework that fosters continued growth and professional development throughout their careers.

  • Active and continuous involvement in relevant research projects to benefit the guiding sector, the association, the country and the best interests of the Members.

This comprehensive approach not only supports individual members but also strengthens the overall professionalism and standards of the tourism, hospitality and nature guiding industry.

About FGASA

A Defined Career Path

Certifications and Training
Become a FGASA Member

FGASA Membership

Why choose FGASA?

A FGASA membership positions you as a career professional who upholds the industry’s preferred standards of ethical guiding practices. It highlights your commitment to excellence, showcasing your achievement of the highest levels of professional development and assuring employers, guests, and industry stakeholders of your knowledge and skills.

FGASA supports its members through continuous development opportunities, the awarding of professional designations, and fostering a network of experienced guides, trackers, mentors, and assessors. This network promotes sustainable career growth and ongoing skills development.

As a FGASA member, you are recognised as a dedicated career professional who meets the industry’s standards for knowledge, safety, and ethics.

FGASA’s professional designations, along with its emphasis on ongoing development, reflect your commitment to guiding excellence and set you apart in the nature guiding industry. This distinction assures employers of your professionalism and conduct, making you a highly sought-after candidate for employment and continued career growth.

FGASA members are more than recognised career professionals—they are supported by an association dedicated to fostering knowledge and professional career development through a range of growth opportunities.

These include meetings, workshops, peer-to-peer skill sharing, and access to experienced mentors and assessors.

FGASA upholds its professional standards through a comprehensive code of conduct and continuous professional development.

FGASA has cultivated a dynamic community of nature guides, trackers, tourism professionals, conservationists, and enthusiasts who share a commitment to career professionalism and growth. Through networking events and opportunities, members can build meaningful professional relationships while engaging in skill-sharing, development, and mentorship. These events also provide a platform to shape the future of FGASA and the guiding industry.

With a focus on career development, and industry transformation, FGASA supports members worldwide, regardless of location. Representing guides across six continents. FGASA’s standards of excellence and professionalism are globally recognised through its membership in the World Federation of Tourist Guide Associations (WFTGA).

Membership Benefits

You will be awarded a professional designation identifying you as a career professional committed to upholding the highest industry standards of ethics, safety and competence.

You gain access to professional career advancement opportunities ensuring that there is continued growth along your career path.

You will be recognised in the tourism, hospitality, and conservation sector as a professional within the sector by employers and other industry stakeholders.

Join a diverse network of career professionals committed to industry best practices, self-development and the development of the members, employers that align with globally recognised standards and training providers that deliver the highest educational value.

Enjoy exclusive retail, insurance and health care benefits.

FGASA Membership Benefits

Junior FGASA

Junior FGASA, is an initiative established by The Field Guides Association of Southern Africa, and has been created for young nature lovers and enthusiasts who want to learn about and experience our wonderful natural world. All Junior FGASA courses are accredited through FGASA and they pave the way for a future career in nature.

Have a look at our exclusive Junior FGASA courses below:

This course consists of 12 modules designed for 8-12 year-olds beautifully presented in our unique learner manual and workbook­, how to be a field guide or game ranger, mammals, animal behaviour, birds, reptiles, arthropods, amphibians, marine life and more.

Learn more about the Junior FGASA Pangolin Course here.

This course consists of 15 modules designed for 13-17 year-olds and is a more in depth study of topics, presented in our unique Nature Guide learner manual and workbook. In these modules, you will learn about geology, climate, weather, climate change, biomes, mammals , animal behaviour, birds, reptiles, arthropods, amphibians and more.

Learn more about the Junior FGASA Nature Ambassador Course here.

Do you have the qualities to become an exceptional guide? Are you filled with enthusiasm, curiosity, objectivity and are you a people person who loves to interact with others?

If you answer is YES, then choose the Field Guides Association of Southern Africa. Being any kind of guide, whether you are a nature guide or a tourism, culture or heritage guide, means you need to be a colourful and exciting person ready to let those qualities bubble and spill over into the lives of your guests.

Learn more about FGASA’s CATHSSETA accredited skills programmes and training courses here.

Learn more about Junior FGASA

Associations

FGASA is a full member of the

Retail Partners

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