The Avitourism Roadshow hit the trail to Limpopo and Mpumalanga in the first week of October to meet birding guides trained under the auspices of BirdLife South Africa’s Avitourism Project. The team, comprising Nandi Thobela (Empowering People Programme Manager), Thandulwazi Ndaba (Empowering People Programme Intern) and myself, met seven of the guides during what was a highly successful event.

Thandulwazi and John with guide Enos Zulu. Credit Nandi Thobela

Some of the guides have been providing many birders in South Africa with treasured birding memories, not to mention an array of lifers, for more than 20 years. It was heart-warming to hear from these experts about the impact BirdLife South Africa has had, and continues to have, on their lives. Excitedly, we exchanged ideas as to how BirdLife South Africa can further support them (and how they can support one another), the importance of marketing in the age of social media, and how they could broaden their birding knowledge to make themselves more relevant in nearby areas and birding hotspots and thus increase their marketability.

Guides Bedneck Maibela, Michael Kumako, Thabelo Sekome and Joel Sithole with BirdLife South Africa’s Thandulwazi Ndaba (far left) and John Kinghorn (third from left). Credit Nandi Thobela

Ultimately, this was an extremely beneficial event for not only all the guides, but also the Avitourism team as the project strives to achieve new levels of inclusivity. We also took the opportunity to hand over brand-new uniforms generously sponsored by Jonsson Workwear. This forms part of the Avitourism Project’s efforts to enhance the professional appearance of all the guides it trains, ensuring that they meet the standards expected of guides operating within South Africa’s extremely competitive tourism industry.

John and Thandulwazi with veteran guide David Letsoalo. Credit Nandi Thobela

Despite adversity, these guides’ love for birds, birding and sharing their local birds with others has made them the inspirational birding legends they are today. Even when faced with a global pandemic and fluctuations in the availability of work, every one of these guides refuses to give up on their passion for birding.

So the next time you’re in Kaapsehoop, Hoedspruit, Tzaneen, Magoebaskloof, Venda or Polokwane, make sure to check our GoBirding platform to see which of our almost 50 active birding guides can help you see birds differently.

Empowering People Programme Manager Nandi Thobela and John with guide Christopher Nethonze.

JOHN KINGHORN, AVITOURISM PROJECT MANAGER