Why Get IFGA Certified?
IFGA certification is built on what lodges identified as a crucial need: a new standard that goes beyond technical skills to spotlight the soft skills and guest-centred approach that truly set top guides apart.
IFGA adds a vital layer of credibility to your existing qualifications by measuring your ability to create immersive, interpretive, and memorable guest experiences.
With transparent scoring and globally transferable standards, IFGA helps you stand out in a competitive market and opens doors to prestigious career opportunities worldwide – all without annual fees.
Types of Certification
IFGA Certification comes in three levels: IFGA Guide, IFGA Advanced Guide, and IFGA Ambassador. The type of certification a guide is awarded depends on the cumulative grade they receive from a series of assessments covering guided experience, knowledge and technique. Certifications are also specific to a specialisation, such as Vehicle Guide or Trails Guide.
Should a student’s assessment grade fall between 40-59, they will receive the designation of “IFGA Trainee Guide”. This allows them to demonstrate their affiliation with IFGA, while continuing their training and reassessment at a later stage to achieve full certification as an IFGA Guide, IFGA Advanced Guide, and IFGA Ambassador.
Grade: 40-59
IFGA Trainee Guide
Grade: 60-75
IFGA Guide
Grade: 76-85
IFGA Advanced Guide
Grade: 86-100
IFGA Ambassador
Specialisations
IFGA Vehicle Guide
Assesses the guest-facing and interpretive skills demonstrated during vehicle-based safaris, including storytelling, ecological knowledge, and the ability to engage guests across topics like mammals, botany, birding, and track & sign.
IFGA Backup Trails Guide
A Backup Trails Guide (second rifle) can accompany an Advanced Trails Guide (first rifle) on walking safaris in dangerous game areas. IFGA assessments focus on guest interaction, communication, support given to the lead guide, situational awareness, crisis management, sensitivity to the environment, and contribution to a safe, immersive experience.
IFGA Advanced Trails Guide (Dangerous Game)
An Advanced Trails Guide can legally walk as the first rifle (country dependent) to conduct extended trails walks in dangerous game areas, and to actively follow and view potentially dangerous animals.
IFGA evaluates the behavioural, leadership, and guest experience skills of experienced guides in high-pressure walking environments.
IFGA specialisations recognise a guide’s ability to deliver outstanding guest experiences in specific guiding contexts, such as vehicle-based safaris, nature walks, and trails in dangerous game areas.
IFGA adds an important layer of distinction – recognising guides who go beyond basic competency by evaluating how they communicate, interpret, connect with guests, and demonstrate situational awareness to create meaningful, memorable encounters.
IFGA Assessment
Theory Assessment
The theory exam assesses a guide candidate's knowledge across topics like ecology, animal behaviour, species identification, and guiding principles. While the industry pass mark ranges from 50% to 75%, the IFGA requires a higher standard with a minimum pass mark of 80%.
Practical Assessment
The IFGA practical assessment is divided into three categories: Guided Experience, Technique, and Knowledge, with each assessed separately. This structure ensures a comprehensive evaluation of a guide's skills and abilities across all key areas.
*There are additional requirements to become certified depending on the specialisation you choose, such as a driving assessment. These are detailed below.
Requirements: IFGA Vehicle Guide
For this specialisation, each component must be successfully completed, though there is no required order for achieving them. If any component is not met, a statement of results will be issued until all remaining requirements are fulfilled.
IFGA Theory Exam (Vehicle Guide): 80%
IFGA Practical Components: 85%
IFGA Driving Assessment: Required
National Guiding Certificate: Required (country specific)
Age: 21+
First Aid Certificate: Required
Requirements: IFGA Trails Guide
As with Vehicle Guide, each component must be complete to fulfil this specialisation, but in no specific order. Exposure walks are led by other experienced and qualified guides to give the trainee encounters needed for this specialisation.
IFGA Theory Exam (Trails Guide): 80%
IFGA Advanced Rifle Handling: Required
CyberTracker Tracker: Level 1 required
Exposure Walks (Participant): 30 encounters required
Exposure Walks (2nd Rifle): 1 encounter per dangerous game species* required
Age: 21+
First Aid Certificate: Required
National Guiding Certificate (Walking): Required (country specific)
*In South Africa this includes elephant, rhino, buffalo and lion
Requirements: IFGA Advanced Trails Guide (Dangerous Game)
This is the advanced version of the Trails Guide specialisation, which allows the guide to lead walks in areas with dangerous game. The same expectations apply regarding fulfilling components to complete the specialisation.
IFGA Trails Guide: Required
IFGA Advanced Rifle Handling: Required
IFGA Graded Assessment: Required
CyberTracker Tracker: Level 3 required
Dangerous Game Encounters: 200* required
Age: 21+
First Aid Certificate: Required
National Guiding Certificate (Walking): Required (country specific)
*Not including encounters on Trails Guide exposure walks.
Frequently Asked Questions
Anyone with a passion for nature and interest in guiding can apply to join a field guide course and work towards becoming a certified IFGA guide. While the minimum age requirement to join most field guide courses is 18, you must be 21 to become a certified IFGA guide. This is aligned with industry standards for professional driving permits and other requirements for professional guides. You can still earn your entry level guiding certification, country dependent, at 18 (ie. Cathsseta Nature Site Guide NQF2 in South Africa).
Who can become an IFGA Guide?
Our certified training providers, such as Bushwise in South Africa, host in-person training courses to give you the necessary skills and experience to take the IFGA Assessments. These assessments are then held by qualified assessors to determine your level of proficiency.
How can I get certified as an IFGA Guide?
On average, field guide courses take six months to complete, plus an optional additional six month work placement. These courses are designed to provide you with essential training, theory, soft skills and knowledge to excel as an IFGA guide.
How long is an IFGA training program?
IFGA offers three certification levels based on your graded performance: IFGA Guide (60-75%), IFGA Advanced Guide (76-85%), and IFGA Ambassador (86+). Each level is awarded based on the candidate’s performance in their assessment, which covers areas such as guided experience, technique, and knowledge.
What are the different levels of IFGA certification?
IFGA certification allows you to specialise in areas like Vehicle Guide, where you lead wildlife tours in vehicles, or Trails Guide, where you can conduct nature walks. Advanced specialisations, such as the IFGA Advanced Trails Guide for Dangerous Game, enable you to lead extended walks in dangerous game areas.
What specialisations can I pursue with IFGA certification?
IFGA assessments evaluate guides across three key areas: guided experience, technique, and knowledge. Each guide is graded on these areas, and their certification status is based on the overall score. Specialisation-specific assessments are also required, with the score for each specialisation appearing on the issued certificate.
How are IFGA assessments structured?
Costs
There are no annual membership fees for IFGA Guides.
Your IFGA training provider will provide you with their training and examination costs.
