Professional Excellence

Demonstrating a dedication to professional excellence, SGC is a membership organisation for an elite group of private safari guides operating in Africa. With a shared philosophy of ethical tourism and conservation they lead the way in supporting communities and protecting wildlife.

First established in the 1980s by Boo’s father Mike Shirley-Beavan, bringing together the leading private safari guides of their generation, some of the original members continue to be members of the SGC and undertake private guided safaris for Bushbuck.

The number of true private guides was decreasing but then in response to the emerging new generation of pioneering and principled guides, the SGC was revitalised and its membership increased in 2019.

The SGC’s aim is to promote the traditional values of the independent private guided classic safari but with a modern twist.

The organisation brings together groups of travelers who value conservation and ethical tourism. SGC guides also have specialisms which include walking, riding and mobile tented safaris but also extend to the more unusual like boating, adventuring, cycling, quad bikes and camel-supported safaris as well as mountain climbs.  All explore wild areas, treating the bush with utmost respect and taking their guests off-grid in a truly immersive and authentic way.

How it works

The administrative hub for SGC is run by Bushbuck’s Boo Chrisp who is based in the UK. Having been involved with the SGC since its inception and worked with private guides across Africa for over 35 years, Boo knows all the SGC guides personally and is friends with many. There is nobody more experienced with privately guided safaris.