The Safari Field Challenge 2026, a competition for professional tour guides organised by the Tanzania Tour Guide Foundation through the Tanzania Guide Awards, has officially kicked off at Lake Manyara National Park, bringing together top tour guides in a contest aimed at strengthening service standards in Tanzania’s tourism sector.
The challenge, which started on April 8, 2026, seeks to build the capacity of tour guides and enhance their ability to deliver high-quality experiences to visitors exploring the country’s natural attractions.
Speaking on behalf of the Conservation Commissioner of the Tanzania National Parks Authority (Tanapa), Assistant Conservation Commissioner in charge of Business Development, Jully Bede Lyimo, welcomed the finalists and encouraged them to deepen their knowledge of Tanzania’s tourism attractions and products available within the national parks.
He said the competition provides an important platform for tour guides to sharpen their professional skills while playing a bigger role in promoting Tanzania’s tourism destinations globally.
Mr Lyimo also used the opportunity to encourage participants to promote and make use of the TanapaGo App, a digital platform that provides detailed information on tourist attractions and investment opportunities within the country’s national parks.
He further called on tourism stakeholders to support the country’s parks that have been nominated for the 2026 World Tourism Awards in Africa by casting their votes, noting that the recognition would further boost Tanzania’s position as a leading tourism destination.
The finalists began the competition at Lake Manyara National Park before proceeding to Serengeti National Park for the next stage of the challenge.
During the opening stage, the tour guides also had an opportunity to experience some of the unique tourism products offered in the park, including the canopy walkway, canoeing, day game drives and night game drives.
The Safari Field Challenge is part of wider efforts by tourism stakeholders to promote professionalism among tour guides while showcasing Tanzania’s diverse tourism attractions to the world.
