Meet a Maestro of Adventure – Lee Gutteridge

Lee Gutteridge from Nature Guide Training. A tracker, a trainer, a ranger, a teacher and an author – a man of many talents.

Photograph by Hillary Lisowski.

Lee’s purpose is not only to teach people about the wonders of nature and guiding, but to offer a positive, empowering and life-enriching experience for everyone around him.

Find out more about Lee and Nature Guide Training on their website, Facebook or Instagram.

Lee Gutteridge, was the maestro of our adventure. Constantly aware of the big sweep of the scene, the minutia next to the vehicle, the moods of “the guests”, he gently led us into the safari mindset, “the journey” into the existential here and now.

Jill Brookoff – Memphis, TN, USA

Q: How long have you been a guide and trainer?

It will be 29 years in September!

Q: What made you want to get into this industry?

I have always been into nature, in particular I’m fanatical about snakes.

I started my career as a professional tracker in September 1992 in the Kruger Park and have subsequently been an Anti-poaching Ranger, Head Ranger, Lodge Manager, Safaris Manager and Reserve Manager.

Q: What does an average year look like? (COVID aside!)

I run training programmes on a near constant basis – here in South Africa but also elsewhere in Africa. I just got back from training African Parks rangers in Garamba National Park in the DRC.

I also regularly track in the USA, and have started tracking in the UK, Europe and India.

I would like to do some tracking in Australia too.

Why do you love what you do?

Lee and his partner Kersey had this to say, “We really love tracking, and believe that trackers are some of the most fun, humble, and curious people that we meet.

Nature is so vast that you can never know everything, and there will always be times where you don’t know an answer, or are completely incorrect, or lose an animal’s trail, no matter how ‘expert’ you become. That’s all part of the fun. It’s always different and never boring.

We want to share our passion for tracking and nature with as many other people as possible, and make it affordable to do so. [We hope to] ignite your senses of wonder and curiosity about the natural world, and inspire you to find your place in it and to protect it.”

Q. Tell us about a really scary or exciting encounter you’ve had recently with a wild animal?

I laughed when you asked me this, there have been so many times that I have nearly wet myself that it’s hard to say…

But most recently I was nearly run over by two hippo bulls in the Congo on the banks of the Dungu River.

I managed to squeeze behind a tiny tree and they both ran past me.

They were actually fighting each other, and the battle ended up on shore too fast to be believed.

But we were all fine!

Q: Tell us how you eat when you’re out tracking.

Typically I eat a lot of snack bars, tuna, hard biscuits and also army ration packs.

For me the taste of the meal and and being full are important. I don’t really eat for pleasure, more just to put fuel in the tank, but if it doesn’t taste good I just don’t eat until I have to…

I’m a bit of a meat fan so the last time I was out on a 3 night trail I really enjoyed your chilli con carne.