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The Heritage Guides

Heritage Hotels has once again shown its commitment towards excellence in guiding after one of the guides was awarded the highest grade in the country; a gold level, on 20th November 2008 Paul Kirui, who is the group’s Chief Safari Guide, attained this award to be only the second guide in Kenya at this level since the establishment of the guides grading system over 10 years ago. Paul achieved his bronze in 1998 and silver in 2001.Each level requires a pass in the exams set for that level, and one can only sit for the next level exams 3 years after passing the previous level. This is to allow one gain enough practical experience in the field before advancing higher, equivalent to pilots who have to earn enough hours before getting a higher license.Our team of guides is now getting expert guidance from Paul, who is assisting them to go up through the different levels in order to improve the standards of guiding at our properties and develop the best guiding team in Kenya. All our guides are bronze level and higher with 3 having attained silver and more sitting their exams in January. It is through our team of expert guides that we are able to ensure that the Heritage group continues to give unmatched safari experiences to our guests now and in the years to come.

 

Paul Kirui


Paul is the group chief safari guide for Heritage Hotels. He has 15 years of guiding experience and a wealth of knowledge in the field as a guide. He is a keen birder and a member of Nature Kenya, with a certificate in ornithology from the ornithology department of the National museums of Kenya. He did his guiding course in South Africa and has also attended other training institutions in Kenya i.e. Utalii college, Kenya Wildlife Service Training Institute and College of Professional management.

Paul is a gold level member of the Kenya Professional Safari Guides Association. He achieved this status after his thesis on the vultures’ concentration and breeding status in the Mara was accepted by the exam committee. He becomes the second guide in Kenya to achieve level.

John Parmasau Kerore

Balloon ride over the Masai Mara by Dixon Chelule, Safari Guide @Mara Intrepids

A local Masai guide from the Narok region, John started his guiding profession after his high school education in 1994 as a cultural lecturer. He later trained as a naturalist specializing on walking safaris and game drives. After attending an intensive course in South Africa, John started a program for young children, ‘Adventurers' club’ which has become very popular with children and families visiting our camps and resorts. He continually strives to improve the clubs, and as the (Heritage) group clubs coordinator, has trained many of the younger club attendants and naturalists. 

Apart from the family group activities, John is a very experienced guide and has taken many guests on safari during his many years of guiding. He is a Bronze level member of the Kenya Professional Safari Guide Association.

Jackson Minteeng Liaram

Voyager Logo - Heritage Hotels

Jackson, a Masai born in the Mara grew up as many of his peers did – a herds boy looking after his family's flock – before he started going to school. He picked up a lot on the general behavior of wildlife, and this knowledge was to come in handy when he decided to take guiding professionally. After graduating from high school, he joined Mara Intrepids Camp as a trainee naturalist.

In mid 2005, he enrolled at the Koiyaki Guiding School pioneer class, from where he graduated as a professional safari guide at KPSGA bronze level. Jackson was employed at Mara Intrepids Camp as a guide/naturalist and after three years.

He is now based at Siana Springs Intrepids Camp as a driver guide, and is a silver level member of the Kenya Professional Safari Guides Association.

Stephen Tilas Lekango


Born north of the Samburu National Reserve in northern Kenya, Stephen became interested in wildlife, especially birds, whilst looking after his father's camels and cows at Namanyaraboo and Naibelibeli plains (home to the Grevy zebras).

His professional training was at the Kenya Hotel Institute as a tour guide in 2005 with emphasis on the natural history of East Africa. He joined Heritage Hotels in May to August 2005 as a trainee and his keen interest in his subjects, arresting charm and nature earned him his first job as an Adventurers' and Young Rangers' Club attendant.

A bronze level member of the Kenya Professional Safari Guide Association, Tilas has trained in Fundamentals of Ornithology as well as in-house astronomy and eco-training which he hopes to use for one of his passions, conservation. His other  passions are photography, reading and birding. He is currently the resident naturalist at Samburu Intrepids, family safari guide and a tour guide.

Daniel Kilonzo

After his high school education, Daniel started training as guide with the Kenya Wild Life Service as a birder and botanist. He joined the National Museum of Kenya from where he trained in many aspects of field guiding i.e. astronomy, know Kenya course etc. He sat and passed his bronze level exams of the Kenya Professional Safari Guide Association. Daniel is an experienced guide in walking and families’ safaris and is stationed at the Great Rift Valley lodge from where he conducts these activities.

Dixon Chelule "DC"

Balloon ride over the Masai Mara by Dixon Chelule, Safari Guide @Mara Intrepids

Dixon - DC as he is popularly known - is a stalwart guide. He started off as a ballon technician, later learning the ropes in guiding at Governors' Camp. The Assistant Head Guide at Mara Intrepids Camp, DC has over 18 years as a professional guide at the camp.

An ardent photographer and keen video-grapher, he is a bronze level member of the Kenya Professional Safari Guide Association, with different levels of certification from the Utalii College in Nairobi.