A guide with a difference - COURTESY OF PARKER TOURS NEWS ITEM

Qualified and registered tour guide Jeff Asher-Wood is unquestionably as mad as a box of frogs, but for passion for his work and downright enthusiasm, there’s no one quite like him.  Jeff has been called South Africa’s answer to the late Steve Irwin, and when you meet him it’s easy to see why.

A local lad who grew up near Durban, Jeff‘s passion for South African wildlife and wild places shows in spades. 

Those lucky enough to travel on safari with Jeff witness first-hand his tireless enthusiasm, his knowledge and sense of humour. 

One traveller christened a trip with Jeff as the “Ferrari Safari” following a hair raising high speed chase through the bush in hot pursuit of a pride of hunting lions.

Jeff is fast gaining a reputation as the “Big Cat Man” in his relentless pursuit of lion, leopard and cheetah whilst on safari and certainly he does seem to have an enviable knack of spotting big cats, where other guides fail.

The local Zulus believe Jeff’s outstanding record of finding the elusive leopard and other big cats, not forgetting the rare black rhino, has nothing at all to do with luck.  Not for nothing is he known as the “Sangoma” amongst the Zulu people of Hluhluwe – a Sangoma is a gifted or spiritual person with special powers. 

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