If you ever find yourself on a game drive at Ol Pejeta, you might meet Eunice Macharia, a tourism guide whose quiet confidence and warm smile quickly puts guests at ease.
Soft-spoken but firm in her decisions, Eunice carries herself with a calm authority that becomes evident the moment the safari vehicle rolls onto the plains. She is attentive, observant, and endlessly enthusiastic about sharing the natural wonders of the conservancy. Among Ol Pejeta’s guiding team, Eunice stands out as one of the few female tourism guides – a role she carries with pride and purpose.
From Marura to the Wild
Eunice was born and raised in the Marura Community, one of the communities neighbouring Ol Pejeta and closely connected to the conservancy’s work.
Wildlife was never something distant or abstract in her childhood. Her earliest fascination with nature began when she was very young, listening eagerly to stories from her grandfather, who worked with wildlife. In the evenings, he would return home and share tales from his day in the field. Those stories sparked something in Eunice.
“I remember being very excited whenever he talked about wildlife,” she recalls.
Her father also played a major role in shaping her path. During school holidays, he would take Eunice and her siblings on trips to visit different places, including Ol Pejeta itself.
One visit left a lasting impression.
“I remember visiting the chimpanzee sanctuary and seeing the work that was happening there,” Eunice says. “I admired the people I met during those trips.”
One day, she told her father something that would quietly set the direction for her future. “Dad, I want to be a guide someday.”
Her father became her mentor and strongest supporter. Today, that childhood dream has become her reality.
Eunice joined Ol Pejeta in 2021, and every day continues to bring new discoveries.
“Every day as a guide is different,” she says with a smile. “From interacting with people from different places to discovering new things each day. It’s something so beautiful.”
Navigating a Male-Dominated Field
Safari guiding in Kenya has traditionally been a male-dominated profession. But Eunice is part of a growing number of women reshaping the field and carving out space for themselves in conservation tourism.
Her journey, she says, has been largely positive.
“My experience so far has been wonderful. I’ve met very supportive colleagues from the start, even where I previously worked.”
But there have been moments that reminded her how unusual it still is for guests to see a woman be their guide on safari.
She laughs as she recalls one encounter from earlier in her career.
A group of guests arrived for their safari and were visibly surprised to see Eunice standing before them—a small, soft-spoken young lady, ready to guide them through the wild.
“They asked if I was the one taking them to the field,” she says, smiling at the memory.
Some of the guests had doubts.
Her fellow guides quickly stepped in to show their support, assuring the visitors that Eunice was indeed their guide for the day, and if they were not comfortable with that, they would have to seek services elsewhere.
The guests stayed. Eunice took them out on safari and did what she does best.
“By the end of the trip, they apologised for their earlier thoughts,” she says. “They told me they were surprised by how good the experience was.”
Moments like these only strengthen her resolve. Guiding, she notes, also comes with its share of practical challenges; long shifts in the field, mechanical issues like tyre bursts, and the occasional breakdown while out with guests in the wilderness.
For guides who are also parents, the job can mean long stretches away from family.
But for Eunice, the motivation is clear. As the firstborn in her family, she feels a strong responsibility to set an example for her three siblings.
“That keeps me moving,” she says.
Becoming a Professional Guide
Eunice is a Bronze-level certified guide with the Kenya Professional Safari Guides Association, a certification that requires extensive knowledge and dedication.
“It’s not an easy breeze to be certified,” she explains. “It takes a lot of dedication and love for what you do.”
Passing the exams is only part of the journey. A truly great guide, Eunice says, needs much more than wildlife knowledge. “It’s more than just knowing animals. A good guide needs humour, patience, and the ability to understand what your clients want.”
Listening, she adds, is one of the most important skills. “Some clients just want to relax. Others may be going through something difficult and they just need someone to listen.”
For Eunice, guiding is not just about spotting wildlife—it is also about understanding people and creating meaningful experiences in nature.
The Magic of the Wild
Ask Eunice about her favourite animal, and she answers without hesitation.
“Elephants.”
She loves watching them move together as a herd.
“I like that they are matriarchal and very intelligent animals,” she explains. “I love how they protect their younger ones, and the fact that their leaders are the females.”
One of her most memorable sightings involved a herd of elephants along the Ewaso Nyiro River. A young calf was struggling to drink water, attempting to copy its mother but unable to master the use of its trunk. In the process, the calf slipped into the mud and got stuck.
“It was during the rainy season and the river was high,” Eunice remembers. “We were crossing our fingers that the calf wouldn’t get swept away.”
The mother rushed in to help and soon, the rest of the herd joined her, working together to pull the baby free.
“That was something so beautiful to watch,” Eunice says. “Seeing the support from the whole herd.”
Moments like these are what she loves sharing with guests.
“Animals show compassion to their young, just like humans do,” she explains. “Watching those behaviours reminds us how connected we all are.”
When Wildlife Moves People
Over the years, Eunice has witnessed countless emotional reactions from visitors experiencing the wild for the first time.
One moment stands out.
While guiding a guest at the chimpanzee viewing platform, she began explaining the conservation work being done there. As the chimps moved nearby, the guest became overwhelmed with emotion.
Eunice gently offered her shoulder.
They ended up sitting together for nearly four hours, talking about life while watching the chimpanzees.
“That was when I realised how important the guest experience is,” she says. “You never know what someone could be going through.”
It was the first time she had ever hugged a guest for so long — and it left a lasting impression on her.
Growing Through Guiding
Working at Ol Pejeta has helped Eunice grow in many ways beyond guiding itself.
She has developed skills in guest relations, problem solving, and now even people management as she begins supervising and coordinating experiences for guests.
“It’s something I had never done before,” she says.
The tourism industry, she believes, is also opening more doors for women.
“It’s creating a platform where the girl child is being seen more,” Eunice says. “There are many opportunities for women to join guiding and conservation.”
Her advice to young women considering tourism?
“They shouldn’t think this isn’t a good job. It’s a fun job! You’re working while still learning so much.”
Seeing guests discover wildlife for the first time, she says, never gets old.
Exactly Where She Wants to Be
If she hadn’t become a guide, Eunice laughs, she might have pursued a career in the medical field—something she once admired.
But she quickly adds that she has no regrets.
“Right now I’m doing something that I love more,” she says. “I am where I want to be.”
And every day on the plains of Ol Pejeta, Eunice continues doing what she does best, bringing people closer to the heartbeat of the wild.
