Editing Guide

{{Short description|Person who escorts travelers or tourists through unfamiliar locations}}
{{Other uses}}
[[Image:Anselm Klotz(L)-Josef Frey(R).jpg|thumb|[[Austria]]n alpine [[mountain guides]] Anselm Klotz (left) and Josef Frey (right), 19th century]]

A '''guide''' is a person who leads [[travel]]ers, [[sportspeople]], or [[Tourism|tourists]] through unknown or unfamiliar locations. The term can also be applied to a person who leads others to more abstract goals such as [[knowledge]] or [[wisdom]].

==Travel and recreation==
Explorers in the past venturing into territory unknown by their own people invariably hired guides. Military explorers [[Lewis and Clark]] were hired by the United States Congress to explore the [[Pacific Northwest]].  They in turn hired the better qualified Native American [[Sacagawea]] to help them. [[Wilfred Thesiger]] hired guides in the deserts that he ventured into, such as Kuri on his journey to the [[Tibesti]] Mountains in 1938.

===Tour guide===
{{Main|Tour guide}}
[[Image:tourguide2.jpg|thumb|right|A tour guide at the [[Centre Block]] in Canada]]
Tour guides lead visitors through [[tourist attraction]]s and give information about the attractions' natural and cultural significance. Often, they also act as interpreters for travelers who do not speak the local language. Automated systems like [[audio tour]]s are sometimes substituted for human tour guides. [[Tour operator]]s often hire guides to lead tourist groups.

===Mountain guide===
{{Main|Mountain guide}}
Mountain guides are those employed in [[mountaineering]]; these are not merely to show the way but stand in the position of professional climbers with an expert knowledge of rock and snowcraft, which they impart to the amateur, at the same time assuring the safety of the climbing party. This professional class of guides arose in the middle of the 19th century when Alpine climbing became recognized as a [[sport]].<ref name=EB1911/>

In Switzerland, the central committee of the Swiss Alpine Club issues a guides’ tariff which fixes the charges for guides and porters; there are three sections, for the [[Valais]] and [[Vaud]]ois Alps, for the [[Bernese Oberland]], and for central and eastern Switzerland.<ref name=EB1911/>

In [[Chamonix]] ([[France]]) a statue has been raised to [[Jacques Balmat]], who was the first to climb [[Mont Blanc]] in 1786.<ref name=EB1911/> Other notable European guides are [[Christian Almer]], [[Jakob Anderegg|Jakob]] and [[Melchior Anderegg]], [[Klemens Bachleda]], Auguste Balmat, [[Alexander Burgener]], [[Armand Charlet]], [[Michel Croz]], [[François Devouassoud]], [[Angelo Dibona]], [[Andreas Heckmair]], the [[:de:Michael Innerkofler|Innerkofler]] family, [[Conrad Kain]], [[Christian Klucker]], and [[Matthias Zurbriggen]].

===Wilderness guide===
[[Image:Raquette River - at Sweeney Carry.jpg|thumb|Adirondack guides (carrying and rowing [[guideboat]]s on the [[Raquette River]], 1888]]

A [[wilderness]] guide leads paid parties through back country areas that may variously include land, water bodies, and high country &mdash; but not so high and technical as to require the skills of a [[mountain guide]].  Wilderness guides in the United States are historically and romantically particularly associated with the [[Adirondack Mountains]] of [[New York State]], where they first established the application of their skills as a broadly accepted and financially compensated trade.

Wilderness guides are expected to have a command of survival skills (such as making shelters, [[Making fire|fire-making]], [[navigation]], and [[first aid]]) and an understanding of the [[ecology]] and [[history]] of the location where they guide. Other common skills among guides include traditional [[handicrafts]] and cooking methods, [[fishing]], [[hunting]], [[bird watching]], and [[nature conservation]].

Wilderness tours usually take place on foot, though aids such as [[skis]] and [[snowshoes]], and conveyances such as [[canoes]], [[kayaks]], [[sledges]], [[pack animals]], and [[snowmobiles]] are utilized as appropriate.<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.tao.tampere.fi/tao/TAOWWWAIKUISET/era-_ja_luonto-oppaan_at_%28international_wilderness_guide%29.html|title= International Wilderness Guide program|author= Tampere College|author-link= Tampere College|access-date= 13 October 2011|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20111227094816/http://www.tao.tampere.fi/tao/TAOWWWAIKUISET/era-_ja_luonto-oppaan_at_%28international_wilderness_guide%29.html|archive-date= 27 December 2011|url-status= dead}}</ref>

===Hunting guide===
Hunting guides are employed by those seeking to hunt wildlife, especially [[Big game hunting|big game]] animals in the wild. European hunting guides working in Africa are sometimes called [[white hunter]]s, although the term is most commonly used in the context of the early [[20th Century Fox|20th century]].

===Safari guide===
Guides are employed on [[safari]], today usually just to observe and [[wildlife photography|photograph wildlife]], historically for [[big-game hunting]]. Safari guides are either self-employed or work for or through a guide service. There are no set qualifications or universal licensing procedures; customs and requirements vary by location.  In lieu, many guides choose to belong to a professional association.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.theholidayspot.co.za/blog/?p=53 |title=Is there a Misperception that Guides and Instructors are Qualified? &#124; the Holiday Spot Blog |access-date=21 January 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140201222130/http://www.theholidayspot.co.za/blog/?p=53 |archive-date=1 February 2014 }}</ref> These are typically linked to specific countries and are governed by their laws and policies. Associations such as ''The Field Guides Association of Southern Africa (FGASA)''<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.fgasa.co.za/|title=Home - FGASA|last=Fgasa|website=www.fgasa.co.za|access-date=18 April 2018}}</ref> and ''Uganda Safari Guides Association (USAGA)''<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ugasaf.org/|title=USAGA – Uganda Safari Guides Association|website=www.ugasaf.org|access-date=18 April 2018}}</ref> play an important role in training and educating safari guides to improve their knowledge and group safety.  Many famed safari guides are found on the [[list of famous big-game hunters]].

===Fishing guide===
{{See also|Outfitter}}
Fishing guides have a long history.  Their work spans from aiding [[fly fishing]] in small brooks or lakes to deep saltwater [[big game fishing]]. Some areas where fishing guides are popular include the [[Norwegian language|Norwegian coast]], [[Swedish archipelago]], the [[Florida]] coast, and various parts of [[Canada]].  The vernacular terms "fishing charter" or "charter boat" imply the services of a guide, whether the vessel's captain, a qualified hand, or experienced sportsman.{{cn|date=March 2024}}

===River guide===
River guides lead clients on day trips and overnight expeditions on rivers. They are expected to identify and navigate river features effectively in their watercraft of choice. A wide variety of watercraft are used, including [[Raft|inflatable rafts]], [[Canoe|canoes]], inflatable and hard-shell [[Kayak|kayaks]], [[Standup paddleboarding|stand-up paddleboards]], [[Drift boat|drift boats]], and [[Jetboat|jet boats]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Hughes |first=Michael |date=2020-12-15 |title=Types of Rafts for Whitewater Trips |url=https://www.whitewaterguidebook.com/pro-tips-types-of-whitewater-rafts/ |access-date=2024-12-02 |website=Whitewater Guidebook |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Choosing A River Running Boat |url=http://www.eddylinewelding.com/choosing-a-river-running-boat |access-date=2024-12-02 |website=Eddyline Welding |language=en-US}}</ref> Guides who routinely work on or around fast moving water practice [[swift water rescue]] techniques, and employ them when necessary. Some river guides offer other services, such as fishing and wildlife viewing.

==Military guides==
[[Image:Jim Bridger.jpg|thumb|Famed [[mountain man]] [[Jim Bridger]] served as guide and army scout during the first [[Powder River Expedition]] in 1865 against the [[Sioux]] and [[Cheyenne]] in [[Dakota Territory|Dakota]] and [[Montana Territory|Montana Territories]].]]

Historically in areas where detailed maps were unavailable, guides with local knowledge were employed for scouting and advance leadership during military operations. In 18th century [[Europe]], the stricter organization of military resources led in various countries to the special training of guide officers who had the primary duty of finding, and if necessary establishing, routes for military units.<ref name=EB1911/>

===Guides regiments===
The genesis of the ''guides'' regiments may be found in a short-lived Corps of Guides formed by [[Napoleon I of France|Napoleon]] in Italy in 1796, which appears to have been a personal escort or bodyguard composed of men who knew the country.<ref name=EB1911/> Following the [[unification of Italy]] in 1860, the new national army included a cavalry regiment designated: [[Regiment "Cavalleggeri Guide"|Guides Regiment]].

In the [[Belgian Army]] the two [[Guides Regiment|guides regiments]], created respectively in 1833 and 1874, constituted part of the light cavalry and came to correspond to the [[List of army units called "guards"|guard]] cavalry of other nations.<ref name=EB1911/> Until the outbreak of World War I, they wore a distinctive uniform comprising a plumed [[Busby (military headdress)|busby]], green [[dolman]] braided in yellow, and crimson breeches. Mechanised in October 1937, both regiments formed armored battalions in the post World War II Belgian Army. Following a series of amalgamations the Belgian guides ceased to exist in 2011.

In the [[Swiss Army|Swiss army]] prior to 1914, the squadrons of guides acted as divisional cavalry. In this role these light cavalry units were called upon, on occasion, to lead columns and provide scouts.<ref name=EB1911/>

The [[Corps of Guides (British India)|Corps of Guides]] of the [[British Indian Army]] consisted of a unique combination of infantry companies and cavalry squadrons.<ref name=EB1911/> After World War I the infantry element was incorporated in the [[12th Frontier Force Regiment]] and the Guides Cavalry formed a separate regiment - the [[Guides Cavalry|10th Queen Victoria's Own Corps of Guides Cavalry (Frontier Force)]]. This unit still exists as the 2nd (Guides) Battalion of the Frontier Force Regiment of the modern Army of Pakistan.

In drill, a ''guide'' is an officer or non-commissioned officer who regulates the direction and pace of movements.<ref name=EB1911>{{EB1911|wstitle=Guide|volume=12|page=687|inline=1}}</ref>

==Metaphysics==

===Trip sitter===
{{Main|Trip sitter}}

A '''psychedelic guide''' is someone who guides a drug user's experiences as opposed to a sitter who merely remains present, ready to discourage [[bad trip]]s and handle emergencies but not otherwise getting involved. Guides are more common amongst spiritual users of [[entheogens]]. Psychedelic guides were strongly encouraged by [[Timothy Leary]] and the other authors of ''[[The Psychedelic Experience]]: A Guide Based on the Tibetan Book of the Dead''. Trip sitters are also mentioned in the [[Responsible drug use|Responsible Drug User's Oath]].

===Guided meditation===

===In Islam===

In Islam ''ar-Rashid'', one of the [[99 Names of God]], means ''the Guide''. From this is derived the common Arabic name [[Rashid (name)|Rashid]].

==See also==
* [[Porter (carrier)|Porter]]
* [[Mountain guide]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

[[Category:Personal care and service occupations]]
[[Category:Guides| ]]