The IFMGA logo is your guarantee that the guide you are with has the highest level of mountaineering qualification in the world.
It takes a minimum of 3 years to complete training and assessment in 4 disciplines:
In addition, there are courses in avalanche safety, first aid, coaching theory and so on. We conduct regular in service training to keep up to date.
In short, it’s a commitment to excellence in the mountains and in certain countries it’s a legal requirement when guiding on glaciers.
I’m a member of both the British Mountain Guides and the Syndicat National des Guides de Haute Montagne, the French equivalent of the BMG.