Field Guide Courses Botswana

A field guide course amidst Botswana's awe-inspiring nature is suitable for anyone who wants to witness deep and meaningful moments in almost untouched landscapes and actively experience and understand the fascinating habitats of Southern Africa. The flora and fauna of the country, the untouched nature and the unbelievable variety of species will amaze every visitor.

Botswana's strongest attraction is probably the Okavango Delta, one of Africa's largest and most animal-rich wetlands covering more than 20,000 km² in the middle of the semi-arid Kalahari.

But not only the breathtaking UNESCO World Heritage Site will inspire you, but also regions like the Northern Tuli Game Reserve, located in the easternmost tip of Botswana. The landscape here is different from the rest of the country and is characterised by basalt formations, sandstone hills, seasonally dry riverbeds, floodplain forests, meadows and swamps. The abundance of animals is enormous and certainly ensures unforgettable wildlife experiences.

In both of these unique regions, Natucate offers time-out seekers the chance to dive deep into pristine landscapes as part of a field guide training course and broaden their knowledge in a unique way – whether as part of a professional restart or a nature-oriented time-out for a digital detox.

Together with your international team you will learn from the best guides and meet the Big Five – buffalo, leopard, lion, elephant and rhino – as well as other impressive wild animals in their natural habitat. At the end of your training and after passing a final examination, you can obtain a certificate recognised by the Field Guides Association of Southern Africa (FGASA) which will benefit you on your way to becoming a professional nature guide.

Becoming a field guide in Botswana

From professional preparation for a job in the safari industry to shorter courses for personal enrichment – guide courses are available for everyone. Participation in our courses serves both for further training and for personal gain and in no case obliges you to acquire a qualification.

FGASA-accredited field guide courses with certificate

One-year training as Professional Field Guide

The one-year course amongst our field guide training opportunities is without any doubt a true highlight. This twelve-month training programme will take you not only to South African camps Makuleke, Karongwe, Pridelands and Selati, but also to Mashatu in Botswana’s beautiful Tuli Block.

Here, excellently trained and experienced guides impart profound knowledge about the realm of animals and plants and teach you professional guiding skills. In the second half of the course, the newly acquired knowledge will be tested in a practical lodge internship. To sum it up: The Professional Field Guide offers a profound learning and living experience amidst the pristine natural landscape of Southern Africa. After successfully completing the relevant exams, it is possible to obtain an officially FGASA-approved certificate.

29- to 55-day Field Guide Level 1 training (Apprentice Field Guide)

The Apprentice Field Guide / Field Guide Level 1 course in Botswana and other African countries is particularly suitable for those who do not want to stay abroad for a whole year, but feel a strong urge to take an extended, meaningful break away from everyday life.

A Field Guide Level 1 training is possible in South Africa and Botswana or only in one of the two countries. If you are particularly drawn to Botswana, you can live – for one to two months – in the picturesque Northern Tuli Game Reserve (Mashatu) or in the middle of the spectacular Okavango Delta and experience interactive theory lessons combined with practical units in the vastness of nature. Presentations deepen contents from the fields of ecology, animal and plant sciences, behavioural science, safety in the bush, nature conservation management and the organisation of safari guest tours; theoretical and practical examinations deal with specific questions about the learning material.

If you want to acquire a qualification, you can complete the course with the FGASA Field Guide NQF2 certificate after passing all exams. Approved by FGASA, it enables you to work as a guide in specific wildlife areas.

At the end of the course you will be equipped with a broad knowledge of the local flora and fauna and will be able to act as a mediator between man and nature. You will have the ability to orient yourself in the terrain, identify animals by their sounds, read tracks, interpret weather and handle a rifle. During a safari you bring your guests closer to the African wildlife and have the skills to prepare them for a safe stay.

29-day ranger training to become a Trails Guide

Anyone who holds the FGASA Field Guide NQF2 certificate (Field Guide Level 1 certificate) can then obtain a qualification as a certified Apprentice Trails Guide. This four-week course also takes place in Botswana's Tuli region or the magnificent Okavango Delta.

Trails Guide students acquire a wealth of knowledge about their environment, train their situational awareness and learn about the importance of the ecosystems surrounding them. They will be practically trained in orientation in the bush and survival training, bush walks and journeys in the mokoro, star observation and overnight stays in the wilderness, track reading and animals track down as well as a safe handling with the rifle.

Theory classes cover topics such as ecology, zoology and meteorology. At the end of the course you will be able to lead safari guests safely through the bush – and also have the opportunity to take the official FGASA Trails Guide NQF2 exam.

Field guide courses without certificate

28-day Safari Guide course in Botswana

The 28-day Safari Guide training is less intensive, but undoubtedly no less informative. It offers intensive access to nature and also has a special learning effect, whereas the career factor is much less pronounced than in the courses presented above. In the midst of breathtaking wildlife areas of Botswana, you will acquire further knowledge about the natural environment in which you move, both in theory and in practice within almost a month. A further focus lies in the imparting of competences for professional safari management.

7 to 14 days EcoQuest in Botswana – also as a family

Nature and outdoor lovers who want to get a taste of nature will find the seven- to fourteen-day EcoQuest course an ideal short break to explore the wilderness of Southern Africa. Accommodated in Botswana's beautiful Northern Tuli Game Reserve, you'll be taken out into nature day after day and acquire valuable background knowledge about Africa's flora and impressive ecosystems from your experienced instructor.

This African adventure can also be perceived as a family: Within five days, young and old will be brought into contact with Africa's nature together – hoping that even the youngest ones will understand the importance of our natural resources and biodiversity and thus the appreciation of the habitat surrounding us.

Travel to magical Botswana and experience an unparalleled field guide education, surrounded by the pristine landscapes and wildlife of the breathtaking Okavango Delta and Northern Tuli Game Reserve.