Guide Course Southern Africa: Safari Guide
Step into the awe-inspiring wilderness of South Africa and Botswana, where the Safari Guide course immerses you in the harmonious interplay of flora, fauna, and climate. Here, you’ll gain invaluable knowledge and hands-on skills as you experience the wild firsthand. Embark on a Wilderness Experience surrounded by breathtaking landscapes and the diverse animal kingdom.
Throughout the 28-day Safari Guide course in Botswana or South Africa, you'll master the essentials of African ecosystems through both theory and practical application. This deep connection with nature will not only equip you with new skills but also unlock unexpected facets of personal growth, leaving you and others pleasantly surprised.
Your EcoTraining Adventure – Why book with Natucate
As long-term partners of EcoTraining, we have a trusting relationship with the team on site and visit the camps ourselves each year. When booking your EcoTraining adventure with Natucate, you will benefit from expert advice, comprehensive travel preparation, 24/7 support and German travel law advantages. When booking with Natucate, you won’t have any extra costs.
On our EcoTraining info page you can learn more about why to book your game ranger course with Natucate.
Highlights
- Enjoy a fascinating Safari Guide training
- Be part of an international adventurer team
- Acquire valuable nature knowledge – theoretically and practically
- Learn how to conduct guest tours in the African wilderness
- Experience the local plant and animal life on daily bush excursions
Locations
Camp Selati
Camp Karongwe
Camp Makuleke
Camp Pongola
Camp Pridelands
Plan your trip
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Included in the programme fee
- Placement in the programme
- Assistance with travel arrangements
- Assistance with selecting travel insurance
- Assistance with booking flights
- Risk coverage certificate
Terry, your travel agent for Southern Africa
You would like to learn more about this trip? Don't hesitate to contact me! Our service doesn't end with your departure: I answer all of your questions and support you before, during and after your stay abroad.
Note: The price stated above is an approximate value. Due to sharp fluctuations in the exchange rate of the South African Rand, the final price for this trip will be calculated at the time of enquiry based on the latest exchange rate.
Safari Guide course in Southern Africa
As a participant in our four-week Safari Guide training you discover the wilderness of Southern Africa and acquire the basics of African nature – practically and in theory.
Arrival and orientation in Southern Africa
You will arrive in Johannesburg one day before the course begins. You will be picked up Johannesburg and brought to the camp on the following day.
Activities during the Safari Guide course in Africa
You will have two activities a day, one in the morning and one in the afternoon. During these bush excursions, you will gain a better understanding of the ecosystem. Professionally trained course leaders will share their experience and expertise to show you how to orientate yourself in the wilderness.
You will be provided with a solid foundation covering how the ecosystem developed, as well as information about the flora and fauna. You will learn how to recognise plants and how to use them for medical purposes. You will also learn how to identify animals based on their tracks and the calls they make. An experienced guide will explain the behaviour of animals as you observe them together.
You will also be trained on how to take this out to interact with guests and be given valuable tips which will help you take the best possible photographs. Your training will take place in the heart of the wilderness. The camps are unfenced, which gives them a unique feeling of being connected to the natural environment.
Accommodation during your guide training in Africa
Your accommodation for the duration of the Safari Guide course in Southern Africa will be on stilt houses or in two-man tents with shared ablutions. All camps have a large common room for training lecture area, eating together and spending evenings with the group.
You will be provided with three to four meals per day. The camp is not connected to the electricity grid but gets the power that it needs from generators. This means that you will have some ability to charge electronic devices when the generators are up and running. The camps use solar lamps and satellite telephones for emergencies, as mobile reception is generally quite poor. You should consider purchasing MTN network sim cards at the airport or on route to course as these usually work best.
Leisure time as a safari guide student
You will also have time off to spend as you please during this course. However, because the course only lasts 28 days, these periods will be limited to individual days or afternoons which you can use to relax or revise. Depending on the camp, you will be able to play volleyball or table tennis, take a look at the library or play cards with your friends. Please feel free to contact us if you require any additional information about the current course.
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Arrival
Arrival in Johannesburg
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Course
Typical day during the Safari Guide course in Southern Africa
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Departure
Last day as a Safari Guide student and departure
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1. Camp Selati
Camp Selati is located west of the world-famous Kruger National Park. Situated directly on the banks of the Selati River, it is a wonderful observation point for numerous wild animals that cool off from the South African heat in the water of the river.
By participating in an advanced training course in the wilderness of the Selati Game Reserve, you are choosing one of the most interesting regions on the African continent. 33,000 hectares offer plenty of space for a species-rich fauna and flora which you can immerse yourself into during daily game drives and bush walks. -
2. Camp Karongwe
The South African camp Karongwe is situated at the mostly dried out riverbed of the Karongwe River, in the middle of an area of about 9000 hectares, which will impress you by its biodiversity as well as its picturesque landscapes.
Nearby you can find the breathtaking Kruger National Park, well-known as one of the largest protected areas in South Africa. Immerse yourself into the spectacular natural landscapes during daily game drives and bush walks, experience the biodiversity of the Karongwe Game Reserve up close and expand your knowledge of the region’s unique flora and fauna under the guidance of experienced field guides.
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3. Camp Makuleke
Camp Makuleke is located in the Pafuri region in the northern part of South Africa's Kruger National Park. A multitude of fascinating wild animals can be observed in this area and impressive areas can be admired.
If you opt for nature-oriented further education with a stay in Makuleke, you will gain insights into the breathtaking nature of Kruger National Park and if you are lucky you can maybe spot the "Big Five": African elephant, rhino, African buffalo, lion and leopard. Hikes and game drives in open off-road vehicles enable you to experience a superb diversity of flora and fauna – a true enrichment.
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4. Camp Pongola
Camp Pongola is nestled into the wilderness of Pongola Game Reserve in the north-east of South Africa, near the Swaziland border. Endless green expanses and a diverse animal world are characteristic of the region. Four of the Big Five are at home at Pongola – elephant, buffalo, leopard and rhino – as well as hippos, crocodiles, hyaenas, giraffes, wildebeest, zebras, warthogs, twelve antelope species and more than 350 bird species.
Every day, you and your team will set out into the beautiful Pongola wilderness to learn more about the unique flora and fauna and to acquire more in-depth knowledge about guiding as well as nature and species conservation.
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5. Camp Pridelands
Camp Pridelands is located in South Africa's Limpopo province and has been part of the world-famous Kruger National Park since September 2017. In Pridelands a wealth of fascinating wildlife observations can be made – from animals like elephants and lions to hyenas and if you are lucky even the African wild dog.
As part of your educational nature adventure, you and your team will set off into the wilderness every day under the guidance of an experienced guide to acquire valuable knowledge about the flora and fauna of the region and to learn more about nature and species conservation as well as current measures and initiatives to preserve biodiversity.
Background of the Safari Guide training
Experience the breathtaking landscape of Southern Africa and see the bewitching beauty of the native flora and fauna. It is an opportunity to experience the fascinating savannah every day and admire the native animals. You will go on safari every day and find out what you need to do in order to treat this natural landscape respectfully and sustainably.
As a student, you can have the course credited as work experience and use it in the future. If you plan to do the training as a Professional Field Guide, the course is an ideal preparation for future assignments. And if you are just an adventurer or life-changer who wants to break out of the daily routine and get to know nature in all its magnificence, then this Natucate course is just right for you.
Conscious Travel with Natucate
Supporting real conservation projects worldwide through individual wilderness adventures – our ambitions, our values, our service.
