What Next?
If you have made up your mind your application starts here
Interested in volunteering, but have a question then please contact us
The course has been put together to offer a condensed version of the FGASA Apprentice Field Guide Course and the skills and knowledge you will gain will give your future safari holidays a whole new dimension!
Highlights
- Enjoy an authentic wilderness experience
- Gain practical and theoretical knowledge of the natural environment.
- Experience life at a big-game wilderness camp
- Peace of mind; this course is provided by a UK registered and bonded company, providing financial protection
This course is perfect for those who want to experience an authentic bush holiday but with real meaning as you learn some of the skills and knowledge of a Field Guide. The 28-day course will give you a true appreciation and understanding of the environment and the wildlife that surrounds you. Spend a month living and learning immersed in nature at one of three of our wilderness camps; Selati and Karongwe in South Africa, and Mashatu in Botswana.
Background
Our Director at Naturally Africa Volunteers has considerable experience as a Field Guide, starting with the Apprentice Field Guide training and qualification and continuing on to complete advanced trails guide training and qualifications. It is this passion that has enabled us to partner with one of Africa’s best guide and wildlife training providers to offer some of the best field guide courses and wildlife experiences available.
Project Gallery
Project Details – Your role as a sports volunteer
he foundation of this course was developed in 1993 and was the first of its kind in the safari industry. It is perfect for gap year students, volunteers, researchers and anyone who is passionate about nature, and who would like a more in-depth experience and understanding of it.
Based in unfenced, big game camps in prime wildlife areas, participants enjoy wilderness walks or game drives twice a day. You have the choice of two different game reserves (see dates section), each exposing you to a diversity of habitats and species. We are proud to boast a unique variety of training environments and practical activities on offer.
Subjects include:
- Field Guiding as a profession
- Basic Game Vehicle Driving
- Basic Ecology
- Geology and Soil Botany
- Birds
- Animal Behaviour
- Mammals
- Tracks and signs
- Reptiles
- Arthropods
- Astronomy
- Navigation and Orientation
- Conservation and how you can help
- 1 or 2 nights wilderness experience
Locations
There are a choice of locations for this 28-day Safari Guide Course; The Makuleke Concession in the renowned Kruger National Park, Karongwe Game Reserve also in South Africa, or Mashatu in the Northern Tuli Reserve of Botswana. Each of the camps are based in spectacular wilderness areas which participate in private conservation initiatives and local employment.
Makuleke – Northern Kruger National Park, South Africa
This area is certainly the most diverse and remote area of Kruger National Park and offers fantastic wildlife viewing and the best birding in all of the park.
Karongwe Game Reserve, South Africa
On the banks of the Karongwe River to the south-west of the Kruger National Park, Karongwe has a diverse terrain to explore and an abundance of wildlife.
Mashatu Game Reserve, Botswana
Located where the Limpopo and the Shashe Rivers meet, the Mashatu Game Reserve is part of the Northern Tuli Game Reserve. Mashatu is an area of outstanding natural beauty and diverse vegetation and wildlife.
The instructors were excellent! Never had better teachers who are genuinely passionate about what they are teaching. We always received good feedback and suggestions and endless patience. The variety was perfect. I wish the course was longer. I never want to leave! The course was amazing and honestly changed my life (thanks to the instructors). I’ll be back.
Hi there. A HUGE thank you for having Justin on your FGASA 1 course, he loved every minute and has come back a different person to the child we sent you. The guides were excellent, the food fantastic etc etc………thanks, thanks, thanks…..we are so proud of him.
I completed the FGASA Level 1 course at Nakavango camp last week. Had a fantastic time and learned a great deal. Mark is an absolutely fantastic teacher. Incredible knowledge and very fluent way of teaching. Couldn’t have had a better person there for us. This course has opened my eyes to a whole new world of possibilities and knowledge to continue exploring.
FGASA was a life changing experience for me, learning about the bush in the best way possible with the best person possible, bonding with your group and by the end of the course almost being like siblings. Some of the best memories I will never forget – laughs, tears, sunsets, dung wars and many many more.
6 May – 2 June: Mashatu – Botswana
2 June – 29 June: Karongwe – South Africa
2 September – 29 September: Mashatu – Botswana
Simple but comfortable accommodation is provided at our unfenced camps offering you total engagement in the wild!
Makuleke Concession, Kruger National Park, South Africa
Nine comfortable thatched, shared rooms, with two participants accommodated in each. Each room has an en-suite bathroom with a toilet, shower and hot running water.
Karongwe Game Reserve, South Africa
Ten walk-in Meru tents, with twin beds. Shared bathroom facilities and a central communal area.
Mashatu Game Reserve, Botswana
Ten simple dome tents, each with two mattresses with pillows (two people per tent). Shared bathroom facilities, and a central communal area.
Please bring along a sleeping bag and any additional blankets and pillows should you require them as they are not always provided at the camps.
Participants need to be over 16 years of age and be able-bodied (i.e. able to walk at least 2km).
There are two tests, one presentation and one assessment during this course, none of which are compulsory however they are designed to give the learner a sense of structure and purpose while doing this course. If you choose to participate in these assessments, you will be awarded an EcoTraining participation certificate upon completion of the course.