coTraining is the pioneer and leader of practical wildlife and nature-based training programs in southern Africa. EcoTraining was established in 1993 with a mission to raise the standard of guiding in Africa, EcoTraining was one of the first organizations to conduct formal training programmes for nature guides.

For more than a decade we have been taking people of all ages and persuasions into the best of the African wilderness to teach them about the web of life in wild places. Our exciting in-depth programmes build empathy with, and an understanding of, one of the planet’s last great natural resources. We give students a greater appreciation of the deeper meaning of conservation in our lives and knowledge of what it really takes to become a field guide.

EcoTraining’s philosophy is that nobody can truly experience Africa’s wild places without actually spending time in the wild. That is why all our courses are conducted from our simple bush camps in the middle of great wilderness areas. Our students eat, sleep and breathe the wild African bush.

Students who have attended our courses have returned to the “real world” with a different outlook on life. Some have taken this new outlook into their day-to-day lives and others, inspired by their time with us, have completely changed their lives and careers.

EcoTraining was one of the first companies to conduct guide training courses and has been around for more than a decade now. This fact gives students the assurance of stability. We plan to be around for decades to come!

Who can do these courses, you ask yourself?  If you are 17 years of age or older and you want to learn more about the bush, we would love to host you at one of our camps.  These courses are not only available to people wishing to enter the industry as field guides, but for anyone who wants to increase their knowledge of the African bush.  So whether you’ve just finished school and are on your gap year, or if you’ve possibly taken a career break or are retired, this course is for you!

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 Where are the courses conducted?

 All our programmes are accredited by the Field Guides Association of Southern Africa and take place at our camps, which collectively open the door to 66 000 hectares of stunning wilderness landscapes teeming with game, including elephant, rhino, lion and leopard as well as antelope and a huge diversity of birds.

Selati camp

Our Selati Camp is situated on the banks of the Selati River in the 33 000 hectare Selati Game Reserve to the west of the Kruger National Park.  Camp accommodation is simple and rustic in dome tents with shared bathroom facilities, and a communal area where participants gather for meals and lectures every day.Selati is a good place for viewing lion, white rhino and elephant.  General game are plentiful and you might even get to see the large herd of eland, as well as sable antelope.

 

As is the case with our other two camps, the Selati camp is unfenced, and animals do on occasion wander through the camp.  Students have woken up in the morning to find the tracks of elephant, leopard or lion around the camp.

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Karongwe camp

Our Karongwe Camp is situated on the banks of the Karongwe River in the 9 000 hectare Karongwe Game Reserve, to the south-west of the Kruger National Park.  Accommodation is in walk-in safari style tents with shared bathroom facilities. 

Karongwe is a good place for viewing leopard, lion and cheetah as well as elephant and white rhino.

 As the camp itself is unfenced, we often have four-legged guests in the camp.  Hyaena make nightly patrols of the camp and are often seen by students who choose to make one of the viewing decks their home for the duration of the course.  Elephant, cheetah and lion have also made appearances on occasion.

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 Kruger National Park Camp – Makuleke Concession

 Our Kruger Park Camp is situated in the 24 000 hectare Makuleke concession in the far northern and most remote part of the Kruger National Park.  The area is characterized by great biodiversity and a human history reaching to the remote past.  Accommodation is in safari tents on wooden decks and are covered with thatch in the shade of nyala trees.  Each unit has a verandah overlooking the bush and an en suite bathroom with a flush toilet, shower and basin.

Most of the animals that are found in the Kruger National Park, can be viewed in the concession.  Large herds of buffalo and elephant are not uncommon and the birding in this incredible part of the Kruger National Park is unsurpassed.

 

This camp is also unfenced in order to allow animals free movement in their natural environment.

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Typical Daily Programme

 A typical daily programme at the camp follows a routine of rising early, usually before sunrise, enjoying hot coffee and biscuits while you listen to the bush waking up and then leaving the camp for an outing into the wilderness.

 The outings are extremely flexible and determined by the unpredictability of what is found during the outing in combination with the subjects that have to be covered.  The outing could be a game drive following up on the roar of a lion heard during the night or a walk learning about the plant species occurring in the area.  It could be a walk following fresh elephant tracks, learning how to track the animal and finding it or it could be a game drive to a waterhole where animals come to drink.

Student return to camp in the late morning for a hearty brunch which is followed by a lecture on the subject of the day.  Study and rest time is then followed by afternoon tea and another outing into the wilderness until sunset, if walking, or until well after dark if doing a game drive.

Afternoon outings could include night drives looking for nocturnal animals such as owls, bushbabies and leopards or it could be a walk looking for and learning how to identify interesting birds.  It could be time spent studying the night skies or it could be a time for students to test their 4x4 driving skills.

It is then back to the camp for dinner, stories around the campfire, discussing the day’s experiences and wondering about tomorrow’s adventures.

The emphasis is on practical day-to-day experiences in the bush.  The daily outings are flexible and may focus on specific subjects such as animal tracks and tracking, birds, plant identification or animal behaviour, or may involve game viewing and learning about the ecostystem in general.

 

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COURSES

Professional Field Guide Training:
• EcoTraining Level 1 - 28 days
• EcoTraining Level 2 - 28 days

Specialist courses:
• Nature Quest / Game Ranger - 1 or 2 weeks
• Wildlife Photography - 4 days
• Birding – EcoTraining in partnership with Lawson’s Birding Academy – 1 week
• Animal Tracks and Tracking
• Orientation and Navigation
• Wilderness Walking Trails
• Astronomy
• Botany
• Dragonflies and Frogs


COURSE CONTENT:

EcoTraining Level 1, 28-day Field Guide Training (Selati and Karongwe camps)

The course is structured to maximize the practical experience of our students in the bush. Each day allows for time spent in the field interpreting the ecology and enjoying a wildlife experience. Activities alternate between walks and driving.

Lecture time follows after brunch, which involves topical instruction (lectures) and discussion on the subject of the day (see list below). This is followed by time for self-study for the students.

The following list of subjects is covered during the Level 1 28-day course:

* Welcome and introduction * Introduction to guiding in the natural environment
* Creating a guided nature experience * Geology
* Astronomy * Weather and climate
* Basic ecology * Basic Taxonomy
* The Biomes of Southern Africa * Botany and Grasses
* Arthropods (Insects and relatives) * Amphibians
* Reptiles * Fish
* Birds * Mammals
* Animal behaviour * Conservation management
* Historical human habitation

Additional activities:
* Basic 4x4 driving * Sleep out in the bush
* Basic rifle handling * Tests, presentations and evaluations

 

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EcoTraining Level 2 28-day Field Guide Training (Kruger National Park camp)

The aim of this course is to develop and practice skills and knowledge learnt on the Level 1 course. It is conducted in a different wilder area and is therefore more “real”. 60% of the time is spent on foot and 40% in the vehicle. This course gives grounding to conduct bush walks in big game country with an emphasis on safety.

Students will be expected to show leadership and decision-making skills as well as responsibility and accountability for their actions in the field.

Student participation in the care of the camp, equipment and vehicle will be expected.

Students will be expected to pay attention to the needs of fellow students and to work in teams at times.

We cover the following list of subjects during the Level 2 28 day course:

* Introduction to Level 2 course * Advanced orientation
* Advanced tracking * Survival and bush skills
* Walking in Big Game Country * Situational awareness
* Weapons handling * Wilderness concept
* Advanced game drive techniques * Advanced driving techniques
* Guide/guest etiquette * Advanced birding
* Conservation * South African biomes
* Advanced geology * Advanced ecology
* Animal behaviour * Dangerous animal knowledge
* Palaeontology * Habitat management
* Presentations, tests & evaluations

 

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COURSE RATES

Please complete the attached enquiry form and list Tshivingwi Bush Experiences in the referral box provided for a quote.

 

Please note that all bookings are subject to our standard terms and conditions.

Prices are inclusive of accommodation, meals, game drives and walks as well as lectures.

The prices exclude transfers/transport to and from the camp before and after the course, any accommodation before and after the course, drinks, laundry, Kruger National Park entrance fee (only applicable to the Level 2 course), FGASA registration (registration fees, membership fees and examination fees).
 

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COURSE DATES
Selati course dates 2007: 19 February – 18 March (4 week course)
16 April – 27 May (6 week course)
28 May – 8 July (6 week course)
23 July – 2 September (6 week course)
17 September – 28 October (6 week)
12 November – 9 December (4 week)

Karongwe course dates 2007: 19 February – 18 March
2 – 29 April
14 May – 10 June
25 June – 22 July
6 August – 2 September
17 September – 14 October
29 October – 25 November

Kruger National Park course dates 2007: 5 March – 1 April
30 April – 27 May – FULLY BOOKED
25 June – 22 July – FULLY BOOKED
20 August – 16 September - FULL BOOKED
15 October – 11 November
 

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If you register on the EcoTraining web site please list Tshivingwi Bush Experiences as your referral to receive a discount.
 

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Please complete the form if you are interested and we will send you more Information!

*Full Names: *Age: *Gender: Male Female *Contact Telephone Number: Fax Number: *E-mail Address: Security Code(case): ASE3 * Required