Why Not Hone Your African Wilderness Skills?

March 18, 2019 - 2 minutes read

EcoTraining Guides & Guardians in southern Africa is offering a unique six-day course (this July and August) in Wilderness Trails Skills.

The course provides a perfect platform for aspirant or qualified guides — or anyone who loves African nature — to discover and achieve meaningful wilderness encounters.

EcoTraining firmly believes that the wilderness experience can be an inspiring cornerstone in the lives and careers of all those with a passion for nature and its inhabitants, as part of developing a lifelong culture of conservation.

Why do the course?

Wilderness Trails Skills may challenge some personal boundaries — participants sleep wild under the stars, track and stalk game, and travel light with minimal supplies. The backdrop, of course, is traversing some of the finest and most remote wilderness regions of southern Africa on foot.

While there are no formal subjects or lectures, the emphasis is meaningful wilderness philosophy, tracking, low-impact guiding skills and bush lore. The adventures are instructed by some of the most experienced trainers and guides in Africa, with a choice of stunning venues within the Makuleke Concession (Kruger National Park) or the Mashatu Game Reserve (Botswana).

Topics

  • Planning for overnight stops:
    •  P – Position: is your position a safe one?
    •  L – Location: are you located close to an escape route?
    •  A – Acquisitions: are resources (water and firewood) close to hand?
    •  N – Navigation: will it be easy to navigate from come departure time?)
  • How to make an eco-friendly fire.
  • Minimal footprint — how to guide in the bush, leaving little or no evidence of your presence.
  • Navigation using maps, compass and landmarks.
  • Planning and setting up campsites.
  • Night watch.
  • Planning for and collection of water replenishment.
  • Trail/track where appropriate.

Course Length:

6 days

Prerequisites:

  • 18 year of age or older
  • Able-bodied
  • Can walk 5-10 km (3-6 miles) carrying a backpack of camping supplies
  • Adventurous

Who Is This For?

  • Current guides
  • Nature lovers
  • Avid Hikers

Schedule:

July 16, 2019 — Makuleke Concession enquire now
August 1, 2019 — Makuleke Concession enquire now

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