Course Life
Train as a professional safari field guide in South Africa

A Day in the Life

No day is the same on the course. Each day you will be learning something new but Bushwise has a daily structure in place so that we all get into a routine. However, things will remain flexible depending on the needs of the student, the season and the programme.

So typically the day will start early at around 5.30 - 6am. You will usually grab a cup of tea before heading out into the bush for a morning of practical training laden with reference books of the African bush and a pair of good binoculars. Each week you will be focusing on a different module such as birds, mammals, 4 X 4 skills etc.

On your practical sessions in the bush, either a walk or a drive, you will concentrate on these modules and put all the theory you have learnt in the classroom into practice in the field. For example, you might have collected some specimens that morning which you will bring back to the classroom for identification before the afternoon practical.

At the end of each week all the students are tested on that weeks module before moving onto the next one. However, learning of each topic is continuous as while you are out in the bush nature is all around you so you cannot help but increase your knowledge and skills as the weeks progress.

After the morning activity you will be welcomed with a hearty brunch before knuckling down to 3 hours of lectures in the classroom. Bushwise follows the curriculum of FGASA and we use the manuals as a reference tool as you will be taught by experienced guides and instructors.

By midday you will be pretty tired and the African heat will certainly make you drowsy so all the students have a break to relax, rest or study….remember though you have a test at the end of the week! After a break you will be ready to get some more fresh air and head out for an afternoon practical session building on your skills and knowledge gained in the morning session. All the teams return for an evening meal sat around the fire discussing their experiences that day.

The programme runs for 4 weeks and then you will have 1 week off to relax, either at camp or you are welcome to go off exploring. There is plenty to do here with Kruger National Park on our doorstep, visits to the Blyde River canyon, whitewater rafting, microlighting, horse back safaris - the list is endless! Please note that during time off, students are welcome to stay at the campus but please note that food, laundry, transport etc is NOT included during this time as the kitchen and cleaning staff will also be having time off.

As you can see days are long and you must be prepared to be focused, dedicated and to put in the hours to reach the standard required to pass both the theory and practical assessments, before being offered a placement. Staff will assist and support you during the course but the motivation to learn must come from you, the student. So although the experiences you will have will be amazing this is not holiday and we require dedicated and focused students for this course , this is something you should consider before signing up.