Guide Course South Africa: Appren­tice Trails Guide

You must be at least 18 years old to participate in this trip. Your English skills must be good enough to communicate and understand instructions. In addition, a certain level of fitness is essential to walk for several hours straight in the South African climate.

The transfer from/to Hoedspruit airport is included. The entire course is catered with a full board. In the field, you will receive training from experienced Trails Guides. In addition, overnight stays in a tent at the beginning and end of the course are included. The Natucate team is available to advise you before, during and after your trip.

Before departure, you must consult your doctor for advice on vaccinations, malaria protection and other medical preparations. In addition, you should inform yourself in advance about possible travel and safety advisories, for example, at the Foreign Office.

Furthermore, it is advisable to bring all necessary medication, as local medical care may not always be sufficient for certain cases. Your first-aid kit should include medicines against diarrhea, pain (such as headaches), travel sickness and allergic reactions (e.g. insect bites).

Yes, you need to have travel insurance. We are happy to assist you in selecting the right one for you.

The most important equipment is a backpack (between 40 L and 60 L for the Primitive Trail) and a sleeping bag, both of which are absolutely essential to your trip.

Additionally, recommended equipment includes: Day pack (for water, snacks etc.), water bottles (capacity of 2.5 L), head torch (spare batteries; recharge is not possible without electricity), binoculars, notebook and pen, and tracking reference books (if you have any).

The following additional Primitive Trail equipment will be provided:

• canvas ground
• sheetsleeping
• mattbivvy (goretex waterproof sleeping bag protector)
• cooking utensils
• eating utensils
• cup
• gas and gas cooker adaptions

The most important item of clothing on your packing list is walking shoes (hiking boots). These should protect your ankles and be broken in beforehand. The boots are ideally combined with matching hiking gaiters (not warm winter gaiters), which provide additional protection. In general, all your clothing should be in neutral colours (khaki, beige, earth tones). A sun hat and sunglasses with UV protection are essential. A waterproof poncho is also recommended - just in case. Flip-flops can be handy when showering or staying in a tent camp.

Be sure to pack environmentally friendly toiletries. As there is no sewage system in your "bush bathroom", toothpaste, soap, etc. will be unfiltered in nature. So make sure you leave as little trace as possible with biodegradable products. Essential personal toiletries include a first-aid kit, sunscreen and mosquito repellent. Also pack towels and a washcloth.
Food is provided throughout your stay. However, if you wish to have snacks, soft drinks or alcoholic drinks, you will need to bring them yourself.

Your journey to Eastgate Airport (Hoedspruit) is not included. You must either book a flight to Hoedspruit (with a stopover in Johannesburg) or fly to Johannesburg and take a shuttle from there.

You will meet the other participants at the airport in Hoedspruit and be driven together to the camp.

You will spend the first eleven days in the tented camp in Timbavati. After that, you will start your 3-day "Primitive Trail". From day 16 until the end, you will be back at the tented camp to document your hiking hours and encounters.

Each day in the tented camp starts with sunrise, a light breakfast and a longer bush walk in the morning hours. After lunch around midday, you will either have a short theory talk or time to study and relax. In the late afternoon, your second bush walk begins. You end the day with dinner and a cosy get-together around the campfire.

Thematically, the focus is on trails guiding skills, tracking and the associated leadership and life skills. The primary method of learning is through practical experience.

The course is limited to 8 candidates.

You will first be accommodated in a simple tented camp. The tents are always shared with another student. You will spend a few days in the wild sleeping under the stars with nothing but your sleeping bag. For the duration of the course, you will not have electricity, Wi-Fi or mobile phone signal.

All meals, juice, tea & coffee are included. In the tent camp, a cook will prepare meals for you. The early breakfast (before the morning activity) includes muesli, cereal, yoghurt, fruit, coffee/tea and rusks. Brunch examples would be freshly baked bread, eggs, bacon, sausages, mushrooms, salads, fruit.

At dinner, you may have a South African “braai” (meat and vegetables), stir-fry, pastas or stews. Additional personal snacks and soft drinks/beverages need to be brought along. On the Primitive Trail, you are self-sufficient. For this period muesli, maize-based porridge, nuts, dried fruit, humus, crackers and freeze-dried hiking meals are provided.

Vegetarian and vegan options are available. Please inform us about dietary requests.

You will have daily leisure time after lunch and in the evening.

During your leisure time, you can read a book, listen to music, play card/board games, take a nap or relax together with the other team members. Remember to pack some leisure items if you wish to use them. For safety reasons, you will not be able to go into the bush alone. This means you cannot use your off time for a walk or run in the wild.

If you have any questions or concerns, your guides are always ready to help. Moreover, you can always contact the Natucate team if you need help.

The national currency in South Africa is the South African Rand. Small shops usually only accept cash (Rand). At the airport or in larger towns/shops, you can also pay with credit card. We recommend you check with your bank about the payment options and regulations in South Africa. There is a satellite phone for emergencies or to contact relevant people - but is for calls within Africa only.

There is no mobile phone reception and no internet on-site. You will not be able to contact friends and family during the course. Upon arrival and before your departure, you should have reception at Hoedspruit Eastgate Airport.

Limpopo Province has very hot summer weather from September to April. During this time, temperatures can exceed 40ºC. Temperatures between May and August are cooler. Here, the coldest temperatures are about 5-6ºC, and the average daytime temperature is around 20ºC. In this season, it gets particularly cold at night and early morning hours.

Each staff member is trained in first aid. Safety measures and emergency procedures are familiar to all of them. They are able to call on medical support from the tented camp or on trial. In addition, you and your team will be informed about the risks and health and safety measures upon arrival.

FGASA stands for the Field Guides Association of Southern Africa. Together with CATHSSETA (Culture, Arts, Tourism and Hospitality Sector Education Training Authority) it forms the association that regulates ranger standards in South Africa. This course is an FGASA-supported training programme.

Before joining the course, you must register online as a new member on the FGASA website. Make sure you follow all the steps required for registration.

Search the MEMBERSHIP dropdown box. Make sure you use the correct form ("International Learner" from another country).

Upon successful completion of the application and payment of the appropriate fees, you will receive:

• Level 1 Learner Support Manual Pack, Workbook and Assessment Sheets.
• Nature Guide Learning Manual
• Guiding skills manual
• (Guiding Logbook (will be handed out at the camp))

Fees can be paid directly into the FGASA bank account - more information on the FGASA website.

Registration with CATHSSETA is only necessary if you actually want to work as a guide in Southern Africa in the future. If this is the case, you will receive further instructions from us.

Many countries in Africa do not have their own ranger authorities - unlike BOTA in Botswana, KPSGA in Kenya or FGASA in South Africa. This accordingly enjoys a good reputation and is seen as a valuable qualification. In general, however, it should be noted that employment as a safari guide/ranger for non-locals is rather difficult, although not impossible. After successfully completing your training, you must be offered a job before you can apply for a work visa. To find out the exact regulations for becoming a ranger in a specific region, you should contact the respective state tourism/wildlife authority directly. For example, a guiding licence may be required, and this requires prior registration.