Price
2,579 USD
* (See price tab)
Course Type
Short Course
Country
Botswana
Duration
7 Nights
Location
Okavango Delta
This 7 day course in Botswana is ideal for those who want to gain a deeper understanding of tracks and signs in the Botswana wilderness. Beyond identifying tracks and signs, you will engage in tracking and reading animal behavior based on the tracks and signs you find.
general information
As much of your time will be spent on foot, this course is the perfect precursor to our Trails Guide course and will allow you to gain vital hours to add to your trails qualification, giving you a great head start in this important component.
Although you will spend most of the course on foot in the wilderness, you will also have the opportunity to take nature drives and, water permitting, mokoro and boat trips to various habitats.
about the school
The African Guide Academy (former Okavango Guiding school) is owned and operated by the Reed family. The well known Reed brothers, Grant and Brent who starred in “Safari Brothers” which aired internationally on National Geographic Wild.
The academy is the first private guide training school registered in Botswana to provide training for guides on both the Field Guide Association of Southern Africa (FGASA) and the Botswana Qualifications Authority (BQA) platforms.
The training courses are conducted in the Okavango Delta which has been declared a World Heritage site because of it’s pristine ecosystems, it’s scenic beauty and abundance of wildlife. The Okavango is one of the most scenically spectacular wildlife areas anywhere in the world. The myriad of crystal clear channels and wildlife rich islands is a habitat unlike any other.
The learning experience is influenced by the natural beauty of the area and the habitat diversity. Kwapa has a combination of river channel’s, floodplains, lagoons as well as riparian woodland, savannah, mopane scrub, climax mopane woodland and grasslands.
Possibly the most amazing thing about the area is the fact that it is part of a wilderness that stretches unfenced for hundreds of thousands of square kilometres through Moremi Game Reserve, Chobe National Park, the Caprivi Strip of Namibia, southern Angola and southern Zambia.
course content
Although there will be informal lectures on tracking theory and some digital quizzes, the majority of the course is structured to be nature based.
The daily schedule calls for you to leave at daybreak and return to camp between 10-11am. Although you will travel by car to different parts of the concession, most of the time you will be on foot. During the heat of the day you will have free time and short informal talks. In the afternoon you will head out as soon as it cools down and return to camp around evening.
Learn & Experience
- Practical, hands-on experience of navigation in the African wilderness, bush survival skills, the ancient art of tracking, weapons handling, bird and mammal identification and so much more
- Wilderness walks and sleep-outs
- 4×4 vehicle game drives
- Game walk safaris
- Stargazing and astronomy
- Theory lectures and presentations from qualified and knowledgeable trainers on diverse topics ranging from local geology, ecology, and hydrology, to astronomy and weather/climate
Who’s it for
- People looking to reconnect with themselves, who are searching for a back-to-basics bush skills experience that will help them recharge, renew, and reboot
- Seasoned safari goers who now seek a deeper, more holistic, African wilderness experience
- School- and/or university-leavers who are looking for a life-changing gap-year experience
- People with a spirit of adventure who are looking beyond a typical back-packing experience
- Survivalists wanting to gain the skills required to thrive in the wilderness.
- Guides wishing to learn many of the practical aspects that are often only discussed in theory
- No prior experience is required
start dates
1 November 2024 - 8 November 2024
6 December 2024 - 13 December 2024
23 May 2025 - 30 May 2025
13 June 2025 - 20 June 2025
4 July 2025 - 11 July 2025
15 August 2025 - 22 August 2025
camps
This course is based out of Kwapa Trails Camp. The Meru style tents have and en-suite bathroom with bucket shower and short drop toilet. Each tent is furnished with two camp beds, sheets, pillows, duvet and towels. A battery-operated LED light is provided in the tents. There is a wash basin relax- ing chairs on the covered verandah.
transfers
The course officially starts at 14h00 at Duck Cafe in Maun (Opposite the Airport). There you will meet your course members and a transfer will pick you up and take you to your camp.
On the last day you will be brought back to the same place between 11h-12h.
qualifications
The hours on foot gained during this course can be logged for the BQA “Back-up Trails Guide and the FGASA ”Apprentice Trails Guide”. This course is not registered on the National Qualification and Credit Framework in Botswana. However, there is a practical assessment at the end of this course and based on your competency, you will receive a certificate of achievement.
price
Prices 2024/2025
USD 2,579 per person sharing
Single supplement: 15%
Price includes:
- Tented accommodation
- All meals at Kwapa Camp
- Drinking water, tea and coffee
- All training and activities
- One scheduled transfer from Maun to Kwapa Camp and return
Price excludes:
- Unscheduled transfers to/from Kwapa Camp
- Travel Insurance
- All flights
- Personal effects, including toiletries
- Staff gratuities
- Drinks other than those mentioned above can be purchased in Maun before leaving for Kwapa Camp
- FGASA/ BQA registration and exam fees
Ready for an adventure? Lets Talk!
Contact SAFARI FRANK to get started on your safari of a lifetime!
