Next Trails Guide Course: 19 - 25 July 2012

This is one of the most exciting nature courses anyone could ever wish to attend! A trails guide conducts safaris on foot with the intention of approaching Africa’s dangerous game species.

A trainee trails guide must be qualified as a FGASA Level 1 field guide and be at least 21 years of age in order to apply. However, as part of the training process, we also encourage bush-loving people to participate in the contact sessions as 'trail guests' who are there purely for a 'walk-in-the-bush' experience. The age limit in this case is 16 years.

The Trails Guide Course is run on a part-time modular basis. The first module is the SASSETA rifle competency course - a legal requirement stipulated by the Firearms Control Act. The second module is the FGASA Advanced Rifle Handling Certificate. The final module is referred to as a 'contact session'. Trails guide students attend these contact sessions in order to log encounters with Africa's dangerous game (lion, leopard, buffalo, elephant, rhino) and gain the necessary experience of walking in the bushveld.

The training is aligned with the FGASA syllabus for Trail Guides – part of the View Potentially Dangerous Animals (VPDA) Unit Standard 8459. Trainee trail guides who only want to log encounters and hours are also welcome to attend our contact sessions.

Africa Nature Training is privileged to conduct its practical training in the Sabi Sands Private Game Reserve. This 66,000 hectare reserve is world renowned for its high profile game sightings. Lion, leopard, buffalo, rhino and elephant are all free roaming in the reserve, affording our students amazing opportunities to track, approach and photograph them.

Trails guides are accommodated in shared tents (two per 3x3m ripstop canvas tent) in a rustic (non-electrified, unfenced) bush camp that is situated well away from civilisation. Wild animal visitors are a welcome part of the ambience of our trails camp!

  

In order to ensure that training and encounters are an intimate learning experience we can only accommodate ten trails guide students on each Trails Guide Course and bookings are taken on a first come, first served basis. Full payment must be made at the time of booking in order to secure your place.

During each contact session, trails guide students will spend up to seven hours a day on foot tracking and approaching the Big Five under the supervision of our highly qualified and experienced instructors. Back-up trails guides are required to log ten encounters and fifty hours, which can be achieved within two contact sessions. The path to qualifying as a full trails guide entails gaining more experience under the guidance of your mentor.

Please note that your dangerous game logbook must be signed off by the FGASA office before your assessment may be conducted.

For more details about the Trails Guide course and to book a place, please contact us by e-mailing us or call 012 667 5440.