Loving nature and dreaming of spending time outdoors? Wel then, why not make your passion your occupation? Study online. Nature needs you!
Posted by Abongile Tyenjana on 22 October 2024 8:25 AM CAT
The foundation for a wild career
Is your goal to become a safari guide, wilderness guide, wildlife guide or conservationist? The Bushwise International Field Guide course is the most comprehensive and immersive course available. Train with the industry’s award-winning instructors and wildlife experts, using the International Field Guide Association (IFGA) curriculum.
Course overview
Imagine driving a 4x4 game viewer across a riverbed, pointing out rare bird species to your guests. You slow to a stop – is that a leopard you see? Later, you serve sundowners and take in another vibrant African sunset. An afternoon spent sharing wildlife knowledge, nothing’s better!
The Bushwise International Field Guide course develops highly skilled professionals in the field guiding industry. It is specifically developed to provide vocational skills and qualifications required by employers in Southern Africa. In addition, our top-performing students can also qualify for the IFGA qualification at no extra cost to their training.
Training is held in Big Five territory, where you’ll observe animals in their natural habitat. Your home away from home could be in our Sabi Sabi or SAWC campuses in the Greater Kruger National Park, or at our Mahlahla Campus in the Greater Makalali Game Reserve. Days are spent studying, going on game drives, observing wildlife, learning new skills and putting knowledge into practice. Train with expert and award-winning instructors as you learn wildlife theory, hospitality, storytelling, conservation, lodge management, animal behaviour and much more.
Students also have the opportunity to do a 6-month work placement with a selection of lodges and game reserves in South Africa: Thornybush, Timbavati, Makalali Private Game Reserve and Kapama to name a few; or further abroad in destinations like Thailand, Madagascar and Costa Rica. Our graduates have worked around the world, in places like Patagonia, USA, Malawi, Zambia, Tanzania, Mozambique, Namibia and Rwanda. By getting experience in a luxury game lodge, animal rehab centre or at a wildlife research and monitoring centre, you can secure a permanent position as a safari guide, reserve management or conservationist around the globe.
Qualifications
On this course you’ll earn your CATHSSETA Nature Site Guide (NQF2) qualification, the main qualification required to guide in South Africa. Bushwise is directly accredited by CATHSSETA and we will register you for this certification when you pass your assessments. You’ll also earn many other certificates, including IFGA guide, Track & Sign, Advanced Rifle Handling, First Aid, Reptile Handling and more. Learn more in the qualifications tab above.
Why study with Bushwise?
Bushwise Field Guides was founded by a passionate conservationist. After her long and fruitful career in conservation, she realised there is a need for professional, qualified field guides to help ethically sustain our natural environment. This passion gave birth to Bushwise in 2006, and since then, we’ve delivered the cream of the crop to the safari industry. It’s our passion, respect and dedication to nature that drives us to keep on improving our courses.