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Programme Age Limit
Minimum 18 years, maximum decided on potential participants health.
Programme Requirements
Participants will not need any particular qualifications to join this course, but a good level of GCSE English is required and a hard working attitude. You will also require a valid drivers license
Group Size
12 Students - Will ensure that you get personal attention. We pride ourselves in our attention to detail, something that is not always possible where large groups are concerned.
The Field Guide training is largely based upon The Course Manager’s own personal and acclaimed publications, and is complemented by a variety of expert lecturers and specialists from various fields. The team has been training Field Guides in the National Parks and surrounding communities since 1993. The College specialises in natural history and cultural ecology-based experiences in the fascinating western sub-region of southern Africa. The team has selected this region for their scientific nature tours and courses primarily for the following reasons:
- It is a safe destination - free of diseases such as malaria and a very low crime rate.
- It is a region consisting of fascinating diverse ecosystems, ranging from the fynbos of the Cape, through the Karoo to the desert of the Kalahari.
- It is rich in cultural history, with local African Bushmen, Khoi-Khoi and Afrikaner communities.
Your training centre is located in a beautiful succulent Karoo landscape with a wide diversity of plant life, game, fascinating geology and fossil records of fish, bivalves and plants. There is an abundance of wildlife, especially bird species: Recently the bird list grew to 176 species within the year. The diverse landscape is home to the elusive aardvark & aardwolf, as well as a range of smaller predators and antelope such as red hartebeest, kudu, springbok, duiker and steenbok. There are various Reptile fauna too, such as rare snakes like the Red Adder, a multitude of leopard tortoises, tented tortoise, angulate tortoise, Cape terrapin, Southern Rock Agama, the Cape Girdled Lizard etc.
The college where you will be learning also acts as a consultant to a large number of lodges, nature reserves and other property owners in South Africa. They assist them in developing quality eco-experiences for their guests, thus enhancing their marketability and green profile. They have successfully developed self-guided hiking trails, information centres, audio resources and integrated management plans for natural resources.
Your college provides effective downstream support to learners with the placement of Nature Guides, Wildlife Management and Hospitality Personnel on game lodges. The main focus is to provide job opportunities and paid employment to the learners graduating from this Nature Guide Programme.
Course Qualifications
During the first six months on this course, you will be aiming to obtain a total of four nationally registered guide qualifications, namely:
- Introduction to Nature Guiding: TGSP2 (Nature Site Guide Level 2 – SAQA 8478, 8456)
- Advanced Nature Guide Course: TGSP8 (Nature Site Guide Level 4 – SAQA 8531, 8532, 8533, 8514)
- Introductory Tracker Course: SAQA 8460 (Tracker Level 1)
- Trails Guide Course: TGSP3/9 (Nature Site Guide Level 4: Dangerous Animal Areas – SAQA 8459, 10750)
Your Course Manager
Johan Fourie had been part of the South African National Parks for 20 years. Johan is in charge of the training programme, which is based on his renowned publications. Johan has been training Field Guides since 1993 and is an extremely influential, respected and well-known figure in the field of conservation work. He started his conservation career as a trails ranger, doing duty for 4 years on the Trails of the Kruger National Park. After that he progressed into the field of environmental education, social ecology, and later back to wildlife management, where he was responsible for developing the wildlife management skills of conservation staff.
Johan resigned from the SANP in June 2000. He now runs his own business as CEO of the college. Johan is a National Nature Guide with FGASA Level 3 SKS Dangerous Animals. He is also a Cyber Tracker accredited Track and Sign Specialist and Evaluator, as well as being FGASA Evaluator, THETA Assessor and Moderator and SASSETA Assessor.
Johan’s first love is to take people into the bush and to share to his passion for nature with them. He has developed a unique holistic approach to nature interpretation, which he applies in the fields of environmental education, training, development and personal growth. He is also a professional field guide with specialist skills in the handling of dangerous animals. Johan has assembled a team of experts associated with the college. Their collective skills and experience makes this a formidable group. Other fully qualified and specialist guides are working alongside Johan and his students at the game farm.
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