Professional field guide course, Southern Africa

Planet

CARBON REDUCTION

This course is designed around long-term, low-impact travel, reducing the need for frequent flights by offering an extended stay of nearly one year in a single region rather than multiple short trips.

Daily activities are predominantly human-powered or low-impact, including bush walks, wildlife tracking, and observational fieldwork. Game drives are conducted in shared vehicles, minimising emissions per participant.

Accommodation is based in remote, off-grid wilderness camps, where electricity use is limited and partially supported by generators and solar-powered lighting. Energy consumption is therefore significantly reduced compared to conventional tourism infrastructure.

Meals are prepared on-site using locally sourced ingredients where possible, reducing transport emissions and supporting seasonal consumption. Vegetarian options are available throughout the programme.

Participants are encouraged to adopt low-impact behaviours during their stay, including mindful energy use, reduced waste, water minimisation, and responsible travel choices when planning their journey to and from the course.

ENVIRONMENT AND WILDLIFE

This course takes place in protected wilderness areas across southern Africa, where conservation and environmental education are central to daily activities. The programme actively contributes to long-term conservation awareness and capacity building, training future guides who play a key role in protecting ecosystems and sharing the value of our natural world with guests.

Participants learn directly from qualified, experienced field guides, gaining a deep understanding of biodiversity, ecosystems, and responsible wildlife interaction. This knowledge helps foster a conservation-first mindset that extends beyond the course.

The training emphasises low-impact wildlife encounters, ensuring animals are observed respectfully and without disturbance. Strict guidelines are followed during all activities to minimise environmental impact.

Through the internship programme, participants may support research centres or conservation-focused lodges, contributing to ongoing ecological monitoring, data collection, and environmental education initiatives.

By operating in unfenced, natural environments, the camps maintain the integrity of wildlife habitats and avoid artificial interference with animal movement.

People

LOCAL ECONOMY

The programme supports the local economy by working with locally operated camps, lodges, and conservation partners across southern Africa.

Local field guides, instructors, and staff are employed throughout the course, ensuring that tourism revenue directly benefits people living in and around these wilderness areas.

During the internship phase, participants are placed in lodges or conservation organisations, further supporting local businesses and conservation initiatives through collaboration and knowledge exchange.

EMPLOYMENT, INCLUSIVITY AND DIVERSITY

The majority of staff involved in delivering this programme — including guides, trainers, and camp staff — are locally employed, with strong representation from surrounding communities.

The course contributes to skills development and long-term employment opportunities within the conservation and tourism sectors by training both local and international participants to professional standards.

Importantly, the programme is designed to complement rather than replace local employment. International participants are encouraged to work in niche roles (such as language-specific guiding), ensuring that local guides remain the primary beneficiaries of tourism jobs.

All staff are paid in line with national wage standards, and the programme promotes an inclusive and respectful environment regardless of background, gender, or nationality.