International Field Guide Course

Best decision I've ever made to come and do the Bushwise course. The teaching quality is phenomenal and I met so many awesome people. I learned so much and developed so much as a person. This is the perfect course if you want to be a guide, or if you just want to spend an amazing year in the bush learning so much and seeing some incredible things. The course was well run and, as an international, we were given so much help in getting our drivers licenses and sorting out all the other extra things international students have to go through. The staff were awesome, both the teaching and support staff, you really feel like they love their jobs and want to help you reach your potential. The pool is also a very welcome addition on a hot day in Africa after a long morning working!

Bushwise has been the best experience of my life. I used to want to go into ecology or nature conservation but Bushwise has helped me realize what I want to do in life and that is guide. I started this course as the most shy and introverted person here but I have grown so much as a person thanks to Bushwise, now I am no longer the same as I once was. The people here are all so very different and we have created such great bonds with one another that we will cherish and keep for the rest of our lives. I have gained so much on this course, not only knowledge but also a sister, brothers and overall, a family. Bushwise is something I will never forget, the experiences in the field, the laughs at campus and the life it has helped me begin. Thank you Bushwise

An amazing experience overall, some incredible animal sightings, with trainers that are incredibly knowledgeable and very friendly. It fully prepares you for life working and living in the bush. You gain an incredible amount of knowledge over the course, living amongst all that wildlife has to offer and training out in the field. You get to view some incredible animals and learn to interpret their behaviour. Each day is different from the information you are learning to the animal encounters that occur and the sounds of hyena and lion calling becomes very familiar as you go to sleep each night. The experience is made better by the people you meet on the course, you become friends quickly due to shared passion for wildlife and the course becomes even more enjoyable learning because of it.

The Bushwise Field Guide course is very informative and allows one to walk away with a verity of qualifications, including ones FGASA level 1. The food overall is quite good but often had to much salt and/or sugar. The trainer's have an amazing knowledge base and it was fantastic to learn from them. The insight given from each trainer as well as the historical and scientific aspects were really great. The trainer's were able to keep positive throughout the course and the new trainer Edward was able to ad much need positivety and some new views on various aspects of our learning material. The different courses included in the Bushwise course such as ARH, 4x4, First Aid Level 2 and rifle competencey were all most appreciated and useful to our future careers.

By securing a place on the Bushwise Safari Guide Course I managed to fulfil what had been, in the dim and distant past of my school days, just an unrealistic dream - living on a game reserve studying the animals. I knew in advance that as a mature student I would not be eligible for the work experience placement, so determined to make the most of every opportunity throughout the course, ultimately I saw and learned so much more and had more fun and wonderful experiences than I could have imagined when I booked the course.
I was amazed on our first game drive not only how many animals we saw, but by how close they allowed us to approach, the evening concluding watching a pride of lions by spotlight just a few meters away slowly waking, playing and preparing for their night-time activities. The second game drive introduced the scary news that from that day onwards the students would always be the drivers and guides despite our very limited knowledge, certainly ensuring maximum attention was paid in lectures to learn as quickly as possible.
The weeks flew by and were fascinating, morning and evening game drives watching animal interactions, lectures covering all aspects of guiding as well as specialised mini-course such as tracking, first aid, photography and rifle shooting. Weeks off were filled with trips to Kruger on my own mini-safaris or simply staying on an almost deserted camp watching wildlife which was far more in evidence with the reduced numbers of people and noise.
Living in close confines with others for a long time can obviously prove challenging, but sharing that time and space with others sharing a passionate interest, everyone willingly helping, supporting and encouraging each other all working towards a common goal, truly is a wonderful experience and strengthens hope for the future of the earth’s endangered wildlife.