ABOUT OGS
OUR TRAINERS
ABOUT OGS
// GUIDE COURSES
Navigation & Tracking
Weapons
handling
Mokoro & Motor boating
Game Driving
Theory Lectures
Game Walks
TRAILS GUIDE COURSE
The Trails Guide Course is held at our Kwapa Training Camp on the Kwapa River in the southern Okavango Delta. Training to become a Trails Guide is one of the most rewarding experiences one can have. While it is more physically demanding, nothing can compare to viewing Africa's wildlife on foot.
Why do a Trails Guide Course...?
There is no better way to experience the African bush than to be immersed in the wilderness on foot. The intricacies of nature are often missed when you are driving around on a vehicle. There is something truly special about practicing the ancient skills of tracking and walking among Africa's big game.
You will learn how to approach potentially dangerous game on foot using the wind and cover to disguise your presence. Every nuance of behaviour becomes important and you will learn to read the wildlife in a way that is not possible driving around in a vehicle.
You will learn the art of speed shooting and conduct an advanced rifle handling assessment that forms part of the core qualification for the trails guide course. Those wishing to not complete the full qualification may chose to do only basic shooting or skip the shooting component all-together.
Qualifications
We offer both the FGASA apprentice trails guide and BQA back-up and lead guide qualifications. It is important to understand that to qualify as a full walking guide is a very time-consuming process. The requirements are steep for good reason. Would you want your loved ones walking amongst the potentially dangerous animals (PDA) of Africa with a novice guide? Probably not... For people who are starting out their trails guide journey, this course will usually allow you to get your back-up trails guide qualification on the BQA platform. Many of our students return again to gain the hours on foot and the encounters with the required PDA's to get the lead trails guide qualification.
The BQA platform is more accessible for people doing this course for personal enrichment. The FGASA trails guide qualification is more rigorous and ideal for guides who want to be assessed against the highest standards.
Trails Guide Course
Students
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People looking to reconnect with themselves, who are searching for a back-to-basics bush skills experience that will help them recharge, renew, and reboot
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Seasoned safari goers who now seek a deeper, more holistic, African wilderness experience
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School- and/or university-leavers who are looking for a life-changing gap-year experience
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People with a spirit of adventure who are looking beyond a typical back-packing experience
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Already qualified vehicle-based guides who want to take their guiding to the next level.
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Experienced trails guides who want more mentored walking hours and encounters with potentially dangerous animals on foot.
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Important: As an enrichment student you are expected to participate as a trainee guide and part of the team. While many people do this course as a life experience, rather than to one day become a guide, it is a training course and not a cheap safari!
Learn & Experience
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Game walks including approaching big game on foot
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Game driving skills
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Mokoro (dugout canoe), poling skills – depending on water levels
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Motorboating – depending on water levels
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Theory lectures and power point presentations on potentially dangerous animals (PDA) behavior
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Tracking, survival techniques, and navigation
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Basic weapons handling
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Practical shooting with a large caliber rifle
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Air rifle accuracy training
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Muscle memory for shooting co-ordination
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Speed shooting drills
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Speed shooting assessment
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Wilderness sleep outs
THIS COURSE
This course offers a student an opportunity to experience Africa as few people ever will. The course requires complete commitment from the participants who want to gain the back-up or lead trails qualification.
Part of this exciting experience involves an Advance Rifle Handling Course (ARH) which will be conducted at the NG30 concession (Kwapa) borders as part of the Trail Guide Course.
General
Course length:
14 or 28 days
Qualifications:
no prior experience is required.
There is no minimum group size. Maximum group size is 8 exclusive of one sponsored local student.
Access:
Maun Airport or self-drive to Maun
Inclusive
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Tented accommodation
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All meals at Kwapa Camp
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Drinking water, tea and coffee
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All training and activities
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One scheduled transfer from Maun to Kwapa Camp and return
exclusive
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Unscheduled transfers to/from Kwapa Camp
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Travel Insurance
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All flights
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Personal effects, including toiletries
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Staff gratuities
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Drinks other than those mentioned above can be purchased in Maun before leaving for Kwapa Camp
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FGASA/ BQA registration and exam fees
Qualifications
For enrichment purposes and the BQA qualification, no prior experience is required for this course. However, for the FGASA qualification, students must have successfully completed the Field Guide NQF2 qualification.
It is important to note however, you cannot qualify as a back-up trails guide if you do not have your nature guiding qualification. When coming on this course it is assumed that you either have this knowledge or you are content with learning the trails guide skills without this.
Being a trails guide is the pinnacle of nature guiding. It is not possible to lead people on trail and interpret nature without the core knowledge of ecology, geology, mammals, birds, fish, frogs etc.
The full trails guide qualification requires that you pass your nature guiding exam, your ARH (advanced rifle handling), your VPDA (view potentially dangerous animals on foot), your trails assessment and your trails guide theory exam.
For every four-week course we conduct, we sponsor one local guide
To preserve our unique habitat for future generations, we give something back to local communities by sponsoring one deserving local guide for every four-week course we run for international students. Last year we donated more than USD 50 000 in training to local communities who are ultimately the custodians of one of Africa’s last remaining true wilderness areas.
