Close to Hoedspruit and the Blyde River Canyon, Pridelands captures the ethos of EcoTraining with an origin story like no other.
Thanks to live broadcasts by WildEarth and Painteddog.tv during and post-COVID, some of Pridelands’ residents are world-famous. There is Ezulwini, a majestic bull elephant and one of the last big tuskers to roam the Greater Kruger. Then there is Lagertha, who lost her mother as a young cub, spent over a year on her own, surviving on mice and scrub hares, before maturing into the formidable lioness she is today. And who could forget Pixie Pan, the striking blue-eyed leopard who has raised several litters here, teaching her cubs to hunt across the conservancy’s wooded grasslands and open savanna.
But they’re only a small part of the story. One that started the moment the fences came down.
Wild dogs and homecomings
Just over a decade ago, this land looked very different. Anton Lategan, EcoTraining’s Managing Director, and his partners identified and acquired a farm bordering the Balule Nature Reserve outside Hoedspruit with one goal in mind: to shift 2,000 hectares of land from consumptive use to conservation, education and ecotourism – and reconnect it with the neighbouring wilderness.
In September 2017, the fences between Pridelands and the Balule Nature Reserve region of the Greater Kruger National Park finally came down, and what happened next still gives Anton goosebumps when he talks about it.
Within 24 hours, a pack of African wild dogs, one of the rarest and most endangered large carnivores in Africa, caught and killed an impala barely a kilometre from his front door.
“It was a sign that this was going to work,” says Anton. “And then, within the first couple of weeks, the first elephants arrived.” For Anton, it was a moment of reverence. “Elephants are long-lived, significant and extraordinarily beautiful, and their ecological impact is immense. When those first elephants arrived, it felt as though we were witnessing the return of an ancient ecosystem.”
And after the elephants? The Ngati Pride settled in: hunting, resting and raising cubs on land that was theirs to reclaim.
A name to live up to
It is tempting to think that Pridelands takes its name simply from its lions. But for Anton and his partners, a pride represents something deeper: family, protection, a healthy habitat, and a sense of belonging.
In a lion pride, related females protect one another, raise their young and work together to protect their territory. “We are responsible for more than ourselves,” Anton explains. That same belief shaped the vision for Pridelands – not as land to possess, but as a place to protect and pass on.
It is an idea that sits at the heart of EcoTraining. Here, students and guests learn that conservation is not something happening elsewhere, led by someone else. It is a shared responsibility and, ultimately, an act of guardianship.
Living lightly on the land
That spirit of guardianship is reflected in the camp itself, kept simple and rustic by design. Think comfortable tents, a camp kitchen, a donkey heating system, hammocks strung between the trees, and a canvas-walled lecture “room” that spills straight into the African bushveld.
There are bigger plans, too. “The camp has had gentle improvements over the past few years,” says Anton. “Each upgrade brings us closer to being a truly green camp, one that sets an example for sustainability. One day, I want Pridelands to be the most eco-friendly camp there is. A model of excellence.”
Right where it needs to be
Pridelands’ position matters as much as its history. Just outside Hoedspruit and close to the wonders of the Blyde River Canyon, it is within easy reach of the region’s top lodges, with travellers from around the world arriving on game drives here every day. It’s good collaboration between different business models, and it places Pridelands inside an international tourism destination.
For EcoTraining, this is essential. As Anton explains, field guiding is not only about understanding geology, plants, wildlife and birds. Guides must also learn how to communicate with people from different cultures, deliver excellent hospitality, manage expectations and keep guests safe. At Pridelands, students train in a Big Five area rich in biodiversity – while being immersed in an active tourism environment. They can see how international guests are hosted, how game drives are conducted, and how experienced guides bring Africa to life.
“You cannot fully understand this industry while training in isolation,” he says. “At Pridelands, our students are surrounded by tourism in action. They learn about nature, guiding and conservation from trainers who have guided at top lodges, and they also see firsthand how international guests are hosted and guided. That’s the Pridelands advantage.”
Meet you at the waterhole
Ask Anton what he hopes people take from Pridelands, and he doesn’t talk about memories of the Big Five. He talks about hope: proof that land once taken from conservation can be given back to it, and that the results, when you get it right, can be profound.
You’ll see that proof at Ndlovu Dam. The camp overlooks this now legendary waterhole, where herds of elephants gather to drink and buffalo linger at the water’s edge. Students need only walk a few metres from the lecture room to watch a decade of decisions play out every day.
There’s no doubt about it. Ndlovu Dam is good for your soul. But spend time at Pridelands and you’ll become part of a compelling conservation story that is only just beginning.
A FGASA– and CATHSSETA-qualified guiding course.
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