How to become a trails guide?
The elephant bull looks at us. Neither surprised nor scared. But still, he watches every subtle move while we are sitting on the edge of the river bed in the forest, surrounded by ana trees, nyala berries and fever trees. The colours (all shades of green), the sounds (a trumpeter hornbill not too far away and the crackling sounds of elephants feeding) and the presence of three gigantic elephants make this feel like a scene from a movie. But it’s my life. I am on foot, in the middle of the bush, far up north in Kruger National Park in the beautiful concession of Makuleke. Here I am, completing my Trails Guide Course, a 28-day course, after finishing my Level 1 Field Guide the previous year.
What to expect?
This course is intense – in every way you can imagine. I cannot remember another time in my life when I was as challenged and rewarded simultaneously. My body and mind were so much in sync as here, being fully present and at the same time still having trouble believing that this was my life. Because: How can one get so lucky?
The first week of the course focuses on ARH – Advanced Rifle Handling. As the name suggests, it is advanced, which means that you must complete your PTFC (the rifle theory) before enrolling in this course. However, no worries, two or three days should be sufficient to complete it. In the course, you then perform numerous dry drills, practising the movements and exercises without live ammunition, primarily to embed them into your muscle memory.
After a few “real trials” at the shooting range, you will be assessed in five different exercises, like loading the rifle blindfolded, shooting different distances in a matter of seconds and managing to put a bullet in the brain of a fake lion (basically a poster attached to a construction that “runs” at you – imitating a lion charge). Once you are done with ARH, you are first of all pleased because it can be a challenge, and it also allows you to now work with live ammunition, getting mentored hours while walking as a 2nd rifle.
Walking, walking, walking
Every morning and most afternoons (sometimes full days), we would go out for long bush walks to discover the beautiful area and also to learn all you need to know as an apprentice trail guide. Primarily, you serve as the second pair of eyes and ears for your lead, the first rifle. That means you watch out for signs of DG (“dangerous game” – welcome to the trails lingo): Red-billed oxpeckers that accompany big game like buffalo. Fresh dung or tracks. Broken branches. Bateleurs up in the sky. Pointing them out will become your daily sport. The more you notice, the better. Another task of a backup is group control. Every half minute, you turn around to the people behind you and check if all your guests are still there. (Be aware, rumour has it that some instructors like to hide a fellow student in the bush to test your attention.) While you are doing all this, ensure that your rifle is always pointed in a safe direction (i.e., not facing anyone) and that you carry it in the correct position.
Then, it’s about logging your hours and encounters. To qualify as an apprentice trail guide, you need to walk at least 50 hours (10 of which must be mentored, walking with a rifle and live ammunition). There is a minimum of 10 DG encounters from three different categories. In Makuleke, you mostly encounter elephant breeding herds, elephant bulls, buffalo breeding herds, and buffalo bulls, as well as lions, leopards, hippos, and rhinos.
And then there is the theory: rifle ballistics, navigation, planning a wilderness trail, and providing your guests with the best— and safest —viewing experience when encountering potentially dangerous game.
So worth it!
Working towards attaining FGASA Apprentice Trails Guide status is not a walk in the park (well, it is a march in the bush), but it is exciting, immersive, super engaging, beautiful, and one of the most rewarding things I’ve ever done. Because you not only get to know yourself and your body better, but by being on foot in the bush for so many hours, it feels as though you become one with nature. And that, for sure, is very special.
Immerse yourself in the African wilderness, expand your knowledge, and embark on a transformative learning experience with EcoTraining.
Sign up for the Trails Guide Course today!
For more information on the Trails Guide Course, contact [email protected] or call +27 (0)13 7522532
GoPro Student Perspective | Trails Guide course
We look through the eyes of EcoTraining Professional Field Guide students Denise Chopard and Elizabeth Fairall and how they experience their sleepout and 6-hour bush walk. In their quest to find the big-5 on foot, a series of adventures and loads of fun follow. Let us join in on the adventure!
