Search

The Birthday Present

During the several months I spent in the bush, I saw simply unique places. I don’t remember a day when I woke up and wasn’t stunned by something! The dawns, the wind rushing through the leaves of a tree, or even a tiny ant coming out from its nest and starting a day of hard work. But there is one place that will always be my favourite.

FALLING IN LOVE

I fell in love with Mashatu Game Reserve when my feet entered Botswana for the first time. Never-ending landscapes, with giant trees and untamed wildlife, stole my heart forever.

Everything was new to my eyes; even the air I breathed was different! I remember this thought when we arrived at the camp after about an hour of dirt road, “We are in the middle of nowhere… I LOVE IT!”. 

baby giraffe with its tung out
The beautiful, never-ending landscape of Mashatu, Botswana – Photograph © Luisa Auletta

The feeling I always had while we were on a game drive was that all the bush would greet us like, “Oh, hello there! I’m happy to see you this morning!”. 

I have thousands of good memories of that place and will always be grateful for all the moments I have lived there. But there is one day in particular that’s stuck in my mind.

To be specific, it was the 17th of November, my 30th birthday! We woke up at 4:30 to start the day with a bush walk. Many people have told me to stay in and sleep a little longer, but I didn’t want to waste a single moment of that day, and I’ll always be thankful to have decided to go out!

Photograph © Luisa Auletta

THE BIRTHDAY PRESENT


We started walking at 5:30, crossing the open plain and climbing the East-West ridge. We took a moment to rest up there, enjoying the view of a beautiful landscape and the sounds of the bush. After a while, we started walking again down to the ridge’s other side. We stopped when we saw a troupe of Chacma Baboons. They were busy grooming each other, fighting and playing. Although many people don’t like them, watching their behaviour while living away from humans is interesting. 

But all of a sudden, we heard a gloomy roar, and everything happened in a matter of seconds! A leopard came out from a hidden spot right behind the troupe of baboons and began to run towards them! They screamed and fled, terrified. Meanwhile, we were only 30-40 meters away, looking at the whole scene with our mouths wide open. I don’t know how it happened, but the next thing I knew, the situation turned around, and the baboons chased the leopard away! 

Morning bush walk; our shadows on the ground. – Photograph © Luisa Auletta

We stayed in the same spot for 4-5 minutes, then looked at each other and jumped for excitement. One of the other students hugged me and said, “It’s your birthday present!” I agreed.

That was just the beginning of a beautiful day! Back at the camp, we spent the afternoon playing volleyball in the bed of the Motloutse River, drinking and having fun. We also had a night drive with breathtaking skies full of stars and even genets, wild cats and Spring Hares! 


Last but not least, we had a lovely birthday party with music and still a lot of fun! I couldn’t ask for a better celebration for my 30th birthday, and I will remember it forever!

How to become a Field Guide | EcoTraining Professional Field Guide

The African bush is calling you! Will you answer the call?

Would you like to know more about the EcoTraining Professional Field Guide Course?

This comprehensive and unique one-year course has been designed to supply the safari industry with high-calibre FGASA and CATHSSETA-qualified professional field guides. Students live and learn at four different wilderness camps, exposing them to diverse ecological and geographical terrains, wildlife species, climates, and more.

Here is your chance to learn more and get an in-depth idea of your year with EcoTraining.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=abIp26E878Y
About the Author:
Picture of EcoTraining Connect

EcoTraining Connect

EcoTraining, which has been in operation since 1993, is the innovator and top provider of training for safari guides and wildlife experts in Africa.

Explore more

Blog

When you’re almost a Field Guide

A practical course at EcoTraining takes a healthy dose of commitment, thorough studying and quite a bit of elbow grease. But once you’ve invested all that time and effort, that magical moment comes when all the hard work is about to pay off. The final week on a 35-day practical really is something quite special. In this story, Belgian graduate Wim looks back on his ‘final straight’, in a story full of achievement and happy moments that would create ever-lasting friendships. The kind of story, really, that only the bush can tell…

Read more
Blog

Career Pathways Beyond Field Guiding

Becoming a certified field guide is often seen as a dream job—immersed in the wild, leading guests through unforgettable encounters with Africa’s iconic wildlife, and spending every day surrounded by nature’s untamed beauty. Yet, many don’t realize that earning a field guide qualification is much more than a passport to life on safari and in the bush; it’s a gateway to many diverse and fulfilling careers.

Read more
Blog

What is a Primitive Trail?

Sleeping under the stars for a couple of nights, carrying everything you need on your back, immersing yourself with nature without any interruptions: A primitive trail is not only a big adventure but also the perfect opportunity to experience the bush on a deeper level. But what about water, food and basic hygiene? We answer all your questions.

Read more

Start your wildlife career

Want to become a field or nature guide? Explore our immersive courses and training programmes for professional safari guides and guardians of nature, taught and led by experts in the industry.

EcoTraining offers career and accredited courses, wildlife enthusiast courses, gap year programmes and customised group travel courses.

Join our nature-loving community.