EcoTraining Senior Instructor, Craig Beaton, has worked in the bush – one way or another – for over 35 years. Starting as a Trails Guide in the Kruger National Park in 1986, he has come full circle to be an instructor on the current Trails Guiding course in progress at Pridelands.
The rhino story of South Africa is like a roller coaster ride of emotions. There are ups and downs, challenges, and triumphs. But at the crux of it, it’s the story of a species’ resilience and humanity’s ability to work together for great good.
Once upon a time, in the small village of Koroga. There lived Chief Paipo. Chief Paipo had a beautiful daughter for whom he was looking for a suitor. He sent word to all the animals in the wilderness to come and contend for his daughter.
If you are thinking, “Why would I want to become a bird nerd?” of all the animals in the African savannah? Don’t leave me just yet. Trust me; you will not be able to fight it. I have turned many sceptics into bird nerds. Just keep reading.
I used to be a city girl through and through, growing up in Munich, Germany. The older I got, the lesser I enjoyed the city life’s merits. I was looking for something else. I did not know what that was until I found it: reconnecting with nature in the African wilderness.
As a kid, I remember camping out in the garden with my brother, no parents allowed, and I have happy memories of a father, daughter camping trip, and ever since, I’ve loved camping. I have been lucky to go camping in many pristine natural places, from the remote Alaskan wilderness to the African bush.
Emerging from a simple dome tent on my first morning at EcoTraining Pridelands camp, I noticed the cool air and the red-orange glow of sunrise penetrated the darkness. Four and a half years ago, I qualified as a Guide, and here I am back in the throes of assessment week.
Barely 5 minutes from the charming safari town of Hoedspruit lies an unassuming gate into a little-known wonderland of treasures. Pridelands Conservancy officially dropped its fences to become part of the Greater Kruger in 2017, and since then, the area has flourished. An influx of wildlife has migrated to the property, from predators looking for new territories to hungry elephants keen to sample the pristine vegetation.
My story begins like an ordinary student story. I felt closed I’m my room after a challenging semester of studies. The pandemic didn’t make it any easier. I felt suffocated in my room and, to be honest, in my country as well. I felt the need to go and explore more places and see more views. But most importantly, to have new and exciting experiences. I decided to take a short break from my studies and do a course in South Africa.
There are four Terrestrial Planets in our Solar System. These Planets happen to be our closest neighbors and the closest to our Sun. They are also known as the Inner Planets. They are Mercury, Venus, Mars, and of course our home Earth. Scientists think that during the formation of our Solar System there were more than likely more Terrestrial Planetoids but that they either merged with each other or were destroyed.
One of the first things you will probably learn out in the African bush is the famous rule – Don’t run! As a runner, I guess this golden rule won’t help me get a gold medal at my upcoming race as it stops me dead in my tracks quite literally. The idea of possibly becoming prey when you kick up the pace is a frightening thought as there is no way you can outrun anything out here, even if you were the fastest animal on two legs.
Beyond our Solar Systems’ first asteroid belt, four massive Planets are located. These are known as the Outer or Jovian Planets. Jovian Planets are any Jupiter-like Planets which means that in our Solar System, these four Planets are known as Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune. These Planets are known as the Gas (Jupiter/Saturn) or Ice (Uranus/Neptune) Giants of our Solar System.
Study wildlife conservation and accredited field guide courses at any of our pioneering African training camps.
Located on the banks of the Mara river,
the camp is nestled between communities
and wildlife conservancies.
Explore the untamed wilderness of Kruger
National Park’s Makuleke Concession
with EcoTraining.
Located at the confluence of the Limpopo
and Shashe Rivers, in the eastern
corner of Botswana.
A natural wonderland with free-roaming
elephants located in the Limpopo
Province of South Africa.
A unique safari destination that offers
visitors an immersive and unforgettable
experience.
Offering a diverse and rewarding
learning environment, teeming with life
and rich in ecological variety.
Our luxury canvas camp sits along
the Selinda Spillway, offering a rare blend
of ecological learning, iconic wildlife,
and world-class comfort.
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.
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