Search
Get in touch

birding

Read the latest posts from EcoTraining and immerse yourself in our natural world. Explore the wild, learn about conservation, discover our camps, join us in spotting wildlife and so much more.
Blog

The Magic of Makuleke

Some places you visit. Others stay with you. Makuleke is one of those rare landscapes that doesn’t just impress—it settles into your heart. A place where extraordinary biodiversity, forests, floodplains, and deep cultural history come together to create something you feel more than you can explain. From walking its wild terrain on foot to breathing in the rain-soaked scent of the earth, Makuleke is not just a destination; it’s an experience that calls you back, again and again.

Read more
Blog

A Cultural Icon: The Secretary Bird

The secretary bird, with its distinctive look, is endemic to Africa, where it is a cultural icon, symbolising strength and protection. Unfortunately, their numbers are declining fast due to habitat loss, powerline collisions, and poaching. Urgent research and conservation actions are essential to preserving this unique bird.

Read more
Blog

Rolling with the Racket-tailed Rollers

What do they sound like? How do they hunt and where do they live? Although these beautiful birds have unusual colours, a distinctive call and unique feathers, their camouflage and habits can make them hard to see when visiting Makuleke. Understanding their habits can assist us enjoy their unusual beauty.

Read more
student sitting in the game viewer
Blog

The first 24 hours on an EcoTraining Practical Course

There’s one for aspiring professional Field Guides, taking an entire year. There’s one specifically for birding enthusiasts, taking just seven days. And there’s an extensive range of other ones in between. EcoTraining’s practical courses and experiences can cater to many different needs, but they all guarantee one thing: intense quality time immersed in nature! EcoTraining graduate Wim tells the story of his 35-day Practical Field Guide course, which took him first to Karongwe and then to Pridelands.

Read more
group of students on a birding course
Blog

Popular Birding Book Takes Flight

The newly revised Second Edition of Robert’s Birds of Greater Kruger book was released! It is a fresh and new edition, from the introduction to new chapters, habitat descriptions, checklists, distribution maps, illustrations, and photographs—and it only took three hard years to revise.

Read more
group of birders
Blog

A Birding Trip to Remember

On 13 May 2022, 20 participants from BirdLife KZN Midlands met at 14h00 at the Pafuri Gate north of the Kruger National Park. We loaded our gear into two game vehicles (fortunately, one with a trailer) for the 45-minute drive to the EcoTraining Camp. We were allocated our tents on arrival, as everyone was keen to unpack and get going.

Read more
Blog

Makuleke Camp – A Moment in Time

Being off the grid, Makuleke Camp runs on solar power and gas, with backup generator power for days like today. It’s heavily overcast and drizzling today, so the generator is buzzing reassuringly in the background. The camp is in a beautifully remote northern Kruger National Park, unfenced and off the cellphone reception grid. It’s a world of its own.

Read more
Blog

How to become a bird nerd

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.

Read more
Quizzes

EcoTraining Quiz: Dung Beetles

Take our EcoTraining Quiz this week and test your knowledge of dung beetles.
South Africa is a haven for dung beetle species biodiversity. These industrious insects play a crucial role in ecosystem health by efficiently recycling organic matter. With over 700 different species found across the country, South Africa is a global hotspot for dung beetle diversity.

Read more

Find a camp

Study wildlife conservation and accredited field guide courses at any of our pioneering African training camps.

Enter your wildlife career. Explore our camps.

Masai Mara
Wild Bandas

Located on the banks of the Mara river,
the camp is nestled between communities
and wildlife conservancies.

View camp

Kruger National Park
Makuleke

Explore the untamed wilderness of Kruger
National Park’s Makuleke Concession
with EcoTraining.

View camp

Mashatu Land of
the Giants

Located at the confluence of the Limpopo
and Shashe Rivers, in the eastern
corner of Botswana.

View camp

Greater Kruger Balule
Pridelands

A natural wonderland with free-roaming
elephants located in the Limpopo
Province of South Africa.

View camp

Karongwe Game Reserve

A unique safari destination that offers
visitors an immersive and unforgettable
experience.

View camp

Greater Kruger
Timbavati

Offering a diverse and rewarding
learning environment, teeming with life
and rich in ecological variety.

View camp

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.

Enquire now