Ever wanted to be a safari guide?

Tuli Safari Lodge and Okavango Guiding School (OGS) have partnered to offer visitors to Botswana a holiday experience with a difference – a fascinating, action-packed adventure that gives a taste of life as a safari guide.

The course is based in the Northern Tuli Game Reserve – a genuine wilderness area with dramatic landscapes, diverse flora & fauna, over 350 bird species, interesting geology and significant archaeological sites – located just across the South African border near Mapungubwe.

This 4 day/3 night course focuses on the fun aspects of guiding such as bush survival; tracking; reading bush sign; predicting animal behaviour; understanding interactions between animals and plants; approaching, viewing and retreating from potentially dangerous animals; navigating using the stars; off-road driving; rifle handling and hot topics in African and global conservation. Through a combination of game drives, bush walks and ‘lectures’ in an outdoor classroom, the course is designed to boost guests’ environmental awareness and knowledge.

The course trainers from OGS are experts in their field with unparalleled guiding experience as well as being intricately involved with developing the new guiding standards in Botswana. OGS is the only institute accredited to train and assess against these standards. Tuli Safari Lodge is registered as a BOTA (Botswana Training Authority) accredited training centre, and OGS is also registered under BOTA as well as being an endorsed training provider under the FGASA (Field Guides Association of Southern Africa).

Course attendees are accommodated in a rustic tented camp, Nokalodi, beautifully located on the banks of the Limpopo River. Accommodation is in Meru-style safari tents with en-suite outdoor bathrooms. Nokalodi is operated and managed by Tuli Safari Lodge.

The rates in Botswana Pula are P6900 (approximately R8720/$1125) per person. Course dates for 2009 are 04/05/09-07/05/09; 08/05/09-11/05/09; 31/08/09-03/09/09 and 04/09/09-07/09/09.

For further information see tulilodge.com and wildguides.org.