Category: Course updates

BY: Tommy Curley, Bushwise Student 2020

Another early start this week with our first two exams, botany and introduction to guiding. Students were nervous but after a solid study session on Saturday and Sunday we were ready and we all think we did well, just waiting impatiently for the results!

That afternoon we started our 4×4 training course with a lot of theory and A LOT of paperwork to complete. That’s one thing they don’t advertise about bush life – paperwork, paperwork, paperwork! Once that’s out of the way the real fun can start with the practical training. We were taught how to go up and down steep inclines in a game viewer safely, and we also learnt how to recover a vehicle that had got stuck, which I must say is a lot of fun. 

4 X 4 training, vehicle recovery

While some groups were doing the 4×4 practical course, the other groups were out in the best classroom the world has to offer, the bush. Some groups were lucky enough to get some great sightings of the Tembe pride of lions, some saw cape buffalo, there was a wonderful sighting of elephants and one group even saw four white rhino. So that’s 4/5 of the Big 5 and we’re not even a whole semester in. I actually saw a cheetah the other week but nobody believes me. My personal wildlife highlight this week was definitely getting to see a young martial eagle perched on a dead tree and an African fish eagle in the space of ten minutes!

Juvenile martial eagle

While out on practical drives we learn so much. Apart from the animals, we learn all about the fascinating plants and trees we have in the area. One common tree we have is called a knobthorn, and as the name suggests it is covered in thorns. Driving through the bush you have to be careful not to get snagged on these thorns because they can really hurt! One student however obviously wasn’t paying much attention and suddenly wondered where on earth her fleece had disappeared too. We came back down the road and a few seconds later… 

The lost fleece

Another fantastic week at Bushwise!

The 3rd week at Toro campus started off rather hectic! We wrote our exams on botany and introduction to guiding which we were all glad to get sorted. Following this was our individual practical drives, where we take turns twice a day to be the guide for a full trip out in the bush. This involved packing the hot box with a variety of hot and cold drinks, snacks and some of the best buttermilk rusks money can buy!

Photo by Matthew Holland

Photo by Chloe Potier

The best drive during the week was Chloe’s. We ended up deciding to stay out later and headed to the other side of the reserve to see if we could get a look at the Tenby pride. Not only did we get an amazing sighting up close, but we followed on when others didn’t and managed to get a sighting of them all taking a drink not even 15 meters away from us. On the way back we were seven meters away from a Spotted Eagle-owl. Beautiful, not only because it was right there, but no one could really get a picture, so we could treasure the moment, and that moment was ours.

Photo by Alexander Turnbull

Photo by Alexander Turnbull

Often when we do a game drive, we tend to go for a short bushwalk, but instead, we went to a dry riverbed and our trainer Jack showed us a technique for getting clean water when out walking on the trail. This involved digging a small hole and placing rocks around the outside and pooling out the dirty water using the sand to filter it until it’s clean and drinkable. Which tasted even better than the water at camp!

Photo by Alexander Turnbull

All our practical work led to our 4×4 training, learning about our land rover and cruiser, about the different gears and abilities, and how to use these so that no obstacle is unassailable! After a day of theory, we then went off to a sandy area and learnt about all the rescue kit and how to use it. Then taking part in a kinetic rescue where one of the vehicles accelerates as fast as possible and in one big tug pulls the bogged down vehicle free.

Overall a great week getting hands-on experience with how to drive in the bush, and how to enjoy a nice coffee after a good long drive.

Blog by: Alexander Turnbull

There has been great excitement this past week here at the Mahlahala Campus. Between lectures on radio procedures to botany, basic vehicle training, and almost 20 hours of practical drives so far, we definitely could tell that our course had really started with a bang.

A busy weekend of first aid certification was followed by few long but fascinating days in the classroom, broken up by some chances to show off our driving skills and physical prowess during vehicle assessment and tyre change training.

Photo by Chane Doman

On Wednesday afternoon it was time for our first practical drive. A fine balance of anticipation and eager excitement swam in the minds of the students who would be the first to conduct a drive, and I can confidently say that is was an incredibly memorable experience.

Over the next four drives, we collectively couldn’t believe how much we had learned from the bush, and even more so that this was only a drop in the ocean compared to the vast wealth of knowledge that could be gained from it. The information about medicinal uses of tree leaves, the patterns of songbird calls and the fine details of mammal tracks, (amongst many, many other topics) felt as if it was being poured out of the minds of our trainers into ours, and spilling onto the pages of our notebooks.

Some highlights of the drives included the Thembe lion pride attempting a hunt then drinking at a pan, cheetah along the fence line, chameleons, rolling dung beetles, birds – the likes of many of us have never seen before, and of course some truly breathtaking sunsets.

Photo by Ethan Friedman

Photo by Ethan Friedman

After our workbook and study session on Saturday, despite the rain, we were all very keen for a bit of R and R, whether it was relaxing by the pool, doing some birdwatching, or venturing into Hoedspruit for some well-deserved weekend refreshments. The cooler weather with plenty of rain was very much appreciated. Sunday was spent revising and studying for the next day’s tests on guiding skills and botany.

All in all, a very busy second week, but incredibly fulfilling first ‘real’ week. Personally, and I’m sure I speak very many others, I cannot wait for the next one.

Alistair Dyason, photo by Dominique Anthes

Week two at Toro campus kicked off with a two-day wilderness first aid course. Role-playing with several snake bites, broken limbs, and resuscitations, we all passed with full marks. A good thing too as it didn’t take long before we had to put some of our new skills to work. Ank, unfortunately, got a nasty bee sting while she was busy demonstrating what happens when you try to burn magic guarri leaves, unlucky. We were nothing if not innovative, so help was at hand in the shape of an ice-cold five-litre bottle of water.

Photo by Sophie Pyper

Continuing on we started with our tree ID’ing and had our first lecture which was on botany. Talk about an information overload. Our first test on trees and grasses is Monday morning so we are all very busy today getting stuck into our workbook studying, reciting scientific names, learning the different structures and arrangements of leaves and finding out traditional beliefs about different trees in the area. We all now know not to cut down a baobab tree, or else we will be consumed by lions.

Photo by Sophie Pyper

Speaking of lions, and being consumed by them we had our first close encounter this week. During Thursday’s afternoon drive, where we all got a chance to test out our driving skills, we stopped in a stunning open area for some soft drinks and snacks. The eight of us, plus our trainers Jack and Lindi, were busy enjoying our cream sodas when a little Black-backed Jackal showed up next to the car, showing its natural curiosity. We all then proceeded to get stuck into a photoshoot, some of us even lying on the ground to get that perfect eye-level shot. Maybe we were all too preoccupied with the Jackal or our drinks and snacks to notice, but the next thing we see is eight lions coming out of the bush right next to us. I have never seen ten people jump into a cruiser that quickly before. But what a sighting. Everything was perfect, the golden lighting, the Drakensburg mountain range as a backdrop and these eight majestic creatures right in front of us.

Photo by Sophie Pyper

If those lions were the only thing we had seen this week I don’t think anyone would have complained, but we are really being spoiled here at Toro campus. We also saw our first elephants which walked right in front of the car, our first puff adder, and our first (and Alex’s first-ever) leopard. Safe to say there are no complaints from any of us here with our first two weeks being filled with drives, drives and more drives. Who knows what we will get to experience next.

Photo by Chloe Potier

Blog by Sophie Pyper

It is a very daunting task that lies ahead of everyone at Bushwise.

Nonetheless, it is where we all start our amazing journey. Even though we feel a bit lost and everything seems unfamiliar, we started to get to know our fellow students and trainers. We all come from different walks of life and all of us are keen to take this opportunity with open arms.

It is amazing to see the passion that everyone has for the natural environment from the birds, to the animals, the trees, and even the smallest of insects. A lot of it has begun to rub off on me even more. The more I experience, the more I want to learn, the more I learn the more I want to see. It really opened my perspective, to the amazing sites and sounds of different animals.

We started the week off with some paperwork, but once that was done we had some exciting experiences lined up for us by the trainers.

The first one we had was an informative game drive on the Makalali game reserve. I was lucky enough to be with Vaughan on the game drive with the rest of group A. This was the first time that I recall just being in awe. The amount of fun we had finding a hinged tortoise and the two leopard tortoises.  I think we will always remember our first game drive and what it will feel like for the guests we will drive in the future. The person in the photo is Vaughan our trainer and a great field guide.

Photo by Borden Searle

Photo by Fahren Timms

Some of the other students also got some magnificent photos whilst on thetheirre drive. I really have to give the credit to Fahren Timms. 

We also played a very competitive bush game whilst we were on a drinks break and us South African people take this game very serious – a ‘Bok droll spoeg kompetisie’

Friday was a treat for all students, we went to a reptile park just outside of Hoedspruit to learn more about reptiles and other creatures. We also got the chance to see the feeding of some black mambas. Most of us even got to handle green Iguanas. ‘Adam’  was rescued from a home where he was neglected. 

Adam the Iguana

Over the weekend we did our first aid training, something that is compulsory for all field guides to have.

Our teacher was one of the best invigilators I have ever met from an outside company so far. He made everything seem so simple and easy and I really enjoyed this time during the course. He was extremely informative so please rest assured if you are ever a guest with a Buswise student on a game drive and in need of immediate medical attention, you will be in good hands.

Photo by Ed Smith

Borden Searle

Borden Searle

Bushwise is growing!

In 2020 we have welcomed a record number of 32 students completing the long term comprehensive course with us. Split between two campuses each group will have experienced trainers at their disposal to mentor and train them. Put in smaller groups during the training, they will rotate between all our trainers during practicals, making it eight students per trainer on game drives and getting the best of each of their perspectives and specialities.

Students have come to join us from the UK, USA, Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, and of course plenty South Africans to start their careers!

We look forward to getting to know them and seeing where their journeys take them.

The new campus in 2020 – Toro Lodge

Nestled between the Greater Makalali Private Game Reserve and Pidwa Private Game Reserve of the South African Lowveld, this special and remote location provides the opportunity for Bushwise students to get up close and personal with the Big Five animals of Southern Africa. There is also an abundance of other amazing flora and fauna.

The lodge is located on the banks of the Makhutswi River, with hippos and crocodiles as local residents, as well as the frequent Big Five visitors to the water hole for a drink.

Boma by Makutsi river at Toro campus

We have exclusive use of this lodge for the class of January 2020 for the next six months until they move onto their placements. We will then take a second group in July 2020 for the second half of the year.

Toro campus accommodation

Upgrade to the existing campus –  Mahlahla

Towards the end of 2019, Mahlahla campus underwent a little makeover. Fresh paint and varnish, new thatch and some TLC here and there. Together with some students and our amazing staff on campus,, they managed to give the campus a facelift. Animals on site have also enjoyed recent rains and provided the students and staff with up-close sightings from the classroom!

Mahlahla campus bungalow

New staff

Jack Hutchinson

‘I was a Bushwise student back in 2009 under the guidance and mentorship of Mark Mongomery, Sean Robinson and Wayne Te Brake. I said to Sean and Wayne I wanted to do training back then and I have come full circle and returned to share my passion, my drive and experience to new potential guides.

I have been guiding for the last 11 years all in 5-star lodges, in and around KNP, Sabi Sands, Timbavati and Thornybush. I have been in the Thornybush Nature Reserve for the past 7 years.

I have built many friendships in the area and have learnt a lot. Especially tracking through the help of my tracker Ishmael Hlokowane at Thornybush. Walking and tracking animals I will say is my utmost favourite activity in the bush. Nothing better than getting off the radio and finding your own animals and have others rely on you for good sightings.

I have always wanted to be an assessor for IFGA and I knew I have to attain an SKS qualification.  So I studied and practised my birding until I attained my SKS Birds to help further my career.

I wish to keep walking and tracking and get enough experience to attain a higher tracking qualification and eventually become an IFGA SKS DG Guide and the ultimate, IFGA Scout.’

Jack Hutchinson

Lindi Bernardo Hutchinson

‘Nature has always been my passion.  I wanted to study nature conservation after school but due to numerous rumours that there are not enough opportunities for females in that field, I decided to study Tourism Management instead and received my diploma in 2008.

In 2009 I started working at Mabalingwe Private Game Reserve in the Waterberg and came across my first female guides in the industry.  Within a few months, I yearned to be a field guide, to entertain people in the bush and learn more about animal behaviour. 

In 2010 I left Mabalingwe to go to Lion Sands in Sabi Sand Game Reserve where I started as a receptionist, were promoted to stock controller and later helped with shop management.  At that time Alan Ronchini started a guiding academy (today, known as NJ More Field Guide Academy) at Lion Sands. I joined their game drives and training in my off time and wrote Apprentice Field Guide in 2010 and Apprentice Trails theory in 2011.  I gained a lot of experience hosting, serving, working with people and learned how every department in a lodge is dependant on each other as well as greatly influenced by each other.

In 2013 I started in Thornybush Game reserve as Lodge Manager.  In November 2013 I finally decided to follow my dream. I started my guiding career at Entabeni Game Reserve in the Waterberg.  It was the best decision I have ever made!

In the past 6 years, I have worked in numerous different reserves and biomes, gained a lot of experience and raised my qualifications to IFGA Specialist Field Guide (Previously known as IFGA Level 3)  and trails guiding.  I am not planning on stagnating any time soon and hope to have Professional Trails qualification by the end of 2020 as well as Tracker Level 2.’

Lindi Bernardo Hutchinson

Wrap up

So here’s looking forward to 2020, with amazing rainfall so far the bush is looking lush and green, the best it has been in the last few years.

Sightings in the first week of the course have been excellent, with the Big Five already in the bag!

After a long day (or two) of travelling, we arrived at the new Toro campus located inside Makalali game reserve. With views overlooking the Makutsi river where elephants, hyena and buffalo are right on our doorstep. It did not take long for the eight of us to feel completely at home in our new bush paradise. Our first meal was a welcome braai cooked by our camp chef Sibu, who we are already planning to enter into Masterchef and trust me, he would definitely win it! The braai gave us a chance to chat and find out where we were all from and why we were doing the course but it was only when the Uno cards came out that we really started bonding. I’m telling you, friendships are made and destroyed in that game.

A serious game of Uno – photo by Sophie Pyper

The first few days were fairly relaxed, a few introductory chats from Trevor and his never-ending pile of paperwork that needed to be signed. We then had some time to relax by the pool and try and adjust to the heat and humidity that is the Lowveld summer. On day three the four international students (myself included) were shipped off to Polokwane for the day to get or South African driving licence process started, leaving the South Africans behind at camp. We knew it would be a long day so we left early to get back in time for our first game drive. We arranged to meet the other four international students from Mahlahla campus, along with Lindi and Trevor, there so we could do the game drive together. But this is Africa. And lack of signal to communicate between each group plus and a sudden downpour meant that our two vehicles managed to miss each other on the road. The four of us returned to camp while the others waited for the downpour to pass and for us to arrive at the gate. Both groups then left on the game drive and still got some great sightings of buffalo, giraffe but the highlight was definitely the pride of lions we saw right on the middle of the road.

Pride of lions on the first game – Matthew Holland

The next day we all headed to Hoedspruit to get our uniform and then to Kinyonga Reptile Park for an intro into all things snakes and spiders. This activity definitely split the group with Chloé feeling completely in her element being a reptile enthusiast, while Zander, well he made sure he stayed well away.

Snouted cobra – photo by Chloe Potier

Saturday consisted of us trying to find a pride of lions we heard being called in over the radio. Although we didn’t manage to find them it gave us all a chance to finally get out and see the reserve. We also stopped by a cool spot not far from our camp called Pels pools where we came across a nice pod of hippos before heading back for our long-awaited cool drinks and snacks. On the game drive, our trainers Jack and Lindi got stuck in with tree ID which then became the focus for our off day study session on Sunday. 

Hippo at Pels pool – Chloé Potier

With just eight students staying at Toro campus, we are a small group but we are already working so well together, helping with various duties and getting stuck into studying. We are remote in our little camp in the middle of the bush but there is nothing better than hearing the African fish eagle while eating lunch or waking up to the morning chorus from the Lowveld birds. The next six months are going to be hard work with all our studies but I know it will be filled with amazing sightings and experiences, great food and lots of laughter.

Blog by Sophie Pyper

Becoming the best field guide that you could possibly be is probably one of the most important goals any field guide or ranger can set for themselves. Becoming a field guide, in itself is not that hard, but it requires passion. Becoming one of the best in the industry is a whole other ball game. When I first decided to take on the world of field guiding, I was told that if I am not planning on being the best or at least working towards it, that I would be wasting my time. 

Today I am 27 years old and still many miles and years away from becoming a top field guide or trainer in the industry but working towards it is has been one of the most rewarding things I have ever done. As an individual, you must consistently challenge and push yourself to be the best, if you reach a comfort zone and become bored with going through the everyday phases, you will soon just become another number in the industry. Being a field guide is one of the most fascinating and entertaining jobs to have where your office has no walls, it generally stretches over a few thousand hectares and you NEVER know what the day holds. Not knowing what your office could present you with means you need to know enough and be updated with the most recent research and ‘bush’ knowledge, so you seldom or never need to answer a question with “I do not know”.

Here at Bushwise Field Guides, Apprentice Field Guide students are provided with the guidance, lectures, knowledge, books and experience from a variety of field guide trainers. All have very different backgrounds and working experience. This allows the students to start moulding themselves into the field guides they would like to be one day. Typical days consist of 4-5 hour morning and afternoon sessions and enough time in between these sessions are provided so you can focus on single aspects of the bush you might find more interesting than the others.

Once you qualify as an Apprentice Field Guide, the world of guiding will prove that you possibly know more than the typical guest you might be guiding but never allow this to be enough. Push yourself to climb the qualification ladder by becoming as qualified as you could possibly be. There are so many options and directions one could take after completing your apprentice field guide qualification but your focus can never be lost. Whether your focus is birding, tracking, insects, botany, wildflowers, or any of the other options that are available you should never stop growing. With having the time of your life as a field guide, it is very easy to become comfortable in your role, therefore, set yearly goals and consistently work towards them.

Buswise has assisted more than 12 871 people, qualify as Field Guides. If you want to stand out amongst them, you need to work hard and have consistent dedication. Our world as field guides is so diverse and constantly changing with new research and information that becomes available to us – simply being average is never going to be enough.

There is absolutely no space for stagnation in this industry but is yet so easy to fall into, when you get too comfortable. Bushwise will allow you the greatest opportunity to be the best you could be but it is up to each individual to make the most of every single opportunity that comes your way.

Edward Smith

Tensions were running high on campus as every student prepared for their final FGASA exam, and practical drive. A lot of preparation took place, but was it all worth it?

We started off with a morning coffee to give us the caffeine boost we required for the exam. We were then split into separate groups and taken to different locations where we would write our final FGASA exam paper for Apprentice Field Guide, NQF2.

There was complete silence, everyone focused and on a mission to write down as much CORRECT information as possible. Only the turning of pages could be heard and a small sigh here and there as we discovered yet another 10 pages of questions to complete.  At last the final page, the final answer which would determine whether our 6 months of intense training has paid off.

It was a tortuous five hours waiting to hear our results finally the message arrived. Everyone made it!!!

After some celebrations, laughter and relief, we disappeared into our rooms to prepare for our last portion of the qualification process, the practical drive assessment.

Assessment game drive

A three-and-a-half-hour drive sounds like enough time to relax and have some fun in the bush. However, having to talk about 17 different modules during the drive seems almost impossible. I would say one would at least require a five-hour drive to fit in all the information. Nonetheless, we were well prepared and sure not to get lost on the reserve (which personally was my biggest fear).  Our ultimate goal was to provide an incredible safari experience to the best of our ability.

Game drive

Once you start your drive, the nerves tend to calm down as you go along and you realise that there is so much to talk about. You only need to drive 100m before stopping and talking about animal tracks and signs, interesting facts about botany, the geology of the environment and much more. It just shows how much knowledge we obtained during these past few months. When I first arrived, all I was interested in was seeing animals, but looking back, I now realise that seeing animals is merely a bonus to the safari experience. There is so much more happening in the bush that we are unaware of, and should also be regarded as very important.

I am so excited to share this new information with guests and have them experience the smaller yet important aspects of nature. I am proud to say, that we are field guides in the making, like the campus, saying goes: “The bush will provide”.

Furthermore, we received our first rains for the season and are incredibly excited to see the bush getting replenished and come back to life again. However, the rain did put a stop to our ARH training and assessment, but we needed the rain more! In the coming last semester, we will catch up with our ARH assessment before heading off for the practical apprentice trails course and then our placements. 

ARH training, break time

First summer rains

Blog by Elandri du Plessis

Along with mock drives preparing us for our assessment drives, the first little bit of rain came, preparing us for the summer rains; or so we thought during a coffee stop as people sheltered under a tablecloth.

With the hopes of rain quickly dampened and quenched altogether, for now, excitement for our futures shone through as the week ended, bringing us closer to our final exams and the next steps to our journey.

With the week of mock drives over, this week started off with a bang, quite literally as a week of rifle practice commenced. Shouts of “lion, stand still” could be heard throughout campus as everyone practiced the drill with and without the rifles over the next few days. With the drill practices under our belts, we launched ourselves to the next target, changing our sights from lion and buffalo posters to radio practice and our final sights and sounds test of the course. As the birds flew across the screen during the test and the last of the calls came to an end, the excited chattering began as everyone passed with flying colours and became qualified as birders.

Along with the rifle practice, we also did a refresher crash course in 4×4, practicing our reverse stall starts up an embankment and skills gained during the course at the start of our first semester. With our refresher session banked, our road now leads us to our final preparations for the up and coming exam, sitting in the not too distant future.

Blog by Sam Parker