EcoTraining was established in 1993 and describes itself as the original safari guide training school in South Africa, with the largest bio-diverse training footprint on the continent. It operates bush camps across South Africa (Greater Kruger Timbavati, Greater Kruger Balule Pridelands, Kruger National Park Makuleke, and Karongwe Game Reserve), Botswana (Okavango Delta and Mashatu) and Kenya (Masai Mara), rather than a single fixed campus. The institution specialises in wildlife, nature and safari guide education, ranging from short wildlife-enthusiast courses to professional field, trails and safari guide qualifications, including a Higher Certificate in Ecotourism Guiding (NQF Level 5). EcoTraining is provisionally registered with South Africa's Department of Higher Education and Training as a private higher education institution (Registration Certificate No. 2023/HE07/001, valid until 31 December 2026) and states it was the first guide training provider in Africa to receive formal accreditation from the Council on Higher Education (CHE). Its courses also carry accreditation from FGASA and CATHSSETA, and, for regional operations, KPSGA (Kenya) and BQA (Botswana).
Qualifications & Programmes
- Higher Certificate: Ecotourism Guiding / Ecotourism Field Guide (NQF Level 5)
- 1-Year Professional Field Guide Course
- 55-day Field Guide ONE Course
- 55-day Field Guide Course
- 35-day Practical Field Guide Course (Nature Site Guide, NQF Level 2)
- 28-day Safari Guide Course
- 28-day Trails Guide Course
- 7-day Birding in the Bush Course
- 6-day Wilderness Trails Skills Course
- 7-day Wilderness Photography Course
- 7/14-day EcoTracker Course
- 7/14-day EcoQuest Course
- 7/14-day Masai Mara EcoQuest Course
- Inside the Pride Course (online, with Dr Paul Funston)
- Online Field Guide Course (NQF4, FGASA)
- Online Field Guide Course (NQF2)
- On-Demand Junior Ranger Course (ages 7-14)
- On-Demand Field Guide Course (self-paced)
- Online Trails Guide Course
- Online Birding Enthusiast Course
- Online Nature Enthusiast Course
- Online Tracking Enthusiast Course
- Online Biomimicry Course