For me, there is hardly anything more beautiful than a game drive. Getting into a safari vehicle early in the morning in the dark, freezing a little, driving out into the wilderness and experiencing the awakening of the bush. Feeling the first rays of the sun, slowly warming up and observing which animals would be the first to show themselves. Plus the unknown smells and sounds, the fresh air - THAT is one of the reasons why I can never get enough of Africa.
And that's why I fulfilled a dream during my month in Africa: I wanted to experience the life of a field guide for a week, learning as much as possible about nature and wildlife. So I booked an "Ecoquest" course in Botswana. One week of intensive safari, learning as much as possible and gaining an insight into a world that is so foreign to us - and therefore so fascinating!
Before I start with my enthusiastic stories, here are a few facts about the course:
The course
I booked a course carried out by Ecotraining, the leader in Africa's safari guide training. I booked it via Safari Frank, a fantastic travel company that has inspired me for a very long time already. The course lasted seven days, but there are longer options - or you could even do the whole course as a field guide (55 days). For me, seven days were perfect as I just wanted as much insight as possible in a short time without any certificate or exam, just a brilliant finale to my Africa trip. The full bush experience again. And I didn't regret it! I would definitely recommend this course and the company - everything was so well organized and I had the most perfect week.
The Camp
The course took place at Mashatu Camp. This camp is located in the Nothern Tuli Game Reserve of Botswana, close to the border with South Africa. We stayed in a camp with 10 comfortable tents, shared bathrooms and a cosy common room where we ate and enjoyed lectures about different themes (trees, plants, animals,...). There was no electricity in the camp. We did, however, have the option of charging our batteries via a generator that ran a few times a day It was really relaxing - I really enjoyed my digital detox! Oh, and we also had warm showers, so no comfort was missed!
The week
The day the tour started, we were collected in the early morning at a hotel in Johannesburg. We were a group of six people from all over the world - Germany, South Africa, the Netherlands and Switzerland. The trip started with a 7 hour drive from Jo'Burg to our camp in Botswana. A first adventure awaited us just before crossing the border at Pont Drift: We had to cross the Limpopo River with an open cable car.
Once in Botswana, we were greeted by Mike, our instructor for this week. We jumped in the next car - an open safari vehicle - and continued our drive towards the camp.
The reception was impressive - on our two hour drive we already met some residents of the area. This week could only be good!
We finally arrived at Mashatu camp, our home for the next day, were greeted warmly by the staff and moved into our comfortable tents. I slept wonderfully the next nights, the sounds of nature were the perfect lullaby.
The next days were full of impressive and beautiful adventures.
We were woken up every morning at about 5:30 (or earlier depending on the activity). After a first coffee and rusk, the morning activity began. Sometimes this was a game drive (a ride in an open safari vehicle) where we looked out for animals and learned a lot about flora and fauna, but sometimes we set out on foot to explore the environment.
Later we returned for breakfast, which we always enjoyed hungrily. Afterwards, there was often a lecture in which we learned exciting things about various topics.
There was also plenty of time for ourselves to read, write diaries, chat and process what we had learned. I truly enjoyed it!
After lunch, we often went to the nearby waterhole. Who would we see there today?
The last activity of the day always started when the warm temperatures of the day cooled down and it slowly got dark - and the bush woke up again. We often drove to a beautiful spot to enjoy a sundowner and watch the sunset (the familiar pictures with the orange sky of Africa is not an exaggeration!). My favourite were the night drives, where you drive through the bush in complete darkness and look for animals with a torch.
After so many highlights, we often fell into bed at 21:00 or sat at the fire campfire for another drink and chat for a little longer.
Observing a street of hissing ants
An elephant foot - what shoe size would that be?
On bird watch in the early morning
Identifying birds
No one too small to be interesting!
At the watering hole...
A hyena enjoying her Spa day?
Sundowners in the middle of nature
Tracking lion tracks in the early morning
A morning at the Limpopo river - good that the crocs were not too close
Out in the dark - evening safari
We found elephants in the dark - what a special feeling to hear but barely see those impressive creatures!
One of my personal highlights was the sleep out - a night in the sleeping bag beneath the stars - without tents, without any facilities. Because we were in the middle of nature, one person always had to keep watch. It was a special feeling to sit around the campfire while the other people slept in their sleeping bags. Listening to the sounds of nature, looking at the stars and making sure that no uninvited visitors came to the camp.
We tracked our sightings - the list grew longer and longer over the week
Conclusion
The week in the nature of Botswana was simply wonderful. I learned an incredible amount and had many experiences that I will never forget. The hours in the open vehicle in which we explored the reserve. The hours at night around the campfire, in the middle of nature, without a fence separating me from potential danger. The walks through the bush, where you had to reckon with all kinds of encounters. Always surrounded by the sounds of Botswana's incredibly diverse wildlife. A constant feeling of thrill, yet mixed with a deep relaxation at being so far away from the stress of everyday life. A strange mixture - which I enjoyed incredibly and was wellness for my soul. I came home really relaxed and happy - and so far, the feeling lasts.
I would definitely recommend this course to anyone who wants to intensively study and immerse themselves in the nature and wildlife of Africa. There is hardly a better "concentrate" of it! I felt safe at all times and did not have to do without any comforts - we ate wonderfully and were well looked after. Our guides knew so much and shared their knowledge with us. The activities were varied and I could look forward to the next day every evening. Probably this will not be the last Ecotraining I will do.
Africa, you will see me again soon!
