ECO RANGER EXPERIENCE

Breakfast (own arrangements and for own account) at the hotel. Guests board a shuttle transfer from Johannesburg to Hoedspruit via Dullstroom. The village of Dullstroom is South Africa’s premier flyfishing destination. Lunch stop en route (own account) and dine at the lodge.
Overnight at Timbavati Safari Lodge or similar – Dinner and breakfast.

Guests enjoy breakfast at the lodge before their transfer to the Kruger National Park’s Pafuri Gate in the north-eastern corner of the Limpopo Province. A representative will meet and transfer guests from Pafuri Gate to the Makuleke Camp. Lunch at Makuleke Camp. Guests attend a safety briefing, an orientation of the camp, including an introduction to the camp staff and an overview of this experience. Meals are served at the camp and each day’s activities are divided into three sessions. Guests have leisure time to settle in before the afternoon’s practical activity either on a game drive or a bush walk.
Overnight at Makuleke Camp – Dinner, lunch, breakfast, and activities.

Guests board a vehicle for a game drive or join a guided bush walk. The focus of the morning activity is on basic ecology and geology. Around noon, guests partake in an interactive discussion with the instructor on geology and soils; weather and atmosphere; food web and energy flow and habitat ecology and conservation.

The Makuleke Concession of the ‘Pafuri Triangle’ is created by the intersection of the Limpopo and Luvuvhu Rivers. The Limpopo, a dying river, is estimated to be more than 65 million years old and the Luvuvhu, a young river. Guests enjoy an afternoon game drive or join a guided bush walk. Apart from elephant and buffalo, guests may see nyala, eland and Sharpe’s grysbok, not commonly seen elsewhere in Kruger National Park. Guides will illustrate the theory discussed earlier in practical learning, whilst out in the field. Guests are encouraged to apply these skills in an informal Q&A session whilst out in the field.
Overnight at Makuleke Camp – Dinner, lunch, breakfast, and activities.

This morning, guests will walk the trails from camp focusing on animal tracks, a hands-on experience and participate in an interactive discussion on the theories and practical application of tracking in the
African bush which includes an introduction to basic tracks and tracking skills. Tracking contributes to key insights on how animals behave and is an art that teaches observation, reasoning, and deduction.

Anti-poaching is covered in 2 general categories; the first targets the illegal incursions and includes coercive methods to track and catch poachers. The second deals with campaigns and policies to prevent
the illegal trafficking of animal products i.e. targeting the supply and demand chains of the trade. The discussion includes basic antipoaching strategies and logistics out in the field.

In the afternoon, guests focus on the key points of the day’s theory, and apply these principles either on a game drive or on a bush walk. This evening guests spend the night in the bush applying basic survival skills including the sourcing of water; preparing a bush fire; practical bush cooking and safety. Activities will include astronomy and understanding the southern hemisphere constellations including the Southern Cross. On clear nights and on a full moon guests can also apply basic navigation theory and get a directional fix from the moon. Enjoy dinner around the camp fire with storytelling.
Overnight at Makuleke (bush sleep-out) – Dinner, lunch, breakfast, and activities.

This morning guests walk back to camp applying their newly found skills tracking, navigation and orientation as well as focusing on the unique bird species that are found in the Northern Kruger National
Park. Guests participate in an interactive discussion on birding and identification. Guests join an afternoon game drive where they will have the opportunity to practice their basic birding skills and incorporate general game viewing and enjoy their sundowner before returning to camp for a special boma dinner.
Overnight at Makuleke Camp – Dinner, lunch, breakfast, and activities.

Guests board an early transfer from Makuleke and spend the day travelling south through the Kruger National Park. Breakfast packs will be provided. Lunch in Kruger National Park (own account). Guests
exit the park at Phalaborwa Gate arriving at the lodge late afternoon. Depart on an open safari vehicle for an evening game drive. Dine at the lodge which will be followed by a presentation of certificates of participation.
Overnight at Leopards Lair – Dinner, breakfast, and 2 game activities.

Guests enjoy an early morning game drive on an open safari vehicle before breakfast. Depart on a transfer to Eastgate Airport or Johannesburg (own account).