So I’ve been home from South Africa for nearly a week, and I haven’t had much of a chance to share my experiences from while I was there. You’ll definitely be hearing a lot more about my time in SA in the days ahead, as I will be writing a number of stories about what I did there. Of course, I visited Kruger National Park, one of the greatest places in the world to spot wild animals, and while we did go on game drives, I wasn’t there to go on safari per se. In fact, I was actually there to learn how safari guides are trained and to observe the process of how they are evaluated so that they can take us out into the field in a safe, fun, and educational manner. I spent five days at the Makuleke Camp, operated by Eco-Training, watching potential guides of all ages be put through their paces as they worked towards certification and eventual opportunity to go to work in field in a number of countries across Africa.
Like I said, you’ll hear much more about that in the days to come as I start to write stories about the training process. But I’ll also share some thoughts on Kruger itself, the amazing creatures that live there, and some of the unbelievable experiences I had there. I’ll even share the storyof the Makuleke Tribe, who were forced off their land back in 1969, but had it restored to them in the 90’s. Part of that land falls within Kruger, which has made for a unique opportunity for the tribe and an unusual relationship between them, the South African government, and safari companies that operate within that area.
For now, I’ve put together a photo gallery with a few images from the trip. You can access them by clicking here. They give a bit of insight into what it was like for me there. I hope you enjoy, and stay tuned for much more.
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