Field Guide Mentorship
Siyafunda offers a mentored field guide internship that gives individuals a realistic introduction into living and working in the South African bush. You will be mentored through a FGASA based learning schedule by our field rangers and you will assist with making our volunteers and guests experience a once of a life time.
Our program has been developed by Mike Job who has been a guide and lead trails guide since 2003, he has experience in working in lodges around South Africa and has grown Siyafunda's volunteer projects to be a leader in the area of volutourism.
Siyafunda runs 3 camps, 2 volunteer camps and 1 lodge, this will give all interns a broad-based working experience guiding and managing different expectations with the hospitality and volunteer tourism.
Your internship will be for 6 months. We will mentor you through the FGASA apprentice guide modules.
1. Creating a guided nature experience
2. Geology
3. Weather and Climate
4. Astronomy
5. Ecology
6. The Biomes
7. Taxonomy
8. Plants and Grasses
9. Arthropods
10. Fish
11. Amphibians
12. Reptiles
13. Birds
14. Mammals
15. Animal behaviour
16. Conservation management
17. Historical human habitation
Course out-line
Your Camp
Your Internship tented camp is situated next to Siyafunda Main Camp, giving you access to our library and living closely with our field rangers. Living in our tented camp will allow you to immerse yourself in the bush and experience the wildlife intimately. Each tent has a single bed and there is a central deck under a Weeping Boer Bean Tree where you can find a quite space to study.
You will also be helping out at our other camps so expect to be staying at them during your stay.
Siyafunda Internship & Main Camp have:
- electricity and hot running water (solar panels: on overcast days it can sometimes run out)
- Internet / WIFI at the base:
- Reasonable cell reception at camp. You can easily buy a south-African SIM card (MTN is best) at the airport or in Hoedspruit.
- Comfortable lounge area: library with books and magazines, TV, DVD players,
- Swimming Pool, volleyball,
- Braai / BBQ area