ARRIVAL & ORIENTATION 

Today we will pick you up at O.R. Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg. You will be taken to a Big 5 game reserve where you’ll spend the next three days. Settle into your student lodge, surrounded by giraffes, rhinos, elephants, lions, leopards, and antelope. You will attend an orientation session introducing the programme and outlining the incredible experiences ahead.

BIG 5 GAME RESERVE CONSERVATION 

Spend three immersive days on a Big 5 private reserve, where you’ll gain insights into conservation management and wildlife monitoring. Activities include: Camera Trap Surveys: Set up and analyse camera traps to study animal movements and population density. Tracking & Spoor Identification: Learn how to read tracks, feeding patterns, dung middens, and behaviour of large mammals.

CONTINUED…

Telemetry Training: Use radio telemetry to locate animals in the bush and monitor their ranges. Game drives & a night Drive: Spot lions, leopards, elephants, rhinos, buffalo, hyenas, and more, both during the day and after dark. Anti-Poaching Unit (APU) Interaction: Meet the dedicated team working to protect wildlife from poaching and learn about their daily challenges.

CONTINUED…

Bird Ringing & Identification: Participate in bird monitoring, species identification, and ecological data collection. Disease & Reserve Health Management: Understand wildlife disease risks and how they affect ecosystems. You will learn about animal diseases and the risks to the reserve. Potential Conservation Intervention (not guaranteed): If the opportunity arises, you may assist with activities such as collaring a predator, rhino dehorning, translocation, or medical interventions.

KRUGER NATIONAL PARK 

DAY 6: Today you will make your way to a guest house just outside the KNP. Making your way into the park first thing Sunday morning!!
DAY 7: Today you’ll travel through the famous park to Hoedspruit. Here you will enjoy a wildlife safari. Later you will meet with the state vet to learn about wildlife disease control and management strategies in one of Africa’s largest ecosystems.

WILDLIFE REHABILITATION CENTRE 

Visit a leading wildlife rehabilitation and endangered species breeding centre. Learn about: The vital role rehabilitation plays in conservation. Breeding programmes for endangered species. The challenges of reintroducing wildlife into natural habitats.

AVIAN & SMALL MAMMAL COURSE

A two-day certified course with a wildlife vet covering: Husbandry and care of birds and small mammals, safe handling techniques, biosecurity, hygiene, preventative medicine, common diseases, diagnostics, and treatments, first aid, anaesthesia, and surgical techniques. Earn a certificate upon completion!

WILDLIFE VET FIELDWORK

Spend four days accompanying wildlife vets and game capture specialists on real cases. Observe and assist with treatments, relocations, darting, and surgical interventions (when required). Gain first-hand insight into the daily challenges faced by wildlife veterinarians. Exact activities depend on vet bookings and wildlife needs at the time.

COMMUNITY VET CLINIC

Spend the morning assisting a Community Vet Clinic that provides veterinary care in underprivileged rural areas. Help deliver primary healthcare to domestic animals, support education initiatives teaching pet owners and farmers about animal welfare. The Saturday afternoon is yours to relax at the lodge, have a snooze or a swim, and recharge for the week ahead!

ADVANCED VETERINARY REPTILE COURSE

A full-day course focused on reptile medicine: Reptile husbandry and handling safety, health assessments and common diseases, anaesthesia, first aid, and emergency response. Get practical experience, including a reptile necropsy. Earn a certificate upon completion!

K9 CONSERVATION, DART GUN PRACTICAL, AND HELICOPTER FLIP

Spend the morning with a K9 anti-poaching unit, learning how trained dogs are used in wildlife crime prevention. In the afternoon you will attend a darting lecture and practical – learn about different dart guns, prepare tranquilizer darts, and practice darting techniques. If conditions allow, you’ll also experience darting from a helicopter – an unforgettable highlight of the programme!

WILDLIFE VET FIELDWORK (As mentioned above)

ROAD TRIP!

Most of today will be spent driving back to JHB. After today, you will have one more day left! Enjoy the drive through the beautiful countryside!

WILDLIFE VETERINARY HOSPITAL

Today you will be accompanying a vet at a wildlife veterinary hospital. The hospital is a non-profit organisation that treats small to medium-sized wild animals with the goal that they will be rehabilitated and released. The hospital has a dedicated veterinarian present on a full-time basis. The rehabilitation part of the hospital is run and overseen by a wildlife rehabilitation specialist.

DEPARTURE

Today is also a sad day as we have to say goodbye. We will take you to Johannesburg International Airport(O.R Tambo) where you will make your way back home. We are sure this experience will never be forgotten and will benefit you throughout your career!