15 Day Biodiversity Explorer
About
Join a specialist team of biodiversity explorers, meet top researchers in their fields and spend 15 days exploring Africa’s wild spaces with us.
Help to contribute towards our knowledge of the amazing animals and plants found in these wilderness regions of Southern Africa.
From novice to expert, this program is perfect for all nature lovers and focuses on education through participation.
Why Join?
We cannot protect or conserve what we do not know. This program is aimed at exploring and documenting all the species found in various wilderness areas in South Africa. From the great to the small you will have the opportunity to view and study mammals, reptiles, birds, amphibians, beetles, butterflies, plants and so much more!
Joining this programme will make a fundamentally valuable contribution towards conservation efforts. As researchers it is often very difficult to get the necessary funding to carry out these vital surveys, so by joining the team, you will be helping to create sustainable and ongoing data collection that will be used for research and will help to shape conservation efforts.
Carrying out research in these untamed areas comes with the possibility of discovering a new species, undescribed by science and having it named after you! You will also become an important part of a much greater role in biodiversity awareness, something the world needs a lot more of these days!
What to Expect
The programme will involve 15 days of fully guided exploration outings led by our expert team and is suitable for everyone with an adventurer's spirit from the age of 18 through to 80!
Activities on the programme include Game Drives, Night Drives, Guided Bush Walks, Photographic Talks, Presentations on: Conservation; Biodiversity; Research; and Field Study Techniques.
Our programmes run with a minimum of 6 and a maximum of 8 participants, ensuring personalised attention and allowing us to adapt each programme to meet the interests of the participants.
The programme will take place in a stunning 28,000+ hectare wilderness area with no other commercial operations currently running on it.
The reserve is situated close to Mapungubwe National Park, a World Heritage Site, and is home to Lion, Leopard, Elephant, Cheetah, Wild Dog, Spotted hyaena, Brown hyaena, Bat Eared Foxes, Aardvark, Hippo, Crocodile, Giraffe, Eland, Zebra as well as a wealth of other general game, hugely diverse birdlife and many, many more species besides!
Unlike most reserves these animals are not regularly interrupted by commercial safari activities and so participants will get to view truly wild behaviour and responses - an unparalleled learning opportunity.
The accommodation boasts: a private waterhole; stunning vistas over the reserve; communal kitchen; comfortable social space with free Wifi; a lecture area; ablutions and braai areas.
The shared twin rooms are air-conditioned and serviced daily. Programme participants will join a rota for meal preparation but are well-cared for by a dedicated housekeeping team who take care of all cleaning up and care of the facilities themselves.
Your programme will be run by our team of experienced professionals who are dedicated to ensuring participants receive the highest quality experience available.
Vaughan Jessnitz: Vaughan has over 15 years of experience as a researcher, professional field guide, professional trails guide and field guide trainer. Vaughan is an Entomologist and a Cybertracker Track and Sign Specialist with years of practical field experience under his belt, from work with large predators through to specialised research into dung beetles and butterflies. With his wealth of experience participants are sure to have an active learning experience and a unique insight into conservation research. Vaughan is well known for his professional and fun facilitation style and there are few others in the industry with his expert knowledge of the insect fauna of the region or his hands on experience with large predator research.
Sophie Barrett: Sophie has been working as a professional field guide, lead trails guide and field guide trainer for the last 9 years and is also a Cybertracker Track and Sign Specialist. A passionate conservationist she has been a member of the Rhino Revolution (a local NPO) team since 2018 and has been actively involved with field research into Temminck’s Ground Pangolin and both Black and White Rhino as well as assisting Vaughan with research projects into dung beetles and butterflies. Sophie has an insatiable curiosity which is evident in all the programmes she facilitates.
What is Included?
The programme Fee includes:
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15 days of fully guided exploration outings
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Access to wilderness area Nature Reserve and all associated conservation levies
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Great food (breakfast, lunch and dinner) (please note : snacks and alcoholic drinks not included)
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Shared, air-conditioned accommodation
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Secure onsite parking facilities
What to Bring:
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Good, comfortable hiking shoes
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Camera & binoculars
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Good quality head torch
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Comfortable day backpack which can hold at least 3L of water
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Neutral coloured bush clothing (the days are usually quite warm-hot, evenings can get cool)
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Books/pens/laptops etc for taking notes & editing photos etc
Contact us at info@goliathtraining.org for further information and bookings
