Become a game ranger in South Africa

Train as a game ranger in South Africa alongside Africa’s Big 5

Oyster is pleased to offer an 8 week game ranger course in South Africa, designed to give you theoretical and practical training to become a qualified field guide. The course takes place on a large game reserve, home to Africa’s Big 5 as well as many other species. It introduces you to the life of a game ranger, the animals on the reserve and the background knowledge of wildlife that is key to gaining this recognised qualification.

How does it work?

The game ranger course is an 8 week long course that runs at various intervals in the year (check our website for the most up to date dates). The first few weeks of the course focus on the general aspects of working in a game reserve. You will team up with other volunteers to gain exposure to the wildlife and get the chance to learn and understand the basics of life on a reserve. This includes:

–         lion tracking and monitoring

–         removal of alien vegetation in and around the reserve

–         planting of natural species

–         helping out with the predator breeding programme

–         wilderness trail walks and patrols

–         fence patrol

–         game counts

–         game captures

–         game drives

–         elephant sanctuary participation

After this participation, you will receive regular lectures and training in preparation for the examination at the end of the 8 week course. These subjects include:

–         elephant sanctuary participation

–         geology

–         astronomy

–         weather and climate

–         basic ecology

–         taxonomy (wildlife idenitification)

Where will I be staying?

Your accommodation is on site in the game reserve. It is right in the heart of the reserve, so your day starts with beautiful views out over the prairie.  The accommodation is probably amongst the most luxurious that Oyster offers. It is brand new, with large comfortable dormitory-style rooms to be shared with others. There are large lounges and places to relax, so you will likely find that your bed is just a place to lay your head at the end of the day.

There is internet acces at the main lodge. Swimming pools, tennis courts and other leisure facilities are at your disposal, so there isn’t a moment to get bored here.

We provide you with three delicious meals a day, so you don’t even need to worry about cooking. The food is varied, with an African/ Asian feel to it however there are plenty of western options too.

What about free time?

Your day will start early- around 7.30am- end end at around 16.30. This means that your day is packed full of new adventures, from seeing the animals to helping out in the conservation of the reserve.You will be taking part in the course from Monday – Friday, with weekends free to enjoy, relax and explore. We organise transport and accommodation into local Port Elizabeth and Grahamstown at the weekends so that you can have a city experience too.

What is South Africa like?

South Africa is a country which has taken the spotlight in recent years for many things, from the football world cup in 2010 back to the release of Nelson Mandela in 1990.  The game reserve is located an hour’s drive from Port Elizabeth, a vibrant and beautiful city on the coast. There is so much to see and do around here other than the amazing lifestyle on the game reserve. You will find that people are open, friendly and keen to get to know you!

More information

You can find out more information about this our game ranger in South Africa webpage or by contacting Anne on [email protected] or on 0044 (0) 1892 770 771