okavango delta safari guide training

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Okavango Guiding School

• Travel Partner

Based in Botswana’s remarkable Okavango Delta, the Okavango Guiding school has been established for aspiring guides who are active and curious about nature. It is the first private guide training school registered in Botswana to provide training for guides on both the Field Guide Association of Southern Africa (FGASA) and the Botswana Qualifications Authority (BQA) platforms. Owned and operated by the Reed family, the well-known Reed brothers, Grant and Brent, starred in “Safari Brothers” which was aired internationally on National Geographic. Choose one of our three coures: Nature Guiding Course, Trail Guiding Course, Bush Skills Training.

• Company Profile

Why Choose Okavango Guiding School?

Our hands-on courses enable students to learn from day to day experiences what the wilderness has to offer. The training courses teach students the skills of conducting a game-drive as well as how to drive a motor boat and pole a mokoro (dug-out canoe) on the waterways of the Okavango. When the water levels are high we are able to make our River Runner into an riparian classroom, studying the unique aquatic world of the Okavango Delta and learning about the local birds. At the end of the day we find a suitable island to camp on and hopefully catch some fresh bream for dinner.

The Okavango Guiding School Trainers

Okavango Guiding School has a team of safari guide trainers that are unsurpassed in their qualifications and experience. The not only help students identify the local species but also to interpret behaviour and understand the complex and fascinating interactions between the species and their environment.

The Okavango Guiding School Learning Material

Okavango Guiding School has developed the most comprehensive guide training manual the industry has ever seen. Our policy is that of making the learning materials available to students and allowing them to become familiar with the material before coming on a course. Our “Getting a head-start” page allows students to become familiar with the common animals, birds and plants before arriving. This allows the student attending the guide training course to spend more time in the field and less time listening to lectures. There is little point coming to Africa’s finest wilderness to spend time in a classroom listening to lectures on topics you could read through in the comfort of your home. With our approach we can take the classroom to the bush and everything we find out there becomes a living example of what you have read in the manual.

Okavango Guiding School is proudly associated with

• Lekata Safaris, Botswana’s premium mobile safari operator based in Maun, Botswana
• Wild Wheels, a self-drive 4×4 safari rental company based in Maun, Botswana

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• Overall Rating: 5 stars 4 stars 3 stars 2 stars 1 star
• Wildlife: 5 stars 4 stars 3 stars 2 stars 1 star
• Guiding: 5 stars 4 stars 3 stars 2 stars 1 star
• Places Visited: 5 stars 4 stars 3 stars 2 stars 1 star
• Accommodation: 5 stars 4 stars 3 stars 2 stars 1 star

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African Guide Academy – Kwapa Camp

Ranns concession (ng30).

As well as training many of the top Okavango safari guides, The African Guide Academy runs a number of excellent field guide courses at Kwapa Camp for intrepid travellers looking for a deeper understanding of the wilderness. From the basic 7 day bush skills course to more detailed 28 day Nature Guide or Trails Guide Courses – all emphasise practical experience in the field with game drive, walking, boating and mokoro skills development.

As well as training many of the top Okavango safari guides, The African Guide Academy – Kwapa Camp runs a number of excellent field guide courses for intrepid travellers looking for a deeper understanding of the wilderness. From the basic 7 day bush skills course to more detailed 28 day Nature Guide or Trails Guide Courses – all emphasise practical experience in the field with game drive, walking, boating and mokoro skills development.

The African Guide Academy believes in practical experience and knowledge gained in the field above long theorical lectures, and for this reason all courses operate from their camp, Kwapa Camp, set in the private NG30 concession of the Okavango, about 2 hours from Maun.

Kwapa Camp is a simple but comfortable camp, consisting of nine tents, each 3×4 meru-style tent has an en-suite bathroom with a flush toilet and bucket shower. The tents are furnished with camp beds, duvets, pillows, sheets and towels and lighting is provided by an LED battery powered light. Accommodation is always on a shared basis unless a single supplement is paid (+15%).

These courses are aimed at curious and active travellers with a passion for nature and interest in the wilderness beyond the luxurious offerings of most safari camps. Those looking to delve deeper into the ecology of the Okavango, to learn ancient skills long forgotten by most cultures and for a better understand of all creatures great and small will enjoy these courses. You learn the art of tracking, survival skills, navigation, ecology and much more. You will learn how to conduct game drives and walking safaris, and water levels permitting you will experience boating and mokoro safaris too. Days are fluid and follow only a lose schedule, instead working best to the conditions on the ground.

African Guie Academy – Kwapa Camp is owned and operated by the Reed family, the well-known Reed brothers, Grant and Brent hosted the National Geographic Wild series ‘ the safari brothers ’.

The academy offers a range of courses, from short one week bush skills to complete professional guide training. The Bush Skills course is particularly suited to those with less time to spare, perhaps before a self-drive safari. Courses include:

• Bush Skills Course– a basic 7 day course offering an overall bush experience • Nature Guide Course – a detailed 28 day course providing students with an in depth knowledge of the African wilderness. • Trails Guide Course – a detailed 28 day course focuses on the skills of walking safaris in the wilderness • Specialist birding courses and private training is also available.

African Guide Academy – Kwapa Camp On The Map

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At Okavango Delta Explorations we specialise in crafting safaris to this unique ecosystem.

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• Location Ranns Concession (NG30)
• Child Policy Min 18 years
• Parent Company Independent

Safaris Featuring This Property:

Safari like a guide – bush skills course, experience the okavango delta.

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Guide Course Botswana: Basic Field Guide Training

Be part of a unique wilderness experience and gain rare knowledge about nature and basic skills of a real field guide while being surrounded by the unspoiled nature of the famous Okavango Delta! Your classroom – the biggest inland delta in the world – happens to be the perfect place for your basic training to become a ranger due to its different ecosystems and impressive wildlife.

The course consists of theoretical and practical units in which you will gain basic knowledge about ecology, geology, zoology, climate, and weather as well as skills in bush navigation, tracking, and guiding by foot, boat, mokoro, and all-terrain vehicle. Always by your side: experienced guides, who will teach you all the secrets of flora and fauna and who will give their expert knowledge to you during theoretical lessons and regular game walks and game drives.

The course is modular, enabling you to join the course for two or four weeks – at a time or in parts.

Your trip at a glance

• Experi­ence a training adventure in the world-renowned Okavango Delta
• Acquire essential ranger knowledge and skills
• Learn from profes­sional and experi­enced field guides
• Live and learn as part of an inter­na­tional student group
• Get the chance to enjoy breath­taking wildlife sightings
• Spend the night under Africa’s fasci­nating night sky
• Receive two officially recog­nised quali­fi­ca­tions at the end of the course

Plan your trip

• Placement in the programme
• Assistance with travel arrangements
• Assistance with selecting travel insurance
• Assistance with booking flights
• Risk coverage certificate
• Pre-departure information pack
• Airport pick up and drop off
• Accommodation during the programme
• Full board during the programme
• Training manual
• Game drives
• English-speaking support by long-term experienced staff
• Certificate
• 24/7 support throughout the programme
• Travel insurance
• FGASA/BQA registration and exam fees
• Further beverages (e.g. liquors, soft drinks, bottled water)
• Personal expenses and optional excursions

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Terry, your travel agent for Botswana

You would like to learn more about this trip? Don't hesitate to contact me! Our service doesn't end with your departure: I answer all of your questions and support you before, during and after your stay abroad. Note: The price stated above is an approximate value. Due to sharp fluctuations in the exchange rate of the USD, the final price for this trip will be calculated at the time of enquiry based on the latest exchange rate.

Field Guide training in Botswana

Experience a unique educational adventure amidst the breathtaking nature of the Okavango Delta and become a certified FGASA or BQA Field Guide within 28 days.

Arrival and orien­ta­tion in the Okavango Delta

After your arrival at Maun airport/Botswana you will be picked up and taken to your training camp in the Southern Okavango Delta. There you can become familiar with the camp facilities and meet other participants.

Topics of the field guide course in Botswana

During your field guide training to become, experienced guides will teach you topics like geology, ecology, hydrology, astronomy and weather and climate of Botswana and share their expert knowledge with you. You will acquire important navigation skills as well as bush survival skills to be able to orient yourself in the African bush. In addition to that you will be taught the ancient art of tracking and be introduced to Botswana’s flora and fauna.

Depending on the season you will practice how to navigate in a motoring boat or a mokoro, a traditional dugout canoe in Southern Africa and common transportation on the Okavango. During long game walks and game drives you will be taken deep into the African bush, increasing your knowledge and hopefully experiencing unique wildlife sightings.

During the course you will participate in wilderness sleep-outs under the incomparable African night sky – this does not only sharpen your senses but also gives you the opportunity to gain valuable knowledge in astronomy.

Most of the time your day begins before sunrise: after having a light breakfast, you will leave for Botswana’s wilderness to explore the local flora and fauna. Around noon you will return to the camp, have lunch and a short break and will take part in theoretical lessons.

In the late afternoon there will be a second game walk or drive in order to test the skills you have just gained before leaving for the camp at dusk.

All students receive a certificate of attendance after the course is finished. Students, who would like to improve skills on a professional level, can acquire two official qualifications as part of a final exam at the end of the course:

- BQA – Level 2: qualification of Botswana Training Authority (BQA), which allows holders to work as guides in Botswana. - FGASA – NQF2 (formerly: FGASA Level 1): qualification of Field Guide Association of Southern Africa (FGASA), which allows holders to work as guides in South Africa. If you would like to take the FGASA NQF2 test, you must complete the pre-course workbooks and prepare the required lecture material. In addition, you need to take the four-week course – you can do it in units instead of doing it in one session.

Accom­mo­da­tion as a guide student in Southern Africa

Together with other course participants you will be living in the Kwapa training camp, which is located in Southern Okavango Delta near Qwapa River. You will sleep in a 3x3 meters high wall wilderness style tent which provides a bed, a bed table and a LED-light. Usually, two participants share a tent. The tents are connected to an ensuite-bathroom which provides a typical “bush toilet” and a bucket shower. There also is a large verandah with a stand-basin and a relaxing chair. You will be provided with three daily meals, and also receive coffee and tea throughout the day.

Leisure time during your nature training in Africa

After returning back to camp in the later afternoon you can use the rest of the day for your own activities. Spend time talking to other course students, play games, read a book or simply enjoy the surrounding nature.

Arrival day in Botswana

On the day your course starts you arrive at Maun airport. After your arrival you will be picked up at the restaurant “The Duck Café”, located right across the entrance of Maun’s small airport, and taken to Camp Kwapa. In the camp you can accommodate yourself, get to know your fellow team members and receive an overview of the upcoming course. In the afternoon you might take part in a first bush activity before returning to camp for dinner. 

Typical day in the Basic Field Guide course

Your day starts shortly before sunrise. One of your fellow team members will wake you up – unless you are the one on “morning duty”.

After a hearty breakfast, you and your group meet for a safety check and receive instructions for the day before heading out into the bush. During the game drive or walk you discover and discuss the African flora and fauna and deal with assessment-related topics. You return to camp to evaluate the morning sightings, to have lunch, and to enjoy a little siesta. In the early afternoon, you will have classroom hours to learn theories relevant to the course topics.

Afterwards, you go on another excursion into the bush – either per game vehicle or by foot. Sunset will usually be enjoyed close to the camp. Dinner will be served after you have discussed your afternoon activities.

Assessment during your field guide training

The theoretical, as well as practical assessment, usually takes place a few days before the course ends.

The theoretical test deals with all the topics that you have worked on during the course. The practical test is a game drive that needs to be conducted by every single course student. The student that gets tested needs to take over the role of the guide while the others act as safari guests. Checking the vehicle, leading guests through the wilderness, and explaining the African flora and fauna – during the final game drive your skills as a nature guide will be tested.

After you’ve successfully passed the theoretical and practical assessment you will be given the official FGASA certificate.

Last day in the guide course and departure

On the day of your departure you leave the camp shortly after breakfast. As soon as all the luggage is stored on the vehicles, you and your group make your way back to Maun. First of all, you drive to our partner’s office to pay any remaining balance and to confirm the end of the course. Afterwards, it is up to you whether you travel back home or continue your journey.

FAQ – Learn more about this trip

Prior to arrival in botswana.

To take part in this course you need to be at least 18 years old, own a valid driver’s license and have profound English skills, so you can communicate with your team and understand the guide and the learning material that is given to you. Moreover, you need to hand in a valid first-aid certificate if you want to obtain a FGASA qualification.

It is also important to be physically fit, as there will be game walks on a regular basis and temperatures can get very high at times. We will therefore ask you to hand in a doctor’s certificate confirming your state of health. Moreover, travel health insurance for the duration of the course is obligatory.

Besides that you do not need previous experiences to participate; only your curiosity and motivation to learn as well as your interest in Africa’s flora and fauna are important.

For questions concerning visa requirements you should consult the website of your country’s Federal Foreign Office or contact the team at Natucate.

Before you head off to your guide adventure, we discuss your journey in detail and give you advice concerning how to plan and prepare your trip.

Once you arrived in Maun, our partner will pick you up at the airport and take you to the camp. After the course has ended, a transfer for the way back to the airport will be organized as well. During the course you will sleep in your own dome tent and receive three meals a day including water, coffee and tea. During the course there will be excursions, game walks as well as game drives on a regular basis – the training sessions and lectures are also included in the price.

FGASA/BQA registration/exam fees and costs for flights, travel insurances, visa, additional drinks/beverages, tips and extra excursions are not included.

In general, you do not need any special vaccination (unless you are coming from a country where Yellow Fever is present) but we would recommend tetanus, diphtheria, pertussis, measles, mumps, and rubella before every journey. Moreover, you should take the medication you need with you, as the healthcare may not be sufficient.

You should also consider vaccination for hepatitis A and if you want to stay longer even hepatitis B, typhus, and rabies. Furthermore, please consider getting vaccinated against Covid-19.

In Botswana, infectious diseases like malaria are common and you should consider taking medication as a prophylactic measure.

Around three months prior to your departure you should consult your doctor about possible dangers, vaccinations, and protection measures. Moreover, you should consult the website of your country’s Federal Foreign Office to get information about the latest travel and safety advice.

Last but not least, travel insurance is compulsory when participating in the course.

You should bring waterproof clothes, sturdy boots, long and light trousers as well as a hat and enough sunscreen for daily excursions.

Moreover, you should take longer clothes with you, as it can get cold during the nights and in the morning. In general, you should also mind the colours of your clothes. To blend in the landscape, colours like beige, khaki and ochre are perfect. A pair of binoculars is necessary for the time of the course, and you should also bring your driver’s license (if you have one), a bottle, insect repellant and a headlamp.

You will receive a detailed packing list after booking.

While Camp Kwapa has a comprehensive library you may want to bring a small choice of the following books:

• Stuart, Chris; Stuart, Mathilde: Field Guide to Mammals of Southern Africa
• Newman, Kenneth: Newman’s Birds of Southern Africa
• van Wyk, Bram; van Wyk, Piet: Field Guide to Trees of Southern Africa
• Hancock, Pete: Birds of Southern Africa
• Roodt, Veronica: Trees of the Okavango
• Roodt, Veronica: Wildflowers of the Okavango
• Gutteridge, Lee; Reumerman, Tony: Okavango Field Guide
• du Preez, Louis; Carruthers, Vincent: Frogs of Southern Africa – A Complete Guide
• Skelton, Paul; Bruton, Mike; Merron, Glenn: Fishes of the Okavango and Chobe River, Botswana
• Alexander, Graham; Marais, Johan: A Guide to the Reptiles of Southern Africa
• Main, Michael: Kalahari

Recommended apps are:

• Avenza Maps
• Botswana Wildlife (only for Apple so far)
• Pocket Universe
• Robert’s Birds
• Stuart’s Mammals
• E-Trees of Southern Africa
• Frogs of Southern Africa
• Insects of South Africa
• E-Snakes of Southern Africa

We recommend booking travel cancellation insurance beforehand, in case you can’t attend the course. There are also options for insurances if you have to quit your stay earlier.

Arrival in Botswana

On the day the course starts (usually Friday), you will be picked up by a team member across Maun Airport at 02:00 PM and transferred to Camp Kwapa, located in the southern Okavango Delta. We will give you information concerning your flight to Maun Airport but you need book the flights on your own.

During the Basic Field Guide course

After your arrival in camp there will be a short introduction and you will have time to make yourself comfortable. In the afternoon you will head off to your first game drive in the African bush. In the evening you will return to camp and have dinner at the campfire.

The following days start very early with a game drive, before you will return to camp to avoid the midday heat and have a small lunch. In the afternoon you will first have a classroom session and broaden your theoretical guide knowledge before going on another excursion.

You will return to camp at dinnertime. After dinner you can enjoy some free time in the camp. The courses always provide a mixture of theoretical and practical units.

Note: Excursions are done by vehicle, foot, in motorboats and dug-out canoes called mokoros. Students are responsible for leading walks, poling the mokoro and conducting game-drives. The ratio of mokoro, boat, driving and walking will be greatly dependent on water levels at the time. The preparation and completions of these above activities are also the students’ responsibility as they would be if guiding a safari.

The course is modular, enabling you to join the course for two or four weeks.

A group includes 8-9 persons at maximum. There may be two groups at a time in camp.

Life on site in Botswana

Please visit the following camp information page to learn more about Camp Kwapa:

In general, it is possible to share an accommodation – please notify us in advance so the team can prepare your room accordingly.

During your time in the camp, you will be served three meals a day with typical local ingredients.

Breakfast usually consists of an option of rusks, toast (with various spreads), porridge, yogurt and cereals. Lunch is served around 12:00 noon and consists of a hot dish with fresh baked bread and salads/vegetables. For dinner, you will be provided with a hot meat dish with a starch and either salad or vegetables. Simple snacks like crisps and peanuts with raisins will be available for students to take on excursions. Besides water you can also drink coffee and tea during the day or if you would like to drink something else, you can buy other beverages in the camp.

If you wish to drink something besides the “typical” soft drinks or alcohol you should tell us before your departure as the team can organize it in advance. Moreover, please also inform us about special dietary needs (allergies, vegetarian …), as the team needs to prepare for that as well.

With a notice ahead it is possible to follow a vegetarian diet during the time of your course.

Other diets (vegan, gluten-free) are possible as well but due to the logistical challenges, an extra fee is required.

After returning back to camp in the later afternoon you can use the rest of the day for your own activities.

Spend time talking to other course students, play games or simply enjoy the surrounding nature. Camp Kwapa also has an own little library to borrow books from.

On site you can always talk to staff members who will help you with questions and problems. You can also contact the Natucate team 24/7.

The currency in Botswana is Pula. There is no ATM in the camp, so you should bring enough cash for the duration of your stay (either in Pula, Euro or US Dollar).

In order to get cash, you can either exchange it in a local bank or at the airport in Johannesburg, or bring a credit card with you to draw money from an ATM in Maun. Don’t forget to check with your bank if your credit card works in Botswana.

Please plan to bring cash for extra drinks (need to be purchased in a sixpack) and snacks, staff tips (if you want) and an emergency.

All participants should be prepared to have little to no reception and no internet connection during the course. You can use the time in Maun after your arrival and before your departure to contact family and friends.

As the camp is located in the subtropical area of Southern Africa, it is generally very hot during the daytime in Botswana’s summer months (mid-September to April). In the evening it cools down but the nights are still warm. Moreover, there are occasional rainfalls during the summer months (mostly in the afternoon) which is why we recommend knee-long raincoats for your stay in summer.

During winter (May to August), temperatures can drop to 0°C and rise to about 25°C during the day. You should prepare for those temperature fluctuations by dressing in layers.

Living in the African wilderness always requires awareness and attention.

Camp Kwapa is not fenced which means that animals can wander through the camp. Many of the animals are potentially dangerous if they feel threatened. Although attacks from wild animals are very rare in Botswana, there is always an element of risk.

Please listen to and follow instructions of the camp staff and trainers. The safety precautions need to be taken seriously, and strictly adhered to. As with any area with its dangers, through appropriate behaviour risk can be reduced. Moreover, all students will be expected to sign an indemnity form.

Students seeking to do the course for personal enrichment rather than pursuing a formal qualification to become a guide will receive a certificate of participation upon course completion. Important note: Also as an enrichment student you have to complete a minimum of exams and game drives.

Those who are seeking professional qualification, can obtain the following two:

• BQA Level 2
• FGASA NQF2 (previously known as Level 1)

Yes, absolutely. It is up to you whether you plan to obtain a professional qualification or if you participate in the course for personal enrichment and education.

About FGASA and BQA

FGASA is short for “Field Guides Association of Southern Africa”. Together with CATHSSETA (Culture, Arts, Tourism and Hospitality Sector Education Training Authority), it is the body for regulating the standard of guiding in South Africa. This course is a FGASA-endorsed training programme.

BQA is the Botswana Qualifications Authority; the Botswana Training Authority exam is the national guiding qualification for Botswana.

Before attending the course, you need to register online as a new member on the FGASA website : making sure to follow all the required steps for registration.

Look for it under the MEMBERSHIP “dropdown box”. Make sure you use the correct form depending on where you are from: either a South African, from Sub-Saharan Africa or an International learner from another country.

On successful completion of the application and payment of relevant fees you will receive:

• The Level 1 learner support manual pack, workbook, and assessment sheets
• The nature guide learning manual
• The guiding skills manual
• (A guiding logbook (will be received in camp))

Fees can be paid directly into the FGASA bank account – more Information on the FGASA website.

Registration with CATHSSETA will only be necessary if you plan to actually work in Southern Africa as a guide in the future. If this is the case, we will advise you further.

Many countries throughout Africa do not have guiding authorities of their own (such as FGASA in South Africa, BOTA in Botswana and KPSGA in Kenya). As a result, FGASA qualifications will hold some merit. In general, finding a job as a safari guide/ranger can be quite difficult for non-natives, but not impossible. After successfully completing the training you need to be offered a job before you can apply for a work visa. You will need to approach the relevant country's department of tourism/wildlife to determine the exact requirements to legally guide in a specific region. A guiding license may be required and this will need to be applied for.

Learn what others say about their Natucate adventure.

“How do I put into words what I experienced during the most inspiring five and a half weeks of my life in the Okavango Delta in Botswana? Actually, it's impossible, because there is only one way to really understand it: take the first step and go out into the wilderness yourself.”

“GOOD: The fantastic lessons (and game drives/bushwalks) (...). I also found the sleep-outs particularly good and very instructive. I wouldn’t mind doing this every week.”

“Kwapa Training Camp is a dream! The instructors are excellent and the team spirit is perfect.”

“Learning so much was more than great – not only about nature on site, but also about things like communication, group management and feedback culture, as well as practical things that you might need everyday like patching up car tyres.”

The Okavango Delta in Botswana is without doubt one of the most spectacular natural sites in Southern Africa, if not in the entire world. Covering more than 20,000 km², the fertile oasis in the northwestern part of the country is the largest inland delta of our planet. The mighty UNESCO World Heritage Site is fed by the Okavango River, which once a year floods down from the highlands of Angola into an endless labyrinth of river courses, islands and lagoons. With a visit to the Delta, one of the last natural paradises on earth awaits you, whose awe-inspiring biodiversity will amaze every visitor.

Background of the field guide course in Botswana

When joining our field guide training in Botswana you experience an incomparable educational adventure amidst the breathtaking wilderness of the Okavango Delta and become a certified FGASA or BQA Apprentice Field Guide within four weeks. The course consists of theoretical and practical units in which you will gain essential field guide knowledge. Your classroom – the fascinating Okavango Delta – is the biggest inland delta in the world and stretches about 20.000 sq. km into the Kalahari, one of the biggest deserts worldwide.

The private, unfenced concession area in which your camp is situated is a perfect place for stunning nature and wildlife observations. Resident on the concession are lion, leopard, cheetah, wild dog, white rhinoceros, elephant, buffalo, hippo and much more – an impressive region providing a suitable setting for your personal educational adventure.

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28 Day Field Guide course, Okavango Delta, Botswana

The Okavango Delta is one of the last remaining true unspoiled areas in Africa. It is abundant in African game species and it is unrivalled with its spectacular landscapes and vast open skies. 

It is arguably the ideal location for training to be a an African Safari Guide (Field Guide) or simply just for expanding your knowledge about the African bush and learning about its ecosystems and diverse wildlife… whilst having one of the most incredible experiences of Africa.

The Botswana Guides Course is a theory based course with strong emphasis not only on the practical skills of guiding but also the full syllabus used by Southern African guides to qualify for the theory exams (FGASA level 1 or the Botswana equivalent – BQA – formerly BOTA).

The focus of these courses is centred around informative lectures followed by long periods in the Botswanan wilderness. Perhaps one of the more unusual aspects of training here is exploring the delta by boat and also learning about the aquatic ecology which makes the Okavango Delta so unique.

Activities Include:

• Theory lectures and power point from qualified and knowledgeable trainers 
• Game walks – including approaching big game on foot 
• Mokoro (dug-out canoe) poling skills – depending on water levels 
• Motor boating – depending on water levels 
• Navigation 
• Students conduct 4×4 vehicle game drives 
• Stargazing & astronomy 
• Wilderness sleepouts

Accomodation at Kwapa camp  - bush dome tents - 3×3 meter high-wall wilderness style tent with a 2×3 meter en-suite shower and bush toilet and a  similar sized verandah. Each tent is furnished with a camp bed, sheets, pillows, duvet and towels. An LED  bedside light is provided on a small bed side table. There is a wash basin with a relaxing chair on the verandah.

Kwapa Camp is situated in the Okavango Delta of Botswana which lies in the sub-tropical latitudes of southern Africa. The camp lies beneath a grove of Mangosteen trees on the banks of the crystal clear Kwapa River in the southern Okavango.

The Kwapa region is an unfenced wilderness area and is inhabited with all the diverse wildlife of the world famous Okavango Delta -lion, leopard, hippo, elephant and buffalo are resident. Wild dog, cheetah and much of the other species are present sporadically. The near-endemic Lechwe antelope along with numerous other antelope make up the most prominent species.

There is also a range of fascinating nocturnal animals such as Aardvark, Bushbaby, Small-spotted Genet, Springhare, Striped weasel, African wildcat and much more.

Kwapa Camp is a safari guide training camp. The facilities are basic and designed for those seeking a deeper knowledge of the wilderness and not luxury. That said, we do make you as comfortable as we can in our training camp. The camp consists of a kitchen area where your meals are prepared, a dining area where you take your meals, a lecture room, a sitting area around the campfire and the tents and ablutions.

The tents are 2.4m x 2.4m dome tents and furnished with a camp bed, bedding a LED bedside light on a small bed-side table. There is a stand-basin outside the front of your tent with fresh water. Toilet and showers are communal and situated a short distance from the tents. The option exists to upgrade to a larger, more spacious tent with an en-suite toilet and shower (surcharge applies).

Requirements

No prior experience is required…but please note that in order to achieve FGASA level 1 accreditation you must complete a 4 week course (including 30 days of pre-course home study). There are two formal qualifications available: BQA – Level 2: This is the Botswana Training Authority exam which is the national guiding qualification for Botswana. FGASA – Level 1: This is the Field Guide Association of Southern Africa exam and is the national guiding qualification used in South Africa.

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Okavango Delta Safaris

A vistor’s guide to taking an okavango delta safari.

Considering an Okavango Delta safari? Read on below for the ultimate Okavango Delta safari guide.

The Okavango Delta is a huge, swampy inland delta in the heart of the Kalahari Desert in northern Botswana. At around 15,000 square kilometers, the delta is the largest wetland wilderness in the world – a place where African wildlife is untrammeled by human interference, and the safari experience is truly second to none.

Its importance and uniqueness were rubber-stamped in 2014 when the area was announced as the 1000th UNESCO World Heritage Site . The entire Okavango Delta region is an important wildlife area, home to one of Africa’s greatest concentrations of wildlife. The only protected area in the Okavango Delta is the Moremi Game Reserve to the east, surrounded to the west and north by a number of large wildlife concessions.

The delta supports large concentrations of animals on both a permanent and seasonal basis and is one of the best places in the world for wildlife viewing. Large mammal wildlife is found in abundance, including hippos, elephants, buffalo, lion, leopard, giraffe, rhino, and cheetah.

The delta is home to one of Africa’s most vibrant populations of African wild dogs, whilst the watery terrain is the perfect habitat for the elegant red lechwe and shy sitatunga antelopes. In total, the Okavango Delta supports 164 species of mammals, and the elephant population during the flood is estimated to be half the continent’s total population. In addition to the many mammals, the Okavango Delta is also home to over 500 species of birds and 90 species of fish.

Botswana’s Okavanga Delta from the air

Best time to visit the Okavango Delta

Botswana is a large country with a varied climate that can broadly be divided into wet and dry seasons. Each season has its pros and cons for taking a safari in the Okavango Delta, and although the high season is from July to September when the delta is flooded*, an Okavango Delta safari is a jaw-dropping year-round safari option.

Dry season runs from April to October, defined by sun-filled days and next to no rainfall at all. Moving through the dry season the undergrowth thins out, water sources recede, and wildlife is drawn to the limited permanent water sources – typically in the heart of the delta.

Wet season runs from November to March, with plenty of rainfall and increased seasonal water sources for wildlife. Grasslands grow denser, and wildlife begins to spread across wider areas.

January to April

Low season, with rainfall common and temperatures around 30 degrees. Most of the migratory wildlife has left the delta, but there’s still plenty of wildlife to spot. Water levels are very low, with water-based safaris possible only in permanent channels. Most camps offer strong discounts during this period.

May to June

Shoulder season when floodwater starts to surge into the delta from the Angolan Highlands. The panhandle is the first beneficiary of the water, and where wildlife initially concentrates. Grass levels are at their highest in May, making wildlife viewing difficult at times.

July to September

High season, with the flood moving across the delta from the panhandle in the northeast through the delta fan in the southwest. Dense wildlife, clear blue skies, and comfortable temperatures (in the region of 20°C to 30°C). Grass cover has mostly died back by now, making for good wildlife visibility.

October to December

Shoulder season with hot and sticky weather (up to 35°C). Migratory wildlife begins to leave the area, but it’s birthing season for the wildlife that stays, offering some great safari viewing. November sees the rains come, just after the floodwaters in the delta start to dissipate. * Weather patterns are unpredictable, with water levels changing each year – and through the year, and some years experiencing drought. – and weather patterns are unpredictable.

How to get to the Okavango Delta

Situated at the southeastern tip of the Okavango Delta, Maun is the gateway to the delta – and Botswana’s primary tourist hub. Whilst the town itself is not so special, there’s a huge range of accommodation – some on the Thamalakane riverfront – and it’s the place to stock up on supplies at one of the supermarkets if you’re heading into the delta on a self-drive safari .

There is a large selection of Botswana safari companies and tour agencies based in Maun. Whilst it’s possible to just turn up and get yourself a delta safari booked (anything from a day trip to a week plus), it’s worth planning ahead and shopping around online, especially as many camps in the Okavango Delta are small and can get booked up months in advance.

From Maun, getting into the delta will be dependent on where exactly you stay. For the inner delta, you’ll likely need to fly, whilst dirt road and boat may be an option for the more peripheral safari camps.

If you’re travelling to Moremi Game Reserve, an alternative to flying is a two-hour drive to the south gate. For a self-drive Okavango Delta safari in Moremi, you’ll need a 4WD as the roads vary between sand and mud. From November to March (rainy season) Moremi sometimes closes to self-drive visitors, so it pays to check the situation ahead of travelling.

Geography of the Okavango Delta

The Okavango Delta travels 1,200 kilometers southeast from Angola’s Highlands, flows continuously into the delta, and instead of ending at the ocean, spills into the middle of one of Africa’s most epic deserts – the Kalahari Desert. Fed by the Okavango River, an estimated 11 cubic km of water that reaches the delta each year doesn’t make it to the sea or ocean. Rather, some of the water drains into Lake Ngami, while the majority either evaporates or transpires as it spreads out across the delta. Once in the delta water is lost to transpiration by plants (60%), evaporation (36%), percolation into aquifer system (2%), and finally, 2% flows out into Lake Ngami.

The result is a swamp that’s anything but ordinary or murky, with crystal clear waters strewn with lily pads and colourful fish and one of the greatest concentrations of wildlife in Africa. It’s a natural phenomenon, as well as an excellent destination for safari holidays.

The whole delta area is very flat (with less than a 2 metre height variation), which leads the delta to flood each year*, turning the sprawling grassy plains into a lush animal habitat into a maze of channels, streams, rivers, lagoon and islands, all teeming with wildlife. At its widest point the delta spreads to a width of 170km, and from July and September over 200,000 animals migrate from the surrounding desert to drink in this gigantic watering hole – one of the only sources of water during the dry period.

Okavango Delta safari activities

Because of its location, the Okavango Delta offers a Botswana safari complete with activities that are a little bit different to most other safari destinations:

Delta flights

If you’re staying at a safari lodge deep in the delta you’ll have flights included in your package, and the opportunity to see the delta, and likely plenty of wildlife, from the air. Even if you don’t manage a safari in the heart of the delta, there are several companies clustered around Maun airport offering scenic tours in small planes or helicopters – a once in a lifetime opportunity.

A flight over the Okavango Delta

The Okavango Delta is famed for its mokoros – dugout canoes punted and guided by a single person standing at the back of the canoe, with room for a couple of passengers. Crafted out of a tree trunk, and around 6 meters long, taking a safari in a mokoro is a unique way to observe the sights and sounds of the delta at water level, getting up close and personal to the wildlife. Motorized boat safaris are also available – handy to cover long distances.

Take a mokoro ride through the delta

Horseback safaris

Riding safaris allow visitors to appreciate the scope and size of the delta, as well as access some of the most remote areas. Horseback safaris are something of a specialised activity, on offer at only a few delta lodges.

The Okavango Delta offers unique horse riding safaris

Walking safaris

Most delta lodges offer walking safaris to explore the islands and flood plains, allowing for a much fuller experience of the delta.

Up close and personal on a walking safari

Fishing is excellent in this region and angling enthusiasts can book fully escorted expeditions along the Boro Channel, a tributary that feeds the Delta. Tilapia (bream) is the most common species to lure.

Okavango Delta safari accommodation

At the heart of Botswana’s safari industry, the Okavango Delta features some of Africa’s finest safari camps and lodges, alongside a selection of quality campsites for self-drive safaris, and pretty much everything in between.

Aside from budget, the accommodation you chose in the delta will be driven by where in delta you want to stay. Like much of northern Botswana, the area around the Moremi Game Reserve in the Okavango Delta is divided into large private concessions. The 18 concessions of the Okavango Delta are limited to up to six camps, and are all run either privately or by community trusts. Staying in a concession rather than Moremi Game Reserve allows for more activity options, such as walking, horseback, mokoro and night game drives. Broadly speaking, camps in the delta can be split into either ‘wet camps’, offering water-based activities such as mokoro safaris and fishing and ‘dry camps’ offering conventional land-based wildlife viewing.

Given the differences between concessions and camps, it’s a good idea to try and stay at two or three camps in the Okavango Delta to get a broader safari experience.

There are a number of Okavango Delta game lodges to choose from if you’re looking for accommodation. Head to Chitabe Camp for an unbeatable location – it’s built on a photographic reserve on one of the most beautiful islands in the Delta. The private area is bordered by the Moremi Game Reserve for great activities during your stay.

Deep within the Delta on the island of Xaxaba, Eagle Island is another popular choice of camps. The tranquil location overlooks a lagoon and is surrounded by Ilala Palms for a relaxing retreat.

Families looking for a safari in the Okavango Delta can find a cosy place to stay at Oddballs Camp on the edge of Chief’s Island. Accessible only by light aircraft, you can get there via a 20 minute flight from Maun.

Okavango Delta malaria risk

The Okavango Delta is situated in a high-risk malaria zone, with a higher risk of contracting malaria during wet season (November to March). It’s highly advisable to take anti-malarial medication and to take additional safety measures such as using insect repellent and wearing long sleeves and trousers to cover any exposed skin. If you don’t want to take the risk of heading on safari in a malarial zone, neighbouring Namibia and South Africa both offer malaria-free safari options .

Okavango Delta map

Map of the Okavango Delta area

Experience the Okavango Delta

Have you been an on Okavango Delta safari and have something to share? Please let us know in the comments section below.

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Africa’s best game reserves

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Ranger training in the Okavango Delta — our most challenging course

Trails guide course (part 1 & 2).

Travel details

Why take a wilderness guide course...?

There is no better way to experience the African bush than to dive into the wilderness on foot. The intricacies of nature are often overlooked when traveling in a vehicle. It is something very special to practice the ancient art of tracking and hiking in the midst of Africa's big game.

You'll learn how to approach potentially dangerous wildlife on foot using wind and cover to disguise your presence. Every nuance of behavior becomes important, and you learn to read the wild animals in a way that is not possible in a vehicle.

Trail guide training is more physically demanding than typical nature guide courses. Every day, you'll do muscle memory exercises to learn and perfect shot coordination, and you'll run long distances through the bush. Muscle fatigue is part of the experience.

Termination

Course length:

14 or 28 nights

Starting point:

The meeting point is opposite Maun Airport at 14:00 on the first day of the course. The time is chosen so that international arrivals can be adjusted

Accommodation:

This course takes place at Kwapa Trails Camp. The Meru-style tents have a private bathroom with a bucket shower and bush toilet. Each tent is equipped with two camp beds, sheets, pillows, duvet and towels. There is a battery-powered LED lamp in the tents. The covered veranda has a sink and camping chairs.

Activities:

• Game walks — including approaching big game on foot
• Game drives
• Navigation and search for clues
• Overnight in the wilderness
• Star gazing/astronomy
• Theory talks with PowerPoint presentations
• Mokoro trips (dugout canoe) - depending on water level
• Motorboating - depending on the water level
• Theory lectures on the behavior of potentially dangerous animals (PDA) and ballistics
• Tracking, navigation and survival techniques
• Basic weapon handling
• Shooting training with an air rifle
• Practical shooting with the large caliber rifle
• Fast-shot exercises
• Evaluation of fast shooting - quick kill exercise; recovery from malfunction; simulated attack ‍

Who should take this course?

• People who want to reconnect with themselves and are looking for an authentic bush experience that helps them recharge, renew and restart
• Experienced safari visitors who are now looking for a deeper, more holistic experience in the African wilderness
• School and/or university graduates looking for life-changing time off
• People with a sense of adventure who are looking for more than just a typical backpacking experience
• Prospective guides
• Experienced guides who want to further expand their knowledge and skills

Important: Even as a participant who is not seeking certification, you must complete a minimum of exams and game drives. This is not a cheap safari, it is a tour guide school.

Objectives and qualifications of participants:

If you are not seeking certification or the BQA qualification, no previous experience is required for this course. For FGASA qualification, however, participants must have successfully completed the Field Guide NQR2 qualification. When booking, it is important that you know what your goal is by taking this course:

• For personal training only: Many participants only attend this course for personal gain. In order to maintain the integrity of this structured course, all participants are required to write the daily retests and a final theory test. All students also receive a certificate of participation from the African Guide Academy. If you want
• qualifications : Two qualifications are offered that are similar to each other and students can either or both the FGASA qualification and the BQA qualification (Botswana Qualification Authority). There are daily retests for both and a final theory test for both. If you want 1. FGASA backup or lead trails guide: This is the Field Guide Association of Southern Africa and is the national qualification for hiking guides in South Africa. Qualification used in South Africa. Please note: To qualify for the FGASA Trails Guide (backup or lead), you must have successfully completed the Field Guide qualification and complete the FGASA Trails Guide workbooks before the course. It is the participant's responsibility to contact FGASA directly and organize the registration and shipping of the books to achieve this. It is advisable to do this as early as possible as shipping can take a very long time. To obtain the FGASA certificate, you must also complete the full 28 days of training, but this doesn't have to be done in one session and can take place over a longer period of time. You will take the theory exam in the last days of the course at Kwapa Camp. The practical exam is carried out over the course of 4 weeks - depending on your progress, you will be considered competent in the required areas. The final exam takes place in the last days of the course. If you want If you want 2. BQA backup and lead trails guide: This is the Botswana Training Authority qualification, which is the national qualification for Botswana. You will take your theory exam in the last days of the course at Kwapa Camp. Your practical exam is carried out over 2 or 4 weeks - depending on your progress, you will be considered competent in the required areas. The final exam is carried out in the last days of the course. Please note that to obtain a wildlife guide license in Botswana, you need a valid work and residence permit and must have at least 5 years of management experience outside Botswana and a BQA level 3 naturalist guide qualification.

You should have sufficient English language skills have and are generally in good fitness.

First day: The trainer from the African Guide Academy meets all participants at the Indian restaurant PPCC opposite Maun Airport at 14:00 This allows students to arrive on international flights on the first day of the course (flights usually arrive at 1:15 p.m.). Students are then taken to buy drinks before taking the 2-hour road transfer to Kwapa Camp. Please note that students who arrive after 14:00 will look for accommodation in Maun and pay the U$70.00 for an unscheduled transfer to Kwapa Camp the next day. After arriving at Kwapa Camp in the late afternoon, the rest of the first day consists primarily of orientation and introduction to the assessment process used for this course. Meals: dinner

Day 2: Our week starts with an introduction to weapons and weapon handling, and for those who already have some experience, we continue with advanced muscle memory exercises. After handling the rifle, we go on a foot safari and return to camp for lunch. The afternoon begins with further weapon handling, followed by an introduction to how to use the Mokoro (depending on the water level). These traditional dugout canoes are an important part of the course and make it possible to travel from island to island in absolute silence. Meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner

Day 3: We wake up very early to go on a game drive. The direction of our morning migration is often driven by loud clues from our nocturnal prey. After returning to camp, we head to the shooting range to see how our shooting skills are developing. In the afternoon, we practice using weapons and watch the video of the morning training. These videos are shot in slow motion and enable the trainer and the student to better understand any mistakes in shooting technique. Meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner

Day 4: Another early start for a morning game drive, followed by a theory talk about gun safety, ballistics and/or monitoring of potentially dangerous game on foot. In the afternoon, we take our motorboat out onto the river (depending on the water level) and choose a good area for ourselves, a good area for a hike, during which we will hopefully encounter potentially dangerous game. Meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner

Day 5: We go on a morning game drive to the north of the camp, where large herds of buffalo often pass by. With hopefully a few approximations, we'll return to camp for lunch. In the afternoon, we practice gun handling exercises to improve our shooting techniques and perfect our muscle memory. After “weapons training”, we set off on foot and continue to search for wild animals that we can observe. Meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner

Day 6: You guessed it, morning starts with another game hike! The wonderful thing about the Kwapa region is that there is such a diversity of habitats that every hike is different and every student has the opportunity to lead a hike. We return to camp and do a short exercise with weapons before lunch. In the afternoon, we set off on a big adventure. We pack our backpacks with the bare essentials and go to a special area where we hang up our mosquito nets and set up camp for the night.” An overnight stay is an opportunity for ultimate intimacy with nature. Without tents, without artificial lighting and only equipped with the bare essentials, we enjoy the bush like our ancestors did thousands of years ago. The participants take turns looking after the fire and guarding while the other participants rest. Meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner

Day 7: We wake up in our wilderness camp and, having removed all traces of our presence, hike back to camp. We're continuing our lessons on tracking, navigation, and safe walking techniques and hope for a few good encounters before we treat ourselves to a well-deserved lunch! We make our way to the shooting range in the afternoon. It is time to evaluate what everyone has achieved in shooting practice and practical shooting this week. After evaluating the shooting practice, we drive back to camp for dinner. Meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner

On the following days: more of the above.

Last day: After breakfast, we will return to Maun in time so that guests who have booked international flights can also reach them. Meals: breakfast

Please note that this is only a rough overview, which can and will change depending on the needs of guests and external factors.

Kwapa Camp - Okavango Delta - 14 or 28 nights

If you want 2023: EUR 4,030.00 per person per module (14 nights) in a double tent (single tent supplement: EUR 605.00)

2024: upon request

Included in the tour price

• Accommodation in tents
• All meals at Kwapa Camp
• Drinking water, tea and coffee
• All training and activities
• A scheduled transfer from Maun to Kwapa Camp and back

Not included in the tour price

• Unscheduled transfers to/from Kwapa Camp
• Travel insurance
• All flights
• Personal items, including toiletries
• Tips for staff
• FGASA/ BQA registration and examination fees

Drinks other than those mentioned above can be purchased in Maun before leaving for Kwapa Camp

Minimum number of participants

The course is conducted with only 4 to a maximum of 8 participants (plus the sponsored local participant).

Module A = part 1 (14 days) Module B = 2nd part (14 days)

Course dates 2023

Module A: 24.03.2023 - 07.04.2023 Module B: 07.04.2023 - 21.04.2023

Module A: 19.05.2023 - 02.06.2023 Module B: 02.06.2023 - 16.06.2023

Module A: 14.07.2023 - 28.07.2023 Module B: 28.07.2023 - 11.08.2023

Module A: 08.09.2023 - 22.09.2023 Module B: 22.09.2023 - 06.10.2023

Module A: 03.11.2023 - 17.11.2023 Module B: 17.11.2023 - 01.12.2023

Course dates 2024

upon request

Get in touch with us

For every four-week course we run, AGA sponsors a local guide!

To preserve our unique habitat for future generations, we give back to local communities by sponsoring a dedicated local guide for every four-week course we run for international students. Last year, AGA donated more than 50,000 US dollars to train local communities that are ultimately the custodians of one of Africa's last remaining true wilderness areas.

More information

Detailed information.

* Detailed itinerary Please note that our detailed itineraries are generated by our IT partner Wetu B.V. Wetu is the leading provider for digitizing travel processes and is based in Cape Town, South Africa. We have concluded a contract with Wetu to use the services and have regulated the protection of your data. Wetu's websites are subject to Wetu B.V. ' s privacy policy, which can be found here (English only): https://wetu.com/Our/PrivacyPolicy If you want

This offer is for People with reduced mobility not suitable. But here too, the following applies: Please contact us. We can customize your trip for you, even taking into account any mobility restrictions.

We strongly advise you to take out international health insurance, which also covers repatriation to your home country. Through our partner Travelsecure.de, we offer you appropriate Insurances On.

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This course is ideal for those who want to gain a deeper understanding of the traces and signs of Botswana's wilderness.

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Ecoquest course.

7 or 14-day courses for nature lovers who want to be more than just spectators in the African bush. Dive into the wild and see animals up close!

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Bush skill course (closed group)

Exciting opportunity to learn theoretical and practical experience in the bush as part of an intensive course

The most challenging course is the Trails Guide course. Here you'll learn everything you need to know as a wilderness guide.

Would you like to know more?

OUR TRAINERS

OUR COURSES

A truly unique experience

- Immerse yourself in nature and learn to understand the intricate and fascinating ecological interactions

- Learn the primitive skills of tracking African wildlife on foot

- Gain the skills required to be in amongst Africa's potentially dangerous animals  on foot, vehicle, boat and mokoro

- Study the art of guiding in one of the most spectacular classrooms on Earth

What are you waiting for?

at African Guide Academy we do it all and more…

Most Popular Guide Courses

An unforgettable week of being fully immersed in nature and an incredible adventure on trail.

An incredible experience on foot in the Okavango. A classic mix of the primitive trails and slack-packing. Whether you are a trails guide looking to log a large number of hours in a short period of time, or an African enthusiast wanting the ultimate immersive experience, this course is for you!

Come and learn how to identify animals by their tracks, interpret  their behaviour and use these clues to find them in the Wilderness of Botswana. 

TRACK AND SIGN

A 7-day course to get you into the ancient skill of tracking and trailing wildlife in the Okavango. Great as a short course, or a prep course for our longer Trails Guide Course and Nature Guide Course.

This detailed 14 or  28-day course provides the student with an in-depth knowledge of the African Wilderness. This course is longer as students need to grasp each aspect of the modules.

Imagine being deep in the African Bush, the blazing sun beating down while beads of sweat trickle down your forehead. It’s just you, your fellow trainees, the magnificent African plain and your rifle.

TRAILS GUIDE COURSE

This 14 or  28-day course provides the student with an in-depth knowledge of walking on foot through the African Wilderness. Covering dangerous scenarios that they might encounter.

Feel Africa’s pulse on our ‘learn from experience’ nature guiding course in the Okavango Delta, as we affordably bring the classroom to the wilderness for you in one of Africa’s last true Eden.

NATURE GUIDE COURSE

Special courses.

Our school caters for anyone who is deeply curious about nature and is eager to embark on a life-changing journey of self-discovery gaining a deeper understanding of themselves , through their interactions with nature in a pristine African wilderness setting.

New exciting course in the Pan-Handle

SPECIALIST BIRDING COURSE

This course is co-instructed by a top birding guide as well as a master bird ringer and offers a unique combination of hands on bird ringing and exposure to bird guiding skills.

Individual courses available

PRIVATE TRAINING COURSE

African Guide Academy also offers private safari guide training courses for individuals who would like a more personal training experience or groups who want to focus on specific aspects of training such as walking guiding, weapons training, bird guiding etc.

• Places - European, Western and Northern Russia

YEKATERINBURG: FACTORIES, URAL SIGHTS, YELTSIN AND THE WHERE NICHOLAS II WAS KILLED

Sverdlovsk oblast.

Sverdlovsk Oblast is the largest region in the Urals; it lies in the foothills of mountains and contains a monument indicating the border between Europe and Asia. The region covers 194,800 square kilometers (75,200 square miles), is home to about 4.3 million people and has a population density of 22 people per square kilometer. About 83 percent of the population live in urban areas. Yekaterinburg is the capital and largest city, with 1.5 million people. For Russians, the Ural Mountains are closely associated with Pavel Bazhov's tales and known for folk crafts such as Kasli iron sculpture, Tagil painting, and copper embossing. Yekaterinburg is the birthplace of Russia’s iron and steel industry, taking advantage of the large iron deposits in the Ural mountains. The popular Silver Ring of the Urals tourist route starts here.

In the summer you can follow in the tracks of Yermak, climb relatively low Ural mountain peaks and look for boulders seemingly with human faces on them. You can head to the Gemstone Belt of the Ural mountains, which used to house emerald, amethyst and topaz mines. In the winter you can go ice fishing, ski and cross-country ski.

Sverdlovsk Oblast and Yekaterinburg are located near the center of Russia, at the crossroads between Europe and Asia and also the southern and northern parts of Russia. Winters are longer and colder than in western section of European Russia. Snowfalls can be heavy. Winter temperatures occasionally drop as low as - 40 degrees C (-40 degrees F) and the first snow usually falls in October. A heavy winter coat, long underwear and good boots are essential. Snow and ice make the sidewalks very slippery, so footwear with a good grip is important. Since the climate is very dry during the winter months, skin moisturizer plus lip balm are recommended. Be alert for mud on street surfaces when snow cover is melting (April-May). Patches of mud create slippery road conditions.

Yekaterinburg

Yekaterinburg (kilometer 1818 on the Trans-Siberian Railway) is the fourth largest city in Russia, with of 1.5 million and growth rate of about 12 percent, high for Russia. Located in the southern Ural mountains, it was founded by Peter the Great and named after his wife Catherine, it was used by the tsars as a summer retreat and is where tsar Nicholas II and his family were executed and President Boris Yeltsin lived most of his life and began his political career. The city is near the border between Europe and Asia.

Yekaterinburg (also spelled Ekaterinburg) is located on the eastern slope of the Ural Mountains in the headwaters of the Iset and Pyshma Rivers. The Iset runs through the city center. Three ponds — Verkh-Isetsky, Gorodskoy and Nizhne-Isetsky — were created on it. Yekaterinburg has traditionally been a city of mining and was once the center of the mining industry of the Urals and Siberia. Yekaterinburg remains a major center of the Russian armaments industry and is sometimes called the "Pittsburgh of Russia.". A few ornate, pastel mansions and wide boulevards are reminders of the tsarist era. The city is large enough that it has its own Metro system but is characterized mostly by blocky Soviet-era apartment buildings. The city has advanced under President Vladimir Putin and is now one of the fastest growing places in Russia, a country otherwise characterized by population declines

Yekaterinburg is technically an Asian city as it lies 32 kilometers east of the continental divide between Europe and Asia. The unofficial capital of the Urals, a key region in the Russian heartland, it is second only to Moscow in terms of industrial production and capital of Sverdlovsk oblast. Among the important industries are ferrous and non-ferrous metallurgy, machine building and metalworking, chemical and petrochemicals, construction materials and medical, light and food industries. On top of being home of numerous heavy industries and mining concerns, Yekaterinburg is also a major center for industrial research and development and power engineering as well as home to numerous institutes of higher education, technical training, and scientific research. In addition, Yekaterinburg is the largest railway junction in Russia: the Trans-Siberian Railway passes through it, the southern, northern, western and eastern routes merge in the city.

Accommodation: There are two good and affordable hotels — the 3-star Emerald and Parus hotels — located close to the city's most popular landmarks and main transport interchanges in the center of Yekaterinburg. Room prices start at RUB 1,800 per night.

History of Yekaterinburg

Yekaterinburg was founded in 1723 by Peter the Great and named after his wife Catherine I. It was used by the tsars as a summer retreat but was mainly developed as metalworking and manufacturing center to take advantage of the large deposits of iron and other minerals in the Ural mountains. It is best known to Americans as the place where the last Tsar and his family were murdered by the Bolsheviks in 1918 and near where American U-2 spy plane, piloted by Gary Powers, was shot down in 1960.

Peter the Great recognized the importance of the iron and copper-rich Urals region for Imperial Russia's industrial and military development. In November 1723, he ordered the construction of a fortress factory and an ironworks in the Iset River Valley, which required a dam for its operation. In its early years Yekaterinburg grew rich from gold and other minerals and later coal. The Yekaterinburg gold rush of 1745 created such a huge amount of wealth that one rich baron of that time hosted a wedding party that lasted a year. By the mid-18th century, metallurgical plants had sprung up across the Urals to cast cannons, swords, guns and other weapons to arm Russia’s expansionist ambitions. The Yekaterinburg mint produced most of Russia's coins. Explorations of the Trans-Baikal and Altai regions began here in the 18th century.

Iron, cast iron and copper were the main products. Even though Iron from the region went into the Eiffel Tower, the main plant in Yekaterinburg itself was shut down in 1808. The city still kept going through a mountain factory control system of the Urals. The first railway in the Urals was built here: in 1878, the Yekaterinburg-Perm railway branch connected the province's capital with the factories of the Middle Urals.

In the Soviet era the city was called Sverdlovsk (named after Yakov Sverdlov, the man who organized Nicholas II's execution). During the first five-year plans the city became industrial — old plants were reconstructed, new ones were built. The center of Yekaterinburg was formed to conform to the historical general plan of 1829 but was the layout was adjusted around plants and factories. In the Stalin era the city was a major gulag transhipment center. In World War II, many defense-related industries were moved here. It and the surrounding area were a center of the Soviet Union's military industrial complex. Soviet tanks, missiles and aircraft engines were made in the Urals. During the Cold War era, Yekaterinburg was a center of weapons-grade uranium enrichment and processing, warhead assembly and dismantlement. In 1979, 64 people died when anthrax leaked from a biological weapons facility. Yekaterinburg was a “Closed City” for 40 years during the Cold Soviet era and was not open to foreigners until 1991

In the early post-Soviet era, much like Pittsburgh in the 1970s, Yekaterinburg had a hard struggle d to cope with dramatic economic changes that have made its heavy industries uncompetitive on the world market. Huge defense plants struggled to survive and the city was notorious as an organized crime center in the 1990s, when its hometown boy Boris Yeltsin was President of Russia. By the 2000s, Yekaterinburg’s retail and service was taking off, the defense industry was reviving and it was attracting tech industries and investments related to the Urals’ natural resources. By the 2010s it was vying to host a world exhibition in 2020 (it lost, Dubai won) and it had McDonald’s, Subway, sushi restaurants, and Gucci, Chanel and Armani. There were Bentley and Ferrari dealerships but they closed down

Transportation in Yekaterinburg

Getting There: By Plane: Yekaterinburg is a three-hour flight from Moscow with prices starting at RUB 8,000, or a 3-hour flight from Saint Petersburg starting from RUB 9,422 (direct round-trip flight tickets for one adult passenger). There are also flights from Frankfurt, Istanbul, China and major cities in the former Soviet Union.

By Train: Yekaterinburg is a major stop on the Trans-Siberian Railway. Daily train service is available to Moscow and many other Russian cities.Yekaterinburg is a 32-hour train ride from Moscow (tickets RUB 8,380 and above) or a 36-hour train ride from Saint Petersburg (RUB 10,300 and above). The ticket prices are round trip for a berth in a sleeper compartment for one adult passenger). By Car: a car trip from Moscow to Yekateringburg is 1,787 kilometers long and takes about 18 hours. The road from Saint Petersburg is 2,294 kilometers and takes about 28 hours.

Regional Transport: The region's public transport includes buses and suburban electric trains. Regional trains provide transport to larger cities in the Ural region. Buses depart from Yekaterinburg’s two bus stations: the Southern Bus Station and the Northern Bus Station.

Regional Transport: According the to Association for Safe International Road Travel (ASIRT): “Public transportation is well developed. Overcrowding is common. Fares are low. Service is efficient. Buses are the main form of public transport. Tram network is extensive. Fares are reasonable; service is regular. Trams are heavily used by residents, overcrowding is common. Purchase ticket after boarding. Metro runs from city center to Uralmash, an industrial area south of the city. Metro ends near the main railway station. Fares are inexpensive.

“Traffic is congested in city center. Getting around by car can be difficult. Route taxis (minivans) provide the fastest transport. They generally run on specific routes, but do not have specific stops. Drivers stop where passengers request. Route taxis can be hailed. Travel by bus or trolleybuses may be slow in rush hour. Trams are less affected by traffic jams. Trolley buses (electric buses) cannot run when temperatures drop below freezing.”

Entertainment, Sports and Recreation in Yekaterinburg

The performing arts in Yekaterinburg are first rate. The city has an excellent symphony orchestra, opera and ballet theater, and many other performing arts venues. Tickets are inexpensive. The Yekaterinburg Opera and Ballet Theater is lavishly designed and richly decorated building in the city center of Yekaterinburg. The theater was established in 1912 and building was designed by architect Vladimir Semyonov and inspired by the Vienna Opera House and the Theater of Opera and Ballet in Odessa.

Vaynera Street is a pedestrian only shopping street in city center with restaurants, cafes and some bars. But otherwise Yekaterinburg's nightlife options are limited. There are a handful of expensive Western-style restaurants and bars, none of them that great. Nightclubs serve the city's nouveau riche clientele. Its casinos have closed down. Some of them had links with organized crime. New dance clubs have sprung up that are popular with Yekaterinburg's more affluent youth.

Yekaterinburg's most popular spectator sports are hockey, basketball, and soccer. There are stadiums and arenas that host all three that have fairly cheap tickets. There is an indoor water park and lots of parks and green spaces. The Urals have many lakes, forests and mountains are great for hiking, boating, berry and mushroom hunting, swimming and fishing. Winter sports include cross-country skiing and ice skating. Winter lasts about six months and there’s usually plenty of snow. The nearby Ural Mountains however are not very high and the downhill skiing opportunities are limited..

Sights in Yekaterinburg

Sights in Yekaterinburg include the Museum of City Architecture and Ural Industry, with an old water tower and mineral collection with emeralds. malachite, tourmaline, jasper and other precious stone; Geological Alley, a small park with labeled samples of minerals found in the Urals region; the Ural Geology Museum, which houses an extensive collection of stones, gold and gems from the Urals; a monument marking the border between Europe and Asia; a memorial for gulag victims; and a graveyard with outlandish memorials for slain mafia members.

The Military History Museum houses the remains of the U-2 spy plane shot down in 1960 and locally made tanks and rocket launchers. The fine arts museum contains paintings by some of Russia's 19th-century masters. Also worth a look are the History an Local Studies Museum; the Political History and Youth Museum; and the University and Arboretum. Old wooden houses can be seen around Zatoutstovsya ulitsa and ulitsa Belinskogo. Around the city are wooded parks, lakes and quarries used to harvest a variety of minerals. Weiner Street is the main street of Yekaterinburg. Along it are lovely sculptures and 19th century architecture. Take a walk around the unique Literary Quarter

Plotinka is a local meeting spot, where you will often find street musicians performing. Plotinka can be described as the center of the city's center. This is where Yekaterinburg holds its biggest events: festivals, seasonal fairs, regional holiday celebrations, carnivals and musical fountain shows. There are many museums and open-air exhibitions on Plotinka. Plotinka is named after an actual dam of the city pond located nearby (“plotinka” means “a small dam” in Russian).In November 1723, Peter the Great ordered the construction of an ironworks in the Iset River Valley, which required a dam for its operation. “Iset” can be translated from Finnish as “abundant with fish”. This name was given to the river by the Mansi — the Finno-Ugric people dwelling on the eastern slope of the Northern Urals.

Vysotsky and Iset are skyscrapers that are 188.3 meters and 209 meters high, respectively. Fifty-story-high Iset has been described by locals as the world’s northernmost skyscraper. Before the construction of Iset, Vysotsky was the tallest building of Yekaterinburg and Russia (excluding Moscow). A popular vote has decided to name the skyscraper after the famous Soviet songwriter, singer and actor Vladimir Vysotsky. and the building was opened on November 25, 2011. There is a lookout at the top of the building, and the Vysotsky museum on its second floor. The annual “Vysotsky climb” (1137 steps) is held there, with a prize of RUB 100,000. While Vysotsky serves as an office building, Iset, owned by the Ural Mining and Metallurgical Company, houses 225 premium residential apartments ranging from 80 to 490 square meters in size.

Boris Yeltsin Presidential Center

The Boris Yeltsin Presidential Center (in the city center: ul. Yeltsina, 3) is a non-governmental organization named after the first president of the Russian Federation. The Museum of the First President of Russia as well as his archives are located in the Center. There is also a library, educational and children's centers, and exposition halls. Yeltsin lived most of his life and began his political career in Yekaterinburg. He was born in Butka about 200 kilometers east of Yekaterinburg.

The core of the Center is the Museum. Modern multimedia technologies help animate the documents, photos from the archives, and artifacts. The Yeltsin Museum holds collections of: propaganda posters, leaflets, and photos of the first years of the Soviet regime; portraits and portrait sculptures of members of Politburo of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of various years; U.S.S.R. government bonds and other items of the Soviet era; a copy of “One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich” by Alexander Solzhenitsyn, published in the “Novy Mir” magazine (#11, 1962); perestroika-era editions of books by Alexander Solzhenitsyn, Vasily Grossman, and other authors; theater, concert, and cinema posters, programs, and tickets — in short, all of the artifacts of the perestroika era.

The Yeltsin Center opened in 2012. Inside you will also find an art gallery, a bookstore, a gift shop, a food court, concert stages and a theater. There are regular screenings of unique films that you will not find anywhere else. Also operating inside the center, is a scientific exploritorium for children. The center was designed by Boris Bernaskoni. Almost from the its very opening, the Yeltsin Center has been accused by members of different political entities of various ideological crimes. The museum is open Tuesday to Sunday, from 10:00am to 9:00pm.

Where Nicholas II was Executed

On July, 17, 1918, during this reign of terror of the Russian Civil War, former-tsar Nicholas II, his wife, five children (the 13-year-old Alexis, 22-year-old Olga, 19-year-old Maria and 17-year-old Anastasia)the family physician, the cook, maid, and valet were shot to death by a Red Army firing squad in the cellar of the house they were staying at in Yekaterinburg.

Ipatiev House (near Church on the Blood, Ulitsa Libknekhta) was a merchant's house where Nicholas II and his family were executed. The house was demolished in 1977, on the orders of an up and coming communist politician named Boris Yeltsin. Yeltsin later said that the destruction of the house was an "act of barbarism" and he had no choice because he had been ordered to do it by the Politburo,

The site is marked with s cross with the photos of the family members and cross bearing their names. A small wooden church was built at the site. It contains paintings of the family. For a while there were seven traditional wooden churches. Mass is given ay noon everyday in an open-air museum. The Church on the Blood — constructed to honor Nicholas II and his family — was built on the part of the site in 1991 and is now a major place of pilgrimage.

Nicholas and his family where killed during the Russian civil war. It is thought the Bolsheviks figured that Nicholas and his family gave the Whites figureheads to rally around and they were better of dead. Even though the death orders were signed Yakov Sverdlov, the assassination was personally ordered by Lenin, who wanted to get them out of sight and out of mind. Trotsky suggested a trial. Lenin nixed the idea, deciding something had to be done about the Romanovs before White troops approached Yekaterinburg. Trotsky later wrote: "The decision was not only expedient but necessary. The severity of he punishment showed everyone that we would continue to fight on mercilessly, stopping at nothing."

Ian Frazier wrote in The New Yorker: “Having read a lot about the end of Tsar Nicholas II and his family and servants, I wanted to see the place in Yekaterinburg where that event occurred. The gloomy quality of this quest depressed Sergei’s spirits, but he drove all over Yekaterinburg searching for the site nonetheless. Whenever he stopped and asked a pedestrian how to get to the house where Nicholas II was murdered, the reaction was a wince. Several people simply walked away. But eventually, after a lot of asking, Sergei found the location. It was on a low ridge near the edge of town, above railroad tracks and the Iset River. The house, known as the Ipatiev House, was no longer standing, and the basement where the actual killings happened had been filled in. I found the blankness of the place sinister and dizzying. It reminded me of an erasure done so determinedly that it had worn a hole through the page. [Source: Ian Frazier, The New Yorker, August 3, 2009, Frazier is author of “Travels in Siberia” (2010)]

“The street next to the site is called Karl Liebknecht Street. A building near where the house used to be had a large green advertisement that said, in English, “LG—Digitally Yours.” On an adjoining lot, a small chapel kept the memory of the Tsar and his family; beneath a pedestal holding an Orthodox cross, peonies and pansies grew. The inscription on the pedestal read, “We go down on our knees, Russia, at the foot of the tsarist cross.”

Books: The Romanovs: The Final Chapter by Robert K. Massie (Random House, 1995); The Fall of the Romanovs by Mark D. Steinberg and Vladimir Khrustalëv (Yale, 1995);

See Separate Article END OF NICHOLAS II factsanddetails.com

Execution of Nicholas II

According to Robert Massie K. Massie, author of Nicholas and Alexandra, Nicholas II and his family were awakened from their bedrooms around midnight and taken to the basement. They were told they were to going to take some photographs of them and were told to stand behind a row of chairs.

Suddenly, a group of 11 Russians and Latvians, each with a revolver, burst into the room with orders to kill a specific person. Yakob Yurovsky, a member of the Soviet executive committee, reportedly shouted "your relatives are continuing to attack the Soviet Union.” After firing, bullets bouncing off gemstones hidden in the corsets of Alexandra and her daughters ricocheted around the room like "a shower of hail," the soldiers said. Those that were still breathing were killed with point black shots to the head.

The three sisters and the maid survived the first round thanks to their gems. They were pressed up against a wall and killed with a second round of bullets. The maid was the only one that survived. She was pursued by the executioners who stabbed her more than 30 times with their bayonets. The still writhing body of Alexis was made still by a kick to the head and two bullets in the ear delivered by Yurovsky himself.

Yurovsky wrote: "When the party entered I told the Romanovs that in view of the fact their relatives continued their offensive against Soviet Russia, the Executive Committee of the Urals Soviet had decided to shoot them. Nicholas turned his back to the detachment and faced his family. Then, as if collecting himself, he turned around, asking, 'What? What?'"

"[I] ordered the detachment to prepare. Its members had been previously instructed whom to shoot and to am directly at the heart to avoid much blood and to end more quickly. Nicholas said no more. he turned again to his family. The others shouted some incoherent exclamations. All this lasted a few seconds. Then commenced the shooting, which went on for two or three minutes. [I] killed Nicholas on the spot."

Nicholas II’s Initial Burial Site in Yekaterinburg

Ganina Yama Monastery (near the village of Koptyaki, 15 kilometers northwest of Yekaterinburg) stands near the three-meter-deep pit where some the remains of Nicholas II and his family were initially buried. The second burial site — where most of the remains were — is in a field known as Porosyonkov (56.9113628°N 60.4954326°E), seven kilometers from Ganina Yama.

On visiting Ganina Yama Monastery, one person posted in Trip Advisor: “We visited this set of churches in a pretty park with Konstantin from Ekaterinburg Guide Centre. He really brought it to life with his extensive knowledge of the history of the events surrounding their terrible end. The story is so moving so unless you speak Russian, it is best to come here with a guide or else you will have no idea of what is what.”

In 1991, the acid-burned remains of Nicholas II and his family were exhumed from a shallow roadside mass grave in a swampy area 12 miles northwest of Yekaterinburg. The remains had been found in 1979 by geologist and amateur archeologist Alexander Avdonin, who kept the location secret out of fear that they would be destroyed by Soviet authorities. The location was disclosed to a magazine by one his fellow discovers.

The original plan was to throw the Romanovs down a mine shaft and disposes of their remains with acid. They were thrown in a mine with some grenades but the mine didn't collapse. They were then carried by horse cart. The vats of acid fell off and broke. When the carriage carrying the bodies broke down it was decided the bury the bodies then and there. The remaining acid was poured on the bones, but most of it was soaked up the ground and the bones largely survived.

After this their pulses were then checked, their faces were crushed to make them unrecognizable and the bodies were wrapped in bed sheets loaded onto a truck. The "whole procedure," Yurovsky said took 20 minutes. One soldiers later bragged than he could "die in peace because he had squeezed the Empress's -------."

The bodies were taken to a forest and stripped, burned with acid and gasoline, and thrown into abandoned mine shafts and buried under railroad ties near a country road near the village of Koptyaki. "The bodies were put in the hole," Yurovsky wrote, "and the faces and all the bodies, generally doused with sulfuric acid, both so they couldn't be recognized and prevent a stink from them rotting...We scattered it with branches and lime, put boards on top and drove over it several times—no traces of the hole remained.

Shortly afterwards, the government in Moscow announced that Nicholas II had been shot because of "a counterrevolutionary conspiracy." There was no immediate word on the other members of the family which gave rise to rumors that other members of the family had escaped. Yekaterinburg was renamed Sverdlov in honor of the man who signed the death orders.

For seven years the remains of Nicholas II, Alexandra, three of their daughters and four servants were stored in polyethylene bags on shelves in the old criminal morgue in Yekaterunburg. On July 17, 1998, Nicholas II and his family and servants who were murdered with him were buried Peter and Paul Fortress in St. Petersburg along with the other Romanov tsars, who have been buried there starting with Peter the Great. Nicholas II had a side chapel built for himself at the fortress in 1913 but was buried in a new crypt.

Near Yekaterinburg

Factory-Museum of Iron and Steel Metallurgy (in Niznhy Tagil 80 kilometers north of Yekaterinburg) a museum with old mining equipment made at the site of huge abandoned iron and steel factory. Officially known as the Factory-Museum of the History of the Development of Iron and Steel Metallurgy, it covers an area of 30 hectares and contains a factory founded by the Demidov family in 1725 that specialized mainly in the production of high-quality cast iron and steel. Later, the foundry was renamed after Valerian Kuybyshev, a prominent figure of the Communist Party.

The first Russian factory museum, the unusual museum demonstrates all stages of metallurgy and metal working. There is even a blast furnace and an open-hearth furnace. The display of factory equipment includes bridge crane from 1892) and rolling stock equipment from the 19th-20th centuries. In Niznhy Tagil contains some huge blocks of malachite and

Nizhnyaya Sinyachikha (180 kilometers east-northeast of Yekaterinburg) has an open air architecture museum with log buildings, a stone church and other pre-revolutionary architecture. The village is the creation of Ivan Samoilov, a local activist who loved his village so much he dedicated 40 years of his life to recreating it as the open-air museum of wooden architecture.

The stone Savior Church, a good example of Siberian baroque architecture. The interior and exterior of the church are exhibition spaces of design. The houses are very colorful. In tsarist times, rich villagers hired serfs to paint the walls of their wooden izbas (houses) bright colors. Old neglected buildings from the 17th to 19th centuries have been brought to Nizhnyaya Sinyachikha from all over the Urals. You will see the interior design of the houses and hear stories about traditions and customs of the Ural farmers.

Verkhoturye (330 kilometers road from Yekaterinburg) is the home a 400-year-old monastery that served as 16th century capital of the Urals. Verkhoturye is a small town on the Tura River knows as the Jerusalem of the Urals for its many holy places, churches and monasteries. The town's main landmark is its Kremlin — the smallest in Russia. Pilgrims visit the St. Nicholas Monastery to see the remains of St. Simeon of Verkhoturye, the patron saint of fishermen.

Ural Mountains

Ural Mountains are the traditional dividing line between Europe and Asia and have been a crossroads of Russian history. Stretching from Kazakhstan to the fringes of the Arctic Kara Sea, the Urals lie almost exactly along the 60 degree meridian of longitude and extend for about 2,000 kilometers (1,300 miles) from north to south and varies in width from about 50 kilometers (30 miles) in the north and 160 kilometers (100 miles) the south. At kilometers 1777 on the Trans-Siberian Railway there is white obelisk with "Europe" carved in Russian on one side and "Asia" carved on the other.

The eastern side of the Urals contains a lot of granite and igneous rock. The western side is primarily sandstone and limestones. A number of precious stones can be found in the southern part of the Urals, including emeralds. malachite, tourmaline, jasper and aquamarines. The highest peaks are in the north. Mount Narodnaya is the highest of all but is only 1884 meters (6,184 feet) high. The northern Urals are covered in thick forests and home to relatively few people.

Like the Appalachian Mountains in the eastern United States, the Urals are very old mountains — with rocks and sediments that are hundreds of millions years old — that were one much taller than they are now and have been steadily eroded down over millions of years by weather and other natural processes to their current size. According to Encyclopedia Britannica: “The rock composition helps shape the topography: the high ranges and low, broad-topped ridges consist of quartzites, schists, and gabbro, all weather-resistant. Buttes are frequent, and there are north–south troughs of limestone, nearly all containing river valleys. Karst topography is highly developed on the western slopes of the Urals, with many caves, basins, and underground streams. The eastern slopes, on the other hand, have fewer karst formations; instead, rocky outliers rise above the flattened surfaces. Broad foothills, reduced to peneplain, adjoin the Central and Southern Urals on the east.

“The Urals date from the structural upheavals of the Hercynian orogeny (about 250 million years ago). About 280 million years ago there arose a high mountainous region, which was eroded to a peneplain. Alpine folding resulted in new mountains, the most marked upheaval being that of the Nether-Polar Urals...The western slope of the Urals is composed of middle Paleozoic sedimentary rocks (sandstones and limestones) that are about 350 million years old. In many places it descends in terraces to the Cis-Ural depression (west of the Urals), to which much of the eroded matter was carried during the late Paleozoic (about 300 million years ago). Found there are widespread karst (a starkly eroded limestone region) and gypsum, with large caverns and subterranean streams. On the eastern slope, volcanic layers alternate with sedimentary strata, all dating from middle Paleozoic times.”

Southern Urals

The southern Urals are characterized by grassy slopes and fertile valleys. The middle Urals are a rolling platform that barely rises above 300 meters (1,000 feet). This region is rich in minerals and has been heavily industrialized. This is where you can find Yekaterinburg (formally Sverdlovsk), the largest city in the Urals.

Most of the Southern Urals are is covered with forests, with 50 percent of that pine-woods, 44 percent birch woods, and the rest are deciduous aspen and alder forests. In the north, typical taiga forests are the norm. There are patches of herbal-poaceous steppes, northem sphagnous marshes and bushy steppes, light birch forests and shady riparian forests, tall-grass mountainous meadows, lowland ling marshes and stony placers with lichen stains. In some places there are no large areas of homogeneous forests, rather they are forests with numerous glades and meadows of different size.

In the Ilmensky Mountains Reserve in the Southern Urals, scientists counted 927 vascular plants (50 relicts, 23 endemic species), about 140 moss species, 483 algae species and 566 mushroom species. Among the species included into the Red Book of Russia are feather grass, downy-leaved feather grass, Zalessky feather grass, moccasin flower, ladies'-slipper, neottianthe cucullata, Baltic orchis, fen orchis, helmeted orchis, dark-winged orchis, Gelma sandwart, Krasheninnikov sandwart, Clare astragalus.

The fauna of the vertebrate animals in the Reserve includes 19 fish, 5 amphibian and 5 reptile. Among the 48 mammal species are elks, roe deer, boars, foxes, wolves, lynxes, badgers, common weasels, least weasels, forest ferrets, Siberian striped weasel, common marten, American mink. Squirrels, beavers, muskrats, hares, dibblers, moles, hedgehogs, voles are quite common, as well as chiropterans: pond bat, water bat, Brandt's bat, whiskered bat, northern bat, long-eared bat, parti-coloured bat, Nathusius' pipistrelle. The 174 bird bird species include white-tailed eagles, honey hawks, boreal owls, gnome owls, hawk owls, tawny owls, common scoters, cuckoos, wookcocks, common grouses, wood grouses, hazel grouses, common partridges, shrikes, goldenmountain thrushes, black- throated loons and others.

Activities and Places in the Ural Mountains

The Urals possess beautiful natural scenery that can be accessed from Yekaterinburg with a rent-a-car, hired taxi and tour. Travel agencies arrange rafting, kayaking and hiking trips. Hikes are available in the taiga forest and the Urals. Trips often include walks through the taiga to small lakes and hikes into the mountains and excursions to collect mushrooms and berries and climb in underground caves. Mellow rafting is offered in a relatively calm six kilometer section of the River Serga. In the winter visitor can enjoy cross-mountains skiing, downhill skiing, ice fishing, dog sledding, snow-shoeing and winter hiking through the forest to a cave covered with ice crystals.

Lake Shartash (10 kilometers from Yekaterinburg) is where the first Ural gold was found, setting in motion the Yekaterinburg gold rush of 1745, which created so much wealth one rich baron of that time hosted a wedding party that lasted a year. The area around Shartash Lake is a favorite picnic and barbecue spot of the locals. Getting There: by bus route No. 50, 054 or 54, with a transfer to suburban commuter bus route No. 112, 120 or 121 (the whole trip takes about an hour), or by car (10 kilometers drive from the city center, 40 minutes).

Revun Rapids (90 kilometers road from Yekaterinburg near Beklenishcheva village) is a popular white water rafting places On the nearby cliffs you can see the remains of a mysterious petroglyph from the Paleolithic period. Along the steep banks, you may notice the dark entrance of Smolinskaya Cave. There are legends of a sorceress who lived in there. The rocks at the riverside are suited for competitive rock climbers and beginners. Climbing hooks and rings are hammered into rocks. The most fun rafting is generally in May and June.

Olenii Ruchii National Park (100 kilometers west of Yekaterinburg) is the most popular nature park in Sverdlovsk Oblast and popular weekend getaway for Yekaterinburg residents. Visitors are attracted by the beautiful forests, the crystal clear Serga River and picturesque rocks caves. There are some easy hiking routes: the six-kilometer Lesser Ring and the 15-kilometer Greater Ring. Another route extends for 18 km and passes by the Mitkinsky Mine, which operated in the 18th-19th centuries. It's a kind of an open-air museum — you can still view mining an enrichment equipment here. There is also a genuine beaver dam nearby.

Among the other attractions at Olenii Ruchii are Druzhba (Friendship) Cave, with passages that extend for about 500 meters; Dyrovaty Kamen (Holed Stone), created over time by water of Serga River eroding rock; and Utoplennik (Drowned Man), where you can see “The Angel of Sole Hope”., created by the Swedish artist Lehna Edwall, who has placed seven angels figures in different parts of the world to “embrace the planet, protecting it from fear, despair, and disasters.”

Image Sources: Wikimedia Commons

Text Sources: Federal Agency for Tourism of the Russian Federation (official Russia tourism website russiatourism.ru ), Russian government websites, UNESCO, Wikipedia, Lonely Planet guides, New York Times, Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, National Geographic, The New Yorker, Bloomberg, Reuters, Associated Press, AFP, Yomiuri Shimbun and various books and other publications.

Updated in September 2020

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Popular safaris, east & central africa, southern africa, set departures, top destinations, indian ocean islands, short course, track and sign course in the okavango delta, "spend 7 days in the wilderness of botswana learning all you need to know about the ancient skills of tracking.".

This 7 day course in Botswana is ideal for those who want to gain a deeper understanding of tracks and signs in the Botswana wilderness. Beyond identifying tracks and signs, you will engage in tracking and reading animal behavior based on the tracks and signs you find.

general information

As much of your time will be spent on foot, this course is the perfect precursor to our Trails Guide course and will allow you to gain vital hours to add to your trails qualification, giving you a great head start in this important component.

Although you will spend most of the course on foot in the wilderness, you will also have the opportunity to take nature drives and, water permitting, mokoro and boat trips to various habitats.

about the school

The African Guide Academy (former Okavango Guiding school) is owned and operated by the Reed family. The well known Reed brothers, Grant and Brent who starred in “Safari Brothers” which aired internationally on National Geographic Wild.

The academy is the first private guide training school registered in Botswana to provide training for guides on both the Field Guide Association of Southern Africa (FGASA) and the Botswana Qualifications Authority (BQA) platforms.

The training courses are conducted in the Okavango Delta which has been declared a World Heritage site because of it’s pristine ecosystems, it’s scenic beauty and abundance of wildlife. The Okavango is one of the most scenically spectacular wildlife areas anywhere in the world. The myriad of crystal clear channels and wildlife rich islands is a habitat unlike any other.

The learning experience is influenced by the natural beauty of the area and the habitat diversity. Kwapa has a combination of river channel’s, floodplains, lagoons as well as riparian woodland, savannah, mopane scrub, climax mopane woodland and grasslands.

Possibly the most amazing thing about the area is the fact that it is part of a wilderness that stretches unfenced for hundreds of thousands of square kilometres through Moremi Game Reserve, Chobe National Park, the Caprivi Strip of Namibia, southern Angola and southern Zambia.

course content

Although there will be informal lectures on tracking theory and some digital quizzes, the majority of the course is structured to be nature based.

The daily schedule calls for you to leave at daybreak and return to camp between 10-11am. Although you will travel by car to different parts of the concession, most of the time you will be on foot. During the heat of the day you will have free time and short informal talks. In the afternoon you will head out as soon as it cools down and return to camp around evening.

Learn & Experience

• Practical, hands-on experience of navigation in the African wilderness, bush survival skills, the ancient art of tracking, weapons handling, bird and mammal identification and so much more
• Wilderness walks and sleep-outs
• 4×4 vehicle game drives
• Game walk safaris
• Stargazing and astronomy
• Theory lectures and presentations from qualified and knowledgeable trainers on diverse topics ranging from local geology, ecology, and hydrology, to astronomy and weather/climate

Who’s it for

• People looking to reconnect with themselves, who are searching for a back-to-basics bush skills experience that will help them recharge, renew, and reboot
• Seasoned safari goers who now seek a deeper, more holistic, African wilderness experience
• School- and/or university-leavers who are looking for a life-changing gap-year experience
• People with a spirit of adventure who are looking beyond a typical back-packing experience
• Survivalists wanting to gain the skills required to thrive in the wilderness.
• Guides wishing to learn many of the practical aspects that are often only discussed in theory
• No prior experience is required

start dates

This course is based out of Kwapa Trails Camp. The Meru style tents have and en-suite bathroom with bucket shower and short drop toilet. Each tent is furnished with two camp beds, sheets, pillows, duvet and towels. A battery-operated LED light is provided in the tents. There is a wash basin relax- ing chairs on the covered verandah.

The course officially starts at 14h00 at Duck Cafe in Maun (Opposite the Airport). There you will meet your course members and a transfer will pick you up and take you to your camp.

On the last day you will be brought back to the same place between 11h-12h.

qualifications

The hours on foot gained during this course can be logged for the BQA “Back-up Trails Guide and the FGASA ”Apprentice Trails Guide”. This course is not registered on the National Qualification and Credit Framework in Botswana. However, there is a practical assessment at the end of this course and based on your competency, you will receive a certificate of achievement.

Prices 2024/2025

USD 2,579 per person sharing Single supplement: 15%

Price includes:

• Tented accommodation
• All meals at Kwapa Camp
• Drinking water, tea and coffee
• All training and activities
• One scheduled transfer from Maun to Kwapa Camp and return

Price excludes:

• Unscheduled transfers to/from Kwapa Camp
• Travel Insurance
• All flights
• Personal effects, including toiletries
• Staff gratuities
• Drinks other than those mentioned above can be purchased in Maun before leaving for Kwapa Camp
• FGASA/ BQA registration and exam fees

Ready for an adventure? Lets Talk!

Contact SAFARI FRANK to get started on your safari of a lifetime!

Our partners in Africa will make your dream trip, a trip to never forget

[email protected] +1 (646) 5025364

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