Bush Adventures
Nature has been our earliest teacher. It has been our healer and the source of inspiration across thousands of years. Sadly, we have lost our awareness of the deepest wisdom nature has to offer.
Bush Adventures is a reawakening; a seeking of the wisdom held in the deepest principles of nature. Walking through the bush, feeling the breeze, listening, smelling, seeing with new eyes, allows for a different kind of awareness. The senses are sharpened on a primal and creative level.
Eco trekking reintroduces us to our primal instinct. The fundamental principles of the earth and survival come to the fore with clarity. Adaptability is the key tool for survival. There are no second chances in nature.
Let the earth guide you, the animals and birds re-introduce you to a world that is still filled with wonder. It is a world that keeps renewing itself with endless possibility.
These trails are suitable for business, leadership training, think tanks and/or anyone who has a thirst for living life mindfully.
A number of courses are available and can be tailored to the unique needs of each group. These courses invite you to gain new insight and meet challenges with a fresh perspective.
To learn more about Ecopsychology, click on the button below.
To find out how an Ecopsychology course might run, follow these links:
PLEASE NOTE: Every eco-training course is designed specifically for the needs of the group. Costs and itinerary will thus vary accordingly. The documents provided above are given as a guideline only. If you wish to request a personalised quote, then you can send a query through the website or to mwhay@mweb.co.za.
Challenges in the Wilderness
The Olifants Challenge
This is not a challenge for the unfit, or faint-hearted. It is a trail where you will have to dig deep into reserves of perseverance. The hike covers a distance of 42 kilometres and has an overall duration of 5 nights. Three nights/four days will be spent hiking along the scenic Olifants River. Each participant will have to carry their own tent, food and sleeping equipment.
Two nights will be spent at Olifants camp. Food and beverages will be supplied for the two nights spent at this camp. The participants will be responsible for the food and beverages on those nights spent on the trail.
I do not believe in a ‘one size fits all‘approach. For this reason individual themes will be explored and the specific needs of the group will be discussed before embarking on the hike.
The Mphongolo Challenge
Deemed by some to be slightly easier than the Olifants trail, it remains a hike that will challenge at every level. It traverses a number of eco zones and offers possibilities of a wide variety of animal and bird sightings.
The Mphongolo River is a scenic river attracting many creatures in an arid environment. The trail traverses an area between the Mphongolo and Shingwetzi rivers. These are rivers situated in the northern area of Kruger.
Two nights will be spent at the scenic Shingwetzi camp, with the trail taking place over a total of 5 nights.
The Lonely Bull Challenge
The Lonely Bull trail is one of the newer trails in the Kruger National Park. The trail is not as strenuous as the Olifants and Mphongolo trails, but a good level of fitness is still needed.
The trail lasts for three nights and four days and two nights will be spent at Mopani camp. Catering on the actual trail will be the individual’s responsibility, but the time spent at Mopani will be taken care of.
Slack-Packing through the Wilderness
SANParks offers a number of hikes that are suitable for those who are unable, or unwilling to do the extreme backpacking hikes.
The wilderness trails offer the same wilderness encounter, but accommodation and food are supplied. The accommodation is simple and rustic. All the senses are attuned to the bush, allowing for a shift in thinking and feeling.
The trails all offer morning walks, starting at dawn and finish with a sundowner drive. Each moment invokes a deep connection with nature and our creative selves. It allows for an honesty that is not always possible in the noise and opinion ridden city.
The Bushman Trail
The Bushman Trail is situated in the southern Park and incorporates a walk to one of the ancient sacred sites of the early bushmen. The bushmen paintings are remarkably clear. There is a sense of the continuity of humankind, sitting in a site once inhabited by our ancient ancestors.
The trail lasts for three nights, two of which will be spent at Berg en Dal camp.
The Wolhuter Trail
The Wolhuter Trail is situated close to the early stomping ground of Harry Wolhuter, one of the earliest Park rangers. It was Harry Wolhuter who escaped death from the jaws of a lion in one of the most gripping tales of Kruger history.
Feel the bush as Harry Wolhuter felt the bush. Climb the same Koppies and marvel at what drew him to an African Eden.
The trail lasts for three nights, two of which will be spent at Berg en Dal camp.
The Napi Trail
Situated between Skukuza and Pretorius Kop, the Napi Trail offers a wide diversity of ecozone. Riverine walks and sodic pans means that it attracts a wide variety of game. The area is highly populated with Rhino.
The trail lasts for three nights, two of which will be spent at Pretorius Kop Camp.
The Nyalaland Trail
This trail is the most northern trail offered by Kruger. It covers a completely different eco zone and is possibly the wildest slack pack trail. The Nyalaland trail is particularly popular with birders, as it offers rare species not seen in other areas of the Park.
The trail lasts for three nights, two of which will be spent at Punda Maria, or Shingwetzi Camp.
Costs
Costs to be negotiated according to individual group needs.