What are the benefits of choosing Ulovane Environmental Training?
Highly qualified trainers
Throughout your time with us, our permanent staff will encourage and support you. Every one of our trainers is an FGASA assessor, which is extremely beneficial since you will continue to work with the same trainer all through your course. Sharing knowledge and skills with you that they have gained over the years, of guiding and training, is done with passion and dedication.
Click here to learn more about our trainer’s credentials and experience.
Schalk has been a FGASA member since 1996, and his involvement with FGASA has led to his current position as a FGASA director. He is vital to the ongoing development of guiding standards and the training of all guides across the country
Diversity of Courses
Due to the diversity of courses on offer at Ulovane, once you start with us, you are provided with opportunities to gain qualifications that suit your interests. We are one of ONLY two training providers that offer a 4 Week Marine Guide course. Our courses on offer add to your employment value, once you are qualified through us.
Birding in the Eastern Cape is magical. With the Eastern Cape roughly hosting 630 different bird species, it is by far the most diverse province for birding. The diversity of biomes is absolutely amazing, and within a 50km radius around our campus we have 5 different biomes to explore, and this is not even including the marine component. Amakhala Game Reserve and Ulovane campus combined is about 9000 hectares, boasting a bird list of getting close to 300 birds. This allows for great birding opportunities right from our front door. Check out our 4-Week Regional Bird Guide course.
Owner Run and Managed – A family affair
Ulovane is our life, Schalk, Candice, and their children are involved with the learners, training, campus life, reservations, and operations on a daily basis. We love what we do and are passionate about being involved in our student’s lives. Watching them grow and become successful in life is an honor and a privilege for us. We love the fact that we are able to change people’s lives, they inspire us to do better and be better.
Amakhala Game Reserve
We do not move from property to property during our courses, but rather remain operating on the Amakhala Game reserve so that the learner has sufficient time to learn the reserve inside out. This ensures that when it comes to assessment time, the students know the reserve and have the confidence to provide an exceptional guided experience to their guests. Amakhala Game Reserve and its surroundings provide the students with extensive exposure and experience with the big 5 as well as Cheetah, ensuring a diverse experience. You have the opportunity to work with guides on the reserve, as well as the conservation team.
Amakhala Game Reserve is a unique conservation initiative that allows animals to be re-introduced to the area where they once roamed freely and so make a contribution to the conservation of our natural heritage. The land was used to ranch sheep and cattle up to the turn of the century. The challenge has been to re-establish the original flora and fauna species to the area and to return the land to nature.How incredible to be a part of the conservation success story!
Incredible Training Facility
We are extremely proud of our training facility, which is located on the 350-hectare Ulovane Reserve in the heart of the Eastern Cape. Our campus is one of the best training facilities in South Africa.
The Ulovane campus provides our students with a comfortable lodge-like environment that allows them to focus on their studies. Our campus is environmentally friendly; we not only preach energy conservation, but we also practice it, making everyone aware that we must change our ways in order to save our beautiful planet.
Our campus is located in a remote area with limited access to outsiders. Our small groups and large campus allow you to enjoy your own space, go for a run on Ulovane reserve, enjoy birding walks and have the freedom to have your own space, enjoy quiet times in the hammock, or do some birding at the dam. Having our own property makes for a peaceful haven that allows you to explore safely and enjoy the wide open spaces.
We run on solar, so no eskom, no problem!
Unique Assessment Process
Our unique Assessment Process is designed to give you the best opportunities to be fully competent in all the aspects of guiding. We are one of the few, if not the only training provider that gives the opportunity to the students to have real guests for their game drive assessments.
During your training you have the opportunity to operate on Amakhala Game reserve as a guide, dealing with sightings, other guides and the conservation team. Ensuring that at the end of the day when you head off into your guiding career, you have a clear idea about life as a guide.
Personal Interest
Our team’s flexibility and interest according to personal development and career path are what sets us apart because we take a personal interest in each individual student. We are here to assist you in achieving your goals and becoming successful in your life. We believe that to become a successful guide one needs to be a successful leader and therefore focus on developing the personal traits needed to develop leaders. Punctuality, responsibility, accountability, forward planning, and taking control of situations are some of the key areas that we focus on which will ensure you become successful in life, no matter what you decide to do afterward.
Ulovane Alumni
Once you begin your career in the Ecotourism industry, we will continue to be of support, as once you embark on your journey with us, you forever remain part of the Ulovane family.