Bushwise Omdömen 85

Outstanding experience from start to finish!

I used the B2B Bushwise Exclusive services for a group of young adult conservationists. Let's just say, I am looking to book again and again where possible.

The immersive experiences took our clients on a journey way beyond any normal safari. The guides were exceptional in both manner and knowledge. Bushwise themselves appear to run a seamless organised ship; if they did have any issues, we did not hear of it!
They have great flexibility for the number and budget of clients but with complete consistency of the experience in the bush itself.

I had an amazing time with Bushwise ! We were very lucky to have Nic as our guide. He is kind, funny, and very knowledgeable. He made us learn so much about the bush in 13 days, it was incredible to be able to understand our environment better and better each day. The food was delicious and the accommodation nice and clean, thanks to Anna and Rose. Everyone in the office was very helpful in helping us plan our visit.
The memories will last a lifetime, I would 1000% recommend this experience!

I've just completed the 14-day program offered by Bushwise. From the very start, the team was incredibly helpful and answered every single question I had — special shoutout to Channél, who was super kind and supportive.
Then came the moment to board the plane, and let me tell you: the long journey was absolutely worth it. We stayed at the Nkuwa Wilderness Camp, which had everything we could possibly need and was wonderfully comfortable.
And now, the experience itself: I chose Bushwise because I wanted to learn more about the bush, and my wish was fulfilled beyond all expectations. Our guide and teacher, Nic, was simply the best — so knowledgeable, endlessly patient, and always ready to explain or answer the (many!) questions from me and my group.
Not only did we enjoy incredible sightings, but we also gained a much deeper understanding of animal behavior and learned how to track them step by step.
This program has been one of the most rewarding experiences I’ve ever had. I came back with new skills, unforgettable memories, and a much stronger connection to the wilderness. I can’t recommend it enough to anyone who’s curious about the bush and ready for an adventure that will stay with them forever.

One of the best experiences!

The trainers are incredible & not only extremely knowledgeable, but also genuinely passionate about seeing every student succeed; always willing to help, no matter the time or situation, & created an environment where we could all grow in confidence & ability.

The course gave me skills, friendships, & memories I’ll carry with me forever.
I would highly recommend Bushwise to anyone wanting to pursue a career in guiding.

As an international student & for future internationals, it’s worth being aware that finding work in South Africa afterwards can be more challenging due to visa requirements, but this doesn’t take away from the incredible training and support Bushwise provides

Bushwise helped me make my future!

Darryn and Claudia and the entire team at the Mahlahla campus made my time there unforgettable. Thank you everyone!

My experience started with doing the 1 year Apprentice field guide course which I would highly recommend to anyone who is potentially thinking about going into the industry. I understand that it’s a lot of money for a training program but the level of support and professionalism you will receive throughout this time by the trainers and the rest of the staff is unmatched. Bushwise will give you everything needed and beyond to successfully aid you with your journey into the industry. If I could give more than 5 ⭐️ review I actually would.

Bushwise gave me everything i neededto start my career in Field guiding!
They stood by me even after i finished the course in 2022. They remained in contact with me, ive been guiding for 3 years now and the bushwise name still opens doors for me! They are beyond excellent and the course will give you everything you need fo feel confident in your guiding job!

To everyone out there still want to embark on a journey to become a field guide, I highly recommend Bushwise the trainers and the staff as whole, they have turned me into what I am it was a six months long course and the end of the programme I was thrilled with the information they had installed in me. I wish I could join again the programme but again we have to grow and apply all the skills we learnt. I will forever cherish the days we stayed at Bushwise Mahlahla campus!!!

All the staff is incredibly friendly and helpful. Being a student there was one of the best experiences.

Amazing training staff, administration and facilities - this experience changed my life and got me following my true passion.

I had an excellent experience with Bushwise!! The Bushwise team (office & trainers) is always kind and helpful.

Highly recommend doing your field guide course with them!!

The training is great and trainers are well educated on all course material that needs to be covered. The camp was great and the food was amazing, theres nothing like coming back to camp after a hard days work and knowing there is delicious food waiting for you.

Started of my guiding journey with Bushwise clueless about almost everything that relates to guiding.
The patience from the trainers all the their teaching their time they spent teaching not only me but all the students has helped me become the guide iam today.
Iam now working at a 5 start lodge thanks to Bushwise which is something i never thought would happen but look at me now, happier than ever.
In short iam grateful to Bushwise trainers and the office team for making my dream a reality .

I don't have any experience but am interested in the opportunity

Everything was just perfect. The course and lessons. How our lectures guide us and deliver helpful information. Not to forget the student support team as well. Always made sure everyone got important notifications and emails. I'm sad because I'm done with the course, because I enjoyed it very much. But I'm looking forward to my next chapter, which are the exams. Then From there, raise some funds for the practicals. I'm glad and honored to be part of Bushwise. Love. Dylan.

The course is excellent and I could recommend it more. The trainers and staff are amazing, couldn't ask for a better team. Vegetarian food was great.
Saw a honey badger 10/10

My experience as a Bushwise student has been amazing. They have trainers who are hands on not only on our academics as well as ensuring that we are taken care of. The chef is an exceptional cook and the food is always scrumptious. Everything is well organized and planned in terms of the activities and lectures.My advice to anyone who would like to train to be a field guide I highly recommend Bushwise it is the best place to be for any Aspiring field guide. You will get to aquire so much knowledge and discover so much about yourself along the journey.

If you’re considering enrolling in a guiding course, I would recommend researching other options too before fully committing to Bushwise. While the training is of good quality and learning directly from the environment is an incredible experience, there are several aspects (particularly regarding Bushwise’s management), that I found disappointing.

Management and Misleading Practices
A key concern for me was the impression that Bushwise places a higher priority on profit than on providing an enjoyable and transparent experience for students. For example, there were significant discrepancies in course fees, with some students paying up to 35% more (amounting to as much as 7000 euros) than others for the same program. When I sought clarification, my concerns were not taken seriously and were dismissed with references to their terms and conditions, described as part of their "business strategy”.

Another example is the optional trails course. We were told there were only 12 spots available (despite over 25 students needing one) and were pressured to pay quickly because it was supposedly ‘first come, first served’. However, it later became clear that all students were accommodated, rendering the sense of urgency unnecessary. Additionally, the cost of this course was higher than the pre-arrival quote, which added to the feeling of being misled.

Facilities and Living Conditions
The facilities at the SAWC campus were another area of concern. The food provided for breakfast and off-weeks was minimal, the kitchens and tents lacked proper hygiene, and the overall condition of the SAWC campus is poor. For the price of the program (19.000 euros in my case), I believe students should be able to expect better standards.

Lack of Support and Transparency
Another concern is the lack of a safe and supportive learning environment. Questions about performance or the qualification process are often either avoided, met with vague responses, or even lead to repercussions for asking. Additionally, some students were afraid to provide honest feedback in forms and reviews, fearing it could impact their future, as they depend on Bushwise for a placement/internship. This approach makes it difficult to address concerns or seek clarity on important matters.

Strengths of Bushwise
Despite these challenges, I do want to highlight an area in which Bushwise absolutely excelled; I greatly appreciated the quality of the trainers. They demonstrated exceptional knowledge and passion for the field, making the learning experience in the bush incredibly captivating.

Value for Money
While the training and natural environment are undeniably valuable and worthwhile, the overall experience fell short due to the issues mentioned above (management, transparency, and living conditions). I believe there is room for improvement in these areas and I hope Bushwise will address these issues to enhance the overall experience for future students.

My experience at bushwise has been great. Got to meet many new people but that comes with difficulty as well with dealing with different personalities.
I have learnt so much these past 6 months being here, it has been amazing learning and doing what I love and am so passionate about. We have seen some pretty cool animals, the best being the wild dogs that we get to see quite often.
The trainers taught us very well and they have so much valuable knowledge to share!
Got to experience getting stung by a scorpion but didn’t die luckily!
Obviously there are some down sides to everything, bushwise themselves do need to work on their communication a lot, and if you have any dietary requirements like being gluten free, or vegetarian, the chefs at the campus I was at didn’t cater to it and I have had some pretty terrible meals and some you couldn’t even call a meal. Was very disappointed by that and even after bringing it up the chef hadn’t changed at all, so I’ve lost a lot of weight as there isn’t any where I could really make myself meals either and buying food did become expensive after the amount we paid to be here. The chef also needs to work on not getting so involved in students lives and talking about people behind their backs and spreading rumours.
But I don’t regret coming at all and definitely learnt a lot that I will carry with me for my life, would recommend to people, but bushwise themselves need to work on some things.