If you have just finished school, it can be a daunting task indeed to jump straight into a university degree. For this reason, it is often an excellent idea to take a gap year. By spending a year abroad in adventurous locations such as South Africa, you can learn a lot about the world we live in and get to really know your strengths and talents too.

There are plenty of programs that you can join, designed for people just like you who want to take time off from their studies over a gap year. One of these programs will teach you all you need to know to be a game ranger in South Africa. If the idea of spending your year out roaming the African savannah alongside giraffes, zebras, elephants and gazelles appeals to you, then you should consider this option.

What Will I Learn on a Game Ranger Course?

When looking for a course, you should ensure that it is approved by the Field Guides Association of South Africa. Generally the level one courses run for six weeks during which you will learn all about what it takes to be a game ranger, and gap year students can then often find employment or volunteer work in local reserves. Conservation is a major aspect of the course, so these programmes are well suited to anyone with an interest in this area. Other content that is generally covered in the course includes: biomes of Africa, animal behaviour, botany, geology, astronomy, zoology, climate, ecology, professional field guiding and how to create guided experiences for tourists.

The World’s Biggest Classroom

One of the most enjoyable aspects of this learning experience for many gap year students is that the learning takes place outside of the classroom. Most lessons are done outside in the fresh air with local wildlife acting as a back drop. Routine is largely kicked to the curb, as no two days as a game ranger trainee are the same. In any day you can see lion cubs being born, conduct maintenance work, count wildebeest, feed gazelle and any of the myriad other tasks that are required to keep a game reserve operating.

Be prepared to get your hands dirty as much of the course is practically based. With your trainer, you will generally make the rounds of the reserve where you are completing your training. You will be kept busy throughout the day with various practical tasks as well as theoretical work and at the end of the course you will have to complete both practical and theoretical examinations to receive your certificate.

Make a Difference

In addition to learning all about the flora and fauna that inhabit the African plains, you can also use your time on the course to become involved in different community projects. Depending on where you are completing your course, there may be tree planting, animal rehabilitation or social projects that you can sink your teeth into. These provide rewarding experiences that will stay with you for life, and the satisfaction that you can make a difference with your own two hands. Gap year programmes in South Africa can give you the confidence in yourself to achieve anything that you put your mind to and may very well open up your eyes to study and career paths that you have never considered.

Author Bio: Mark Bottell is the General Manager for Worldwide Experience, an online tour operator offering extended breaks on gap year and other

Category: Travel
Keywords: gap year