Gap Year - Wildlife Management And Hospitality
Great News!!
Our hearts are pounding with excitement to announce that registrations for Gameways’ 2025 Nature Management and Hospitality
Program are NOW OPEN!
Gap Year – Nature Management & Hospitality
Do you have a fiery passion for nature and wildlife? Are you yearning for an unforgettable experience in the heart of Limpopo on a game reserve? Then this program is for you! Throughout the year, you will not only study wildlife conservation, game farm management, and lodge management in-depth, but you will also learn new life skills, form lifelong friendships, overcome fears, challenge yourself, and rediscover.
At Gameways, we are known for our top-class, high-standard Nature Management and Hospitality program, Game Farm Management, Anti-Poaching, and Nature Careers Guidance courses.
Our combination of theoretical learning and practical experience enables students to secure job placements directly after completing the program. We maintain high academic standards with a passing rate of 75% for our courses. And remember, in the practical world of wildlife management, you can’t just rely on theory—you must be able to demonstrate your ability to put it into practice!
Throughout the program, we address the multitude of opportunities in the wildlife industry. Our students are trained not only in one career path in nature but in various areas required to manage a game farm as a profitable business.
Game farm owners prefer to hire one person who can manage all different areas of their farm instead of having to appoint many different individuals.
All courses, except for anti-poaching and lodge management, are conducted in Afrikaans. Students who understand Afrikaans are welcome to sign up.
Course Dates for 2025
January 14 to August 24, 2025
Only 24 spots per group are available for the exclusive course.
(We focus on smaller groups to ensure that students receive intensive attention and exposure
in the respective disciplines)
Excited to get started
The Program includes the following courses
Basic Field Guide Course
The field guide course is comprised of intensive theoretical study material from Wildlife Campus and Gameways’ practical Field Guide course.
The course consists of the following modules:
- Classifications and Taxonomy
- Grasses (Theoretical & Practical)
- Trees (Theoretical & Practical)
- Tracks (Theoretical & Practical)
- Invertebrates
- Amphibians
- Fish
- Birds (Theoretical & Practical)
- Mammals
- Ecology
- Dangerous animals, warning signs, behavior & handling
- Field Guide Skills
- Practical field knowledge and experiences
- Practical survival experience
Game Farm Management Course
- Firefighting
- Fencing, Roads & Airstrips
- Taxonomy
- Financial Planning
- Game Counts, Capture & Transport of Game
- Holding & Hand-raising of Game
- Nutrition and Poisonous Plants
- Habitat Evaluation
- Grazing & Ecology
- Nutrients & Minerals
- Mixing & Feeding
- Field and Tree Studies & Field Analyses
- Plant Succession & Field Types
- Animal Behavior, Genetics & Color Variations
- Diseases & Parasites
- Post-mortem Examinations
- Wild Animals & Characteristics
- Farm Facilities
- Bush Encroachment, Bush Control & Rangeland Management
- Predator Control
- Development of a Game Farm
- Game Monitoring & Surveys
- Snake Handling & Identification
Lodge Management Course
- Human Resource Management
- Health and Safety Measures
- Lodge Ratings
- General Management Skills
- Basic Financial Management: Business Plan & Accounting
- Administrative Computer Skills (Word, Excel, Corel Draw)
- Conflict Management
- Client Service & Phone Etiquette
- Housekeeping
- Different Nationalities (Foreign Hunters and Tourists): Different cultures are also discussed
- Décor & Lodge Decoration
- Lodge Amenities and Conferences
- Culinary Arts & Catering
- Wine and Alcoholic Refreshments (Bar Management)
- Purchasing and Inventory Management
Marketing Course
- Digital Marketing Strategies
- Managing Different Social Media Platforms
- Basic Graphic Design & Website Management
- Website Optimization
- Marketing Video Production
- Market Research & Trends
- Writing Articles for Different Platforms
- Photography for Marketing Purposes
- Administrative Platforms
- Brand Management
- Brand Ambassador
- Practical & Theoretical
- Students are given projects to complete
- A marketing video competition is held between students
Game Meat Processing, Preparation, and Serving Course
- Butchery Equipment
- Hygiene Measures during Meat Processing and Packaging
- Safety Measures
- Storage of Meat and Chemicals
- Processing of Meat into Different Cuts
- Packaging
- Smoking and Curing
- Biltong & Droëwors
- Game Meat Preparation and Serving
- Price Trends of Game Meat and Different Cuts
- Meat Value and Weight Value of Different Antelope Species
- Marketing of Meat
- Practical & Theoretical
- Hands-on slaughter experience
- Final exam
- Working in a neat butchery
NB: Meat is processed and then stored as food for the students.
Basic General Repair Work
- Basic Electrical
- Basic Plumbing
- Basic Construction
- Basic Mechanical Auto Mechanic
- Basic Welding
- Pumps (Solar pumps, etc.)
Additional Courses
First Aid Level 1 – 2
Firearm Competency
Snake Identification & Handling
Optional Courses
Professional Hunter (PH) Course
National Accreditation Through Nature Conservation.
Interested in an adventure?
Gameways Theoretical
Class Tests
Weekly Tests
Final Exam
Projects
Costs & Payment Options
R 228 000.00
The student’s place is confirmed once the deposit of R40,000.00 has been paid and the registration form has been received.
Ages 18-25
Different installment options available
The course fee includes the following:
- Two Gameways button-up shirts and a Gameways hat
- A Gameways drink/coffee mug
- Gameways study guide (Manual & Electronic)
- PowerPoint, Word & Excel documents are provided for post-course use
- All accommodation for the duration of the course terms at the Gameways facilities
- 3 meals per day (Breakfast, lunch, and cooked dinner)
- Laundry once a week (not ironed)
- Special presentations by industry experts
- Upon successful completion of the course, a Gameways certificate and a Wildlife Campus certificate will be issued
The course fee excludes the following:
- Transportation to and from the Gameways course facilities during holidays
- Snack shop and treats
- Any optional textbooks
- Medication
- Stationery
- Gap year supplies (packing list)
- Re-exam fees (transportation, administration fees, etc.)
- Re-examination fees (transportation, ammunition, administration fee etc.)
Recommended Books
- Gids Tot Grasse Van SA – R 420.00 (Available From Us)
- Sasol Voëls Van Suider Afrika (Not Available From Us)
- Veld Management – R 345.00 (Available From Us)
- The New Game Rancher – R 540.00 (Available From Us)
- Veldgids Tot Bome Van Suider-Afrika (Not Available From Us)
- Game Ranch Management (Not Available From Us)
We also recommend the books marked in RED (optional).
For orders, send a WhatsApp message to +27 (0) 83 753 3837
General Notes
- Students can receive packages from home
- Town days are included
- The course includes study times in the evenings
- The course includes breaks after each course module
