This course covers the technical aspects required to take a group of people on multi-day overnight hiking experiences off-trail and at altitude. The hands-on approach will keep learners constantly active and is designed to lay a solid foundation in both safety and technical skills.
If the principles taught on this course are adhered to, and continued with diligence, they will serve as excellent preparation to ensure successful mountain walking guide assessment. Please note: this course is not designed for people with little or no mountain walking experience or with a limited scope; it is intended for participants with extensive experience in multiple locations.
This is a two-and-a-half-day and three-evening lecture course during which we will equip mountain walking candidates to take their clients on outdoor experiences safely. We cover an introduction to mountain gear (purchasing and care), and navigation and mapwork – where the learner will be able to navigate with a map, GPS and compass in difficult environments with limited visibility.
We will also cover dealing with crossing flooded rivers and handling steep ground. There is also a high-altitude and overnight camping component. You will also be taken through the basics of outdoor ethics and required environmental standards, as well as legal aspects of hiking with groups such as land access and liability, and group management. Lastly, you’ll be taught about all potential mountain hazards and how to handle a mountain emergency: the correct procedures, who to contact, and what not to do. A fair degree of physical activity will be involved so a reasonable level of fitness is essential. For the academic component, competence in communication and numeracy equivalent to NQF Level 4 is required.
Two and a half full days at an outdoor location, preceded by three evenings of theory at our training centre in Florida North, Johannesburg or at a venue of your choice if we have 5 or more students.
Two-and-a-half days for the assessment, which will also be in a mountain location. (assessment is not included in training. This price is a separate event)