Courses at Lapalala Wilderness School

Courses run for three to eight days, and all of them are carefully supervised by dedicated and experienced trails officers. Children aged nine years or older are taken on interpretive bush hikes, instilling a sense of enthusiasm and love for South Africa’s fauna and flora within a context of appreciating and understanding the threats facing many of the country’s essential life-support systems.

What is most important is that the staff believe in making this an unforgettable and enjoyable bush experience, at the same time as providing a wide range of authoritative and fascinating information about our natural world.

The children will have an opportunity to swim in the rock pools of the Palala River, and they will participate in canoeing, treasure hunting and much more. Spoor identification and tracking of large mammals will open a new world, and a close (but very safe) encounter with an orphaned black rhino never fails to excite all who experience it.

At least one night is spent under the African sky, when the children listen to the night sounds while preparing their food over the open fire.

They will visit archaeological sites to learn about Bushman and Iron Age culture, and apply that knowledge in life skills, bush craft and survival skills.

Many of these activities help build leadership and life skills, develop powers of observation and demonstrate creative problem solving. Furthermore, working together in the field away from the home environment enhances social skills and the understanding of one’s own and others’ capabilities.

The visit to Lapalala can be tailor-made to fit each school’s requirements in terms of duration and course content, focusing on relevant curricular studies (geography, history, science, biology, etc).