Conserve
Wildlife monitoring
- Indicator-species surveys
- Camera traps
- Predator tracking
- Elephant movement patterns
Monitor the heartbeat. Collect data that shapes how the Delta is managed.
Wildlife monitoring & bush skills · Okavango Delta, Botswana
Measure the heartbeat of the Okavango Delta.
Let curiosity lead you into one of Africa’s most renowned wildlife areas. Join a small field team of Guardians collecting and monitoring conservation data that helps protect the Delta. Real field work, practical bush skills and an Accredited Certificate in Wildlife Monitoring, from one week.
MondayArrivals every week
1 weekMinimum stay
8Guardians maximum
18–55Ages
USD 1,950Per week, all-inclusive
The film · about one minute
A wild world.
A deeper connection.
Press play and feel the pulse of the Delta: from mokoro channels and walking safaris to tracking, wildlife monitoring and firelit evenings with your people.
- Let curiosity lead you.Let nature be your teacher.
- Watch. Listen. Discover.Awaken your senses.
- Glide through the water.Immerse yourself.
- Expert guides.Keeping you safe.
- Real field work.Learn the craft.
- Monitor the heartbeat.Protect the Delta.
The programme
Observe. Record. Conserve.
Every week has three parts: conserve, learn and explore. The Okavango Guardian Project is run by Okavango Guardians, a division of The Delta Training Academy, an accredited training provider based in Maun.
Learn
Practical skills
- Tracking and spoor interpretation
- Survival skills and bushcraft
- Animal behaviour
- Off-road driving and boating skills (guide-led)
Real field work. Learn the craft and earn a certificate in Wildlife Monitoring.
Explore
Wilderness camping
- Weekly wilderness expeditions
- Mokoro excursions and camping under the stars
- Follow the seasonal movement of wildlife
Come for the adventure. Immerse yourself in one of Africa’s wildest places.
Field log
A typical week
Early starts while the bush is cool, a rest in the heat of the day and evening debriefs around the fire. Watch, listen, discover, and let every day bring something new.
| Day | Focus | What you do |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | Arrival & camera traps | Maun airport collection, camp and safety briefing, camera-trap deployment and servicing |
| Tuesday | Indicator species | Spoor transect and indicator-species survey, recording and processing data |
| Wednesday | Aquatic biodiversity | A full day on the water surveying birds, crocodile, hippo and riverine habitats |
| Thursday | Tracking & patrol | Predator tracking, animal movement monitoring and snare sweeps with local trackers |
| Fri – Sat | Wilderness expedition | Two nights in remote bush camps, mokoro excursions and survival skills |
| Sunday | Rest & review | Back to camp, rest, weekly data review and certificate presentations |
Expedition destinations change with the season and the movement of wildlife. Sightings are never guaranteed or staged.
Stay longer, lead more
Responsibility grows each week
Week 1
Guardian
Learn field methods under close supervision, with safety, tracking and data-recording foundations.
Week 2
Field Guardian
Collect data independently and lead sections of transects and surveys.
Week 3 +
Senior Guardian
Mentor new arrivals and complete an independent field project.
Certification
Accredited Certificate in Wildlife Monitoring
To measure is to know.
Awarded to every Guardian who completes the programme, including examination and field assessments. Issued by The Delta Training Academy.
- Accredited Certificate in Wildlife Monitoring
- Field Skills Record of activities, field hours and level reached, signed by your lead guide
- Reference letter on request, recommended for stays of two weeks or more
- Your contribution to real conservation data, submitted each year to regional authorities and stakeholders
In the field
What you might record
A wild world, recorded one sighting at a time. Sightings are never guaranteed, which is what makes every one count.
Fees
Simple, all-inclusive weekly rates
Prices are per person in US dollars. The weekly rate depends on the length of your stay and applies to every week.
| Stay | Weekly rate | Total |
|---|---|---|
| 1 week | USD 1,950 | USD 1,950 |
| 2 weeks | USD 1,950 | USD 3,900 |
| 3 weeks | USD 1,850 | USD 5,550 |
| 4 weeks | USD 1,850 | USD 7,400 |
| 5 weeks or more | USD 1,650 | e.g. 5 weeks USD 8,250 |
Groups of 4–8 booked together and stays of 5 weeks or more each receive an additional 5% off. The two can be combined.
A 30% deposit secures your place. The balance is due 60 days before arrival. Rates are valid for arrivals up to 28 February 2027.
Included
- Maun airport transfers
- En-suite safari tent accommodation
- All meals, tea, coffee and drinking water
- All field and research equipment
- Camping equipment for expeditions
- Medical Air Rescue cover
- Fully guided programme and certificate
Not included
International and regional flights, travel and medical insurance (mandatory), visas where applicable, alcohol and soft drinks, snacks and personal items.
Location
Where you’ll be
Our private tented camp sits on the edge of the Okavango Delta, about 15 minutes from Maun. Expeditions head into the wilderness from there.
Fly into Maun (MUB)
Usually via Johannesburg or Cape Town. We meet every Guardian at the airport.
Arrive on a Monday
Arrivals and departures are on Mondays, subject to availability. Tell us your flight times when you book.
Camp location
19.939216° S, 23.381269° E, near Maun, Botswana.
In their words
Share the warmth. Find your people.
What Guardians say about their time in the Delta.
“What actually shocked me most wasn’t the big stuff. It was waking up to find lily pads dropped right in front of my tent, and realising a hippo had come out of the water in the night, walked past with them still on its back, and dropped them there. You don’t get that from a lodge balcony.”
Claudia Parma“I came for the adventure and left with skills I never expected to gain. The tracking and survival exercises were the highlight for me: learning to read spoor properly, moving quietly through the bush, and practising real bushcraft under the guidance of Banda.”
Dan Stevens“What I loved most were the camera-trap reveals and the structured talks. There’s something special about downloading the footage and discovering what had walked past during the night: lions, elephants, or even porcupine.”
Danny Rowe“The space, freedom and silence were exactly what I needed. The wilderness expeditions, early mornings and evenings around the fire gave every day meaning.”
Derek Dwayne
From a Guardian’s diary
For our practical tracking assessment we were divided into two groups: those who had to track and those who were to be tracked. Gareth and I had to find Henry. Funnily enough, our tracking skills were so good that we first found Bazil, then Alex, both killing the waiting time by throwing clay at each other. Finally we found Henry! Let’s be honest, we found him by accident. We soon realised how difficult tracking can be, especially with Gareth, aka Big Foot, who deletes every track in a square metre.
Our commitments
Conservation that respects the Delta
Data with a purpose
Standardised protocols, with data submitted each year under written agreement to the Department of Wildlife and National Parks, Community Trusts and concession holders.
Animals first
No handling, petting, baiting or disturbance of any wildlife. We observe and record.
Locally led
Guides, trackers and camp staff are employed from local communities.
Light footprint
Small groups, solar power in camp and pack-in, pack-out expeditions.
Expert guides, keeping you safe
Professional guides lead all fieldwork, with documented safety procedures, a first-aid responder in camp and Medical Air Rescue cover.
Transparency
An annual impact summary shared with Guardians and partners.
Questions
Before you book
Who is it for?
Anyone aged 18 to 55 with a reasonable level of fitness and an interest in wildlife: university students and graduates in biology, ecology or environmental science, gap-year and career-break travellers, and anyone who wants a purposeful, hands-on conservation experience. No science background is required.
Where will I sleep?
In twin-share en-suite safari tents at a private camp between Maun and the Okavango Delta, with a lecture room, an open-air dining boma and camp Wi-Fi. On expedition nights you sleep in remote bush camps.
How safe is it?
All fieldwork is led by professional guides and experienced local trackers. We follow documented safety procedures, keep a qualified first-aid responder in camp, carry satellite communication on expeditions and include Medical Air Rescue cover. Comprehensive travel and medical insurance is mandatory.
Can I stay longer than one week?
Yes. Stays are extendable week by week, subject to availability, and the weekly rate drops for stays of 3 weeks and again for 5 weeks or more. Longer stays bring more responsibility, from Guardian to Senior Guardian.
Can I book through my travel agent or university?
Yes. We work with travel and volunteer agents and university partners. Ask your agent, or contact us and we will point you to the right partner.
Your story
Write your story, under the African Sky.
Enquire
Join us and feel the pulse
Come for the adventure. Leave with a story. Tell us your preferred arrival date and length of stay, and we will confirm availability and send you the booking form.
Emailbazil@thedeltatrainingacademy.com
Phone+267 73 288 952
WhatsApp+27 72 449 1677