Footprints on the African Animal Paths:
Bush Enthusiast Course
MOTSUMI BUSH COURSES PROUDLY PRESENTS:
BENNET DE KLERK: THE BUSH WHISPERER
BUSH ENTHUSIAST COURSE: INTRODUCTION TO THE LANGUAGE OF THE AFRICAN BUSH
“THEY HEAR ON THE WIND, AS IT PASSES, THE CALL OF THE VELD” – LORD BYRON
ALL ACTIVITIES ARE BASED ON PARTICIPATION. PARTICIPANTS ARE LED TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THEY SEE, HEAR AND EXPERIENCE. YOU LEAVE WITH A DEEPER UNDERSTANDING OF THE BUSH AND HOW IT WORKS, PREPARED TO FURTHER EMBARK ON YOUR JOURNEY OF LEARNINGTHE LANGUAGE OF THE BUSH. THIS SAFARI TEACHES YOU THE ABC OF NATURE’S TONGUE.
INCLUDED: ALL MEALS AND ACCOMMODATION (BUSH ABLUTIONS, BUT COMFORTABLE ENOUGH!); WILDLIFE ACTIVITIES AS PER PROGRAMME; TRANSPORT BETWEEN MOOIHOEK AND VENUES. EXCLUDED: ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES, CURIO’S, TRAVEL OR FLIGHTS, TRAVEL INSURANCE.
BRING ALONG: OWN MEDICATION, BUSH CLOTHING IN NEUTRAL COLOURS, HATS, SUNSCREEN, MOSQUITO REPELLANT, BINOCULARS, AND CAMERAS. WE TAKE A SMALL LIBRARY ALONG, BUT FEEL WELCOME TO BRING ALONG YOUR FAVOURITE NATURE BOOKS.
NOTE THAT YOU WILL STAY IN RUSTIC BUSH CAMPS WITH LIMITED AMENITIES, IN ORDER TO ALLOW YOURSELF TO BECOME FULLY ATTUNED TO THE BUSH. THE ONLY LUXURIES WILL BE HOT WATER BUSH SHOWERS AND GOOD QUALITY FOOD PREPARED BUSH STYLE. YOUR TENT WILL HAVE CAMP BEDS AND YOU WILL BE SUPPLIED WITH SMALL BATTERY OPERATED LIGHTS. THE PURPOSE OF THIS SAFARI IS TO GET YOU IN TOUCH WITH NATURE, NOT TO PAMPER YOU IN DECADENT FASHION. WHAT WE DO GUARANTEE IS THAT YOU WILL RETURN HOME GREATLY ENRICHED SPIRITUALLY!
PRICE INCL ALL FOOD, ACCOMMODATION, TUITION, PERSONALISED, EXPERT GUIDING AND TRANSPORT DURING THE COURSE. ZAR19000 PPS. SINGLE SUPPLEMENT ZAR 8 000. ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES EXCLUDED. CURIOS AND PERSONAL NEEDS EXCLUDED.
“THE ONLY WAY TO GET TO KNOW THE BUSH IS TO LEAVE YOUR FOOTPRINTS THERE”
-Lt-Col BJ De Klerk
There was a time, long ago, when humans could understand the language of “The Bush”. This was not because they were gifted to any greater degree than we are today. It was not because they were led by unseen spirits; though they may have believed those spirits were there. It was not through a sense, which has since become lost, that they had understood this beautiful tongue.
The people of that distant time were not different to us in any way, physically or mentally. The difference was only in where, and how, they lived. Today we easily understand the written word, and the symbolism of text messaging and other electronic communications, simply because we use it in our daily lives.
In the same manner, those people from the past understood the language spoken by Nature. They used it in their daily lives.
Of course, Nature has not discontinued speaking to us; she speaks, today, as eloquently as she always has. She uses the same language our ancestors had understood so well. And still, the comprehension of this ancient language remains within our grasp, just as we understand the alphabet and the text message.
Yes, “The Bush” still speaks to us today.
It is only that we have ceased to listen. And in ceasing to listen, the language has become unintelligible to us…
MOTSUMI BUSH COURSES is an operator that takes people into the African Bush, like many other operators do. Our participants take photographs, like those joining other operators. They are excited if they spot a member of the “Big Five”, as are people joining other safari operations.
But at MOTSUMI BUSH COURSES, it is my desire to reveal to you the secret of the Language of Nature. Nature does not intend this to be a secret. When she speaks – and she does so incessantly – it is because her wisdom should be heard. Modern people have become deaf to her words.
It is my mission, and my calling, to share with you my understanding of the African Bush, its sights and sounds. My passion is to help you listen again, to heal your deafness. It will fulfil your life in ways totally unexpected. It will heal more than the deafness – which is only a symptom of the disease. It will heal the disease of being in a state of non-connectedness to Nature.
Join me for 10 days in Africa and allow me the honour of teaching the Language of The Bush, so that you, too, will hear on the wind, as it passes, the call of the veld.
I am The Bush Whisperer.
DAY 1: ARRIVE AT MOOIHOEK, MY LITTLE PIECE OF BUSHVELD IN THE MAGALIESBERG MOUNTAIN. CHECK IN TO COMFORTABLE TENT OR CABIN. AFTERNOON MOUNTAIN WALK. INTRODUCTION TO ETHOLOGY, THE STUDY OF ANIMAL BEHAVIOUR AND ITS EVOLUTIONARY HISTORY AROUND THE CAMPFIRE.
DAY 2: DEPART TO PILANESBERG GAME RESERVE FOR MORNING WALK. GET THE FEEL OF THE BUSH. EMPHASIS: TRACKS, TRACKING AND BIRDS; PLANTS AND THEIR USES. SPECIAL EMPHASIS ON SOUNDS OF THE BUSH, AND WHAT THEY TELL US. ENCOUNTERS WITH ANIMALS A BONUS; WE VIEW AND LEAVE, WITHOUT THEM EVER KNOWING WE WERE THERE.
LUNCH IN A PICNIC SITE IN THE PARK.
EVENING: STARS OF THE AFRICAN NIGHT.
DAY 3: ANOTHER MORNING WALK, IN THE BEAUTIFUL KGASWANE MOUNTAIN RESERVE,GETTING MORE DEEPLY IN TOUCH WITH MOTHER NATURE. THIS IS ONE OF THE FORGOTTEN GEMS OF SOUTH AFRICA, WITH WATERFALLS, ROCK POOLS AND AMAZING SCENERY, WITHIN CLOSE PROXIMITY OF TOWN.
EVENING: STARS OF THE AFRICAN NIGHT.
DAY 4: MORNING “TRACK AND SIGN AND AFTERNOON BIRDING MINI-ASSESSMENTS”… LOOK HOW MUCH YOU HAVE LEARNT!
EVENING: AT LEISURE, LEKKER BRAAI!
DAY 5: AFTER A MORNING WALK AND BREAKFAST IN PILANESBERG, WE RETURN TO MOOIHOEK. AFTER A LEISURELY AFTERNOON, WE GATHER AROUND THE FIRE FOR A TRADITIONAL SOUTH AFRICAN BRAAI. HERE WE HAVE DISCUSSIONS ON THE CULTURES OF KALAHARI SAN (BUSHMEN), NATIVE AMERICAN AND AUSTRALIAN ABORIGINAL CULTURES, AND WHAT WE CAN LEARN FROM THEM. YOU GET TO DISCOVER YOUR OWN, SPECIAL “TOTEM ANIMAL” AND WHAT IT TEACHES YOU ABOUT YOURSELF.
DAY 6: EARLY MORNING DEPARTURE FOR PILANESBERG GAME RESERVE, WHERE YOU TAKE TURNS AT EXPLAINING ANIMAL BEHAVIOUR ON GAME DRIVE, WE GET BACK BY 16H00, TO PREPARE FOR THE CERTIFICATE CEREMONY AROUND THE CAMPFIRE. A LAST BRAAI SEALS YOUR CONNECTION TO THE AFRICAN BUSH.
DAY 7: WITH SADNESS, WE GREET, AND YOU HOP INTO YOUR CAR, TAKING WITH YOU NEW MEMORIES AND SKILLS!
ALL ACTIVITIES ARE BASED ON PARTICIPATION. PARTICIPANTS ARE LED TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THEY SEE, HEAR AND EXPERIENCE. YOU LEAVE WITH A DEEPER UNDERSTANDING OF THE BUSH AND HOW IT WORKS, PREPARED TO FURTHER EMBARK ON YOUR JOURNEY OF LEARNING THE LANGUAGE OF THE BUSH. THIS SAFARI TEACHES YOU THE ABC OF NATURE’S TONGUE.
INCLUDED: ALL MEALS AND TENTED OR COTTAGE ACCOMMODATION (OFTEN, BUSH ABLUTIONS) ; WILDLIFE ACTIVITIES AS PER PROGRAMME; TRANSPORT BETWEEN MOOIHOEK AND VENUES. EXCLUDED: ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES, CURIO’S, FLIGHTS, TRAVEL INSURANCE.
BRING ALONG: OWN MEDICATION, BUSH CLOTHING IN NEUTRAL COLOURS, HATS, SUNSCREEN, MOSQUITO REPELLANT, BINOCULARS, AND CAMERAS. WE TAKE A SMALL LIBRARY ON TOUR, BUT FEEL WELCOME TO BRING ALONG YOUR FAVOURITE NATURE BOOKS.
NOTE THAT YOU WILL STAY IN RUSTIC BUSH CAMPS WITH LIMITED AMENITIES, IN ORDER TO ALLOW YOURSELF TO BECOME FULLY ATTUNED TO THE BUSH. THE ONLY LUXURIES WILL BE HOT WATER BUSH SHOWERS AND GOOD QUALITY FOOD PREPARED BUSH STYLE. YOUR TENT WILL HAVE CAMP BEDS AND YOU WILL BE SUPPLIED WITH SMALL BATTERY OPERATED LIGHTS.THE PURPOSE OF THIS SAFARI IS TO GET YOU IN TOUCH WITH NATURE, NOT TO PAMPER YOU IN DECADENT FASHION. WHAT WE DO GUARANTEE IS THAT YOU WILL RETURN HOME GREATLY ENRICHED SPIRITUALLY!
PRICE INCL ALL FOOD, ACCOMMODATION, TUITION, PERSONALISED, EXPERT GUIDING AND PARK FEES.
PRICE ZAR19 000 PER PERSON SHARING, SINGLE SUPPLEMENT ZAR 8 000. ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES, CURIOS AND PERSONAL NEEDS EXCLUDED.
“THE ONLY WAY TO GET TO KNOW THE BUSH IS TO LEAVE YOUR FOOTPRINTS THERE”
-Lt-Col BJ De Klerk