EcoTraining, Africa’s pioneer in field guide and wildlife education, scooped the Innovation Award at Africa’s Travel Indaba in Durban last week.
The recognition in Indaba’s Inspirational Awards rounds off a landmark 12 months for the EcoTraining team.
In the past year, EcoTraining became the first and only field guidetraining provider in South Africa to offer university-level NQF5 qualifications accredited by the Council on Higher Education.
In September, it was named Best Education Study Abroad Provider at the 2025 Global Youth Travel Awards in Lisbon.
Now, South African Tourism has recognised the organisation for innovation in conservation education through its Inspirational Awards.
Bringing the bush to a global audience
Over 33 years, EcoTraining has trained more than 17,000 people from 33 countries at its immersive, unfenced camps in South Africa, Botswana and Kenya. Its graduates lead safaris across the continent. Close to a thousand have come from China alone, returning home as guides and guardians of the African wilderness.
The Indaba judges recognised the way EcoTraining is opening the world of conservation to people who can’t always reach the bush. In 2023, it launched the Online Field & Trails Guide Programme, making FGASA-accredited training available anywhere through virtual classrooms, live lectures and field videos, with the option to follow up with an immersive in-camp practical.
Other online courses, including the newly launched Inside the Pride, which explores the evolution, ecology and behaviour of lions, allow guides, wildlife enthusiasts and conservationists to broaden their knowledge and safeguard Africa’s vulnerable species and natural heritage – alongside courses in ecology, wildlife photography, birding and tracking, designed for travellers who want to add more onto a traditional Big-5 safari.
Recognition with a wider message
The Indaba Inspirational Awards honour innovation, inspiration, empowerment, and excellence across African tourism, and the recognition means a great deal to the entire team.
“Three achievements in a single year tell us something bigger is happening,” says EcoTraining’s MD, Anton Lategan. “People want travel that means something. They want to understand the places they visit and leave them better than they found them. Our job is to keep building the courses, camps, guides and advocates that make that possible.” EcoTraining has delivered guide training in eight countries over the last year and is honoured to train the safari guides of A&K Sanctuary, Londolozi, Great Plains Botswana, the Female Nature Guide Training Programme of African Bush Camps Foundation, and many other top safari organisations. Alongside this, EcoTraining’s wider course range continues to grow, with career courses for school leavers, guides, career-changers, gap year students, mature learners and lifelong conservationists, online and in the bush.
