JUNGLE GUIDE COURSE (WGA Level II)

SURAMA, GUYANA
31rd October-20th November, 2023

This experience will start in Georgetown, where the participants will learn how to prepare for an expedition when arriving to a new country. This is one of the most neglected lessons of expedition courses as arrival and getting to location often is one of the biggest risks but as well as most complicated tasks. We will go shopping, talk about safety in capitals, who to speak to and how to safely get around.

The first part of this course will start in Rock Landing, the basecamp where you will get the theory and practical experience on the fundamentals of jungle life, safety and survival. This will prepare you for the second part of the training.

By taking people away from the comforts of Rock Landing, taking away amenities and putting them in more and more primitive settings until they are left with just a belt kit, a machete, a bow and arrow, and a few other tools to survive for 2 days on their own. Once the survival training is done we will have a short preparation phase and then the group will head out for the mountain expedition. Here the members will be taking care of various roles on the expedition team in a rotational system. They have already learned the fundamentals, but here we put it into the system of a team as a whole and the various roles will every day have to attend the tasks and jobs such as leadership, planning, running camp, appointing jobs and overseeing the medical fitness and capabilities of the team.


Surama community and background

The village and community of Surama is on a land owned by Amerindians. It is on a small piece of Savannah surrounded by rainforest in the North Rupununi district and can be reached by travelling to Lethem by the Brazilian border and then overland via 4×4 taking approximately 5 hours or, alternatively, by direct flight from Ogle airport taking 60 min. It is one of the best accesses to primary rainforest in Guyana, accessible all year round, and holds one of the largest diversities of wildlife.
The village is predominantly inhabited by the Makushi and Arawak tribes, who live in small households spread out all over the village’s title land. The villagers live predominantly from tourism, traditional hunting, fishing, and agriculture.


By north and west, it shares boundaries with the Iwokrama protected area, the largest protected area in Guyana; by east, the foothills of the Pakaraima mountains; and by south, the most northern part of the Rupununi Savannah.
Close by the village runs the Burro Burro River, which is a river that can be navigated with engine boats and runs from its source in the Pakaraima Mountains to the Essequibo River, Guyana’s largest and longest river.

 
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
01
Survival and other outdoor skills relevant to specific Jungle environments
02
Push your comfort zone and deepen your own connection to nature
03
Awareness and consciousness on personal growth
04
Natural leadership and self-care
05
Transmission of sustainable practices to minimize environmental impacts
06
Understanding of participant’s behavior and apply leadership techniques efficiently in order to manage group dynamics
07
Plan, evaluate risks and execute multi day activities in Jungle environments
08
Hunting, tracking, navigation, camping and wildlife observation in Jungle environments
09
Live a full and intense, once in a life time, Jungle immersion experience

WHERE?

DETAILED INFORMATION

Language of course::
English
Minimum requirements:
Strong motivation, physically in shape, level B2 of English
Minimum/maximum of participants:
8/12
Payment deadline:
15th of September, 2023
 
Confirmation/cancellation date: September 1st, 2023
Part 1. Online preparation:
10th of October, 2023
 
Part 2. WG level 1 Jungle Environments
31st Oct – 07th of November, 2023
 
Part 3. WG level 2 Jungle Environments
08th – 20th of November, 2023

COURSE STRUCTURE

JUNGLE ENVIRONMENTS (WG1 Module 4)

This experience will start in Georgetown, where the participants will learn how to prepare for an expedition when arriving to a new country. This is one of the most neglected lessons of expedition courses as arrival and getting to location often is one of the biggest risks but as well as most complicated tasks. We will go shopping, talk about safety in capitals, who to speak to and how to safely get around.

The first part of this course will start in Rock Landing, the basecamp where you will get the theory and practical experience on the fundamentals of jungle life, safety and survival. This will prepare you for the second part of the training.

By taking people away from the comforts of Rock Landing, taking away amenities and putting them in more and more primitive settings until they are left with just a belt kit, a machete, a bow and arrow, and a few other tools to survive for 2 days on their own. Once the survival training is done we will have a short preparation phase and then the group will head out for the mountain expedition. Here the members will be taking care of various roles on the expedition team in a rotational system. They have already learned the fundamentals, but here we put it into the system of a team as a whole and the various roles will every day have to attend the tasks and jobs such as leadership, planning, running camp, appointing jobs and overseeing the medical fitness and capabilities of the team.

1
ONLINE TRAINING
Emergency plan and risk assessment
1
DAY
GEORGETOWN – EXPEDITION PREPARATION
The first night we meet each other and there will
be a formal brief of the plan for the course. Formal introduction to the capital city, Georgetown, and learning how being in an area like this should be handled with expedition teams: safety, shopping, local interaction.
1
DAY

CULTURAL IMMERSION – INDIGENOUS COMMUNITY
Travel in a small prop plane to the little village of Surama (or to Lethem and then drive to Surama). Ethics in indigenous communities and culturally sensitive settings. Basic introduction to safety and hiking in the jungle.

5
DAYS
THEORETICAL AND PRACTICAL FOUNDATION – LANDING ROCK BASE CAMP Introduction camp, hygiene, facilities, timings, rules and safety in the jungle. Tropical diseases, priorities of survival, machete course, dangers and hazards of the flora and fauna. Starting a fire, getting clean drinking water, setting up hammock systems, using machetes, bows, arrows, and fishing kit, making Yari Yari bait fishing rod, Cukrite worm from palm nuts, nightspotting (meeting the nocturnal animals), traps in the jungle, making a bamboo pot, improvised torch. Survival psychology, the dangers and hazards of the jungle, and wildlife knowledge.

JUNGLE ENVIRONMENTS – WG Level 2

2
DAYS

DEEP JUNGLE AND INTRODUCTION TO EXPEDITION LIFE
Camp setting and maintenance. Learn to build expedition camp, making bush latrines, getting water and firewood, and making sure that we effectively live and thrive in the jungle, hygiene. We will practice how to make a shelter, basic navigation skills and more advanced fishing methods, smoking and preserving meat, cook what
you catch, tracking of animals. Safety and protocol in place for the solo survival experience.

3
DAYS
SURVIVAL EXPERIENCE You will be left alone to survive for 2 days, until rescue arrives, with only a few and carefully selected tools allowed, such as a machete, bow and arrow, water bottle, fire kit, and fishing kit. You will have to make your shelter and fire, and establish routines that ensure that you can get water to drink and fish to eat. The battle of the mind and the long nights will truly show what you are capable of. Can you make it work? Do you have what it takes to survive the jungle? During the second day, the rescue team will come and save you! The team will then move back to the safety camp and the team members will relax and recover from the experience on the third day.
5
DAYS

MOUNTAIN EXPEDITION TRAINING
Team roles will be rotated during the expedition’s days: you will have to attend the tasks such as leadership, planning, running camp, appointing jobs and overseeing the medical fitness and capabilities of the team. You will practice basic jungle navigation, river crossings, how to choose the campground for the night. Communication while on expedition. Daily debrief in camp with special focus on challenges to overcome and reflections on how to adapt. We will end back at Surama Eco lodge. After arriving and a break, we will start breaking down equipment, drying it, and storing it in Surama, as part of the equipment maintenace learning process.

2
DAYS

BACK TO GEORGETOWN – DEPARTURE
Final night out in town.
Next day, departure  home.

COURSE INVESTMENT

Course fee:

4.850€ per person

Services INCLUDED:

  • ALL LODGING: 21 Days / 20 Nights (2 nights hotel in Georgetown, 2 nights at Eco lodge, 16 nights in the jungle)
  • ALL MEALS (except in Georgetown) 51 meals: 17 Breakfast, 17 Lunch, 17 Dinner
  • DOMESTIC FLIGHT: from Georgetown to Rupununi
  • All transfers in Rupununi (4×4/Bus
    Lethem – Surama return)
  • BOAT TRANSPORTATION: (jungle survival and expedition, 10 days)
  • JUNGLE EQUIPMENT (see what to bring and what is given below)
  • All group jungle kit
  • Topographic maps for expedition
  • Expendables such as fishing equipment, arrows, bows, machetes etc.
  • All in-country preparations (done in advance)
  • All in-country purchases
  • TAXES: community fee and taxes
  • CREW: all guides, captains, bowman, cooks (up to 8 over 18 days)
  • TRAINING CAMP: stay at Rock Landing training base
  • SAFETY:
    • Garmin inreach and handheld radios
    • Medical kit
    • Safety vehicle standby in Surama throughout the stay

Services NOT INCLUDED:

  • International airfare
  • Meals in the capital
    (Georgetown)
  • Taxi from airport to the capital (cost approx. $70 each way)
  • Alcohol
  • Excess luggage for domestic flight (25 lbs allowance)
  • Tips for guides (is paid collectively to one portion and shared equally among guides)
  • Personal travel insurance (will have to be sent in advance)
  • Cost of medical clearance (if needed)
  • Malaria prophylaxis (consult personal doctor)
  • Anything not mentioned in the document

WHAT WE WILL PROVIDE FOR THE COURSE

Hammock
Lightweight, with a built-in mosquito net.
Basha/Tarp
To keep the rain off.
Rucksack
You can bring your own or we will provide it. It needs to be robust and big enough to carry your gear plus group stores. A 75 Liter pack is fine.
Belt kit
PLCE belt to carry a machete, fish kit, fire kit, water bottle, etc.
Iodine
1 x 20ml bottle of iodine droplets. Do not bring anything else including iodine tabletsunless you have an allergy or other such medical problem with iodine.
Blanket
We will provide a lightweight sleeping bag. If you do have your own, please feel free to bring it along, but it must be very small and lightweight.
Hydration bag 
They hold 2 or 3 liters. It means you can sip water on the move.
Canoe Bag
To line your rucksack and keep the contents dry during river crossings etc
Machete/knife
With leather sheath
Bow and Arrow
Locally made bow and arrow
Dry bags
Water-resistant bags you use to compartmentalize your kit within your rucksack.
Eating kit
Mess tin and spoon.
Sleeping mat
For powdering your feet under your basha and the likes
Compass/Whistle
Silva type, marked in degrees and or mils + orange emergency whistle.
Safety kit
As needed and includes lifejackets, comms kit, med kit, rope, etc.
Miscellaneous kit

We will provide all sorts of odds and ends like ziplock bags, duct tape, extra string, fishing kit, etc.

* Machete and bow and arrow can be bought after the course for 150 USD

If you have some of this kit yourself and wish to bring it as you are more comfortable with it then fine, bring it.
Please keep your kit to the minimum and as light as possible. Some of the small planes will not take off if you bring the kitchen sink, so it will be left behind.

All the gear you bring with you should weigh no more than 10kg.


The provided gear is a rental packages included in the course price and would to be returned after the course. In case you are interested to bring the personal package bow, arrow and machete back home with you this has an additional price of 150USD., You can decide on this after completing the course.

GALLERY

CONTACT US

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