Koru Camp

27/08/2026

Facilitating a safe space for young people means one thing eventually happens: people open up. Sometimes that's a joyful thing. Sometimes it means sitting with someone in real distress, and not knowing whether what you're about to say will help or make things worse.

That gap is what led us to Jess Tyrrell of Nature Allied Training, a psychotherapist based in Hoedspruit who's spent over two decades running immersive wilderness programmes. If anyone could teach this properly, it was her.

Twelve facilitators came through camp for Mental Health First Aid, representing The Timbavati Foundation, Zingela Ulwazi, Khula Roots, Nourish, Global March for Elephants and Rhinos, The Black Mambas Transfrontier Africa and our own team.

Grounding techniques. Spotting distress before it escalates. De-escalation. Risk assessment. And the instinct to fix things fast, which usually does the opposite of what we intend (turns out "just calm down" has never once calmed anyone down). Every participant left certified. Yoga mats came out between sessions. So did the Land Cruisers, for game drives that turned up elephant and more. The training was meant to wrap by sunset. But people kept talking, kept asking Jess questions, and the conversation just moved to the fire pit and carried on from there.

Jess is coming back to run this again in the first half of 2027. Want your team in the room? Reach out to [email protected].

25/08/2026

Koru Camp packed up the Land Cruiser and set up shop at this year's Global Conservation Corps Careers in Conservation Exhibition, alongside GKEPF Kruger to Canyons Biosphere Region and dozens of other conservation and hospitality organisations.

Bongani, Tinyiko and Vino manned the Koru stand for the day, showing learners around the VR headsets, Bird Bingo and a table full of binoculars. For many, tourism, guiding and wildlife management and conservation aren't careers they've ever had in front of them. Today, they were.

Always a privilege to stand alongside so many organisations doing this work in the Greater Kruger, and to show learners that this industry has a place for them in it.

Thank you for having us Global Conservation Corps!

23/08/2026

"Every field guide remembers the moment when the pages of a learner manual first came to life. The tracks in the textbook become fresh footprints in the sand. Animal behaviour is no longer a paragraph to memorise, but something unfolding just metres away. Questions that once seemed complicated suddenly make sense when you watch them happen in front of you."

We've published our latest blog post about our first ever Guide Mentorship Camp, run in partnership with The Field Guides Association of Southern Africa

For three days, 2025 Safari Guide of the year Jason Gibson swapped his own trail time to mentor aspiring guides and environmental educators from Ditoro Outreach , Global Conservation Corps and DAKtARI Bush School.

Tracks in the riverbed sparked conversations about how animals move and behave. Then came the termites, a mound on the ground and an entire world inside it. Birding turned out to be the real surprise hit of camp. By the final morning the group had logged over 50 species.

On day one, most participants looked to each other before answering a question. By day three, they were interpreting elephant behaviour on their own and trusting what they'd seen with their own eyes.

Jason, thank you for giving your time so generously. And to Connected Planet Foundation, none of this happens without your sponsorship.

Round two is already locked in for October, with double the guides.

Full story on the blog:

https://korucamp.org/from-page-to-practice-mentoring-the-next-generation-of-guides/

20/08/2026

Women's Day in the bush, with the Saturday Girls from Seeds of Light 🌸

Twenty Saturday Girls out in the Greater Kruger for three nights, with game drives that delivered a leopard, a pack of wild dogs, buffalo on the way in, and elephants very much making their presence felt. Fitting that the matriarchs of the bush showed up for Women's Day 🐘

But the sightings were just part of it. Back at camp the group covered female health, contraception, busting pregnancy and s*x myths, and wrote letters to their future selves to open in ten years. They built strength bracelets to keep them accountable to their dreams. And when Prudence from Klaserie Drift Safari Camps sat down to answer questions about relationships, she could barely get away.

Prudence also brought each girl a backpack of goodies from Klaserie Drift, including toiletries, a t-shirt, stationery and a treat. The smiles said it all.

Thank you Klaserie Drift Safari Camps for sponsoring this camp AND for the warmth and guidance Prudence brought with her, and to Seeds of Light for bringing your Saturday Girls to Koru. This is exactly what Women's Month should look like. ✨

Interested in booking a camp with us? If you are a nonprofit working with local communities or conservation, you can contact [email protected] for all booking enquiries 🌿

19/08/2026

17/08/2026

Charades around the boma fire with The Timbavati Foundation Eco Champs. 🔥

A crackling fire, the sounds of the bush at night, and a group of learners completely in their element. This is the part of camp that is hard to put into words but impossible to forget.

Game drives get a lot of the glory, and rightly so. But the evenings around the fire are where walls come down, friendships form, and the bush starts to feel like home.

Interested in booking a camp with us? If you are a nonprofit working with local communities or conservation, you can contact [email protected] for all booking enquiries 🌿

14/08/2026

A little look at home🏕️

Koru Camp sits on the banks of a dry riverbed, deep in a Big Five reserve in the Greater Kruger. It was purpose built for educational camps and every little detail reflects that.

Comfortable canvas tents on raised platforms. Separate bathroom blocks with private amenities and hot water showers. A dining area that doubles as a classroom. A bookshelf full of wildlife guides and nature books… And a boma fire waiting at the end of every day.

It is an immersive bush experience, with everything our learners need to feel safe, comfortable and completely at home in the wild.

Interested in booking a camp with us? If you are a nonprofit working with local communities or conservation, you can contact [email protected] for all booking enquiries 🌿

12/08/2026

Out on the river road. 🌿

Communities living on the doorstep of the Greater Kruger have one of the most extraordinary wild landscapes in the world right on their doorstep.

We’re passionate about connecting them with their natural heritage and encouraging a love for the environment. Our mission is to inspire a new generation of conservationists who will cherish and protect these precious ecosystems.

At Koru Camp we offer transformative experiences for individuals from disadvantaged communities. We provide immersive nature experiences, conservation education, and practical skills for sustainable living. Join us in this journey of discovery and empowerment as we work together to make a lasting impact on our environment.

Interested in booking a camp with us? If you are a nonprofit working with local communities or conservation, you can contact [email protected] for all booking enquiries 🌿

10/08/2026

A WILD start to the day 🦁✨

When your morning begins with a lovely lioness sighting, you know you're in for a good time! Our learners were treated to some fantastic views of this beautiful cat in the golden light of sunrise... And they loved every second of it!

What animal would you most like to see on safari?

Interested in booking a camp with us? If you are a nonprofit working with local communities or conservation, you can contact [email protected] for all booking enquiries 🌿