The course is structured as a walking safari with accommodation in fly-camps (although overnights in luxury tented camps can also be arranged).  The emphasis is on teaching essential safari skills including animal tracking and identification, bush-craft, survival skills, navigation, handling a rifle, and so forth.  (See below for full description of course contents).

Extreme Safari survival skills on TV

Channel 4 / Discovery - "I shouldn't be alive" - a 1 hour docu/drama produced by the company who brought us "Touching the Void".  In this episode, Extreme Safari's safari skills and bush craft expert, Phil West, shows you essential tips for surviving in the African bush, including finding water sources, building shelters, dealing with spitting cobras and prides of hungry lions.  For more information, email info@extreme-safari.com

Discovery Channel - Man vs Wild - African Savanna - in this episode Bear Grylls shows a regular person how to survive in the African bush. Bear has to face lions, leopards, elephants and rhinos to escape alive. As he travels across Africa in search of food, water and civilization he teaches us his tricks. Bear follows the stars the find his way and drinks elephant dung water to survive. Extreme Safari guide Phil West was the adviser on the program, showing Bear some of his tricks of the trade.

Some clients attend the course as an exciting addition to their traditional safari but, frankly, there are few safaris that can rival this course in terms of both adventure and wildlife viewing.

The course is designed to be fun but of course there's a very serious side to it - we hope that you will return home with a deeper understanding of the animals and their natural habitat and the importance to safeguard this for future generations.  We also hope that you will learn from the Masai, Turkana, Pokot and other indigenous tribes that you will encounter - the elders have much to teach but sadly their traditions are dying out in the overwhelming face of Western culture.

This a true, back-to-basics course, incorporating the following elements: bush-craft, survival skills, camping and building shelters, off-road driving, animal tracking  and spoor identification, firearm handling and safety, bush navigation, fishing, medicinal uses of plants, environmental + ecological awareness, an introduction to Masai culture, etc.  (Exact course description will vary depending upon location, time of year, experience of course participants, and so forth - please ask for details).

The courses will be run by Phil West and Matt Gurney, two of Kenya's leading safari guides and experts in bush craft and safari skills.  Both Phil and Matt spend over 200 days a year living in the bush and have an unparelleled practical knowledge of East Africa and its wildlife.

Phil West has a developing TV career.  In 2006 he worked as presenter on a Discovery Channel docu-drama about survival in the African Bush ("Secrets of Survival - the Jaws of Death") and this year he worked as an advisor/expert on Bear Grylls new series "Man vs Wild".

Our safari skill and bushcraft course is directly based on Phil + Matt's Field Guide Training Course - this is a course designed for professional safari guides.  Our 5 day course gives you the opportunity to do see a side of Kenya which very few visitors will be privileged enough to experience.

Location - Lewa or Laikipia in northern Kenya.

Costs - 5 day course starts at USD 1500 per person, minimum 4-6 people.

Costs include include tented accommodation, services of guides and camp staff, transport from Nairobi, all meals and water but exclude soft drinks and alcoholic beverages, park or conservations fees, flying doctor cover, tips and gratuities.  Accommodation is in fly-camps but we can include 1 or 2 nights in a luxury tented camp or lodge on request.

Feedback on the Field Guide Training Course:-

"Not only does it provide a whole new insight into the Mara and the 'bush' for those in the business but it gives visitors and guides an opportunity to brush up on their bush craft and have a whole lot of fun at the same time. It is also a great add-on holiday option for safari visitors who, for the first time, have the opportunity to participate in the bush experience 'hands on'. As for the training offered - it was first class, Matt Gurney has an unprecedented knowledge of bush craft and nature, he is a skilled educator and really knows how to make the whole thing come alive. I never had so much fun and never did I realise how little I know about the wonder of the African bush. I highly recommend this course." Jane Barsby - Freelance travel journalist.

(Images courtesy Phil West)