Campus facilities & location
The Campus Facilities
The Ulovane Campus was completed in March 2009, and we are very proud of our training facility, which we believe is one of the best in South Africa.
The lecture room includes a large workstation, desks, and chairs as well as two whiteboards and data projectors. The data projector is used for presentations for lessons, as well as for the students themselves to use for their presentations throughout the various courses. We believe that if our students are comfortable and have all they need, it will enhance their learning experience.
Free unlimited WI-FI is available in the lodge area. No Eskom, No Problem! We run the entire campus on solar!
The dining room area is lovely and spacious and is the perfect spot for everyone to get together and chat over a meal. It is also the perfect venue for hosting guides and lodge managers in the area for one of our famous hosting evenings.
The facility has shared accommodation with 2 students per room; the bedrooms have en-suite bathrooms (with hot showers, toilet & basin) and are equipped with furniture, lights, and linen. Our stunning rock face rooms have a great view of Amakhala. They are warm in the winter and cool in the summer – a great place for studying. The new additional rooms are hidden perfectly in the forest area, also ensuite with shower and toilet, very spacious.
The chameleon corner is the perfect chill zone for the guides to unwind after a hectic week of studies and rushing around. Couches, pool table in an area that can open up all canvas flaps for an in the bush feel, is just wonderful for those social evenings when we braai (barbecue).
Our chef Jacques spoils us with delicious home-cooked meals. We do encourage teamwork in the kitchen and any suggestions are always welcome. Mamma Joyce manages the campus laundry where dust, mud, sweat, and grass seeds can be removed from your uniform after a busy day in the bush. We believe that by providing our students with a home away from home feeling, they will settle into life at Ulovane much easier and be able to focus on their studies and future plans.
Our campus is green
The Ulovane campus is green! Our idea behind the campus was that it should be long term sustainable and have a minimal impact on the environment.
How have we achieved this and how are we ensuring we continuously achieve this?
During the building, we used locally available building materials in order to reduce/avoid the long-distance transport of materials. We built with locally quarried stone and paved the pathways with locally available gravel. The lodge is thatched, not only because it looks great and reduces the costs of heating and fully eliminates the cost of cooling, but also because it is durable, locally available, and reduces the carbon footprint of buildings.
Energy supply is fully serviced by solar panels that feed in a battery bank, thereby guaranteeing a constant supply of energy to run all the appliances, such as a deep freezer, fridge, washing machine, as well as all the energy for the data projector, various computers and of course all the cell phone chargers, and all the lights. The latter, of course, being the latest energy-saving lights.
We pump our own water from a depth of 140 meters with a solar-operated pump. All the showers and kitchen has gas geysers to ensure we always have hot water. Furthermore, we recycle all our waste materials; a fairly easy job if you live in an urban environment, but quite a task when you live out in the bush.
We not only preach the concept of energy-saving and zero-emission, but we truly live it and make everyone aware that we have to change our lifestyle to save our beautiful planet. All this in a very conscious way, but without giving up too much of the modern way of life.
Our location
The Ulovane campus is situated on its own reserve sharing borders with Amakhala and Kwantu Game Reserves, in the Eastern Cape, South Africa. Most of our practical excursions take place on the beautiful 8000 hectares Amakhala Game Reserve. We have our own entry and exit gate, which allows us to explore Amakhala freely.
Nestled in the heart of South Africa’s stunning Sunshine Coast, Ulovane Environmental Training is perfectly positioned to offer our students a unique learning experience. With access to some of the country’s most pristine beaches, our programs provide an unparalleled opportunity to discover the fascinating world of marine species diversity. And with the largest dune fields in South Africa right on our doorstep, we’re perfectly placed to explore and understand the rich biodiversity of this remarkable region. Bush meets the beach in perfect harmony, creating a once-in-a-lifetime adventure that our students will never forget.
The Ulovane Reserve is a conservation area focusing strongly on vegetation management and on re-establishing populations of Cape Mountain Zebra and smaller mammals like the Blue Duiker populations for the area. There are no large potentially dangerous animals on Ulovane Reserve which gives our students the freedom to explore the area’s beauty or go for a run safely. Ulovane camp has the most stunning 180-degree view of Amakhala Game Reserve and the position of the camp allows you to see the herds of antelope roaming the plains below.
The Ulovane reserve which borders Amakhala is operated by Paranthodon Investments – a small company owned by one of our very first Ulovane students.
Click here for directions to Ulovane.
Our surroundings
- The Eastern Cape is currently the fastest-growing, MALARIA FREE, tourism destination in South Africa.
- The garden route (Tsitsikamma Forest, Knysna heads, George and so much more).
- 50km from Grahamstown, a small University town filled with History.
- 85km from Port Elizabeth – known to all as the friendly city.
- One hour’s drive from beautiful and secluded beaches.
- One hour’s flight from Cape Town.
- Half an hour’s drive from Addo Elephant Park.
- Bordering Shamwari Game Reserve.
- In close proximity to study Marine Biology and the opportunity to see whales and dolphins.
- Undulating coastal plains and short grass results in excellent game viewing.
- The area is rich in historical and natural heritage dating back to before the 1820s.
