Bear Grylls, a British adventurer and star of the former Discovery Channel TV show “Man vs. Wild,” has announced the launch of his first Bear Grylls Survival Academy in Africa, offering outdoor enthusiasts an opportunity to learn his extreme survival techniques. The first academy is set to kick off on the Stanley & Livingstone Private Game Reserve in the Victoria Falls area in January.
Comprising a combination of remote land/water survival and adventure tasks, the Victoria Falls course will culminate in a wilderness expedition designed to put the participants’ newfound skills to the ultimate test. Techniques include fire lighting; emergency-shelter building; knife skills; foraging for grubs and rodents; remote medical trauma; a range of dynamic activities, including rappelling, tyrolean traverses and scrambling; extreme weather survival; river crossings; a white-water rafting challenge down the mighty Zambezi River; and, of course, Bear’s Gross Eat challenge.
The course has been designed by Grylls and will be run by his team of highly trained survival experts. Lead instructor and course developer, Scott Heffield, who also works closely with Grylls, said: “The greater Victoria Falls area provides the perfect backdrop for Bear Grylls Survival Academy course to launch. Topography, the rivers, the incredible Victoria Falls, extreme weather conditions and African wildlife are all important factors to consider when looking to re-create an environment that simulates real life Bear Grylls survival situations.”
To help deliver the course, Grylls has teamed up with Mantis, experts in delivering high-quality hotel and eco-lodge experiences focusing heavily on conservation. For more information, please visit www.mantiscollection.com and www.mantisextreme.com.