Reddit mentions of Canon Digital SLR Camera Kit [EOS Rebel T6] with EF-S 18-55mm and EF 75-300mm Zoom Lenses - Black, full-size

You can get a new Canon Rebel T6 with a 18-55mm (good for landscapes and people) + 70-300mm (good for daytime shots of wildlife) + camera bag for $550 on Amazon.

I'd say go for this bundle since it would meet your immediate needs on the road. The camera is easy to learn on so you won't be spending months figuring out what the dozens of buttons and dials do on higher-level cameras. Either way, you're going to need a camera bag and a longer zoom lens, so its good to get it right now and just gradually upgrade lenses and bags later on. Additional things you'll need are a few SD cards and batteries.

There are plenty of second-hand cameras available online, but choosing one out can be daunting if you don't know what to look for.

I imagine r/AskPhotography/ is probably a better place for this question. There are dozens of good directions to take in terms of recommended gear for beginners. Water restistance and durability usually cost quite a bit of money when dealing with DSLRs, and so I don't have any recommendations for those, other than maybe storing the gear in a pelican or skb case?

My short recommendation would be this Canon T6 kit at amazon for $450. You'll still need a some sort of memory card reader and small-ish card for about $20 more. You'll use the 18-55mm lens for normal shooting, and the 75-300mm for zooming out to wildlife.

You can easily see most of the differences between the two here! http://www.imaging-resource.com/cameras/canon/t6i/vs/canon/t6/

As for the costs, there are several different lenses it could come with but I'll assume that this is the one you're looking at - https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B01CQJHJ2E/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1478815625&sr=8-1&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=t6&dpPl=1&dpID=41LwLwxCUcL&ref=plSrch&th=1&psc=1 , I tend to use Amazon as an average price, and where I buy a lot of my items myself. I'd say the 450 price point is definitely decent then if it's the same items!

You (or she) will definitely come to realize there are many different choices that can help achieve many different things (for a lot of different costs!). To start though this is a great bundle, the same I started with actually (albeit older versions). Based off what she wants to eventually do in photography can help a bit with deciding what to buy and help you focus in on one path or another. Hopefully this helps a bit!

This is a pretty good deal:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01CQJHJ2E/ref=s9_acsd_dx_bw_gf_otccc201_5_t

It's the one in this kit, 75-300 non USM. I think it's around $90-100, but I can't find the specific link atm.

This should get you started. The canon equivalent is here which will also work quite well. If you want you can add the 50mm f1.8 for either system which will give you beautiful portraits. Don't get your hopes up about indoor action though. Nothing in your price range is going to excel at that. I should note that lenses, and not cameras, are the biggest deciding factor in the quality of the results you will get.

amazon US sells that bundle for US$427, and it was $399 last Black Friday. New, with full warranty.

The newer T6 2-lens bundle sells new, with full warranty, for $449.

So, aside from the question of checking out gear, make sure this deal is really a deal.

I mean you can get a brand new Nikon D3300 or Canon T6 with two lenses for about $500.

Also, just saw this.. do you think the T6 is better?
https://www.amazon.com/Canon-Digital-Camera-18-55mm-75-300mm/dp/B01CQJHJ2E/ref=lp_281052_1_4?s=photo&ie=UTF8&qid=1498695249&sr=1-4

Lot of good info in this thread but the main thing about hobby photography is that the lens is FAR more import than the camera itself. You just need to find something in your budget that is at least a DSLR that can shoot manually and has the right resolution you're looking for (the older/cheaper ones won't have a super hi-res image sensor or anything like that).

But the lens is what makes most of the difference. Telephoto lenses are pretty common for shooting exterior shots but can be more expensive. Whereas lenses with short focal lengths and wide angles can be used for close up or interior shots. Something like this would be my suggestion for someone starting out, since it has a lenses with a nice variety of focal lengths to choose from. Or like someone else in the thread suggested, look at your local camera and pawn shops for something used.

Also try to take some photography lessons or watch videos on youtube because just having a good camera won't automatically make your pictures turn out better. In fact, they'll likely be worse than your phone's photos if you don't know what you're doing.