Visit South Africa – a "Rainbow Nation" that combines modern culture with an ancient landscape that is simply breathtaking. South Africa has evolved over thousands of years to become the biologically and culturally diverse nation that it is today, and attracts thousands of visitors a year to its wide, sandy beaches and cosmopolitan cities, and of course the dramatic natural monument that is Table Mountain.
Rolling hills, flat grasslands, magnificent African bush and historical frontier architecture await you at this exclusive game reserve and wildlife sanctuary. The pristine bushveld and crystal clear blue skies combine to provide a magnificent setting to explore the magnificent Big Five wildlife and the intriguing history of this African paradise.
PROJECT HIGHLIGHTS
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Help to conserve South Africa's rare & beautiful wildlife
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Discover the Rainbow Nation
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Make lifelong friends and return with incredible memories
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Location |
South Africa |
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Activities |
Rehabilitation work
Fence patrols
Game capture (in season)
Eradication of invasive plant species
Assist with tourist safaris |
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Transport |
Airport pick-up |
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Accommodation |
Shared volunteer house |
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Before you go |
Pre-departure support
Travel & medical advice & documentation
Equipment advice
Discounted medical kit
Free Frontier t-shirt |
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In-country |
Food (5 days/week)
Accommodation
Airport pick-up
In-country transfers
Local orientation and training
In-country emergency support
24-hour international HQ back-up |
What Next? Apply Now!
WHAT WILL I BE DOING?
You will be working within the game reserve five days a week from Monday – Friday. The game reserve is home to all of Africa's Big Five animals (the lion, the African Elephant, the Cape Buffalo, the leopard and the rhinoceros) as well as many others. Your main duties will revolve around the maintenance of the reserve and you may even get to help out with the reserve's animal rehabilitation work. The reserve's successful breeding and animal rearing programme often produces new born cubs from time to time!
Other work may include checking up on the lions or feeding and cleaning the elephants in the on-site elephant sanctuary. The reserve also runs luxury safaris and in the past some of the more experienced volunteers have been asked to help the professional game rangers run the upmarket tourist safaris. Who knows – you could be the next lucky one! Volunteers joining in the month of February may be involved in assisting in the annual game capture.
Your work will be hugely varied and may include such tasks as vegetation rehabilitation and the eradication of invasive plant species – invaluable for sustaining the endemic local flora and fauna. Fence patrolling is essential and needs to be carried out to check for wear and tear and to ensure the safety of the native wildlife. Please note that all activites will be dependent upon the time of year and the current needs of the reserve.
Within the reserve you can visit an historic English frontier town, noted for its contribution to the development of agriculture in South Africa. Here you will find a post office and a modern convenience store.
Excursions to Port Elizabeth, South Africa's second oldest city, are arranged every other weekend. Here you can enjoy sunbathing, surfing and swimming at the beautiful blue flag beaches such as George's and Humewood beach. In the evenings you can explore the exciting bars, clubs and restaurants of this vibrant city.
What Next? Apply Now!
WHAT HAPPENS WHEN I ARRIVE?
You will fly into Port Elizabeth airport which is a short (one hour) flight from Cape Town international airport and can cost as little as US$64-US$80 if booked locally. Upon arrival you will be given a warm welcome by one of the project staff and, depending on the time of arrival you will be taken to a lovely local lodge where you will wait for the other volunteers to arrive before the scheduled transfer to the project site at 5pm. You can use the time at the lodge to freshen up and recover from your flight, acclimatise and get ideas about what you might like to see during your project weekend excursions or after your project. You will arrive at the project location, 85 km from Port Elizabeth, in time for dinner and to relax after your journey. If the arrival time or volunteer numbers are preventative to the introductory tour, you will travel directly to the project site.
WHERE WILL I BE STAYING?
The project location is within an exclusive game reserve of 6,000 hectares. You will be living in one of two comfortable and newly built single sex dormitories. The game reserve offers a fantastic range of leisure and recreational facilities including a TV, tennis court, barbecue, kitchen area, internet access and pool tables, so masses to do during your time off. There is mobile phone coverage in the area and you will be able to purchase a pay-as-you-go SIM for a small price in the shops, which you can then top up and use as much as you like. The reserve is also malaria free.
WHAT WILL I BE EATING?
You will enjoy three meals a day during the week, which will be a delicious combination of African and Asian food cooked by the skilled local catering staff. You may also enjoy authentic South African braais in the evening whilst discussing the day's fun events with friends whilst listening to the night sounds made by the countless birds and animals nearby. At the weekend you are taken to Port Elizabeth where you will have to source your own food.
What Next? Apply Now!
Fantastic friendly staff!
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3 Apr 2013
It was an amazing experience! I got involved in a lot of activities such as conservation, anti-po...
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A worthwhile, fantastic experience.
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6 Aug 2012
The project was a great opportunity to take part in all aspects of conservation. The work wa...
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Many thanks for making my boyhood dream come true
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2 May 2012
Have just returned from South Africa, and what a trip it was!
The experiences I’ve...
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Loving the lions
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4 Oct 2011
The South Africa Widlife Conservation project is definately for those that love and care for anim...
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1 to 4
A leopard can't change its spots, but it can change colour!
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17 Apr 2012
This week conservationists announced the discovery of a male leopard with a strawberry-coloured coat, spotted in South Africa’s Madikwe Game Reserve.
ADDITIONAL OPPORTUNITIES
In addition to the work and excursions outlined above, there’s a load more to do on your free weekends or after your trip. About an hour's drive southwest of Port Elizabeth is the surf village of J-Bay, one of the hottest surf spots on the planet and definitely not to be missed. If culture is more your thing, then perhaps you might like to visit Grahamstown, Africa's festival capital, where the national Arts Festival takes place with over 50,000 visitors flocking to the city for a feast of arts, crafts and sheer entertainment with more than 500 shows from opera, cabaret, drama and jazz to stand-up comics and folk music. There are numerous hiking trails which you could join along the Garden Route or perhaps you might like to visit Table Mountain, Cape Town or experience a thrilling safari to the famous Kruger National Park.
