Fancy to get up-close to Africa’s Big Five Species?
This is your opportunity to get involved in game reserve management working alongside top conservationists and wildlife, including Africa's Big Five species and an exceptional learning experience, which most people only dream of. Volunteers will get involved in every aspect of hands-on conservation management on the reserve. You will learn many conservation skills and have the experience of a lifetime. To top it all off, we have a brilliant community outreach programme. Our volunteers assist at a local rural farm school by providing food prepared by our chefs. Come and make a real difference and have fun doing so!
Trip
Highlights
- Get to work and experience life within an award winning Game Reserve.
- Experience South African adventure in one of its most beautiful cities
- Make new exciting friends with people from different backgrounds
- Soak up the atmosphere of South Africa’s historical regions
Fast
Facts
| Project duration: | Min 1 weeks - 6 months : STARTS 1ST AND LAST WEDNESDAY OF EACH MONTH-EMAIL US FOR THE BEST DATE TO COME. |
| Project costs: | $2295 for 2 weeks Each additonal week costs $390 Program Fee – Airport pick up Mondays and Tuesdays, Welcome orientation to Cape Town and a free surf lesson (please request this at Orientation if you wish to have one), program supervision, accommodation and self catering kitchen during volunteer placement period, and In-country administration costs, housing, electricity, water, food for the surf school and Soccer Project. |
| Location of the project: | Sidbury Plains, near Port Elizabeth |
| Arrival Airport: | Port Elizabeth (Code PLZ) |
| Activities: | Assist the Game Reserve with land management, Animal management and assist with guest hosting. |
| Working hours: | Monday-Friday, 9am-17:30pm approximately. Weekends are free |
| Getting to the project: | Volunteers stay within the Game Reserve |
| Requirements: | Minimum age 18, a short motivational letter and police check |
What’s
included?
| Accommodation: | Your home while you are with us is situated in the historical village of Sidbury which is within the Game Reserve itself. |
| Food: | Volunteers will get three meals a day from Monday to Friday |
| Airport Pick-up: | Included if arriving on the booked date. Ask us for details if arriving late |
| Weekly Excursions: | Trips to surrounding areas to enjoy activities such as hiking, whale watching, bungee jumping, water sport activities at own cost. |
What’s
not included?
Flights, Insurance, Visas, Local Transport.
Project
Overview
This project is for volunteers with a passion for animal conservation while getting up close with Africa’s Big Five species. This project will take place in the Eastern Cape, South Africa in one of South Africa’s most recognised Game Reserves. The Volunteer Project is designed to offer volunteers the opportunity to be involved in all conservation related projects on the reserve. During your stay, you may see yourselves as "assistant conservation managers" as all of the work done by you will improve the quality of the reserve and the data collected by you will be utilized by Game Reserve management in making important conservation decisions for the reserve. As a volunteer you therefore derive a good deal of satisfaction from your work, as your efforts directly contributes to improving the reserve.
The reserve is home to the village of Sidbury, built by the British Settlers to support the sheep farming community. Here you will find St Peter's church built in 1838, one of the oldest Anglican churches in South Africa. The village has many tales to tell of the British Settlers whose cries rang out in the 1820's on the plains as they battled Bushmen, Hottentots and the Xhosa tribes to establish a new life in Africa. Weary travellers and locals shared stories of blood curdling encounters with lions, leopards and elephants as they rested at Pollards INN the popular stopover on the Wagon route that ran north from Algoa Bay now Port Elizabeth. Today in this still quaint village of Sidbury you will find the local cricket team enjoying a gentleman's game on one of the oldest cricket grounds in South Africa
Location
This Game Reserve is located at a place where a mystical blend of nature and history waits to awaken your body, mind, and soul... Set in the splendour of the malaria free Eastern Cape, within the heart of Frontier Country. This untouched wilderness boasts a past as rich as its abundant wildlife population.
Accommodation
and Food
Your home while you are with us is situated in the historical village of Sidbury which is within the Game Reserve itself. You will have someone available for cleaning and we kindly ask that you assist by keeping the house in a clean and tidy state. Please note that random checks can be made. There are areas for valuables to be kept and we advise that you take care when placing these items as the Game Reserve does not accept any responsibility for damages or items which go missing.
Breakfast items will be supplied to you by the Game Reserve. Lunch and dinner will be provided to you at your Game Reserve Kubs Quarters
If you will be out in the bush for lunch, requests can be made for packed lunches depending on your location. These must be made beforehand.
Project
Life
This program is solely for those volunteers interested in having a truly African experience. Volunteers have various duties such as conservation, eradication of alien plants, caring for orphaned animals such as lion cubs, assisting in elephant training, assisting in game captures, feeding of predators, game counts, interacting with guests, accompanying the rangers on game drives and much, much more. The volunteer duties will include the following:
Assisting with Land Management Program which includes:
· Assisting with the eradication of alien vegetation
· Rehabilitation of eroded and other areas
· Raising of trees for re-establishment on the Reserve
· Re-establishment of vegetation and vegetation management
Assisting with Animal Management Program which includes:
· Fence patrols and fence repairs and maintenance
· Feeding and care of Predators
· Feeding and care of Elephants
· Animal management including game counts
Assisting with Guest hosting:
Including assisting at Day Centre on occasion with setup and other tasks. And other duties that you may be required to perform from time to time at the discretion of the MD of the Volunteer Program or someone empowered by him to make such decisions
Excursions (Optional)
Excursions will consist of trips to surrounding areas and students can enjoy activities such as hiking, whale watching, bungee jumping, water sport activities at their own cost.
Volunteers will be advised to bring warm and cool bush clothing, binoculars, hats, sun screen lotion, extra money for additional activities and meals etc. and an outgoing attitude towards life.
Various excursions are on offer while you are with us. The main ones would be to the city of Port Elizabeth, where there is a variety of entertainment and options to choose from.
Other excursions would vary from the lovely seaside resort of Jeffrey's Bay to Knysna, Grahamstown etc depending on the time of year and activities taking place in the area. These excursions are organized by the volunteer coordinator.
Dress Code
You will be provided with the following items of clothing which are to be worn on the reserve:
· 1 x Game Reserve T-Shirt
· 1 x Game Reserve Peak Cap
Or as decided by the MD of the Volunteer Program dependant on the duration of your stay as well as the time of year.
Safety First!
A complete first aid box is available at the reserve and can be accessed by the volunteer programme coordinators. We do have trained staff on site to see to minor injuries and bruises.
For more serious problems, you will be taken to the closest doctor or medical centre. The cost of all doctors' visit and medication will be for your own account.
Eligibility
and Skills Required
No specific skills or qualifications are necessary, as volunteers will receive full training but a short motivational letter, reasonable fitness are required, a love and respect for animals. Minimum age is 17 years.
Flights,
Transportations and Visas
Flights are not included in the costs; volunteers will have to pay for their own air fares. Pick-up and drop-off at the airport will be provided.
Dates
and Duration
The project runs through out the year and volunteers are expected to stay for a minimum of 2 weeks and a maximum of 6 weeks.