Experience a truly rewarding animal conservation programme in the stunning, dynamic landscape of the South African bush! Be a part of researching the fastest land animals- beautiful Cheetahs, get up close with adorable Vervet Monkeys and log the behaviour of secretive, nocturnal Aardvarks! You will play an incredible part in researching and rehabilitating many different animals and will get to work hands on with highly satisfying activities on this magnificent 27,000 hectare reserve. You will leave this project with a deeper understanding of the bush, learn useful new skills in current wildlife management techniques and leave revitalised by the experience of living so closely with nature.
The project focuses strongly on learning and hands-on involvement in fieldwork, preceded by teaching that will allow volunteers to have a better understanding of the importance of the work being done and as part of the research team volunteers will be able to make valuable contributions to the research being conducted by conservation organisations and universities. Volunteers will become competent in many field techniques so that data collected can be used by these organisations. Volunteers will also have the opportunity to join tracker students for a day in the field, seeing how they follow animals and interpret their behaviour by the signs they leave behind.
Duration & Fees
- £965 - 2 weeks
- £1,375 - 4 weeks
- £2,595 - 8 weeks
- £3,795 - 12 weeks
Start Dates
2012: 13 Jan | 10 Feb | 23 Mar | 20 Apr | 1 Jun | 6 Jul | 3 Aug | 7 Sep | 19 Oct | 16 Nov |
Please note: For stays over 2 weeks some of the start dates above are not available. Please speak to one of the Amanzi Travel team to confirm availble dates.
Volunteers can join on different dates if requested however airport transfers will then be at your own expense.
Payment
£180 deposit at time of booking – balance payment of project fee due 12 weeks before departure
What's Included
- Transfers to and from Port Elizabeth Airport on arrival and departure
- A full orientation programme
- All accommodation including meals at the reserve
- Help and assistance from the local project staff
What's not included
- Flights
- Travel Insurance, which must include cover for repatriation
- All items of a personal nature
- Email, internet use and telephone calls
- Softs drinks, wines and spirits
- Visas if required
- Any excursions over and above the project itinerary
Volunteers are based on the beautiful Karoo Game Reserve where they will experience the African Bush in its true beauty whilst working with two inspiring and very knowldegeable Ecologists on valuable wildlife conservation initatives. The programme has been designed with a strong focus on learning and hands-on involvement in the field and volunteers get involved in wildlife research reserve management activities.
The main areas of work will be:
- Cheetah Predator-Prey Research
- Aardvark Project
- Tracking Academy
- Vervet Monkey Research
- Community Outreach
This magnificent private Game Reserve is located in the Great Karoo, an area of intense wilderness and dramatic mountainous landscape. Prior to European settlement 200 years ago, this area was a hive of animal migration. Farming practices have regulated these migrations in recent decades, so volunteers will proudly be part of a worthy scheme to rehabilitate the land and reintroduce game to bring the area back to it's former glory. As a volunteer you will be part of the vision and now reality off re-introducing the large diverstity of animals that used to roam these plains
Key Projects
Cheetah Predator-Prey Research
Cheetahs are the world’s fastest land animals! The cheetahs introduced at this Reserve were the first wild cheetahs in the area for 125 years. There are less than 900 cheetahs left the South African bush and so the Game Reserve has made cheetah conservation a priority and are currently investigating the prey preferences of the cheetah, which will then be used to determine how many cheetah the Reserve can sustainably support. This information can then be used to help other Reserves looking to introduce cheetah and help to ensure that this is done in an effective and sustainable way. This research requires tracking radio collared cheetahs from a vehicle and on foot by using telemetry sets. It also involves looking into the behavioural responses of prey (such as kudu and hartebeest) to the presence/absence of predators such as cheetah. Volunteers will spend afternoons observing the animals out of sight, to see how long they spend looking for predators instead of eating.
Aardvark Project
This relatively new behavioural physiology project was initiated in April 2011. Aardvark are secretive, nocturnal animals that play a very important role in arid eco-systems, although little is currently known about them. They dig countless burrows, which are a prominent feature of the landscape in the Karoo. The burrows provide important refuges for animals such as porcupines, bushpigs, warthogs, shelducks and springhares and also provide ideal microhabitats for seed germination. A small number of aardvark will be implanted with GPS activity and body temperature loggers. The information obtained from these internal loggers, combined with behavioural observations, will help rangers and researchers to understand more about aardvark behavioural adaptations to surviving the extreme environmental conditions of the Karoo.
Vervet Monkey Research
These small, adorable primates belong to a group of monkeys more commonly associated with the forests of tropical Africa yet, not only do they survive in the Karoo, they are thriving there! This has drawn scientists from all around the world to this Reserve, to investigate the adaptations these primates have made to survive in an environment to which they would not normally be suited. Volunteers will be given the opportunity to learn about this research and accompany the scientists in the field, getting up close and personal with these intriguing little monkeys.
Reserve Management
This forms a part of the daily activities of a volunteer as it is essential to the success of all the other projects. Volunteers will get to know their way around all 27, 000 hectares of the Reserve. Many different activities will be involved including:
- Animal movement and population demography research
- Land rehabilitation
- Invasive alien vegetation control
- Game captures and introductions
Tracking
The Game Reserve is home to the SACT Tracking Academy and volunteers will accompany the tracker students for a day in the bush. Learning about the bush from one of the most knowledgeable men in South Africa is simply a once in a lifetime opportunity! Seeing how they track animal movement and the incredible knowledge they have is quite inspiring and it is a really exciting day going out on the reserve with the Academy students.
Community Outreach
The volunteer programme has developed a good relationship with an organisation for children located in the nearby town. The project occasionally arranges environmental education and fun days at the Reserve, so volunteers may get the opportunity to work with the children. Volunteers also have the option of spending a few days at the Safe Haven, helping the surrogate mothers with the daily care of the children. Interacting with these disadvantaged children is a truly eye-opening and amazing experience.
Volunteers are accommodated in a dedicated volunteer housing. The rooms are comfortable and may be single or shared with one other volunteer, depending on numbers. The project can accommodate up to eight volunteers at a time. The project is happy to cater for couples of friends travelling together. Please let Amanzi Travel know, when booking, if you are travelling with a partner or friend so that we can make the arrangments for you. As well as a fully equipped communal kitchen there is a relaxing area with couches and TV, as well as Internet access. In true South African fashion, there is an outside braai (bbq) and fire pit overlooking the mountains, where volunteers spend many evenings relaxing and socialising after a day in the field. In the summer, volunteers are able to swim in the nearby dams and river pools, which is always a popular activity.
There is a fully equipped communal kitchen and all meals are prepred and cooked by volunteers and volunteer co-ordinators working in teams.
South Africa
Why visit South Africa?
Every country in the world displays some diversity, but South Africa, stretching from the hippos in the Limpopo River to the penguins waddling on the Cape, takes some beating. There’s the deserted Kalahari, Namakwa’s springtime symphony of wildflowers, iconic Table Mountain and Cape Point, Africa’s biggest game reserve - Kruger National Park - boasting the most mammal species of any game reserve, and the magnificent peaks and plunging valleys of the escarpment of Drakensberg.
Cape Town is widely described as one of the world's most beautiful cities. Some of its more famous landmarks include Table Mountain, Robben Island (where Nelson Mandela was imprisoned for decades), Cape Point, Chapman’s Peak, Kirstenbosch Gardens and the Victoria and Alfred Waterfront. A combination of historical coastal charm and urbane sophistication, Cape Town has some of the finest beaches and is also the gateway to the lush Cape Winelands, famous for world-renowned wines. From here, it is an easy journey to the Whale Route, where Southern Right whales can be seen (June - November) and humpback whales, Bryde's whales, Minke whales and bottlenose dolpins can be viewed year round.
The Garden Route is renowned for its beaches, indigenous forests, nature reserves, lakes, mountain ranges, adventure opportunities and hiking trails. Plettenberg Bay is a relaxed beach paradise with spectacular walks and hikes where one can watch dolphins and whales on eco-marine cruises. With some of the world's finest beaches, the Eastern Cape's untouched and pristine coastline also has a rich social, cultural and political history. Port Elizabeth is the gateway to the Eastern Cape, and the perfect complement to the Garden Route. Cape St Francis is situated on the Indian Ocean coastline, in and around Africa's largest man made web of canals and waterways, and is renowned for its long, sandy beaches, surfing, rock fishing and tranquil lifestyle.
Kruger National Park is the flagship of South Africa's game reserves, offering an unrivalled wildlife experience over two million-hectares. Private concessions operating within and alongside Kruger National Park feature luxurious, exclusive game lodges with many exciting safari activities. Some of these lodges are unfenced, allowing for the free movement of wildlife. Madikwe Game Reserve, in the North West province, is one of South Africa's largest private Big Five game reserves and features numerous lodges and camps. The Waterberg area in the northwest is also malaria-free and is aptly named for its strong streams that flow even in dry seasons, making for excellent game viewing. Both reserves are great for those seeking an accessible malaria-free wilderness experience.
Durban is a sub-tropical city and the gateway to KwaZulu-Natal. It offers a unique mix of Zulu, Indian and colonial cultures. Visit the Anglo-Zulu battlefields, take a fascinating glimpse into Zulu culture, hike in the beautiful Drakensberg Mountains, dive the reefs, marine and coastal reserves of Maputaland, as well as experience Big Five game reserves. The Hluhluwe-Umfolozi Game Reserve is renowned for saving the white rhino from the brink of extinction, and Phinda Private Game Reserve is well known for its award-winning lodges and conservation initiatives.
Johannesburg meaning "Place of Gold", is South Africa's economic powerhouse. This vibrant and cosmopolitan city is home to many attractions including the Apartheid Museum and Constitution Hill, and also offers shopping from world-class to atmospheric curio markets. Known as the "Jacaranda City", the state capital of Pretoria features beautiful blossoming trees, significant old buildings and fascinating museums, including the Transvaal Museum, home of Mrs Ples, the australopithecine fossil found at the Cradle of Humankind.
Highlights of South Africa
- Breathtaking scenery, quaint coastal villages, cosmopolitan cities, wine routes and exclusive bush lodges.
- Exciting Big Five safaris in unspoilt wilderness areas.
- Malaria-free game viewing and sunshine all year round.
- See Robben Island, where Nelson Mandela was held in prison for 27 years.
- Go up Table Mountain by cable car for stunning views of the Atlantic Ocean and beautiful Cape Town.
- Whale watching and great white shark cage diving.
- Beautiful, pristine beaches perfect for swimming and sunbathing.
- The Cradle of Humankind: Sterkfontein is one of the world's most productive and important palaeoanthropological sites.
Climate
For Johannesburg:
| Seasons | Max | Min |
| Summer (September - April) |
25 °C |
10 °C |
| Winter (May - August) |
19 °C |
4 °C |
| Rainfall: October to March, with November to January heaviest |
South Africa has typical seasons of weather for the southern hemisphere, with the coldest days in July-August. The Benguela Current, a cold motion that moves from the lower South Atlantic Ocean, causes moderate temperatures on the West Coast. On the central plateau, which includes Free State and Gauteng provinces, the altitude keeps the average temperatures below 30 °C.In winter, also due to altitude, temperatures drop to freezing point, and in some places, even lower. Heavy snows have fallen recently for the first time in decades in Johannesburg. During winter, it is warmest in the coastal regions, especially on the Eastern Indian Ocean coast and Garden Route, where it has year round mild weather with occasional rain. As winter is cooler and drier, it is more suitable for hiking and outdoor pursuits, and is also a good time for game viewing as vegetation is less dense and thirsty animals congregate around rivers and other permanent water sources.
In summer, South Africa experiences the hottest temperatures and this is generally when most rain falls, October – March. However, there is one exception - the Western Cape, which is a winter-rain area that enjoys a Mediterranean climate (average 26°C).
Christmas to mid-January, and Easter are the height of the peak season for visitors.
Autumn (April/May) and Spring (mid-Sept to November) are ideal almost everywhere.
Key Facts
Population – 50 million
Capital – Pretoria (executive), Bloemfontein (judicial), Cape Town (legislative)
Currency – Rand (ZAR)
Official Language(s) – Afrikaans, English (South African English), Southern Ndebele, Northern Sotho, Southern Sotho, Swazi, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa, Zulu
Time difference – GMT +2 hours
Telephone – country code 27, international access code 00
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Not knowing what to expect, I'd run through many scenarios in my head about what the Volunteer Programme would be like, but you guys have surpassed them all. The combination of personal attention and hands-on experience is a winner, and I'm sure all the volunteers who attend this programme will be personally enriched, and will gain an enormous amount of knowledge about the environment (and respect for the land) … I was amazed by the resources that were made available to us. We gained knowledge and insight from a number of highly educated and trained experts which made every moment of the programme worthwhile. Putting into practice what we'd learned just reinforced the learning and made it more evident how valuable that knowledge really is. Absolutely brilliant all round. I will recommend this programme to everyone who has an interest in or passion for the environment. Being "the old lady" was never an issue and I was welcomed so warmly and made to feel part of the team from the start. Thank you so much for everything
Andy, UK, aged 40 (Karoo Cheetah and Wildlife Research Volunteer)
I had so much fun and learnt a lot! Thank you for making me feel at home and feeling so comfortable. I think its so great that you guys do this and I hope to come back again!
Megan, USA, aged 21 (Karoo Cheetah and Wildlife Research Volunteer)
I have learnt so much and have done things I never thought I could or would do. I would recommend this programme to anyone
Best experience of my life. Has confirmed to me that I want to work in conservation/research. I am sad to leave and wish to return
Kay and Chris, Scotland, aged 18 (Karoo Cheetah and Wildlife Research Volunteer)