This Wildlife Photography and Conservation Education project allows particpants to gain an intimate knowledge and feel for the wildlife of this spectacular area through photography. A comprehensive orientation will be followed by an intensive three-day photography course run by an experienced professsional photographer, after which a further three weeks will be spent photographing Africa's Big 5 (lion, elephant, rhino, buffalo and leopard). Volunteers will also undertake some conservation activities and spend some time in the UNESCO World Heritage site of iSimangaliso where there will be opportunities for superb landscape photography.
Duration & Fees
Start Dates
2012: 8 Jan | 5 Feb | 4 Mar | 1 Apr | 29 Apr | 27 May | 24 Jun | 22 July | 19 Aug | 16 Sep | 14 Oct | 11 Nov | 9 Dec
Payment
£180 deposit at time of booking – balance payment of project fee due 12 weeks before departure
What's Included
- A contribution to the Thanda Foundation which funds the community development projects and conservation research initiatives
- Funding for educational materials for schools and tools for conservation work
- Transfer from Durban Airport to the Thanda Game Reserve and daily project transfers
- 3 day photography course taught by an experienced wildlife photographer and an induction to the project
- Orientation programme including photography course
- All accommodation including 3 meals a day at the volunteer house (excluding Sundays)
- Assistance at your projects by Staff and volunteer coordinators
What's not included
- Travel insurance (to include cover for repatriation)
- All transport by air or bus to Durban
- Personal items eg clothes, travel goods
- Email, internet and telephone calls
- Soft drinks, wines and spirits
- Visas for border crossings if required
- Any excursions undertaken other than in the planned programme
- Airport pick ups and transfers outside of allocated times
- Transport costs into town at the weekend
- A small addition cost for laundry
Volunteers will have the opportunity to:
- Improve your photography skills through a course taught by an experienced wildlife professional photographer
- Stay in the heart of a Big 5 Game Reserve
- Take pictures of the extensive wildlife during regular game drives
- Learn to photograph smaller species of flora and fauna on bush walks
- Help to create a photographic database to aid awareness and for educational purposes
- Get involved in local conservation projects with the Park, e.g. snare
- Supporting the Thanda Foundation
- Make friends for life
The project is based in the Thanda Private Game Reserve, a reserve of 14,000 hectares and home to the Big 5, the extremely rare African wild dog and the cheetah. It is set on the fringe of the iSimangaliso Wetland Park (formerly known as the Greater St Lucia Wetland Park) which was declared South Africa's first Natural World Heritage Site by UNESCO and is often referred to as Africa's premier bush-and-beach destination. It is an ecologically diverse area of almost half a million acres where five different eco-systems join and where savannahs, wetlands, swamps and beaches will be found, as well as a wide variety of wildlife. The area is home to a Zulu tribe - who have a very lively and colourful culture and it is in this background that volunteers have the opportunity to improve their photography skills and to help raise awareness within the local community about the importance of conservation.
This is a four week project commencing on a Tuesday. Volunteers must arrange to arrive in Durban on the Sunday before the project commences. Project and arrival dates for 2012 are as follows:
| Arrival - Sunday |
Depart - Sunday |
| 8 January 2012 |
5 February 2012 |
| 5 February 2012 |
4 March 2012 |
| 4 March 2012 |
1 April 2012 |
| 1 April 2012 |
29 April 2012 |
| 29 April 2012 |
27 May 2012 |
| 27 May 2012 |
24 June 2012 |
| 24 June 2012 |
22 July 2012 |
| 22 July 2012 |
19 August 2012 |
| 19 August 2012 |
16 September 2012 |
| 16 September 2012 |
14 October 2012 |
| 14 Ocotber 2012 |
11 November 2012 |
| 11 November 2012 |
9 December 2012 |
Photography Project
An enthusiasm for photography is essential for this project and although photographic experience and knowledge is helpful, it is not necessary. The project caters for all levels of ability - from complete beginners to professionals. Volunteers will be taught how to edit their photos using Photoshop and as a good deal of time will be spent editing the images, a basic level of computer literacy is required in order to participate. A basic level of fitness is required as bush walks may require volunteers to be walking for up to three hours often over hilly and uneven ground. The minimum age for this project is 18 years.
Volunteers are asked to bring their own photographic equipment including a digital SLR camera with 18-55 mm lens, battery charger and 2 GB memory card as well as a tripod and digital storage devices in the form of at least a 4 GB flash drive or external drive and your own laptop if you have one.
Photograph of the Month/Year
Every month a jury will select the best picture, which will be framed and put on the picture wall at the volunteer house. At the end of the year the same jury will select a "picture of the year" with a prize being awarded to the winning photographer.
Photographic Database
It is aimed to create a complete photographic database to be used for educational purposes and to preserve the key heritage site in South Africa. Volunteers will contribute by taking photographs of the different species of flora and fauna and some of the 526 species of bird that exist in this area. A range of bush walks and game drives will provide photo opportunities. In order to preserve nature and wildlife, it is essential to get local communities involved. and every opportunity will be taken to use the photographs taken by volunteeers to help educate the local schools about the precious environment that surrounds them.
Conservation Education and Activities
In partnership with the Thanda Foundation volunteers may assist in a variety of exciting conservation activities in the surrounding areas.
Conservation in Action - includes activities such as regeneration of the local village back to its natural state, planting of indigenous trees, clearing alien plant invasion, snare sweeps and when possible, helping on game counts.
Conservation Field Trips - volunteers may take local school children into the bush on field trips. By experiencing the wildlife for themselves the children will hopefully learn to appreciate the area in which they live and understand better why these efforts are being made. It is also a fun and relaxing day out - something they don't experience very often.
Conservation Education in the Community - volunteers may visit local schools and take classes or workshops to explain to the children why and how their homeland should be conserved.
Conservation Research
Volunteers may get involved in helping to collect animal identification information to assist with research projects. This project offers a unique opportunity to observe some beautiful animals on a daily basis and as well as improving photography skills, to contribute to local conservation efforts.
A Typical Day
| 5.30am |
Get up and get ready for the morning drive |
| 6am |
Head off to the photography area for the day either on a game drive or a bush walk to take photographs of wildlife, landcapes or the people of the area |
| 9.30am |
Return for breakfast and time to edit photographs |
| 12.30am |
Lunch break |
2pm
|
Start of the afternoon projects - perhaps further work on adding new pictures to the database, or perhaps working on a conservation activity or education in the local community |
4.30pm
|
End of the working day when volunteers will be picked up from their projects and taken home, where they will talk over the events of the day with their fellow volunteers and project co-ordinators and discuss the plans for the next day |
| 6.30pm |
Dinner at the volunteer house. After dinner, volunteers may present their top five images to other volunteers |
** Morning times and end of day times will vary depending on the area being visited and the best conditions for photography. For example, a day game drive will start much earlier - perhaps at 5.00 am.
This is a typical day but itineraries may differ depending upon the experience and number of volunteers on the project at the same time. This is just an example.
The number of volunteers at each project will be approximately 14 people.
Volunteers will be accommodated in comfortable twin cabins set in the Game Reserve overlooking a water hole commonly visited by animals in the Park and the cabins have an en-suit bathroom with a shower. There is a large communal thatched building with areas to dine and relax and watch the animals or take a dip in the swimming pool. The accommodation is staffed with cooks and cleaners and all bed linen is provided. Evenings are spent sitting around a fire under the beautiful African sky or chatting on the viewing deck while watching the animals visit as night falls.
Three meals a day are provided. Breakfast is self service and consists of cereals, toast, tea and coffee. Lunch and dinner are full meals and will be prepared by one of the chefs at the reserve. If leaving early for the photography project, a packed breakfast/lunch will be provided.
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
30 strangers from all over the world (placed in what can only be described as something like the big brother house), meshed immediately and we all had an incredible time helping out on various local projects. My skills as a photographer have increased enormously and I leave South Africa with huge respect for those involved in the Conservation and preservance of its natural beauty. I very much look forward to returning as soon as possible.
William, UK, aged 47 (Photography and Conservation Education)