Volunteers have the opportunity to work with experienced rangers and conservationists on the stunning Big 5 Makalali Game Reserve. Experience and learn all about the African Bush and its wildlife whist tracking and monitoring the animals - sometimes on foot! Also an exciting opportunity to get back to nature and spend a week out in the wilds at the dedicated Bush camp!
Duration & Fees
- £895 - 2 weeks
- £1,255 - 3 weeks
- £1,595 - 4 weeks
Start Dates
Volunteers can join on any Monday throughout the year.
Payment
£180 deposit at time of booking – balance payment of project fee due 12 weeks before departure
What's Included
- Finance that goes directly into the project
- Transfers on arrival and departure from Hoedspruit
- A full orientation programme
- All accommodation including three meals a day
- Help and assistance from the local project staff
What's not included
- Flights
- Travel insurance to include cover for repatriation
- All items of a personal nature, gifts, clothing etc
- Email, internet use and telephone calls
- Softs drinks, wines and spirits
- Any excursions over and above the project itinerary
As a volunteer you will be actively involved with all research, monitoring and wildlife habitat work on the Makalali Game Reserve, which is home to to over one thousand wild animals including Africa's "Big Five". Makalali Game Reserve, with its stunning and diverse landscape is located close to the mighty Drakensberg mountain range and is a stone's through from the Kruger National Park to the West.
Volunteers work with expert guidees, and conservations to observe and monitor the wildlife on the Reserve, this may be from a safari vehicle or with qualified rangers tracking the animals on foot - an incredible experience! Activities will include recording the behaviour of the Big 5 animals (Elephant, Rhino, Lion Leopard and Buffalo) and other mammals such as: African Civets, Black Backed Jackals, Large spotted Genets, Porcupines and Aardvarks. Each day is filled with new and exciting opportunities and volunteers learn so much about the African bush, its wildlife and the latest research technieques as the staff enthusiastically tell you all about what you are doing, seeing and experiencing. During your stay you will participate in elephant and lion behavioural monitoring and other predator monitoring.
An unique opportunity on this project (for those who want to) is to spend half of you time or perhaps a week as a volunteer at the Bush Camp where volunteers have a chance to really get back to nature and stay in the heart of the African Bush in Safari Style Tents (image on accommodation tab). During this time - where anything can happen from elephants walking through the camp to the cold winter nights snuggled up in your sleeping bag, listening to the lion roar outside, volunteers will learn so much about the African Bush Enviroment and its wildlife from first hand experience with expert staff. Volunteers who really want to get a very "wild" experience can just join the Bush Camp for the duration of their stay or alternativley split your time between the two camps.
Whilst on this project, volunteers may be involved in the following activities:
- Tracking Wildlife from Open 4x4 vehicles using radio telemetryl
- Learing traditional spoor tracking techniques (following fresh prints to track the animals).
- Create Wildlife Identifying Kits
- Studying and monitoring animal behaviour, including the Elephant Contraception Programme and the Predator Research Project
- Conduct Large Scale Game Counts
- Bush Walks through the reserve - approaching Wildlife on foot and learning the skills essential for surviving in the bush!
- Monitor Nocturnal Animals on Exciting Night Game Drives
- A few formal teaching sessions on Animal Behaviour and the Research Techniques used.
- Participate in habitat rehabilitation such bush clearing, alien plant removal and road management
- Bush Sleep Outs in the Wilderness learning about the stars in the ski where any light pollution to obscure them
- Any veterinary care and animals translocation activities taking place on the reserve if needed
- Find out about the unique Flora and Forna including Africa's trees with the local beliefs on medical uses
- Bird identification
- Watch the Beautiful Sunsets from vantage points on the reserve overlooking the Drakensburg Mountains with sundowners!
The research the volunteers help with is vital for accurate management of the animals within the reserve and is also made available to students & researchers, as well as assisting with a number of National Conservation Projects such as Ground Hornbill Research and the Endangered Wildlife Trust (EWT) to name a few.
Elephant Contraception Project at Makalali
Makalali is one of the first reserves to take part in an Elephant Contraception Program to regulate the elephant population. This requires volunteers to help to collect data to monitor daily/seasonal ranging patterns, movement and long term behavioural monitoring. It is so important to regulate the elephant population, due to the reserve’s size. Elephant populations are a growing problem for many Game Reserves in Africa as when numbers are not controlled, elephants damage large areas of the environment, destroying large trees and changing vegetation dynamics which will have an affect (potentially negative) on biodiversity of the reserve.
The great thing about this project is it is a much better alternative to some of the other methods other reserves and parks in Africa have used to control populartions, like culling and translocation. The success of this method at the reserve and the monitoriing and research work carried out by the volunteers is so important in showing this to be a viable and more humane method of elephant population control.
Based on the success of the Kruger trials the immuno-contraception method has been implemented on the reserves’ Elephant population. This contraception method involves the administering of a vaccine that will stop fertilisation taking place. The drug is administered using a dart and initially requires a 3 dart process every 2 weeks and then a booster once a year. The process is reversible and after 18 months of not receiving the vaccine, a cow is able to conceive again.
Community work at the Local Oprhanage
The project also supports a local orphanage and crèche, which is usually visited every 2-3 weeks, so volunteers may have the chance if they choose to, to visit these local children if your volunteer placement coincides with a planned visit. The children always love to see the volunteers who spend time giving them much needed love and attention and playing games with them.
There are two camps - The Research Camp with an emphasis on wildlife and conservation research and the Bush Tracking-Camp which gives you a practical experience and knowledge about the bush, offering you a unique experience.
The Research Camp is based on the game reserve and is a comfortable volunteer base with electricity and shared twin rooms with beds and bedding provided and shared bathrooms with hotwater. The main building has a lounge area and a separate kitchen. It also has a book and movie library where volunteers can spend their free time reading field guides & other books or watching documentaries in the evening. Couples can be roomed together on request otherwise the set up is single sex rooms.
There is a really nice outside camp fire area where volunteers can sit around, eat dinner and socialise in the evenings listening to the sounds of the wildlife at night. The Camp has no fence around it so you will see free-roaming animals and birdlife in and around the camp during the day and you will may see elephant herds coming to drink at the water hole. There is also a small pool for volunteers to cool off after a day in the bush.
The Bush Camp is a rustic and comfortable camping experience (duvets & pillows with linen are provided). There is also a sleep out deck for those hot evenings where volunteers want to sleep out under the stars. The aim of the camp is to provide an comfortable bush camping base from which volunteers can experience and learn about the environment on walks and drives. There is nothing like sleeping in a tent ad hearing the animals moving outside and the night sounds.
At the bush camp there is no electricity (but volunteers can charge batteries at research camp) and hot water is boiled by volunteers to fill the showers - all part of the bush experience!
Volunteers participate in meal preperation for breakfast, lunch and dinner. There is cereal, toast, yoghurt, fruit and the typical South African biscuit and tea and coffee for breakfast. For lunch, volunteers tend to have sandwiches or salads or a tasty fry up and the evening meal is cooked by all the volunteers together or volunteers have a braai (bbq). The fridge is always filled up with fresh vegetables, cheese and a variety of meat.
Cordial fruit drink, tea and coffee are provided. However, soft drinks, alcoholic beverages (beers & ciders) and snacks such as chocolate are not available in camp but volunteers can buy these items on the weekly town trips.
Fresh, drinkable water is available from the taps and is safe to drink – the camp has its own borehole. However, bottled water is also available for purchase from Hoedspruit when we do weekly town trips if volunteers prefer.
Please let us Amanzi Travel know if you have any specific dietary requirements so that we can accommodate these.
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
There are currently no reviews available, however if you contact us on info@amanzitravel.co.uk we will be happy to put you in touch with past participants.