Eastern Cape
Participate in a meaningful adventure where you are directly involved in land restoration projects and wildlife conservation. Learn about conservation priorities, make a direct contribution and explore and discover the wide, open spaces of this wilderness area.
A UNIQUE STORY
Meet Thandi, a female rhino that miraculously survived a gruesome poaching attack in 2012. Hundreds of African rhinos are killed every year in pursuit of their horns, which are prized by international syndicates. However, Thandi is a success story and her name means “Courage” in the local language isiXhosa. You will learn more about Thandi on this adventure, you will meet the anti-poaching team and learn about their work and you will get a chance to track Thandi, who has recently become a grandmother! This is conservation in action, being exposed to the realities on the ground, the everyday challenges and the need for creative solutions.
ACTIVITIES:
This is your opportunity to immerse yourself in an African adventure where you are directly involved in a range of activities that include hands-on volunteering as well as nature exploration. Get your hands dirty and have some fun!
CONSERVATION PROJECTS
This is your opportunity to learn what conservation means on the ground. Participate in conservation projects that are key to protecting and maintaining Africa’s biodiversity. Whether this relates to alien plant removal, habitat restoration or wildlife management, this volunteer work is about getting your hands dirty while giving back to conservation objectives.
DISCOVER
Immersing yourself in a wilderness area provides a unique opportunity to connect with nature and disconnect to everyday life. With endless opportunities to explore, you will discover the intricacies of your natural environment while canoeing and swimming in the river, hiking in the bush, sleeping under the stars or exploring the nearby coast. This is an adventure that allows you to learn about the world around you in one of Africa’s wild places!
RESEARCH
Learn about the importance of research in conservation management, the value of collecting data and how it is used to further conservation objectives. Participate in telemetry activities to monitor wildlife and directly contribute to active research projects focussing on particular species and their management. This is hands-on science at its best!
WILDLIFE
This is a unique opportunity to be exposed to a wide diversity of species from big-5 African wildlife to the waterbirds of the river ecosystem to the inhabitants of the coastal zone. Game drives, river paddles and coastal exploration are all part of your adventure – allowing you to listen, observe and be mesmerised by the beauty of Africa’s wildlife – big and small.
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
You will have the privilege of engaging with local communities, understanding the relationship between communities and conservation and directly contributing to community projects. Whether through a cultural exchange, participating in a local sporting match, tutoring or helping with community kitchens, this is your opportunity to give back while obtaining a deeper understanding of local challenges.
SLEEPOUTS
For school groups, a highlight of every adventure is the opportunity to camp under the stars and fall asleep with the nocturnal sounds of Africa around you. Feel the comraderie of your peers as you share stories around the fire and wake up to the sun rising on a new day.
OBJECTIVES & IMPACT
This programme has been made possible through our partnership with the Kariega Foundation, and working closely with the Kariega Game Reserve. The game reserve is a 10,000 hectare protected wilderness area that was rehabilitated from fifteen farms, beginning in the 1990s, and is now an important sanctuary for the wildlife and biodiversity of the region. The Kariega Foundation works closely with impoverished communities living adjacent to the reserve, promoting social enterprise, education and youth development. Thus, this programme not only contributes to the conservation objectives of the wilderness area, but it also provides direct economic benefits to the local communities.
Together, we aim to provide you with a meaningful nature-based adventure that gives back in a myriad of ways, and highlights the inextricable link between community and conservation.
Photos courtesy of Kariega