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Departs from: Cape Town
Province: Western Cape
Days: 14 days, 13 nights
Persons: On request
Departs: 11 Mar 09 - 24 Mar 09, 08 Apr 09 - 21 Apr 09, 06 May 09 - 19 May 09, 23 Sep 09 - 06 Oct 09, 21 Oct 09 - 03 Nov 09, 18 Nov 09 - 01 Dec 09, 16 Dec 09 - 29 Dec 10
Price: R 10.950 p.p.
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Highlights: Cape Town, Oudtshoorn, Cango Caves, Knysna, Rastafarian Community, Tsitsikamma, Hogsback, Lusikisiki Community, Drakensberg, Durban.
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Itinerary: DAY 1 CAPE TOWN TO OUDTSHOORN
We meet at the Nomad office in Cape Town for a short briefing over coffee. Your guide will be assessing everyone's skills for the volunteer projects ahead as well as answering any questions you have. On your way to Oudtshoorn you will stop at a wine farm to taste some of South Africa's excellent wine while getting to know one another. In the afternoon we will be travelling to Oudtshoorn along the longest wine route in the world on Route 62, before you get to the first camp, where you learn about the vehicle and how to put up the tents.
Meals: Lunch, Dinner
DAY 2 CANGO CAVES AND KNYSNA
After an early breakfast you will be visiting the world-famous Cango Caves for a guided tour of this magnificent natural wonder. In the afternoon you will be travelling to the coast of the Garden Route and Knysna, the site of your first volunteer project.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
DAY 3/4 KNYSNA AND THE JUDAH SQUARE RASTAFARIAN COMMUNITY
For the next 2 day ou will be assisting the local Rastafarian community in Knysna. Based on your skills assessment you can volunteer with one of the following tasks: Assisting in the creche's or orphanage, youth training, maintenance of the Health Garden Community Centre or the upkeek of the Khayaletu River Trail.
As you have 2 full days here, you will get to experience more than one aspect of this vibrant community upliftment project. On day 4 you depart late in the afternoon to the Tsitsikamma Forest.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
- Judah Square Rastafarian Community -
NB: It is extremely important to note that as you are volunteering at a Rastafarian Community you need to be aware that all alcohol is strictly forbidden and that the tabernacle needs to be respected as holy ground.
On the morning of day 3 and the whole of day 4 you will enter the surrounding community in order to become involved in a variety of activities. Those of you who go to the creche will assist in the teaching in caring for the children. Those that go to the orphanage will change nappies, bath babies, make lunches and help with the rest of the duties involved in bringing up children. Cliens helping out on the river trail will help maintain the paths and bridges, remove alien vegetation and clean out litter. Those at the health garden will help with the weeding, watering planting and harvesting or help in the workings of the community centre. Clients with teachable skills, such as mechanics, cooks, seamstresses and the like will be able to assist in training the townships youth at the Sinethemba youth centre. In the evenings, members of Judah squares bands often practise in the music room which interested parties can attend.
DAY 5 TSITSIKAMMA FOREST
Tsitsikamma is one of South Africa's most famous natural heritage areas and there are many different ways in which to enjoy this scenic destination. For the brave, there is the worlds hightest bungee at 216m, but for the rest of us there are some wonerful hiking trails and also the opportunity to rent Mountain Bikes or ride a horse through the forests here. Many people choose to walk the first few kilometres of South Africa's famous Otter Trail.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Optional Activities: Bungy jumping (highest in the world), treetop canopy tours, hiking, mountain biking.
DAY 6 HOGSBACK
From Tsitsikamma to Hogsback is a fairly long drive, but extremely scenic. You will arrive in the late afternoon in time for a hike (weather dependent) in the mountains.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
DAY 7/8/9 LUSIKISIKI COMMUNITY PROJECT
The Eastern Cape is one of the least developed provinces in South Africa, and Lusikisiki is one of the least developed areas in this province. The project in this community will change rom trip to trip as you assist with building and providing necessary infrastructure. One of the community projects is involved in the production of leather sandals. You will learn how to make these sandals while spending a day with the workers. At the end of the day you will get to keep and wear the sandals you have made. Tree planting, teaching basic English skills and alien vegetation clearing can all form part of your contribution to this impoverished area.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Optional Activities: Abseiling, Hiking and Zip-line
- Lusikisiki Community Project -
This project lies right in the heart of the traditional Xhosa homeland and as such you need to be extremely sensitive about the level of impact. You need to be aware that in this extremely remote rural area you are an ambassador of western culture, which is much aspired to. As difficult as it may be, you are required to meet any requests for physical goods, even water, with a polite and firm no. We do not want to create a village of opportunist. The camp is on the verge of the community and there is no separation between you and them, so overt displays of wealth are not advised. The ablution facilities are basic and you will need to carry your own water from a nearby spring for ablution purposes. As you have 2 days here there will be different activities on each of the days. On one day you will plant trees and on the other you will assist with the leather workshop.
DAY 10/11 DRAKENSBERG
On day 10 you depart Lusikisiki and have a fairly long drive to the Drakensberg in KwaZulu Natal. On reaching this magnificent mountain region you have a day free to relax, or take a day trip in to neighbouring Lesotho, the Mountain Kingdom.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Optional Activities: Day trip to Lesotho, mountain biking, heritage site hike, rock climbing, horse riding.
DAY 12 AMPHITHEATRE DONGA RECLAMATION PROJECT
No high-level skills are required today, just enthusiasm and the knowledge that you will be making a positive environmental impact. The Gully (Donga) Reclamation project aims to return the land to a more sustainable state, where the ravages of erosion have been repaired and native plants reintroduced. Fencing needs to be erected to keep livestock out of sensitive areas, vegetation needs to be re-introduced and gullys need to be filled.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
- Amphitheatre Donga Reclamation Project -
A Donga is basically a large hole or gully that has been gouged out of the land by water and erosion. This is caused by over-intensive land usage that has stripped the land of the essential vegetation required to keep the land strong enough to withstand the natural weather elements. Our project for the day will be on the outskirts of a community at the base of the Drakensberg. Their proximity to the world heritage site has restricted the community grazing lands and the intensive land use has resulted in massive erosion that threatens the sustainability of the community. Today you will be repairing the dongas, this is not a glamorous project, shovels will be well used!
DAY 13 DURBAN
Durban is one of South Africa's largest cities and is situated on the Indian Ocean coastline. We will arrive in the late afternoon and visit one of the colourful local markets before you check in to your hosel. This evening you will go out to one of Durban's many superb restaurants for a meal and for those that want to check out the local nightlie there will be ample opportunity.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Optional Activities: Dinner and night out in the city.
DAY 14 TOUR ENDS
After breakfast your tour has ended. Please let us know if we can arrange any further travels for you.
Meals: Breakfast.
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Included: All meals mentioned in the itinerary.
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Excluded: All optional activities mentioned in the itinerary.
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E-Mail one of our agents about this tour
Contact us +27 42 296 2563
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Rates Valid till Oct this year, All Rates
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