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Departs from: Cape Town
Province: Western Cape
Days: 23 days, 22 nights
Persons: On request
Departs: 11 Mar 09 - 02 Apr 09, 08 Apr 09 - 30 Apr 09, 06 May 09 - 28 May 09, 23 Sep 09 - 15 Oct 09, 21 Oct 09 - 12 Nov 09, 18 Nov 09 - 10 Dec 09, 16 Dec 09 - 07 Jan 10
Price: R 16.950 p.p.
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Highlights: Cape Town, Oudtshoorn, Cango Caves, Knysna, Rastafarian Community, Tsitsikamma, Hogsback, Lusikisiki Community, Drakensberg, Durban, Greater St Lucia, Hluhluwe-Imfolozi National Park, Swaziland, Shewula Community, Jane Goodall Chimpanzee Project, Kruger National Park, Lejuma Environmental Research, Johannesburg.
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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 you will be travelling to Oudtshoorn along the longest wine route in the world on Route 62, before you get to your 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 Roue at 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 days we 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 creches or orphanage, youth training, maintenance of the Health Garden Community Centre or the upkeep of the Khayaletu River Trail. As we have 2 full days here, you will get to experience more than one aspect of this vibrant community upliftment project. On day 4 we 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 the the creche will assist in teaching and caring for the children. Those that go to the orphanage will change nappies, bath babies, make lunhes and help with the rest of the duties involved in bringing up children. Clients 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 world's highest bungee at 216m, but for the rest of us there are some wonderful hiking trails and also the opportunity to rent Mountain Bikes or ride a horse through the forest here. Many people choose to walk the first few kilometres of South Africa's famous Otter Trail.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Optional activities: Bungee 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 dependant) 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 from 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 your level of impact. You need to be aware that in this extremely remote rural area you are an ambassador of wesern 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 opportunists. The camp is on the verge of the community and there is no separation between you and them, zo 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 we 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 KwaZule 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 or 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 gullies 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. The 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 grazng 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, and shavels will
be well used!
DAY 13 DURBAN
Durban is one of South Africa's largest cities and is situated on the Indian Ocean coastline. You will arrive in the late afternoon and visit one of the colourful local markets before you check in to the hostel. 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 iSIMANGALISO (GREATER ST LUCIA) WETLAND PARK
You will leave Durban and drive north towards one of South Africa's most well known World Heritage Sites, iSimangaliso (Greater St Lucia) Wetland Park. In the afternoon you will go on a boat cruise on the lagoon in order to experience the natural beauty of this wonderful park.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
DAY 15 HLUHLUWE-IMFOLOZI NATIONAL PARK AND SWAZILAND
Today we will get up very early in order to take a Game Drive in the Hluhluwe-Imfolozi National Park. During the drive you will have the first real opportunity on this tour to see some of Africa's breathtaking wildlife. After the game drive you will enter the smallest country int he Southern Hemisphere, Swaziland.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
DAY 16 SHEWULA COMMUNITY-BASED NATURAL RESOURCES PROGRAMME (CBNRP)
Today we will spend time with the Swazi women of Shewula at their craft and perma-culture projects. You will assisat and learn about how these women are supporting the community through these
endeavours. In the evening you will assist the ladies in preparing a traditional Swazi meal for everyone.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
- Shewula community based natural resources programme (CBNRP) -
The Shewula community lies on the edge of the Lebombo conservancy and the members of the community lead their lives in accordance to the natural rhythms of Africa. Your work with them revolves around adapting the ancient practices of agriculture and craft making to fit in with modern realities.
DAY 17/18 JANE GOODALL CHIMPANZEE PROJECT
We will spend 1 and ½ days working with the Jane Goodall project for Chimpanzees. Your assistance will mainly consist of scientifically monitoring the behaviour patterns of the Chimpanzees living here and acting as a
support team for the full time rehabilitation team.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
- Jane Goodall Chimpanzee Project -
The Jane Goodall Foundation has branched out from its original roots on Lake Tanganyika to try and address issues such as the trans-location of chimpanzees. All of these chimps have been rescued from people who have removed them from their natural environment and as such they need close monitoring in order to be able to predict their futures and the futures of their brothers and sisters across Africa.
DAY 19/20 KRUGER NATIONAL PARK
You take a break from volunteering to experience the wonderful animals that live in the Kruger National Park. The Big 5 (Lion, Leopard, Buffalo, Elephant and Rhino) are all to be found here as well as many other beautiful African creatures.
On the night drive it will also be possible to see some of the less well known inhabitants such as the Honey Badger or Porcupine.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
DAY 21/22 LEJUMA ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH PROJECT
After the morning bushwalk you will leave Kruger and travel to the Southpansberg in Limpopo province. On the way to Lejuma you will be travelling on the Panorama Route to see God's Window and Bourkes Luck Potholes. While in this unique environmental region you will assist in compiling research data about the different species of flora and fauna. You will also be assisting with Global Warming research.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
- Lejuma Environmental Researc Project -
On this project you will be conducting field research in to the biodiversity of this unique part of South Africa. It helps to have your own digital camera as you will be taking pictures of specific species in order to produce a comprehensive record.
DAY 23 JOHANNESBURG - TOUR ENDS
On the final day of the tour you drive south to Gauteng province where the tour ends in Johannesburg in the late afternoon. If you are interested in spending more time volunteering in Johannesburg, or any other part of South Africa, we can arrange a more in-depth single location project for you.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Optional activities: Dinner out in Johannesburg.
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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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