Itinerary
The Veterinary Experience is intended to allow participants to experience the life of an African wildlife vet, giving exposure to the role as well as related tasks. The specific experiences and any exposure to our experts will of course depend on the work required at the time. Participants can expect to spend their time with our vet, rangers and field guide team, engaged in direct and secondary veterinary activities as well as reserve management sessions. As you will understand, wildlife reserves are dynamic environments and as a result our plans can and probably will change, though the essence of the program will remain. You will of course be there for any unexpected veterinary situations which arise, including emergency call-outs, rescues or necropsies. An example itinerary is as below:
Sunday Arrive at Port Elizabeth Airport (airport code PLZ) by midday, where you’ll be met by our driver and taken straight to the reserve, a journey of a little over an hour. Make yourself at home before your welcome and orientation in the late afternoon !! Monday Game drive on the Big 5 reserve and introduction to the facilities and environment Tuesday Meet with our vet and receive vet induction. Darting of animals for health and welfare checks. Bloods and faecal samples. Fence patrol. Wednesday Game reserve management lecture. Rifle handling skills (pellet gun). Thursday Walking safari and wildlife information session Friday Predator darting and examination, possible contraceptive dosing / vasectomy of lions Weekend excursion to Port Elizabeth. Return transport and backpacker accommodation provided (no meals), plus a Saturday morning guided walking tour of Port Elizabeth. Stay with the guide for a full-day guided tour (+$90) which follows on with beer tasting at 2 local craft breweries then a guided township tour inc lunch with a local family, a fantastic cultural experience. The Sunday optional daytrips ($220) are:
Tuesday Breeding lecture. View and monitor the buffalo breeding program. Welfare checks on domestic animals. Wednesday Community Outreach, delivery and provision of meals to local primary schools. Thursday Anti Poaching activity / lecture. Removal of alien vegetation Friday Rhino monitoring. Evening game drive. Saturday Departure day, transfer to add-on tours or join the volunteer program Extend your stay by combining your 2 weeks veterinary program with a week or more of general wildlife volunteering at the sanctuary and/or time spent at one of the remote wildlife research projects. Refer to the African Wildlife Sanctuary and Research Weeks info packs for details of these add-on program options. Victoria Falls tour
With three bucket-list African destinations in a week, and a choice of two itineraries to tempt you, this adventure tour offers the very best experiences available in Southern Africa. Both options run Saturday to Saturday and whichever you choose, we’ll have you to Port Elizabeth airport nice and early for your flight to Johannesburg / Vic Falls ready to join your tour. The adventure tours are mainly camping (equipment provided) with one hotel night, and the trip cost covers most meals and a heap of activities along the way (with others available to book as optional extras).
The Northbound tour starts in South Africa and finishes in Zimbabwe, travelling via Botswana. 3 countries, 8 days…nice ! Our journey starts in Johannesburg before we drive north, with an overnight at Khama Rhino Sanctuary and onward to the world-renowned Okavango Delta. Here we undertake a unique and exciting overnight wildlife safari by dugout canoe, watching the myriad species as they gather at the water’s edge to drink. Chobe National Park is another A-list safari location, here we hope to see herds of elephant, rare antelopes, lion, hyena and African wild dog. We finish our journey with an adrenalin fix as you peer over the sheer edge of the thundering waters of Victoria Falls. Go wild if you wish, leap off bridges, take a thrilling white water rafting adventure through rampant rapids of the Zambezi or experience the grandeur of raging Victoria Falls from up high in your micro-light aircraft. Then, cool off with a tranquil sunset cruise along the upper Zambezi River as you watch the African bush go by. The Southbound tour starts in Vic Falls and finishes in Johannesburg. If you’ve always dreamed of visiting Kruger National park, then this is the option for you. On arrival at Vic Falls, drop your bags and head straight to the Victoria Falls National Park to take in this awe-inspiring wonder of the world ! Make the most of the afternoon and evening as tomorrow we head south, driving the length of beautiful Zimbabwe. In Matobo National Park, you’ll track rhinos on foot and see the resident wildlife on an open-vehicle safari drive. With nearly 5 million acres, South Africa’s Kruger National Park offers some of the best access to wild animals in Africa, so prepare for an epic time. Here we’ll also enjoy a cultural evening with the local community, with traditional dinner and local dancing. |
Garden Route tourSaturday: Port Elizabeth to Jeffreys Bay, the surfing capital of Africa and the perfect fix for a beach addict.
Sunday: Jeffreys Bay to Sedgefield gorgeous town in the heart of the Garden Route, with stopover at the Bloukraans Bridge, the world’s highest bungy bridge (216m). Monday: Sedgefield to Oudtshoorn explore the fossilised dunes of Myoli Beach, then on to the ostrich capital of the world, Oudtshoorn via the scenic Outeniqua pass. Visit to Cango Caves and a local ostrich farm. Tuesday: Oudtshoorn to Cape Agulhas, the southernmost point of Africa. The coastline is dotted with shipwrecks, the birdlife is exceptional, and you can climb the infamous lighthouse. Wednesday: Cape Agulhas to Cape Town with a lunch stop in scenic Hermanus, then on to Betty’s Bay penguin colony. Thursday & Friday: Cape Town Your days and nights are free to make the most of all that Cape Town has to offer. Climb Table Mountain (or take the cablecar), take a fascinating tour of Robben Island, wander the Victoria & Alfred Waterfront or visit the Cape of Good Hope. Saturday Departure day. Tour includes transportation with an experienced guided from PE to CT, 7 nights backpacker accommodation, 4 breakfasts, visits to Cango Caves, Ostrich Farm, Fossilized Dune Tour and Agulhas National Park 
|
