BACKROUND OF THE PROJECT

The Local wildlife manager and conservationist’s passion for conservation and education led to the birth of this Project. Along with the short term, more immediate goals to rehabilitate agricultural land and local community uplifting, the project aims to develop a long term self-sustaining natural environment, create community awareness, expand the existing reserve, continue our successful free roaming cheetah breeding

and research and most importantly, to make a difference.

The team has developed a course that will instruct and guide volunteers in many of the disciplines central to managing an African game reserve. Specific focus is placed on managing the wildlife,

conservation, and reserve maintenance, the cheetah breeding research, elephant care and all research and projects. Volunteers will also engage in night time and dawn/dusk activities, research, monitoring and

patrolling.

This course has been developed to offer participants the absolutely incomparable volunteer experience in practical knowledge and diverse hands-on encounters with the world famous “Big-Five” animals of Africa – The Lion, African Elephant, Cape Buffalo, Leopard, and Rhinoceros, as well as a multitude of other wildanimals found in Africa. As a volunteer, they will learn numerous facets of operating a wildlife game

reserve, make memories that will last a lifetime and more importantly, will contribute to returning someof Africa’s lands back to their original state – an African savannah teaming with wildlife.

BACKROUND OF THE ORGANISATION

The NGO started in 2006 when the need was identified to assist in the local impoverishedcommunities. Many communities, preschools and schools were unable to provide effective

programs due to lack of funding, resources and skill levels. With the assistance ofvolunteers, these shortcomings were addressed and the NGO slowly grew into a largeorganisation that now provides assistance to several communities across Africa. We now

also offer several wildlife conservation projects including pre-vet, white shark and wild cats. Our flagship projects in Cape Town have grown exponentially and we now run 10 highly successful projects

where these challenges are being addressed on a daily basis.

More information about the project

Our program is a once in a lifetime opportunity for aspiring wildlife conservationists or

nature enthusiasts. The program will demand much from participants, mentally and

physically; however, the demands are well within the capabilities of most volunteers, and

whilst being challenging, is both enjoyable and exciting. It is an opportunity to learn

invaluable new skills, experience Africa’s unique environment and wildlife, be part of the

difference that returns the environment to its natural, original state. It’s not only about

what you take with you, but the lasting effects of what you leave behind... your footprints.

Volunteers take part and run all research on various wildlife species in the reserve. We

have numerous research projects running and all data is collected and compiled into a

detailed monthly report.

We make sure that the volunteers get training in all the fields of work they will be

involved in from tracking courses to approaching animals on foot.

Hard work is also part of a normal day with projects like alien clearing and erosion

control. The main focus for this volunteer project is to return the property to its natural

state and ensure a self-sustaining, functional ecosystem.

The course could include:

Game capture and translocation, Wildlife nutrition and feeding, Wildlife condition

photography, Basic soil studies, Water testing and studies, Fauna and flora, and related

research, Basic reserve maintenance (fences, roads, construction etc.), Basic vehicle

maintenance and repairs, Reptile park maintenance, Cheetah tracking and research,

Boma elephant care and nutrition, Free roaming predator care and monitoring, Tracking

released cheetah on foot, Take part in different rural community projects, Learn some

bush cooking skills “boskos”, Wilderness camp and basic survival skills, Animal

behaviour and approaching on foot, Conservation projects (planting trees, erosion

control, seed harvesting etc), Marine ecology and beach clean ups (optional extra)

Project Highlights

Learn Invaluable life skills

Engage in personal interaction with some of the most charismatic mammals in

Africa

Up close experiences with the Big 5

Get to know the unique wildlife in a safe, controlled & responsible manner

Learn how to run a Game Farm

Run research projects

Hear the sounds of the lions during the night

Make a long lasting difference

Volunteer Tasks

Average Working Day

07h00 Start the day with breakfast then followed by doing a rhino patrol and find the rhinos. Thereafter

track the free roaming cheetah with a telemetry device to monitor their position, and determine if a

kill was made. Every morning will include a basic tracking lesson where possible.

09h30 Tea break in the reserve, after which you will start/continue with a project. Projects include erosion

control, road maintenance, alien plant removal, predator feeding and enclosure upkeep where

needed, elephant boma cleaning, cutting browse for elephants, constructing vegetation exclusion

plots, vegetation fixed point photography, reptile park upkeep and feeding when needed, and

planting out trees and seeding tree species that occurred before agriculture.

13h00 Lunch

14h00 Afternoons are used for research and monitoring. This includes dung sampling, game counts,

species behavioural studies and research, water testing and treatment, plant, bird and insect

identification, snake handling, supplement feeding of certain species, small mammal surveys, etc.

17h00 The day ends with a cold drink at a lookout point.

**One night per week do a night drive to identify nocturnal animals and plot their position and

behaviour.

18h00 Home cooked dinner or Braai

Project DetailsArrival Day: FridayTime: Your flight can land anytime on FridayAirport: Cape Town International Airport (CPT)Orientation: Friday - SaturdayProject Starts: SundayDeparture Day: SundayDeparture time: There are 2 bus options.Option 1: Depart Mossel Bay @ 03h20, arrive in Cape Town @ 09h45Option 2: Depart Mossel Bay @ 12h50, arrive in Cape Town @ 19h00 (preferred)Min Duration: 2 weeks (incl 2 day Orientation)Min Age: 18Max Age: N/A – Good physical and mental health

NOTE:We can also collect you at any Hotel or place of accommodation on your arrival day, should it be within close radius of the City centre or Airport

Volunteer Requirements● Completed Application form

● Basic level of competency in English

● Good physical and mental health

● Love for Animals, Nature & the outdoors ☺

Packing list

• Old neutral (khaki, brown, green) clothing that you don’t mind getting dirty• Shoes - Comfortable worn in boots for field work, sandals or flip flops, Sneakers, Gumboots.• Sunscreen, Hat & Sunglasses• Insect Repellent• Toiletries – Make up, Toothbrush & Toothpaste, shower gel, Shampoo/Conditioner, Towel• First Aid Kit - Anti-diarrheal meds, anti-inflammatory meds, anti-histamines, paracetamol/aspirin,

anti-bacterial ointment, bandages, plasters and tweezers• Lightweight travel Sleeping bag and small rucksack• Working Gloves x2, Flashlight, Power Adapter, Water Bottle, Books & Games• Still Camera/Hand Camcorder, Binoculars, Multi tool knife, Alarm Clock

PS – The most important things to bring are a sense of humour,patience, an open mind and a positive attitude!

What’s Included?

Airport pick up & Drop off

2 Day Cape Town Orientation

Accommodation

Transport to the project location

from the Orientation venue

Weekly transport to town for

shopping

24 hour support and supervision

Donation to the project

Certificate of appreciation

Meals

Transport

& Shuttles

Accommodation

TransportVolunteers will be met at Cape Town International airport

and taken to their orientation venue.

On the project start day, you get transported to the bus

stop to catch the bus to Mossel Bay, the project location.

On your last day, you get dropped off at the bus station

again and you take the bus back to Cape Town. From there,

you should take a taxi back to the airport.

IMPORTANT: Should you wish to skip the buses to and from project, you

may book flights to and from George Airport, where the project will

meet you.

MealsBreakfast is a self service to cereals, yoghurt's, toast and jam and cheese, rusks, tea and coffee

Lunch is either at the house or a packed lunch to have in the reserve.

We provide salads, (pasta salad, tuna salad, chicken salad biltong salad ), Wraps, sandwiches,

burgers, worsrolls and such cool drink and water also provided.

Dinner are at the house, either a cooked meal or a braai or potjie

cooked meals vary from pasta dishes to baboti, spaghetti bolognaise, lasagne, veggies or salad

and a vegetarian alternative is always available for vegetarians

Laundry:

There is a weekly laundry service available by the trusty cleaning lady.

Internet:

There is Wifi on this project, however it is very limited – so no downloads or skype calls are

permitted. You will have the opportunity to purchase a South African Sim card and load data on it

while you are at your orientation in Cape Town, which will allow you to have access to the internet. To

make a call in South Africa, make sure your cell phone plan allows you to do so, and dial 00 before

the country code of the number you are calling.

NOTES:● Tea and Coffee are always available at the house, and they usually pack in for a coffee break in

the reserve.

● There are refrigerators available for volunteers’ personal food.

● We are happy to cater for vegetarians, gluten free, lactose intolerant or other food allergies or

diabetics as long as we know in advance.

AccommodationThe house was built in 1890 and is one of the first in the area. It is a big house with a big

front porch and wooden floors and ceilings. Thick walls keep the house nice and cool in the hot

summer months. There is a cosy kitchen where breakfast is served in a help yourself style.

Lunch is usually served outside in the communal braai area or packed to have in the reserve.

Dinner is either in the warm kitchen or outside at the fire. (there is one fire for cooking and

another big one just to keep warm and for ambiance. There are 3 large rooms in the house that

have 4 beds each. These rooms share full 2 bathrooms and an extra outside shower (all hot water).

There is also a cottage about 15m away from the main house that volunteers could also be placed at.

This cottage has a small kitchen , one bedroom with 4 beds and a full bathroom with a shower.

It also has its own little veranda under and old fig tree. From the garden you can see sable

antelope, giraffe, wildebeest and other antelope species and the sound of Zebra is carried by the

wind. Madre our “house mother” who does the cooking and helps organize weekend activities lives

at the house. Vicky is the facilitator who does the programme also lives at the house. Hein stays there

for the duration of the course (usually not there over weekends).

The reserve the house is on is boarded by other game reserves, Hartenbos Private Game reserve,

Nyaru game reserve, Bergsig game reserve and Gondwana Game reserve.

Location:The Reserves are all located within close proximity to one another up the Garden Route, which is about

400 kilometres east of Cape Town, and 400 km west of Port Elizabeth. The closest towns are Mossel bay,

Hartenbos and Albertinia. The house is on Goedemoed Game Reserve. It is opposite the Hartenbos

Private Game Reserve. It is 14km from Hartenbos in the direction of Oudtshoorn on a dirt road.

This is a Malaria free area and there are no strange diseases you could catch.

● Shops/Grocery Stores: You will receive weekly transport into town so that you can purchase essentials

and food items for dinner

● ATMS: There are plenty of ATMS in Cape Town where you will have your orientation. Once on project

you will have the opportunity to withdraw money on your weekly shopping trip.

● Medical: We have very good medical emergency facilities nearby. The most serious health risk you

are likely to face is from the South African sun so please come prepared with adequate sunscreen, UV

filter sunglasses and a hat.

Weather:• Winter months (May – September)

Average day temperature during winter is 15 degrees Celsius nights can drop to -4 degrees Celsius in

June July and August. Pack warm clothing like jackets, scarves, gloves, beanies as well as full rain gear as

winter is our rainy season.

• Summer months (October – April)

The average day temperature during summer is 30 degrees Celsius (January, February and March can

reach up to 40 degrees Celsius). Pack cool clothing, hats, shorts, swimwear, sun block, swimming towel

and flip flops.

Free time:The program runs for weekdays only, in the weekends you will be able to take part in other optional

activities or relax.

General Information

Activity Cost

Skydiving in Plettenberg Bay and Mossel Bay Starts at R2200 – R3600

Black Horse Trails R300 – R700

Tsitsikamma Segway Tours R350 – R500

Cango Caves Heritage Route – R100, Adventure Route – R150

Bumgy Jumping R950

Tsitsikamma Canopy Tours/Ziplining R595, R160 for video & Photos, R375

Acro Branch Wildwoods Tree Adventures R100 – R230

Elephant Sanctuary/ Knysna Elephant Park R275 – R1050

Monkeyland, Birds of Eden R190 – R400

Tenikwa Wildlife Ranch/Cango Wildlife Ranch R190 – R1900

Radical Raptors R120

Swim with Seals R600 – 1500

Red Berry Farm R20 – R30

Romonza Boat Trips/Knysna Charters R150 – R680

Shark Cage Diving R1550

Please note that these are local costs which would need to be booked and paid directly to the project. Prices may

change over time without notice. Transport fees may apply.

For an additional list of possible activities for the orientation in Cape Town, feel free to contact your bookings agent.

General Information

General:● Participants must conduct themselves in a safe and responsible manner at all times

● Hitchhiking is not permitted at any time and travelling alone in the dark is not

recommended

● Always be aware of your surroundings and don’t leave your belongings unattended

● Never give beggars money - speak to your coordinator if you would like to make

donations

● Do not look like a tourist with your camera around your neck or walk and text

● Do not carry large amount of cash on you that people can see – Cards are accepted in

most places

● Lock your room to ensure all your valuables, passport and money stay safe

NB!! Safety Tips

Animals:● Some animals DO NOT like direct contact. If they do approach you just remain calm

and stand still.

● If you do not feel comfortable in certain places with the animals inform your team

leader for assistance.

● Even if the animals appear tame we MUST still respect them at all times.

●We recommend you get all your inoculations just in case

Camps:● Never enter the big cats’ enclosure without staff supervision

● To enter a small enclosure there must be a guide/team leader present

● All gates to all camps must be locked and checked daily to make sure they are in a

working condition

● Be aware of the electric fences at all times

Water:Water is safe to drink. However, please be aware that there may be a shortage during

dry season. Use water sparingly and have short showers or baths.

Power:South African electrical power is 240 volts AC. Appliances from North America will burn

out if they are not switched over or have a properly-rated power transformer (not just a

plug converter) attached. Think twice about that hair dryer! South Africa is also prone to

electricity cuts (load shedding) due to short supply. Please turn off lights and heaters

when not in the room. The plug adapter needed for South Africa plugs is very difficult to

find in your home country, we suggest you buy the adapter in South Africa.

Laws in South Africa

● You can only drive from the age of 18, with a valid driving license. International licenses are requiredfor vehicle rental in order to drive in South Africa● People under 18 years may not drink or buy alcohol● Drinking alcohol in a public place is illegal (this includes drinking on the beach)● It is legal to smoke cigarettes in public places, but shopping malls, businesses, public transport andrestaurants have no-smoking policies. Smoking is permitted inside places where permission is granted.● It is illegal to carry, buy or use drugs, including marijuana● The age of sexual consent is 16, and having sex with anyone under 16 is illegal

Health and Safety

All participants should have informed the NGO of any medical information, including

allergies, prescribed medications, or any known medical condition. It is advisable to

remind your volunteer leaders again during orientation!

Insurance

All NGO participants must have medical, travel and trip cancellation insurance for the duration of their program. The NGO must receive proof of insurance prior to arrival.

Drugs

The NGO has a zero-tolerance policy for illegal drugs. Offenders will be removed from

the program immediately without refund.

Smoking

No smoking is allowed during project hours.

Alcohol

A responsible level of drinking (for volunteers of legal age) during free time is allowed. However in these limited situations:

● Alcohol is never to be consumed during project hours or on any NGO Premises.

● Participants are never to be intoxicated during project hours

● No hangovers will be tolerated on project so please keep drinking to off days

Failure to comply will be treated as a serious matter. The NGO reserves the right to

remove a participant from the project without refund if they disregard this policy.

Participants who endanger their safety or the safety of others through irresponsible

drinking of alcohol or negligence may be removed from the program without refund.

Important points to read

What is the difference between volunteering and regular tourism?

In regular tourism the emphasis is on the tourist who expects to receive excellent service on their trip

(great hotel, good food and all excursions working according to a timetable). The place and local

community becomes less important with the tourist becoming the center of attention. In volunteer tourism

(or “voluntourism”) the emphasis shifts to work contribution, goals of the program and helping the local

community. It is the success of the program and the atmosphere between the community and the

volunteers that helps make the trip unforgettable – not the level of service or the quality of the hotel.

Many programs are underfunded and staffed so inevitably there will be some difficulties; however it is

the overcoming of any challenges which creates a sense of achievement and satisfaction not

found in regular tourism.

Will there be any surprises?

Volunteer tourism can be unpredictable! While NGO does the utmost to stick to timetables and examples of

type of work needed by the volunteer, there are many factors that can impact these plans. For example, the

weather and seasons, local holidays, mood of the wildlife and immediate needs of the programs.

The information you will receive from the program is important and valuable however things can change

and we urge you to use it as a guideline and expect the unexpected – this is what makes volunteer tourism so

diverse and exciting. It is important that you arrive with a flexible attitude and remember that just by being

at the project you will be contributing to its running, growth and success. Many of these programs are in

cultures very different than yours and as such the type and length of work given may or may not seem

important to you but it will be for the program.

The first few days

These are the most important and can be the most difficult ones. You have just arrived off a long flight in a

strange location and are living with new people. Even if the first impression might not be as you had

expected. Please give yourself a couple of days to acclimatize and give the project the help it needs.

Volunteer work – some examples

It is important to realize that not all the work will be easy or 'romantic'. A lot of the time

you will need to roll up your sleeves and get dirty with tasks such as:

● Animal projects: working with raw meat, cage cleaning, removing ticks, etc.

● Environmental projects: manual labor, carrying heavy items, getting dirty, working in the rain, etc.

● Humanitarian projects: cleaning up after the kids, kitchen duty, changing diapers, wiping runny noses,

etc.

● Building projects: mixing concrete manually, picking up garbage off site, removing

vegetation, etc.

Keep a positive attitude and note that even ‘boring’ tasks contribute and are also very

important to the program. Also remember ‘boring’ tasks are not given to you on purpose

but they form a part of the overall volunteer experience as it takes care of the needs of the

overall project.

Sticking to a timetable

Each program asks its volunteers to stick to a timetable which helps the program run smoothly. Please

follow the instructions from the program managers. However, please note that volunteer programs are

usually underfunded and understaffed which can lead to multiple changes in the program timetable.

Volunteer work needs to be flexible for various reasons and should not be seen as a nine to five office

job even if some changes do not make sense to the volunteer. Flexibility and an 'expect the unexpected

attitude' are needed – however never forget that by volunteering you are contributing immensely to the

program.

Important points to read

Before you leave for project

Please look after yourselves and listen to the Leaders and the program staff you are visiting. Drink lots of

fluids and remember your sunscreen. Volunteer trips are what you make of them and coming with an

open mind and listening to the program managers/Leaders will help you experience an unforgettable

trip. Please also remember that this is an English speaking project. In order to be inclusive and for

everyone to have a positive experience, we ask that volunteers speak English at all times.

The Volunteer Leader

Most programs will have a volunteer leader. This person is usually a volunteer who is on a long term

contract or has volunteered on the same project in the past. The volunteer leader can be of great

assistance when a problem arises though please approach them at a convenient time outside of busy

working hours. It is important that you listen to the volunteer leader and cooperate with them.

Culture shock

The volunteers you will be working with come from all over the world and may be from different

religious and ethnic backgrounds. Volunteering is also a cultural experience where you can learn

about different cultures, please be both tolerant and patient. Do not be shy in sharing your

experiences, recipes, songs and traditions it will just add to the overall group cohesion. For

example, children may be raised in ways that are very different to what you are used to. If you are

ever unsure about a certain issues, please feel free to discuss it with your volunteer leader.

Extra expenses

Please take into account additional expenses like tours, trips, telephone, restaurants and bars. It is a

good idea to have different types of payment available to you like: cash, credit cards, debit cards and

traveller's cheques.

If there are any problems during the

program please speak to the volunteer

leader. It is important to initially raise and

discuss the issue in the program as most

can be solved in this manner. The

organisation and projects rely on each

and every volunteer, if you leave the

program in the middle (or leave unhappy

and disgruntled) it could seriously

damage the hard work being undertaken.

Approaching us directly will help us to resolve the issues for future volunteers or for the

sustainability of the project. We want to make it an unforgettable experience for you and

all others. We also want our projects to continue receiving the much needed volunteers –

we can only help if we know what the concerns are!

If the problem is not resolved within 24 hours, please feel free to approach the NGO manager. If, within a further 24 hours, you still feel the problem has not been dealt with,

you should contact reservations@freepackers.com or +33 631 96 12 40

and we will do our best to sort out the problem.

References and Suggested Readings

It is strongly recommended that all participants read and print out areas of

interest from the websites and reference materials listed below as these will

provide valuable background information and help to put project goals and

activities into context.

● Website: www.freepackers.fr● Instagram: www.instagram.com/freepackers/● Facebook: www.facebook.com/freepackers/● Email: reservations@freepackers.com● Phone: +33631961240

The more positive you are, the more

positive your memories will be! Your

time on project will be over sooner than

you know, what would you like to think

back on later in your life?