Private Game Reserve, Near The Kruger National Park - South Africa

From £1875 per person

Tour Code: SUP_LEAP_ South Africa

South Africa - Private Game Reserve

Experience the ultimate African safari; thrilling wildlife encounters combined with life changing conservation and local community projects. Based in a game reserve, south of the Kruger National Park, we challenge you to help run an exclusive lodge, assist rangers on safari and make a real difference to the lives of local people.

Live at Kwa Madwala, a private ‘Big 4’ (leopard, lion, elephant and rhino) 1000 hectare game reserve, situated just South of the Kruger National Park between Swaziland and Mozambique, home to a renowned safari lodge called Manyatta, cleverly built into the sides of local kopjes.

Your time will be split between helping run this fantastic safari lodge, and assisting in the local conservation and community projects. This diversity will ensure you leave Africa both fulfilled and exhilarated, having made an enormous contribution to some of Africa’s most valued wildlife and their fast-disappearing tribes.

Through this exciting and diverse mix of eco-lodge, conservation and community projects you will experience the many different faces of South Africa. The placement gives three contrasting working and indeed life experiences to broaden your horizons and surpass your expectations.

leap 1: ecotourism

• Assist the Rangers in their daily tasks.
• Help in the general management of Manyatta lodge, including the bar, waitering, maintenance, front of house, kitchens and organising the guests.

leap 2: conservation

• Partake in morning and evening game drives (helping with the spotlight at night) and walking safaris.
• Assist rangers and trackers in all aspects of their duties.
• Search for and rescue, where applicable, injured game.
• Reserve management initiatives - fencing, bush clearing and removal of snares.
• Help the leopards become more conditioned to humans and vehicles – this will involve putting out bait, tracking and monitoring their movements. This is dependant on their movements and there is a higher chance of viewing the leopards the longer this project runs.
• Construction of bird hides and viewing decks to help monitor animal movements.
• Interaction and assistance at the elephant back safari programme, including riding the elephants.

leap 3: community

• Construction of housing in the reserve for the disadvantaged and under privileged.
• Implementation of small micro enterprises empowering local community members e.g. developing commercial vegetable gardens.
• Implementation of “food” gardens to improve dietary conditions of staff and their families.
• Helping in a nearby children’s orphanage at Thembalethu School, a centre for victims of AIDS.
• Various township community visits with possible activities including: building wells and water holes and teaching English and playing sport, including football matches.

Adventure
Flight in a micro light over the reserve, safaris in search of the ‘Big 5’ in Kwa Madwala and Kruger National Park, porcupine watching camp outs in the reserve, 4x4 driving, rifle shooting, adrenaline sports in Sabi, visits to neighbouring Swaziland and Mozambique, whale watching, scuba diving.

Project Management
The friendly and professional team from Kwa Madwala, in tandem with the UK team, will ensure you are extremely well looked after. Your placement starts with an induction and orientation course covering all aspects of safety, responsibilities, health, culture, politics, conservation and community issues etc.

Outline Itinerary
Those choosing a 6 week placement will fly out with those who have chosen the 10 week option. You will all be met at Nelspruit airport and driven to the Reserve.
6 week programme: approximately 2 weeks rotating through each of the project phases.
10 week programme: approximately 3 weeks rotating through each of the project phases.
Weekends free to travel.

Includes:
Selection and briefing on all aspects of the scheme.
24 hour emergency back-up, management and support by UK team and in-country Placement Manager, with reliable communications and infrastructure.
Safety and induction course on arrival.
1 micro light flight above the reserve.
KMIA Nelspruit airport pick up and transfer to and from the placement.
Food and accommodation throughout.
Donation to the community – approx £80 per person and you can choose what this is spent on.

Not included:
International flights, internal flights to Kruger Mpumalanga International Airport (KMIA) Nelspruit, visas, entry to Kruger National Park (120 Rand approx £12), bush uniforms (470 Rand approx £45), travel insurance, medical expenses (reclaimable through travel insurance), soft drinks/beers etc and independent/weekend travel. We are happy to arrange flights through Key Travel, who are well known for offering good value.

Seasons and Weather
Sept – April: Summer, hot (30 – 40 degrees) and fairly wet. Expect short showers lasting an hour or two. It is also lush, green and verdant at this time of year.
May – Aug: Winter, warm, dry and mild like a summer’s day in UK but can get very cold at night. You will want to take a woolly hat, gloves and a thick fleece jacket for the nights/morning.

Group Size and Age:
Small groups up to a maximum of 10. Please note this programme has a minimum group size of 4 volunteers. The programme cannot run with less than this. Three months prior to departure, if the group size is less than, or drops below this figure, volunteers will be offered an alternative placement on a similar placement, depending on availability and preference. Anyone over 18-27 can participate.

Accommodation and Meals:
Accommodation is at Gazebo Lodge, which is comfortable and has a swimming pool. You will share an en-suite room with up to three other volunteers. There are showers, basins with hot and cold water and loos. Meals will be provided by the lodges or cooked on an open fire. Vegetarians will easily be accommodated.

Click here to visit the South Africa - Private Game Reserve page at The Leap