Charity walking safari in South Africa
| country: | South Africa |
| location: | Eastern Cape |
| departures: | 2008: 2 Nov |
| price: | From £250 deposit + £2750 sponsorship (13 days) including flights from the UK. This trip can also be booked without flights |
| vouchers: | Gift vouchers can be used with this holiday |
read 1 travellers review
the amazing things you'll be doing
This is a unique opportunity to test your personal endurance and experience a true African adventure. Sample the skills and knowledge required by a ranger, whilst walking 80km through the Shamwari Wildlife Reserve (also home to BBC2 Safari School), and the opportunity to visit our rescued big cats at our two education and rescue centres.
Our walk begins at the northern most point of Shamwari's wilderness, with the intention to cover the full 22,000 hectares, learning more about yourself, nature, animals and their behaviour along the way. Food is delivered to checkpoints to minimise your pack weight and your nights will be spent in the bush as you camp out under the African starlit sky.
Your experienced field ranger will continue to guide you across the massive areas of the bush. Throughout your challenge you will be guided through rough terrain, experiencing the sights and sounds which nature has to offer. Although the trail will be challenging the emphasis will always fall on being able to spend time taking in the beauty of the bush where no tourist or vehicle can venture.
During your challenge on the reserve you can expect to learn the following:
Track / Spoor identification & skills: learn to work out whom went where and when.
Stargazing / Astronomy: learn how to navigate at night and explore the mythology surrounding the Milky Way.
Botany / Vegetation impacts: measure the impact grazing animals have on the medicinally valued vegetation.
Field guiding & conservation ethics: approaching, monitoring & viewing animals in a safe & ethical way.
One day of your challenge will be spent staying at our education and rescue centre, where you will be given a special behind-the-scenes tour to see the rescued lions and leopards. On the final day of your challenge the luxury of a comfortable bed and a warm shower awaits you, as well as welcome drinks to congratulate you on your achievement.
By joining this trek you will be raising funds for our two education and rescue centres at Shamwari. These centres offer rescued lions and leopards a chance to recover, regain their dignity and live a life worth living in large bush enclosures, surrounded by African wildlife.
Our walk begins at the northern most point of Shamwari's wilderness, with the intention to cover the full 22,000 hectares, learning more about yourself, nature, animals and their behaviour along the way. Food is delivered to checkpoints to minimise your pack weight and your nights will be spent in the bush as you camp out under the African starlit sky.
Your experienced field ranger will continue to guide you across the massive areas of the bush. Throughout your challenge you will be guided through rough terrain, experiencing the sights and sounds which nature has to offer. Although the trail will be challenging the emphasis will always fall on being able to spend time taking in the beauty of the bush where no tourist or vehicle can venture.
During your challenge on the reserve you can expect to learn the following:
Track / Spoor identification & skills: learn to work out whom went where and when.
Stargazing / Astronomy: learn how to navigate at night and explore the mythology surrounding the Milky Way.
Botany / Vegetation impacts: measure the impact grazing animals have on the medicinally valued vegetation.
Field guiding & conservation ethics: approaching, monitoring & viewing animals in a safe & ethical way.
One day of your challenge will be spent staying at our education and rescue centre, where you will be given a special behind-the-scenes tour to see the rescued lions and leopards. On the final day of your challenge the luxury of a comfortable bed and a warm shower awaits you, as well as welcome drinks to congratulate you on your achievement.
By joining this trek you will be raising funds for our two education and rescue centres at Shamwari. These centres offer rescued lions and leopards a chance to recover, regain their dignity and live a life worth living in large bush enclosures, surrounded by African wildlife.
day-by-day itinerary
| Day 1: | Flight from London. |
| Day 2: | Arrival at Port Elizabeth and transfer to your accommodation at Shamwari Game Reserve. |
| Day 3: | Wildlife viewing drives to education and rescue centres and preparation for your challenge. |
| Day 4-10: | Your challenge. |
| Day 11: | Team building exercises in the local town and neighbouring Bushman Sands Game Reserve. |
| Day 12: | Farewell breakfast before transferring to Port Elizabeth airport for your return flight. |
| Day 13: | Arrive in the UK. |
travellers' tales
Being somewhere different and doing something so removed from my normal life was just fantastic.
(more)
how this holiday makes a difference
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We work closely with Shamwari – the private game reserve where the challenge is taking place, to promote the conservation of species and the protection of local habitat whilst maintaining a humane and compassionate approach to the welfare of animals.
The Education & Rescue Centre at Shamwari focuses on environmental education, with an average of 800 students, visiting the centre every month - the aim to expose children from all backgrounds to the wildlife and environment around them. The belief being that the more understanding and appreciation children have of their surroundings and the animals that inhabit the space, the more likely it is they will work to safeguard the future of both. These workshops are provided free for all previously disadvantaged children & students. A minimal fee is charged to private schools, to help cover some costs and also helps the centre to provide the community groups with food and drinks on their visiting day. The centre also helps the community, giving them a place to display and sell the various articles made by the women in the community knitting, sewing or crocheting. The profits are then given back to the community. We also ask our challenge participants to take with them pencils, notebooks, balls etc depending on what our colleagues at Worldwide Experience & Shamwari advise. Participants will have the opportunity to visit one of the local schools and care centre to present their gifts and spend some time with the children, gaining an insight into life of the local children. A large donation from the funds raised will go towards the Education & Rescue Centres, therefore supporting the lifetime care of rescued big cats and the Education outreach programme. |
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