Cheetah conservation holiday, South Africa

Planet

Carbon Reduction

The cheetah center is located in the Fair Trade town of Paarl and blends into the beautiful landscape of the Cape Winelands. The volunteer house is a 4* establishment with modern comforts and spacious relaxation areas . The center caters for vegans and vegetarians. Home-grown produce when in season, are you used when available and the rest of the foods are supplied by the local grocery stores for daily or weekly breakfast/lunch foods. The center recycles cardboard, glass, tin, plastic etc. For the most part, there is minimal food waste, and most of the time do not throw away food. Recently solar panels were installed on the volunteer house, and there are plans for more for the year. The center aims to get to solar-powered around the entire farm. The volunteer house is only 10 minutes away from local amenities, shops etc.

Environmental and Wildlife

The cheetah sanctuary is located in the Cape floristic region surrounded by mountains, rivers, nature reserves and not too far rom the ocean. The Berg River is one of the main rivers and plays a significant role in the agricultural practices of the region for wine and grape production. There are several scenic routes which can be enjoyed with activities like horse riding, hiking, golf, fly fishing and mountain biking. The Winelands also have several wildlife parks for eagles, reptiles, giraffes, crocodiles, monkeys including the Drakenstein Lion's Park providing lions in distress with a sanctuary, where they could live in safety, free from abuse and persecution, and be treated with the compassion and respect they deserved.

People

Local Economy

The centre have 12 staff are employed onsite, of those 8 are women. Employees are paid above minimum wage. Their team also also work in the field, not based at the centre. Apart from the volunteering, we offer guests many different activities like wine tasting, tours of particular areas of interest like the Drakenstein Prison where former Nelson Mandela was imprisoned, Paarl Language Monument, etc. We use local operators on the ground for these services.

Employment, Inclusivity and Diversity

Our supply chain is made up of the local people of the area. We make use of small, owner-managed companies that are based locally and employ individuals from previously disadvantaged backgrounds. With all our volunteering projects, we give up to 5% donations towards conservation. We encourage all volunteers to show respect for local people and their customs. Participants will work alongside permanent staff, forming close bonds and getting an insight into real life in rural South Africa.