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SOUTH AFRICA

WHEN: June 2016
WHERE: Glen Afric 

This trip, wasn't much of a tourism trip. It was a volunteer trip. So I'll tell you about that: 

Program Details

Length: just over 2 weeks
Company/Program Name: Volunteer SA - Living with big cats
Price: 1 week starts at USD 850  (plus flight). My trip in total cost me roughly 5 thousand dollars. This included the 2 week program, the round trip flight from YYZ and all excursions I did extra
Details
Program Details *please note things may have changed since I have done mine*
2 days a week you have animal interactions - exercise the lions/tigers and all other animals that may the love 
Every other week they offered a lion walk where you walked the lion free range along the reserve
Every morning was solely cleaning the elephant and horse stalls
Every Monday you cleaned out every single animal area (full day - we called it shit monday)
Most days you did a lot of farm work - and it can be intense, hard work. Fixing/building fences and enclosures, pouring concrete, etc. 
Every Friday they offered you to go to the children's school to play with local students
Every Thursday and Sunday they offered excursions (extra $$)
They also offered: elephant walks, horse rides (1 free), night watches, etc. 

Accommodation
Private rooms are extra. Most rooms have 8 people to a room. Bathrooms may not be right in your room 
Food
Provide you with 3 meals a day and will assist in dietary needs - meal I found were actually very good
Grounds
They had beautiful grounds - its a hotel as well so they have a nice area for guests. 2 pools & the offer a bar and restaurant. They have a lounge area for volunteers.
Animals
Lions, tigers, cheetahs, leopards, elephants, zebra, giraffe, etc. 
Excursions - all extra $
- ATV safari tour
- Safari tour
- paintballing
- Cameleon village
- zip lining
- hot air balloon
- sky diving
- monkey sanctuary
- many more

Honestly, it sounds and looks amazing, but it is so much work and it's not easy work. You do more work than you do animal interaction. Remember, you're volunteering, not vacationing. 


Would I recommend it?
Absolutely I would, but only if you can handle being in the heat, living in not the nicest of accommodations & can handle hard work. Its a lot of money. But its the best thing i've done in my entire life. I will admit, at first my trip start out terrible. I didn't enjoy it. But the animal interaction completely saved me from that. I really want to go back. 

 

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