Are you desperate to visit a magical place where friendly zebra roam free and curious monkeys swing gracefully from the trees outside your bedroom window?

Trip Highlights:

Itinerary & Details

Day 1 (Monday) – Arrive into Cape Town Airport (airport code CPT)

Please book your flight to arrive into Cape Town International Airport (CPT) before 4.15pm on your arrival day. You will be picked up from the airport and taken to the volunteer house where you will have orientation together with all other arrivals at 5pm.

If you aren’t able to arrange a flight to get you into Cape Town before 4.15pm then we’d recommend you fly in a day early. We can arrange an early airport pick-up for you including one night’s accommodation at an extra cost. Please call us for more information.

Day 2 (Tuesday) – Mind those claws!

After a cozy night in the volunteer house, you will get an early start to the day. You will leave the house at around 5am to catch a 6am bus to Jeffreys Bay. The bus ride is about 10 hours, a long but scenic ride and a great way to see the beautiful country landscape. You will arrive around 5pm in Jeffreys Bay and be met at the bus station by staff from the wildlife park and taken to your accommodation.

NOTE: If you would prefer to fly to the project after orientation this is possible but will be at your own expense. You will still need to arrive in Cape Town on your arrival date but then book a flight from Cape Town to Port Elizabeth in the morning of the day after orientation (Tuesday). If you would like to take this option please ensure that you contact us for further information.

Day 3 to 5 (Wednesday to Friday) – Getting stuck in!

The centre has permanent staff who need man power, and your best move after arriving is to take time to get to know them all and work out your role through chatting with them and working out how you can best help during your time there. Everyone is different, so naturally there will different activities that interest certain people but not others. It’s important that you are ecstatic in what you’ll be doing so take time to look around, talk to everyone and work it out together – the more you ask, the more responsibility you’ll get!

Day 6 - 7 (Saturday and Sunday) – It’s the weekend!

You will be working 5 days a week from 7:30am to between 4 and 5pm so the weekend won’t necessarily fall on a Saturday or Sunday, it’s up to you what days you work as long as you check it with the other team members. On your free days, we recommend checking out Jefferys Bay which is 20 minutes away to try out your surfing skills – the waves are legendary! Jefferys bay also has lots of boutiques and art/craft shops, museums and restaurants to help empty your pockets of your spending money.

Port Elizabeth is around 30 minutes away and is a stunning city but with the feel of a town as you explore it. There are plenty of guesthouses and beautiful beaches, bars and shopping centers – what are you waiting for?

Following weeks

Now that you’ve been shown the ropes, make sure you take some time to get to know the staff and also the animals; understand more about how and why the project exists and carve out your own niche to help shape your experience.

Day 15 (Monday) – Your last day

Having said goodbye to all your new friends and packed your bag full of souvenirs you’ll travel back to the airport. At the end of your experience, you will take a shuttle bus or taxi to Port Elizabeth Airport - please budget around 300 South African Rand. Please book your flight home to depart from Port Elizabeth Airport (PLZ).

Project

What does the project do?

Ever had a hobby that got out of control? The sanctuary was originally a cattle farm around thirty years ago and was established after a number of injured animals were brought to them to take care of. This endangered species breeding centre is the result of one man’s passion to conserve his natural surroundings and was created with the aim of rescuing and treating all injured or orphaned wildlife brought to his attention. Even after extensive treatment, some animals may never be able to return the wild, so the park provides them with a safe home where they can live out their final days in peace and comfort.

What’s the project like?

The wildlife sanctuary is situated in a rural location between Jefferys Bay and Port Elizabeth. There are over 200 species of bird, and animals including monkeys, giraffe, zebra, impala, crocodiles, emu's and the exotic Knysna Loerie. Prepare to get your hands and clothes dirty whilst getting up close in the company of trained staff with these animals.

Starting the day with a scenic sunrise with uninterrupted views over the surrounding land, if you’re fed up with inner city noise and pollution then come on down!

The climate is great in South Africa, and there are many areas beautiful areas around the country worth visiting should you have the time to travel on after the project.

Why does the project need volunteers?

With so many animals to care for and new ones being born on a regular basis, the park needs your help to look after the ever-growing population of hungry tenants currently including monkeys, giraffe, zebra, impala, crocodiles, emu's and over two hundred species of birds!

The project has a small number of permanent staff but is in need of man power in the form of enthusiastic, proactive volunteers who aren’t afraid to get stuck in and give anything a try.

Activities and schedule

You can expect to get involved with preparing food for the animals - this is important as there are many cubs, and without the volunteers there would not be enough staff to prepare these for the ever growing animals.

Your help is also needed in cleaning out enclosures; due to the number of animals, a lot of help is needed to complete these tasks as well as feeding and preparing the food for the animals. You can even get involved in bottle feeding if you want to.

Get up close and personal with the animals and get involved in the daily running of the centre. Prepare to flex your muscles and get a tan whilst assisting with the building of new enclosures and checking the state of game park fences so that nothing can get in or out!

Please be prepared for the fact that you will sometimes be asked to help cut up meat for the feedings and also to help with basic maintenance duties such as weeding. Everything that happens is with the animal’s welfare in mind!

Project resources and advice

During the winter you may wish to bring a warm sleeping bag with you as the accommodation does not have heating and it may get a little cold! Other than this you will find all resources that you need at this project so there’s no need to bring anything along from home.

If you do have a specific interest in a field that you’d like to get involved in at the project please let us know.

Please note that the weather can become quite cold during the months of May to September, please remember to bring some warm clothes with you.

What exactly do i-to-i provide?

It may seem like a strange concept to pay for your volunteer experience. You'd be right if you think you shouldn't and the truth is you actually don't! Your placement is free; it's the benefits around it that you pay for. It's important to note that i-to-i is a travel company and not a charity. We provide a professional travel service. We are responsible for finding and assessing worthwhile projects across the world, preparing you fora the volunteering experience and supporting you whilst you're there.

Here’s some more information about what your placement fee covers….

Project sourcing and assessment

We work with hundreds of locally run partner projects around the world and are constantly sourcing new opportunities. We visit all projects to check that they are worthwhile and legitimate and we also conduct a thorough safety assessment before we'll send volunteers there. More

Expert help-desk

Almost everyone who works for i-to-i has traveled extensively or worked overseas. This means we're a goldmine of information; we're always available to offer support and guidance before, during and after your trip.

Thorough project briefing materials

Once you book on to a project you'll receive a Welcome Pack that contains loads of general information about volunteering, about your chosen country and how to have fun and stay safe. We'll also give you advice on visas and inoculations.

Airport pickup

It can be pretty daunting arriving in a different country for the first time - especially after a long flight! If you arrive on your project start date, there'll be a welcoming face at the airport to pick you up and take you to your accommodation.

Arrival orientation

Soon after you arrive you will attend a thorough orientation with our in-country team. This is to cover important safety and security information. You'll also get some tips about sight-seeing options for your time off and maybe even learn some of the local lingo!

Accommodation and meals

Accommodation is included with all projects and meals are even included with some. We only use locally-owned and operated accommodation so that part of your placement fee is filtering back into the local economy. Most projects offer homestay, guesthouse or shared volunteer houses as standard accommodation, but some offer the chance to upgrade to a more comfortable living standard. More

Local in-country coordinators

Your in-country team will arrange a pick-up for you at the airport and will conduct your orientation upon arrival. All coordination teams are English speaking and are locals of your destination country. They won't be at your project every day, but will be on call 24 hours a day, seven days a week if you need them. More

24/7 emergency support

Aside from the local support from your in-country team you'll be given access to a 24/7 emergency phone line manned by our response team in case any problem should arise while you're overseas. We also hire crisis management professionals to be on hand in case of a situation that requires additional expert support. More

Ongoing training

The safety and security of our volunteers is paramount. For this reason we provide ongoing crisis management and emergency response training to our local teams around the world. We also fly in our in-country coordinators to the UK regularly for thorough training to help them offer the best safety to the thousands of volunteers they support each year. More

Supporting our projects

We don't fund our projects directly from the project fee that you pay us. Instead we choose to support a number of projects every year through a grant scheme for tangible long-term initiatives. In the last 3 years we have distributed over US$250,000 to our most needy projects to help them in the great work they do. 

Recruiting people like you

We make no secrets of the fact that part of your placement fee is reinvested in to recruiting volunteers just like you! The volunteers recruited in one week will typically deliver over 2000 man-days of service. The difference this makes to projects overseas is immeasurable. Many of our overseas projects rely on assistance from international volunteers, so it's necessary for us to put together brochures and websites to find the people who can support them. This recruitment process is vital to ensure programs have a constant stream of reliable volunteers.

The intangible benefits

Volunteering through a company like i-to-i has a lot of intangible benefits to developing overseas communities and the individual projects that we work with. To find out more about our placements. click here

Next Steps

What we will do after you've booked:

Orientation Information

The following information details what will happen during the first few days of your arrival.

We aim to provide you with a safe and soft landing into your destination by picking you up from the airport, giving you an orientation that helps to settle you into the country as quickly as possible. It’s also the best time to ask any questions you have about your time in South Africa.

You will arrive on the Arrival Date – Monday and will be met at the airport on the specified arrival date (we recommend you arrive between 8.00 and 16.15 in order to attend your orientation at 17.00). You will be taken to the The One Three Six (see contact details below) where you will have the first day/night to recover from your flight. The volunteer house is located within walking distance shops and the beach if you wish to have a wander – just ask for directions.

If you wish to make your own way please arrange to be at the address below on the arrival date:

The One Three Six

136 Kommetije Road
Fish Hoek
7976

T: +27 (0)21 785 4858
+27 (0)82 306 8877


Your orientation will take place at 17.00 on the arrival date at The One Three Six and will introduce you to life in Cape Town as well as important information about staying healthy and safe.

After a cozy night in the volunteer house, you will have an early start the following morning. You will leave the house at around 6am to catch a 7am bus to Jeffreys Bay. The bus ride is about 10 hours, a long but scenic ride and a great way to see the beautiful country landscape. You will arrive around 5pm in Jeffreys Bay and be met at the bus station by staff from the wildlife park and taken to your accommodation where you can settle in to your new accommodation for your stay!

Accommodation

What type of accommodation will I be in?

This is where it gets even better.

This may be the best work commute of your life since you will be staying in a comfy lodge right on the reserve grounds. You will be in a dormitory style accommodation - a great way to get to know your fellow travellers!

Accommodation facilities

The lodge itself is well equipped and has modern amenities such as hot water, showers, and modern toilets. You will have access to a lounge with a fridge and kettle. Local shops and post office are a 5 minute drive away. The beaches of Jeffrey's Bay and the pleasant town of Port Elizabeth are all a reasonable taxi ride away - and all yours to explore on days off from the reserve. Internet is not available on site so you’ll get the chance to check your email on the weekend.

All meals are included. Enjoy the pleasure of having your breakfast, lunch and dinner prepared for you. You will be provided with three delicious meals a day. Dinner will be your main meal so you can look forward to some authentic South African braais (BBQ) as well as some traditional international favourites such as pasta and roasts.

The sanctuary does have mosquitoes but no malaria, so a net is not a necessity. However, it is a good idea to bring one if you plan on going travelling as some places may not provide them.

Things to bring from home

You may also want to bring some items from home to keep you entertained in the evenings. Books, DVDs and music players are great choices. Be sure to have clothes for both warm and cool weather as it can get chilly in the evenings. You’ll need to bring either a sleeping bag or sleep sheet with you from home, if you are travelling through the winter you may want to make sure that you bring a warm sleeping bag as the nights can get quite cold! Make sure you check the weather before you decide what to pack to keep you nice and cosy!

Where is the accommodation?

On site. Forget your alarm clock and let the sounds of South Africa rouse you from your slumber. Stumble out of your dormitory and you’ve arrived!

How far is it from my project?

Stone throwing distance, you’ll never be late for work.