Here are some comments from customers who have already been to South Africa with i-to-i:
South Africa - Conservation"…best five weeks of my life. Only downside is I have caught the travel bug now and need to go again."
Holly Fudge, Animal rescue society near Cape Town, South Africa
"I had such an awesome experience, thank you!!!"
Merrewyn Conlay, Lion monitoring expedition in South Africa
"…experience of a life time it has always been my dream to be a marine biologist and this has been a steppingstone to greater things, and to solidify that dream"
Tiffini Groce, Dolphin conservation in South Africa
"Volunteering at the Cango Wildlife ranch is like having a backstage pass to a concert where Cheetah's and tigers are the stars of the show"
Sunny (Sundhiraj Sharma), Meaningful tour: The South African Garden Route and Animal Experience
"I am so glad I did this trip to South Africa because it in all honesty 'changed my life' my experience with the Children in Masiphumelele (a local township near Cape Town) taught me there's more to teaching than page and politics. Children are eager to learn, willing to give 110% and they respect those people trying to help give them an education."
Liz Bates, Help children to read near Cape Town, South Africa
"I would DEFINITELY recommend this placement to anyone who was interested in SCUBA diving, especially those who are interested in learning more than just the basics of becoming a diver. I learned so much from helping out in Divers Choices shop and I'm so greatful to i-to-i, Philip, and the rest of the crew. I would definitely return there and I would be more than happy to represent DC or i-to-i in the future."
Nicholas Duval, Dive internship in South Africa
"I had the pleasure of being the first person to take part in this project and as a result was slightly nervous because I didn't really know what to expect. This in hindsight now seems ridiculous as I had an absolutely fantastic four weeks.
The Gecko Creek wilderness lodge is located up near the hills of the Cederberg wilderness area, which believe me is a truly stunning place. The back garden faces right out onto beautiful hills and the pool sits looking down into the valley. During sunrise and sunset the place truly comes alive which I'd highly recommend viewing from the rise behind the lodge. The area is also one of the best places in the world to view the stars and you will find yourself spending hours sitting out at night and relaxing under them. The lodge itself consists of a main house, a lapa, a boma, shower facilities, a pool with bar (a work in progress I was involved in) and several huts, al1 of which I stayed in while I was there. The huts face out into the valley and when you wake in the morning, and the sun is out, there is nothing better to open your doors to. The only uncomfortable nights sleep I had was when the resident troop of baboons decided to hang out amongst the rocks near my hut, believe me they can be noisy when they want to be. When you're woken in the morning in this way it really makes you realise where you are and how alive the place is.
The lodge is due to cater for back-packers when the last remaining touches have been completed and most of the work I was involved in was towards this. I was doing a variety of things from building the bar by the pool, to planting grass for the campsite and removing alien plant species that were in the way. I understand that once this stuff is all done the work in the project is to be more conservation based, and I believe the idea was even to begin reintroducing some of the existing animal species back into the area that are low in numbers.
The lodge is owned by Linton Pope and run by himself and his girlfriend Janna. They are truthfully two of the nicest people I have met in a long time and it was an absolute pleasure working with them. I felt at home straight away. Their dedication to the lodge and conservation of the area was inspiring and it felt great to see the work I was doing make a difference in helping them towards their goal. I even began to be good friends with Hoka the Wolf who also lives at the lodge.
I had an amazing time at Gecko creek, one that I'll never forget. I've already thought about plans to return and see the place when it is fully finished and up and running. If your aim is to stay in a beautiful area with stunning wildlife and to meet and work with kind and conscientious people you can't go wrong with this project."
Andrew Edwards, Conservation work in the African Bush
"I returned to the Lion Park three times in the time I stayed in Africa. Not sure who I miss most; the people or the cheetahs (probably the cats!!)"
Mark Davies, Lion Park near Johannesburg, South Africa
"I enjoyed this project's primary goals but especially enjoyed its secondaries, like working on the building and maintenance projects on LEO's grounds. I would suggest this project to others who are especially interested in lions and those who are interested in becoming bush guides. This project would be an excellent first step for up and coming bush guides."
Nicholas Duval, Lion monitoring expedition in South Africa
"Between bungee jumping, croc cage diving, abseiling and being chased by cheetahs it would be tough to pinpoint the biggest thrill on this tour, but one thing I’m sure about is that this has been the most exciting trip of my life!"
Chris de Eyre, Meaningful tour: The South African garden route and animal experience
"Today is my last day in South Africa. It's hard to believe how quickly the two weeks have gone by. This is one of the most memorable holidays I've ever had and I am so glad that I made the decision to come. The first day upon arrival at Cape Town airport, I was picked up together with several other volunteers and shuttled by one of i-to-i in-country staff to a nice little backpacker cottage by the sea. There was a short orientation and we did a bit of drumming - which was lots of fun - before supper. It was a pretty relaxing day and a great way to start it off.
The next day after breakfast the volunteers were transported to their various placements. Linton Pope, the owner of Gecko Creek where I would be placed, has a few lodges in Cape Town which he rents out to help fund the conservation. He is setting up an office in town and we spent the next few days running errands here and there. In between those I had the chance to explore Cape Town a little bit and go up to the majestic Table Mountain.
We drove up to the farm on Saturday. Gecko Creek is about two hours by car from Cape Town but it feels like a different world. The land is so vast it boggles the imagination. Linton and his girlfriend, Janna, are the nicest people you can hope to meet. They are passionate about the environment and animals and you can see it in their work on the farm. The place is off the beaten track and they intend to keep it this way so that people who do come can enjoy real wilderness.
Every morning I would get up at around 7 and we would have a cup of tea or coffee outside. You could see the sun rising slowly from behind the hills. The week I was there we mainly worked in the garden. Janna had broken her ankle three months ago and immobilized until recently so the garden was a bit neglected. It was very rewarding to see it slowly getting back in shape under your own hands. At around 11 or noon Janna would fix us some nice brunch or lunch and we would sit in the lapa with a book, away from the midday sun. We would do a bit more work in the afternoon, sometimes fixing things in the showers, or watering the plants, or making up the guest cabins – there is always something you can help with. And the swimming pool! A swim in it after a hard day’s work always made me feel like a new person again. Night time is another of my favourites, what with Janna's amazing cooking and the beautiful night sky. We normally couldn't see so many stars in the city because of the lights, but here, it is absolutely magical. Tomorrow I am flying home and bringing with me a lot of fond memories of this place and its people. I can't wait to come back again!"
Julia Wong, Conservation work in the African Bush
