South Africa small group voluntourism trip (sorry the pretty pictures can make it slow to load)

Your South African Adventure That Counts 10 days / 9 nights (22nd February & 15th November, 2014) Price per person US$4,170*

Overview Explore the majestic city of Cape Town, improve the lives of poor South Africans and spot amazing game on safari.

Nestled beneath Table Mountain, South Africa’s capital city has one of the most stunning settings in the world. The backdrop is at its most magical when a warm south-easterly wind mixes with the colder air on top, causing the moisture to condense and form the famous "table cloth" that spills down off the flat plateau. Legend attributes this phenomenon to a smoking contest between the Devil and a local pirate called Van Hunks.

Within sight of this stunning mountain you will be able to make a difference in the lives of local people, for whom life is a daily struggle. Choose one of four tasks that address issues from healthcare to nutrition, and get to know these wonderful people as you gain insights into their culture.

Round-off your adventure with a safari and see if you can spot all the ‘Big Five‘ (lion, leopard, buffalo, elephant and rhino). info@handsupholidays.com

Day 1:

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CAPE TOWN On arrival at Cape Town International Airport, you are met by your guide and transferred into Cape Town.

After a panoramic tour which will surely leave you in awe, you’ll ascend to the top of Table Mountain by cable car (if weather permits).

The five-minute trip to the top of Table Mountain offers 360° views of Cape Town, the ocean and the neighboring peaks. Stroll along the paths and the viewing platforms and soak up the vistas.

Table Mountain National Park is a World Heritage Site and an important part of the Cape Floristic Region one of the richest floristic areas in the world, with over 1,460 different species of plants.

call: +1 201 984 5372 (from USA)

+44 207 193 1062 (R.o.W)

Rock Hyrax, commonly known as dassies, are plentiful on the mountain. You may also see porcupines, mongooses, girdled lizards,

agamas, snakes and butterflies. Several indigenous bird species can also be seen, including Redwinged Starlings, Cape Verreaux’s Eagles, Rock Kestrels and Sunbirds.

After leaving Table Mountain you are taken to your hotel where the remainder of the day is at your leisure.

Overnight stay at the Cape Milner Hotel

Day 2:

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CAPE TOWN-WINELANDS-CAPE TOWN After a delectable breakfast, you are picked up by your guide for a tour of the Winelands.

These valleys and mountain slopes hold the oldest vineyards in this beautiful region.

Visit picturesque Stellenbosch and Franschoek, and enjoy wine tastings at four of the area’s renowned wine estates. One of these is Boschendal which dates back to 1685.

Enjoy a picnic lunch on the lawns under the ancient oak trees.

Return to Cape Town in the late afternoon and spend the evening exploring the town at your leisure.

Overnight stay Cape Milner Hotel info@handsupholidays.com

call: +1 201 984 5372 (from USA)

+44 207 193 1062 (R.o.W)

Day 3:

(B,L,-)

CAPE TOWN-CAPE PENINSULA-CAPE TOWN After a delicious breakfast, depart for a full day tour of the Cape Peninsula. The day starts with an informative cycle ride through the Cape of Good Hope National Park, led by a qualified nature guide.

Stop at the Cape of Good Hope and Cape Point, before continuing to Simon’s Town and the beautiful Boulders Beach with its resident colony of African penguins.

Return to the hotel in the late afternoon for an evening at leisure.

Overnight stay Cape Milner Hotel info@handsupholidays.com

Day 4-6:

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CAPE TOWN - BLOEKOMBOS - CAPE TOWN After breakfast, you are transferred to your chosen volunteer project based in Bloekombos, about 45 minutes outside Cape Town.

This is your opportunity to get a closer look at the local culture and meet some of these wonderful people by assisting on a variety of outreach projects that care for the deeply impoverished Bloekombos community. Spend three days volunteering and improve the lives of those less fortunate. The principal projects are: Nourishment support The extreme poverty in this community means that you can be part of an effort that supplies over

call: +1 201 984 5372 (from USA)

+44 207 193 1062 (R.o.W)

100,000 meals a month and is gradually moving towards providing 120,000 meals a month. The hope is that eventually everyone will be able to have at least one good meal a day.

This is a great opportunity to not only practice your cooking skills but also to be part of the effort to distribute these meals to the needy.

Rest hospice If you are more medically inclined you can help to ease the last days of residents at a care facility for terminally ill cancer and HIV/AIDS patients when they or their families are unable to do so.

The facility provides not only for the immediate needs of the patients, it also gives support to their families and assist them in coping with their illnesses.

You can help to make the patients as comfortable as possible in the finals stages of their illness (Police check required).

Agricultural Development Project (farming) In order to become more sustainable the project has recently started its own agricultural development project. The fresh produce that is harvested is helping to meet the rapidly growing needs of the nourishment project.

You can exercise your green thumbs by helping in the gardens.

Substance abuse support This project also provides counseling and support to people who have been or are dependent on illegal drugs or alcohol.

You can help to teach life skills to recovering substance abusers aged 18 and over (Police check required).

Late afternoon, you are transferred back to the hotel where your evening is at leisure.

Overnight stay Cape Milner Hotel (Standard Rooms).

info@handsupholidays.com

call: +1 201 984 5372 (from USA)

+44 207 193 1062 (R.o.W)

Day 7:

(B,-,-)

CAPE TOWN You have today at leisure, to do as you choose.

Your guide is at hand to take you to the city, Victoria & Alfred Waterfront, and Camps Bay. Victoria & Alfred Waterfront Situated at the foot of Table Mountain, within a stone’s throw from the Cape Town Stadium and in the heart of Cape Town’s working harbor, the V&A Waterfront offers an abundance of unforgettable experiences. Indoor shopping and entertainment venues seamlessly merge with ocean vistas and mountain views and the fresh sea breeze and warm African sun add zest to a cosmopolitan, vibrant atmosphere. More than 80 restaurants provide a fusion of international food, from rustic al fresco fish and chips to starched tablecloth cuisine. There is much to do and much to discover.

Camps Bay An affluent suburb of Cape Town, which is particularly popular in summer for its renowned white sandy beaches fringed by palm trees and its trendy nightlife.

The center of Cape Town A mix of European and African cultures means this part of the city is buzzing, day or night, with culture, nature and history and an eclectic mix of people.

It offers you a chance to experience South Africa’s past - the South African Museum, the Castle of Good Hope, Company Gardens, Government Avenue and other museums and galleries lining the center of town.

Long Street is a quirky, bohemian mix of African curios, antique shops, book shops and a bevy of coffee shops, restaurants and bistros. During peak season, market stalls line some of the avenues near Greenmarket Square and art

info@handsupholidays.com

exhibitions, some of them free of charge like the Michaelis Collection.

The city center is compact and ideal for historical walks around town, like the Cape Spirit City Walk and the Footsteps to Freedom walk. These will help you gain insight into the rich history that contributed to the mix of cultures unique to Cape Town. The nightlife in the city center is awash with theatre and restaurants offering anything from African to European, fusion to traditional, Eastern to Western delights.

Overnight stay Cape Milner Hotel (Standard Rooms)

Day 8:

(B,-,D)

CAPE TOWN-MADIKWE After breakfast, you are transferred to the airport for your scheduled flight to Jo’burg.

On arrival in Johannesburg, you are met by your guide and transfered to Madikwe Game Reserve (driving time 4-5 hours).

The Madikwe Game Reserve, situated on the Botswana border, is one of the largest game reserves in South Africa. The rich diversity of vegetation ensures a wide range of game and the topography offers ideal game viewing opportunities.

Madikwe is home to 66 mammal species including the “Big Five” and approximately 300 resident and migrant bird species. It has the distinction of being one of the few game reserves in the world to be proclaimed purely on the grounds of being the most appropriate and sustainable land use for an area. Madikwe represents an extension to this philosophy in that it is run as a joint venture between the State, the private sector and local communities. The success of this approach has made Madikwe the role model for similar ventures being elsewhere in Africa.

call: +1 201 984 5372 (from USA)

+44 207 193 1062 (R.o.W)

Day 9:

(B,L,D)

MADIKWE An early morning game drive in open 4x4 vehicles is followed by breakfast at the lodge. You can relax by the pool or in the luxury of your room, before lunch and the afternoon game drive. This is followed by dinner – perhaps around an open fire under the stars.

Overnight stay Thakadu River Camp (Standard Tents) The reserve consists of vast plains of open woodlands and grasslands, dissected by the rugged Rant van Tweedepoort, and bordered in the south by the Dwarsberg Mountains. The area is dotted with huge rocky hills or inselbergs. The entire reserve has been enclosed in a 150km perimeter fence which has been electrified to prevent the escape of elephants and the larger predators.

After checking in at your lodge, you’ll be escorted on our first game drive, after which dinner is served at the lodge.

Day 10:

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MADIKWE-JOHANNESBURG After your last game drive and breakfast, you check out and depart to Johannesburg.

Depending on the departure time of your flight, you will do a scenic tour of the city and explore the cosmopolitan neighborhood of Rosebank, before continuing to the airport.

Overnight stay Thakadu River Camp (Standard Tents).

info@handsupholidays.com

call: +1 201 984 5372 (from USA)

+44 207 193 1062 (R.o.W)

TO RESERVE YOUR SPOT: Email bookings@handsupholidays.com with these details: 1.

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Trip Destination: Trip date: Number of people booking: Participant name(s) and email address: Phone number:

You can reserve your trip with payment of 20% deposit, with the balance paid at least 60 days prior to the start of your trip. You can pay your deposit by bank transfer (in US$ or GBP) or by credit card (in GBP only, and a 2% handling fee applies). Please indicate which option you prefer.

All bookings are subject to our usual Terms and Conditions except that any payments you make are fully refundable should we fail to reach the minimum number of participants for your trip within 60 days of your trip start date.

Included  7 Nights’ accommodation at Cape Milner Hotel including daily breakfast  2 Night’s accommodation at Thakadu River Camp including all meals and 2 game drives daily  An 8-seater air conditioned vehicle and luggage trailer (for 6-8 pax) or 13-seater air conditioned vehicle and luggage trailer (for 7-12 pax) for the transfers and excursions indicated in the itinerary  Services of a qualified English speaking guide during transfers and excursions indicated in the itinerary, as well as during the volunteering days  Table Mountain Aerial Cableway return tickets  4 Wine tastings  Picnic lunch at Boschendal Wine Estate  Full day Cape Peninsula tour including bicycle & helmet hire, services of a qualified guide,

info@handsupholidays.com

   

lunch, entrance into the Cape of Good Hope National Park and entrance to Boulders Beach Lunch packs on the 3 volunteering days Madikwe Game Reserve entrance fee Thakadu River Camp room levy Volunteering donation $50 per person

Not Included        

International flights Meals not indicated in the itinerary Drinks Insurance (this is mandatory, though we can help you arrange this) Tours & excursions not indicated in the itinerary Tips & gratuities Porterage / luggage service Items of a personal nature such as phone calls

A. CONFIRMATIONS:  No services are booked yet. We will process your reservation upon receiving your deposit and reservation request.  We reserve the right to reserve alternative options if the proposed service is not available at the time of booking.

A. IMPORTANT NOTES:  Travel insurance is compulsory (we recommend insurance with a medical evacuation clause); we can help you with this.  Volunteer activities may change from those noted above, depending on the needs of the project.

Key B = Breakfast L = Lunch BL = Boxed Lunch D = Dinner * Price is excludes flights and is based on sharing a room with one other person

call: +1 201 984 5372 (from USA)

+44 207 193 1062 (R.o.W)