Wildlife Internship

10 days—Wildlife Conservation Internship for Teenagers

$1513-1550 USD

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Safari summary

An experience that is worth waiting for this small group adventure will take youngsters right to the heart of the African bush where they will learn about animal tracking and wildlife conservation from the very best. They will engage in projects with the local experts and volunteer some of their time working with African children. Living in camps in the jungle they will witness a sky lit by stars. They will walk with the lions, mingle with the locals, track animals & birds. Most of all for 9 whole days they will live a life that will change them forever.

About this tour

	Tour type	Set-date, set-itinerary, group
	Main focus	Game drives
	Activity level	Easy activity
	Best months	April, May, June, July, August, December
	Countries	South Africa
	Parks	Kruger

Itinerary

Day 1

Day 1: Arrival in Johannesburg We meet up at Johannesburg Airport at 7 pm. Your Tour Manager from Active Holiday Company will introduce you to the rest of the group and you will be transferred to a hotel in Johannesburg. Meals: Dinner

Day 2

Kruger

Day 2: Arrival & Project Briefing After breakfast, we leave for Kruger. A 5 to 6-hour drive to Kruger will get you to your lodge which will be your home for the next few days as you work on your conservation project. Later today youâ€™ll get acquainted with rules pertaining to your safety, accommodation, pool etc. and of course meet your fellow participants. We end the day with a lovely local dinner. Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 3

Kruger

Day 3: Theory on Data Collection and Research Drive (Elephants & Rhinos) Save the Rhino Study Today, breakfast will be followed by an introduction to your conservation project in the heart of Kruger, South Africa. We will go over the overall aim of the project and the achievements to date of the local people who run the research and development project. Then you will go over a briefing on safety while on Research vehicles and an introduction to conservation data collection and the animals you are going to observe. The members of the group are assigned different roles for the week ahead. After lunch youâ€™ll get introduced to data sheet handling and you are all set to get on your very first Research Drive through Buffaloland. A guide and a Research Manager will teach you how to identify Elephants and Rhinos on the move. Return to the Lodge at dusk in time for dinner and a presentation on Rhino poaching. Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 4

Day 4: Insect, Bird & Big 5 Survey, Camping & Night Observation We have a very exciting day lined up for everyone! We start the day with an insect and bird survey early in the morning. The second half of the morning is spent entering the data captured that morning and an introduction to camera traps, finding relevant images and understanding data from the camera traps. After lunch, we leave for a research drive through the Klaserie Game Reserve where you can expect to learn about the behavior of Elephants, Lions, Leopards, and Rhinos. We will spend the night camping here with dinner in the open over the braai (South African for barbecue). There is an entirely new world of nocturnal creatures waiting to be explored and tonight you will unravel some of the mysteries of such species on a night drive through the Klaserie Game Reserve with your research guide. Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 5

Day 5: Klaserie - Visit to Hoedspruit After an exciting night sleeping out under the stars, we wake up early for a research drive through the Klaserie Natural Reserve. We return to the makeshift camp in time to pack up and leave for the lodge. Our weekend starts with a visit to Hoedspruit town. This is your chance to do some souvenir shopping, visit the cafes in town and spend the afternoon relaxing. We return to the Lodge and have the rest of the evening free! Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 6

Kruger

Day 6: Safari to Kruger National Park Spend a day in the world famous Kruger National Park. Enjoy seeking out the African Big 5 amongst the myriad of species including plains game, ground horn bills, hippos, crocodiles, cheetahs, wild dogs, and many, many species of birds! This is a full day trip that includes a packed breakfast and lunch. Return to the lodge in the evening where you will have some free time before dinner. Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 7

Day 7: Theory on Data Collection; Reptile Park; Star-Gazing It’s time to start connecting the dots and to see the data in action. We’ll learn how putting all the data we have collected into the mapping software recreates the movements of the animals! Knowing the movements of the animals is core to understanding their behavior and conservation revolves around this in a big way. We also create ID kits for the Big 5. After lunch, we continue with conservation work at the local Reptile Centre. You’ll learn about handling snakes and learn about the importance of reptiles within the Eco System. After dinner, we gather at the lodge grounds for an evening of stargazing. Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 8

Day 8: Conservation Community Class at a local school Conservation work this morning could be creating a waterhole, doing a snare sweep or helping on the butterfly project, all as a team. With this done, you will spend the rest of the morning preparing for a Conservation lesson to be given at the local school. Your guides and Research Manager will help you with material and ways to make this as interactive and fun as possible. After lunch at the Lodge, we head to the local school and take them through the importance of wildlife conservation and how they can be sensitive to this. This will give you a chance to understand the local education system, the lives of the children who live in this area and the challenges they face. We return to the Lodge in the evening and after dinner, you will participate in a quiz on animal behavior. Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 9

Day 9: Project work & departure from the lodge We being our day with a morning of project work. This can range from creating a snare garden or working on the data that you have collected through your time at the project. We go over all that we have learned and spend a wonderful morning with new people we have met on this trip, who have now become our friends. With a long drive to Johannesburg ahead of us, we leave lodge at 15:30 pm and drive to Nelspruit where we will be spending the night. Enjoy a great pizza dinner with the group on your last night in South Africa and turn in early. Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 10

Day 10: Departure With the experience of a lifetime at an end, we leave early to get to the airport in Johannesburg for the flight back home. Meals: Breakfast

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