Big 5 Volunteer - Albertinia, South Africa
September 7-15, 2012
2nd and last week of my volunteer program. My best friend arrives Africa and joins in the fun. :) This week was for Wildlife Conservation - Big 5 Volunteer at the Garden Route Game Lodge in Albertinia. A couple of hours by car from Cape Town.
This is what happened. We were in a mini-campsite and slept in tents. Spent everyday waking up at 6:30 for our 7am daily drive out to look for the cheetahs, rhinos and giraffes. We stop for our morning coffee somewhere in the reserve to catch the sunrise. After which we head back for breakfast. Then off to work we go (cleaning the elephant boma and the cheetah enclosures, improving the cheetah walk, hammering nails, chopping wood, cementing holes, rehabilitating roads, picking up rocks, throwing rocks, etc).
At night, we hang out at the volunteers lounge, watch Big Bang Theory, play cards, have a drink (or two...or three) or have the most amazing african braai.
This was such a beautiful place. The other volunteers -Anna, Katharina, Michael, Jennie and Chris were such great company. The facilitators - Hein, Kim, Liezel and Russouw treated all of us like family. To all of the people I've spent those wonderful 7 1/2 days with: Thank you for giving me a week that I will always remember. :)
P.S. the smell of the cheetah poop still lingers in my nose.
PPS I used Status Quo's Rocking All Over The World for this video because that played in the car while we were on our way to our dinner buffet treat at the Lodge. And I just found it extremely applicable :)
Umkhondo Big 5 Volunteer
As we reached the end of 2012, we decided we would not only give you a small glimpse of what happened in 2012, but also would like to thank all our 2012 volunteers for the part each and everyone played!
We hope to see all of you again soon!
Special thanks to Garden Route Game Lodge, EDGE of Africa and Oceans Aware who all played a huge role during 2012.
Have a blessed Christmas and New years!!
Hein, Kim, Russouw & Liezel
Website: bigfivevolunteer.com
Email: info@bigfivevolunteer.com
Kariega Big 5 Wildlife Volunteer Programme
The Kariega Big Five Game Reserve Volunteer Programme offers a once in a lifetime chance to get behind the scenes and involved with the conservation efforts of the Game Reserve. Wildlife conservation volunteers take part in lion prey selection monitoring, researching Cape Leopards, rhino surveys, elephant impact monitoring, conservation management and local community projects. The Reserve is located in a malaria-free environment. Wildlife Research Internship opportunities also available.
Filmed and created by Andreas Kornevall
Garden Route Game Lodge on e News
First sighting of cheetah and her 4 cubs to be born in the wild in the Garden route in over 100 years
Lion Chase
At the Garden Route Game Lodge near Albertinia, South Africa.
The owners had just bought a new van (with a white roof), and the lion saw it as an unknown and possible threat, so it chose to pursue us across the enclosure.
Very intimidating when you're sitting in the back of an open topped truck, and a lion is charging at you !! Hannah and Holly loved it! Mum hated it !
Bucket Challenge for World Rhino Day
For World Rhino Day on 22 September we at Garden Route Game Lodge are doing a Rhino Dung Bucket Challenge and challenging our neighboring reserves namely Gondwana Game Reserve, Botlierskop Private Game Reserve and Buffelsdrift Game Lodge to raise awareness. YOU GUYS HAVE 48 HOURS!!!
Umkhondo Final Mix V2
Documentary produced by students of the Department of Journalism, Walter Sisulu University, in South Africa.
South Africa 2014
Umkhondo volunteer program
Garden Route Game Lodge Advert
Garden Route Game Lodge Spring Special
Wild Spring Special from R1125 per person per night sharing.
cheetah garden route game reserve
Cheetah and wildebeest at garden route game lodge
See Cheetah chasing a wildebeast and the wildebeast is changing roles.
The 2 young cheetah's don't know yet what they can hunt down. They first started with some giraffe's which was not a good idea. Then one of them tried the wildebeast's
Not really it, if you don't have backup.
VET x 2TheBeat - Black Ops II Game Clip
Game Clip