Summary
Voluntary work project at a centre for rehabilitating orphaned or injured baboons
Project location
Near Phalaborwa on in the Kruger National Park
Length of project
From 2 weeks – 12 weeks.
Group/individual basis
You will travel as an individual, but join a group of other participants from around the world.
Support
Help and advice from our UK office throughout. Local support from nominated staff member at the project.
Includes
- Voluntary work project at a centre for rehabilitating orphaned or injured monkeys and other animals.
- Pre-departure information covering work issues and advice about life in South Africa
- Airport transfers
- Accommodation
- All meals
- Full orientation and induction before you begin
Not included
- Flights
- Travel and medical insurance
- Any home country transport (eg. taxis and buses)
Accommodation
Basic but comfortable accommodation on site. Expect to share a room
Travel arrangements
Fly to Hoedspruit (HDS). You will be met at airport and taken to the rehabilitation centre
Pre-departure briefing
You will receive thorough documentation covering project expectations, preparation, health and safety, responsible travel and arrival arrangements at least 4 weeks before departure.
Medical
Vaccinations may be required. We recommend that you visit your Doctor or Travel Nurse as soon as possible to discuss what you might need to have.
Please be aware that Oyster staff are not able to give advice on your medical background or the type of vaccinations that you might need.
You can get useful medical advice relating to your destination on the ‘Fit For Travel’ website – http://www.fitfortravel.nhs.uk/.
You must inform Oyster of any pre-existing physical or mental health conditions. Oyster staff may ask for you to provide a letter from your Doctor before continuing with your booking.
Insurance
You must take out a full travel insurance policy as soon as you can before departure. This must cover you for personal accident, medical, cancellation, emergency evacuation, lost luggage etc. We strongly recommend that you organise your travel insurance upon booking your place. We can introduce a policy with Global Travel Insurance to UK citizens, details of which can be found in your MyOyster account, once you have completed your booking. If you are not eligible for this insurance, please read through it to have an idea of what you need to be covered for.
Any risk factors
The animals housed at the centre are not normally dangerous to humans (particularly as most are infant monkeys) but volunteers may get the occasional scratch or a bite from the monkeys. We ask you to ensure your tetanus inoculation is up to date. Maintenance work, such as building enclosures, carries a very low risk of minor injury (no greater than doing DIY work at home). South Africa has a relatively high level of crime. However, much of this is centred in the townships, rather than in rural areas such as this. The project would not involve visits to any high risk areas and the accommodation is well-secured, with members of staff living on site. Other potential risks include poorer road safety and sunburn during the summer months. There is risk of infectious disease, so appropriate vaccination is essential. Kruger National Park requires that you seek medical advice on malaria. As this is a rural area of the country, you should be prepared for snakes and other wildlife.
Downtime
Participants will be able to travel independently during their time off, as long as they accept that they will be outside Oyster’s jurisdiction, make appropriate insurance provision and inform others. It is important to let staff know when you are due to return and keep them updated if your plans change.
Accessibility
This project could accommodate those with minor physical disabilities. Please discuss with destination manager before booking.
Financial Security
When you book with Oyster you can rest assured that your money will be protected and you will not be stranded abroad in the very unlikely event that our company becomes insolvent. If your booking includes a flight arranged by us, your whole trip will be subject to ATOL protection. If we have not booked your flight then your trip will be just as safe, since it will be insured through International Passenger Protection Ltd.
