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GYC2360 - Lion park near Johannesburg Country: South Africa Cost: £1095.00 Cost Includes: The price includes accommodation and pickup from airport but does not include flight, insurance, food, kit or visas    Duration: 2 weeks Company Rep Nearby: All the time 0845 344 7592 or

 

	This placement would suit... Enthusiastic volunteers with a love of animals You should enjoy working with others, love the great outdoors and not be scared to show initiative. The project is great for anyone looking for an adventure or dreaming of doing something different! South Africa is big, diverse and guarantees an adventure! From bustling cities to pristine wildlife parks its full of contrasts. The Lion Park is a unique South African tourist destination specializing in the care of Africa's large predators such as the Lion (including the rare white lion), Leopard, Cheetah, Spotted Hyena, Brown Hyena and African Wild dog. It is also home to many of the other animals that make South Africa one of the wildlife jewels of the world. Volunteering in South Africa on this project means you can run wild with lions, giraffes and cheetah cubs. Get involved with feeding and caring for the big cats, keeping their environment clean and maintaining the park. The Lion Park is one of the longest running parks in South Africa after being established by the world famous Chipperfields Circus in 1966. The Park aims to educate the general public about Africa's indigenous animals by creating environments as close to the natural habitat as possible and providing informative tours around the park. Guests can interact with the hand-reared cubs in a supervised environment and are guaranteed to see many of Africa's biggest predators, as well as its' many herbivores. The park was one of the first to successfully breed the rare white lion and at present has a breeding pride of 4 white lions, led by Letatsi - one of the offspring of the Timbavati lions. The Lion Park is home not only to lion, but hyena (both brown and spotted), Cheetah, Leopard, Jackal as well as giraffe, zebra, springbuck, impala and ostrich. Many of these animals, especially young cubs you will have interaction with and help enrich their lives by playing with them and walking them. The various buck species can sometimes be found grazing in the tented camp area and at night the 2 giraffes often will come and steal your food from a braai! Your role as a volunteer: Volunteers help in daily tasks such as feeding, cleaning and exercising the animals. Volunteers can show visitors around the centre and take school groups around the lion park supervising their interaction with the cubs. Volunteers will be expected to do general maintenance work around the centres and help with cleaning duties. Before March 2008 arrivals - After volunteering at the Lion Park you will then have the opportunity to see South Africa's animals in the wild. You will be taken on a one day tour including a trip to Hartebeespoort Dam with a visit to the Chameleon Craft Market (a great place to pick up some African Handicrafts). After the market you will drive through rural South Africa to Pilanesburg national Park where you will enjoy a picnic and afternoon looking for the big 5 in the wild, taking photos and visiting waterholes frequented by hippos! You'll then have a day off in Pretoria to pick up last minute presents before flying back home. The Park is approximately 208 hectares and each camp is between 3 and 5 hectares, this much land requires a lot of maintenance and management. Lion cubs are demanding and need feeding every few hours in their first few months. The white lions bred at the park are already extinct in the wild and their continuation depends on parks like this one. From March 2008 - After your hard work at the Lion Park your troubles will be rewarded by a day trip to a local National Park and a day to relax before flying home. Where the project is based: The Lion Park is based in Lanseria just outside Johannesburg. Volunteers stay on the park in purpose built tents. The tents have electricity and proper beds. There are bathroom facilities with hot shower and a kitchen, with oven and washing machine. Accommodation is self catering style, volunteers are taken shopping weekly to buy food. The mall is a short drive away, public transport is not easily accessible but we have arranged for a mini taxi company to pick up volunteers for a reasonable fee. Please book your flight to arrive into Johannesburg (airport code JNB) before 11am on the advertised arrival date to ensure your airport pickup. Before March 2008 arrivals - On arrival you will spend a night at Pretoria Backpackers before transferring to the Lion Park the next day. You will then spend your time volunteering at the park with 1 day off. You will then transfer back to Pretoria where you can make arrangements to catch your flight home or further onwards travel. Note: There will be separate tours to Pilanesburg; one group will have the tour and a day off, the other group will have the day off then a tour. From March 2008 arrivals - On arrival you will be transferred straight to the Lion Park and will start working the next day. You will have 9 full days of volunteer work before transferring to Pretoria Backpackers near Johannesburg to go on the tour. This project is 14 day/13 nights. 0845 344 7592 i-to-i: We pride ourselves in a high level of service to ensure that all our gap year travellers get the most our of their meaningful travel. With Teaching, Community Development, Conservation, Sports, Media and Health placements in 24 countries, we can offer you the meaningful gap year that you want.