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]]>This is an epic trip through South Africa into Namibia and Botswana. It will leave you speechless as you discover the timeless beauty of the desserts and Deltas. Mixing with Himba tribes and indulging your passion for adventure eventually you will make it to Victoria falls following in the footsteps of Livingstone, to discover what he described as the most wonderful sight in Africa. There are plenty of opportunities to do some insane adrenaline travel activities on this trip. Including the world famous Victoria Falls bungee jump & Whitewater Rafting! There are also opportunities to go skydiving, sandboarding and Quad biking in Namibia. This trip lasts just under 3 weeks and is one of the best value, and easiest ways to cover many of the must see places in Africa.
The activity pack is a bolt on pack including what we consider to be the must to do activities on the trip. You do not have to purchase this at the time of booking, and all activities can be purchased locally as well.
After a short stop to view Table Mountain we drive north to the Cederberg region. In the afternoon (weather permitting) we go on a guided walk to see Bushmen paintings and learn about the native fauna and flora. Meals: Lunch, Dinner
Today we travel to the Gariep/Orange River. We spend the night under the stars and sit at the campfire getting to know each another. Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
You can choose between a morning on the riverbank or the half day canoe on the river. After lunch we travel north to the Fish River Canyon. Optional Activities: Orange/Gariep River Half Day Canoe Adventure. Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
From the Fish River Canyon we continue into the remote hinterland. We arrive at camp in the afternoon and enjoy a short hike at Sesriem Canyon. Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
We wake before dawn so we can hike up Dune 45 and watch the sunrise. After breakfast we join a local expert on a guided tour explaining the desert ecosystem. Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Today we cross the Tropic of Capricorn (where we stop for a photo) on our way to Namibias Atlantic coast. In Swakopmund you will be briefed on the optional activities available here. Day 7 is free for you to explore the town or try one of the many adventure activities. Optional Activities: Quadbiking, Sandboarding, Sky Diving, Dolphin Cruise, Scenic Flights, Fishing etc. Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner (Dinner on day 7 only)
We leave all the trappings of modern life behind us and drive inland to the mysterious Spitzkoppe. Tonight we camp in the wild. Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner AFRICA OVERLAND TRUCK TOUR DAY 9 HIMBA TRIBES After some early morning exploration we continue inland and drive towards Kamanjab. The Himba are a pastoral people and predominantly breed cattle or goats, they are easily recognisable by their unique style of dress. Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Etosha NP is the venue for some of the most unique game viewing experiences in Africa. We will go on various game drives, and spend our evenings at the abundant water holes for some excellent game photography. Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
After an early morning game drive we set off towards Windhoek in the centre of Namibia. On the way we stop at a popular craft market. In the afternoon we go on a short city tour. Optional Activities: Dinner out at Joe�s Beer House. Meals: Breakfast, Lunch AFRICA OVERLAND TRUCK TOUR DAY 13 BOTSWANA, GHANZI It is a scenic drive to the Buitepos border, where we cross into Botswana. Once at camp we will meet with a local Bushmen community and experience some traditional Tribal Dancing. Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Another early day! Our journey takes us from Ghanzi towards Maun. We spend the night here and prepare for our two night bush-camping experience. Your guides will provide you with a briefing about the next few days activities and the community run tourism operation. From here we will enter the Delta using local transport. If the water level allows we will take a mokoro (traditional canoe) trip a well as a nature walk with the local people. Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
We leave the Delta behind us and travel east to Gweta, which is located halfway between Maun and Nata, near the Makgadikgadi Pans NP. Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
When we arrive at Kasane we set up camp on the bank of the Chobe River. The afternoon is spent game viewing from a boat in the Chobe NP. This is an excellent opportunity to view Africa�s spectacular wildlife. You will have the chance to experience an early morning game drive the following day. Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
On arrival in Victoria Falls we have time to plan the next days adventure activities before we visit the spectacular Victoria Falls NP and experience the thundering of the mighty Zambezi. The popular optional sunset cruise includes dinner and drinks. Optional Activities: Chobe morning game drive, Zambezi Sunset Cruise Meals: Breakfast, Lunch AFRICA OVERLAND TRUCK TOUR
Officially your tour finishes after breakfast but most people will spend the day White Water Rafting, a not-to-be-missed experience of a lifetime! Vic Falls offers many exciting alternatives such as a walk with lions or a bungee jump from the bridge that joins Zimbabwe with Zambia. Optional Activities: White Water Rafting, Bungee Jump, Elephant Excursion, Walking with Lions, Horse Riding, Dinner out.
Meals: Breakfast
On our camping tours you will be staying in two-man dome tents. We supply a mattress and you supply your own sleeping bag. The accommodated tours stay in traditional huts, permanent tented camps and hostel-style rooms.
Included are three hearty meals a day, (unless otherwise specified). Vegetarians are easily catered for and they’re always impressed by our varied menu. Our guides can produce miracles on a camp-stove. Special dietary requirements can be catered for, but only by special request. In East Africa it is more difficult to cater to certain requirements.
Shared Camping
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This trip departs approximately twice a month and dates vary, please contact us for start dates.
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Time to party your pants off with the best of them at some of Europe’s top festivals and have an epic summer that you will probably forget. The Xtreme passport is your ticket to an incredible European summer choose from up to 21 festivals (more will be added soon) and let us know one week prior to arrival that you wish to attend and your space will be reserved.
This is the perfect option to make the most of your summer and is super flexible meaning you can fit it in between working and hopping over to somewhere new every couple of weeks.
At some of the events there can be up to 8000 people so you can be pretty sure you’re going to meet lots of people from all over the world and have an incredible time.
You can choose from the following festivals:
Travelling is amazing, but getting from destination to party to festival to tour can be a big pain in the Schengen*. Welcome to the Xtreme Passport that doesn´t shuffle you around like a herd of cattle, but allows you to experience travel your way.
The Xtreme Passport is an unforgettable pass to international times. You choose from any of 21 destinations or festivals and receive an all-inclusive 3 nights at any of your chosen festivals, camps or event trips. The passport gives you a hefty discount on normal prices plus free unlimited beer and sangria at all of the festivals!
All that you have to do after purchase is tell us one week in advance of your desired arrival date to any of the festivals. We’re the type of people who hate rules. We get bored with itineraries. We’re more about the infinities. We’re all about the bare footed, unzipped options, endless times and boundless boundaries. The Xtreme passport shamelessly encourages unrestricted fun. With unlimited booze thrown in (and at) any new passport holder, what are you going to do?
*(If you’re not from Australia or South Africa you can have no idea what that means but if you book this pass I’m sure you will find someone who is who will willingly explain it to you over a few beers.)
San Vino, as we call it, La Batalla del Vino de Haro, as the locals call it, is a full on war path in the middle of the vineyard and we own it. All’s fair in love and wine battles. We take a bus from Barcelona or San Sebastián to the small town of Haro, we party in our campsite and have dinner together to plan strategies for the battle.
We then pay last regards and walk into a town with your classic Spanish street festival. If you’ve never been to a Spanish street festival, holy vineyard… this is the one. Bands everywhere, open drinking in the streets and in the morning we all go throw wine on each other. In the vineyard, as the sun rises.
Farmers versus public servants, women versus serfs, tourists versus that tree that was lookin’ at you funny. It’s a no-holds-barred rootin’ tootin’ red wine drinkin’ beautyfest.
At the filthy end you can choose to swim down the creek back home, drop in on a farmers truck to come back, swim in the pool at our campsite, all the while discarding wine at your feet like some hoboriffic wino Hansel and Gretel. We spend another night in the idyllic, mountainous town partying up a storm and running riot, and then we all dust off, drink a bit more and head back to Barcelona or San Sebastian. Because that’s just how it’s going to happen.
“San Vino is a vicious and outrageous war and you would naïve if you thought you could avoid ruining every item of clothing you’re wearing, dying your entire body purple for a few days or if you thought it was possible to find some sort of escape from the madness amongst the vines.”
“My childhood was filled with Xtreme moments. From the minute I busted forth from fruitful and dampened loins, to the minute I leapt from the top of the swing, landed on the playground and made that uppercut movement and was like, “yeah”, I have always been in search of a new place I can shower myself in new juices. So when I visited San Vino last year it was like I’d come full circle, and was also the fourth time I’ve been able to do that. The second and third time being when I spilt Fanta on myself and bent over to lick it up.”
San Sebastian, the Basque Country and we bask really hard here! For those of who know it (and I mean really know it that way we know it) you know what I’m talking about. For those of you who don’t, let us show you and we promise you’ll probably never want to leave.
Your itinerary for the day looks like this: wake up, eat, surf, drink beer, nap, drink beer, tan, have a beer, socialize, swim, eat, drink sangria, party at a club and then wake up by the beach surrounded by the clearest waters, the most beautiful and chilled out people you’ll ever meet and the Pyrenees mountains. And then probably grab another beer.
At our surf-camp you’re fully accommodated for: tents are erected, beers are chilled, food is served and parties are organized. Even if you don’t surf or swim, you’re guaranteed a great time tanning, drinking and mingling with our fully diverse and international staff. Learn a few new international phrases, a few more drinking games and make some memories that you’ll probably never remember with friends that you won’t forget.
The basic package includes camping accommodation in a twin share and hearty breakfast in the morning. Add-ons: meals, surfboard hire and surf lessons.
For 5€ a day get unlimited beer, wine and sangria all day long!
Check out our full package: All-inclusive for only 60€ a day. Have it all with three meals a day, surf hire and surf lessons.
Your life will never be the same again. This is what heaven is like. Our little slice of paradise, and we’re sharing our cake with you.
Includes
Benicassim is one of those festivals we love just because it really doesn’t matter who plays. The Bingy bongys? The sha la lalaylas? The wingy dingy who-nows? Whatever. The town becomes a beautiful festival in itself.
Don’t get us wrong, it’s an awesome lineup every year, and it’s organised so well that you can’t go to the loo without someone helping you out to where you need to go and how you need to do it. It’s in the middle of a desert, for 4 days, next to a beach, in a sleepy town with fountains and public libraries and municipal facilities that let you do whatever you want for those four precious, special little days. It started as the little festival that could, and became the big festival that did.
It’s everything you want, and not much more. But why would you need more? It’s everything you want. So stop asking.
When we go, we rock the shit out of it.
Everyone moves to our set and learns to our grooves, and once again we get reminded why our friends and us get proclaimed the monarchy of dance, every single night.
Self-proclaimed. But still. Jealousy it seems, takes many forms.
One of the best festivals is always the one where you needn’t worry for showering, taking naps, snaps and chicken wraps because you can do all that at the beach tomorrow, and then head on back to the festival that night.
Year after year this tiny Spanish town takes us in with our blowup Lilo mattresses in the town fountains, in the beaches, on the hills, on top of crowds, the limit is with your imagination, my new friends.
The festival has a stellar lineup every time and an excellent Spanish reputation for making you sweat out your sleep from about 5 am til 9am, and then it’s straight down the beach til the music starts again at 4pm. I’m telling you, Benicassim is raw and it’s great and for €350 all included? You’d be stupid not to.
Las Fallas is a five-day party in Valencia. It is quite a spectacle with people creating huge statues which all eventually get burnt. Expect crazy costumes, thousands of people and well fire everywhere.
Spring beer fest, much like Octoberfest but in spring. That means better weather & who does not want to get smashed in the sunshine?
The Running of the Bulls is part of a festival in Northern Spain in a place called Pamplona, a town famous for allowing Napoleon to invade them armed only with snowballs, and since that embarrassment not taking any shit from any of you Frenchies, tourists, or bulls.
It is an eight day festival of which the Bulls are only a part. At night there are world famous fireworks competitions, hedonistic street parades with multiple live bands, reveling and drinking, dancing, all with the knowledge that tomorrow you may be running with a beast who could kill you with but a flick of the head. And if you’re scared/slow/anti/not bothered, you do not need to run with the bulls – to watch them at 8am is a once in a lifetime event in itself.
When we facilitate a festival where you run on the horns of massive beasts and we say we make it more Xtreme, you know we mean it.
We have our own festival outside the festival at our legendary campsite in Zarautz with buses running back and forth all day. You can stay with us as long as you like. If you choose to go into the bulls in the morning, good luck to you and Godspeed, if you choose to stay in our site and chill on the beach, or go for a surf, we can help you out with that too. Every night is a party, and every night we have some new stuff going on, whether it’s a DJ, carnival, live band, sacrificial burning at the stake, political drunken debate, who knows? We decide on the day. One thing we can be sure of though, is you will most certainly be a part of it and it will be the experience of a lifetime.
The Sonar Festival is an amazing experience to be enjoyed in Barcelona, Spain. There’s nothing like it and its authenticity and creative spark drive the increasing popularity from year to year. It was founded in 1994 as a festival for advanced music and multimedia art and was modestly attended with media coverage from the first event. The hype after the shows closed continued across the next two years as it expanded and sent some notable performers into the global music scene. In fact, the Sonar Festival is part of the reason that electronic music has continued to evolve and gain traction over the last 20 years.
The festival takes place in the city center of Barcelona every June when it is flooded with approximately 80,000 visitors. The electronic music rumbles through the streets from gigantic venues and the atmosphere is buzzing with excitement across crowds of hip, exciting music fans. Famous performers rub elbows with festival attendees and Barcelona happily opens their doors to everyone.
However, the festival is more than just an opportunity to bring great, new music to adoring fans. The Sonar Festival, since its emergence two decades ago, is dedicated to living up to its name as a festival for advanced music and multimedia art. Offering conferences, film screenings, demos, online content, and exhibitions are just some of the ways that they meet these goals of supporting the artistic communities. One of the extra special features of the festival is its intentional design as an open laboratory, rather than a traditional fair format. Technology enthusiasts can experience hands-on workshops and demos with professionals in the industry. It really is more than just a cut-and-dry music festival, it’s an experience that lives up to the hype as one of the biggest events on the European calendar.
You may be wondering why Oktoberfest is held in such high regard by your previously well travelled friends. “What’s the big deal?” You say, “it’s just old fat drunk men singing unintelligible songs on tables and hugging each other.” Sounds like your best nightmare, or your worst high school sleepover, right? To you I contend that it is both, and much more, and also not quite that.
No camaraderie is as strong and breaks as many barriers as that of beer, that destroys whatever divides a drunken German man from singing with a proud androgynous teenaged adult. Welcome to the rainbow of the human condition, amplified by ridiculous rides, slurring, good mateship and, I really just can’t emphasise this enough, singing on tables with beers while thousands watch you in good spirits. Lo, this be the good times.
In the beginning there was a wedding. And lo, this wedding, it was between Prince Ludwig and Princess Theresa. And they made a festival to celebrate and the festival happened in Theresa’s Field. And lo, did they bang in the field. Probably. And then, so it was. And on the next day there was an agricultural fair and they added some fair rides and beer stands… And lo, did Ludwig say, let there be beer and there was beer. And they said “lo damn. There be a lot of beer.” And they looked upon their work and they saw that it was good, and it was good. And lo, Ludwig sayeth, “Let this henceforth be the Oktoberfest”, though it’s day not be in Oktober and they were in September but they had drunk more than a few good German beers. “And let it be the party where the fat old drunk men are lo, the coolest guys in the party.” And then they brought in some more beer tents… And lo, there be much more beer now. And on the seventh day they rested because they were pretty hungover. And now it’s the biggest festival in the world and more than 6 million people go. Lo, goddamn.
Be afraid, Bavaria-fraid of our favourite Xtreme festival and the most favourite public festival in the world. In Munich you arrive at the exact time beers will be served! When we arrive you can soak in the glory of our beautiful campsite for a few moments but then it’s time to get to business. Here’s the details:
But I digress.
Our rolling circus does away with these ethical issues and makes it a circus just about you! You and our other mates and our Europe! We roll, we glide, we hip hop dippity slide to our favourite cities in Europe, making the party as we go, and bringing more people on our trip as we can fit. We hit all the best festivals, we take live bands, there are no rules, and our driver is my best friend, you’ll meet him soon and you’ll love him like I do.
The world’s biggest food fight with tomatoes in Spain? Yeah we do that. Oktoberfest? We end there! Paris, Belgium, Prague, Budapest, a whole shitload of Spain. That’s a tick. It’s the best way to see the coolest cities, and we make our own parties in every city we go! We just invite everyone we meet along the way!
Accommodation differs from Festival to Festival but in general it is based in tents or hostel accommodation. Please check each individual Festival for details.
We would recommend either booking a European hop on hop off pass or checking sky scanner for low-cost airlines on easyJet and Ryanair. A detailed predeparture pack is issued once you book which will tell you where you need to get to and when and you can always ask our reservations team for assistance.
Please note if you are including any of the trips in the Balearic’s like Ibiza you will need to make your own way there. Ryanair and Vueling have great low-cost flight options or you can get a ferry from Barcelona or Denia (80Km south of Valencia).
The Xtreme passport is open dated and valid from one year from the start date of your passport. The key dates for the festivals and events are as follows. You do not have to do it all in one go, which means you can combine it with working and travelling to different locations or perhaps using a hop on hop off pass to get you between events.
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Whether it’s helping little pre-schoolers go about their day, or making sure that the elderly have a clean environment to live in, the work you’ll do in Kenton-On-Sea, the beautiful beach town outside of Port Elizabeth, will be hugely appreciated and respected by both the community members and workers.
Kenton-on-Sea will be your new home in South Africa, as you participate in one of our most important cultural exchange programmes. Situated on the spectacular coastline of South Africa’s southeastern tip, there are lots of gorgeous beaches where you can relax with friends and grab a cold beer after your day’s work is done. There are even two refreshing rivers where many of our programme participants love swimming to cool down in the evenings.
And with everything you need just a short walking distance away from your accommodation, you’re guaranteed a stress-free, easy transition into life in this seaside town.
The South Africa Cultural Exchange Programme is the perfect opportunity to do something different and meaningful with your gap year. Don’t just spend your valuable time off getting so drunk that you don’t even remember what you did! Come home from your time abroad with irreplaceable memories, unparalleled travel and cultural experiences, and a new vision of the world. Spending time helping others is one of the most valuable and important things you can do during your gap year, and in life.
Our cultural exchange programme embodies a unique model of empowerment within the local community, enabling members to help themselves through enhanced economic, social, educational and environmental development schemes.
This rewarding programme will allow you to make a difference in a range of peoples’ lives, from toddlers taking their first vital ‘steps’ in life to adults looking to make a fresh start in education, and elderly members of the community who have more zest for life than you ever thought possible.
Through seven special programme features, you will gain valuable experience in a range of working environments and social development programmes. The areas where you will help the most are:
Living in South Africa will give you an awesome opportunity to explore the country in depth. Weekends at the South Africa Cultural Exchange are yours to enjoy and you can spend them any way you like; whether that involves lying on the gorgeous white-sand beaches of Kenton-on-Sea, or taking some epic trips further afield to discover more awesome parts of the country.
And if our community exchange programme is not enough to keep you busy, then there are plenty of other additional adventures and activities that you can enjoy while you’re there.
With South Africa hailed as the adrenaline capital of the African continent, you can experience an optional range of exciting extreme sports and activities like never before. Be prepared to go:
Not feeling in the mood to bungee jump off a bridge, or go cage diving with Great White Sharks? Sure, even us adrenaline junkies feel like relaxing sometimes!
You can always slow it down by visiting some of the stunning surroundings in South Africa, such as the breath-taking Garden Route, the vast Karoo or the beautiful Chintsa. Traveling around the south-eastern part of the country will give you a better insight into the culture and lifestyle, as well as providing you with a well-deserved break from you duties at the Cultural Exchange programme in Kenton-on-Sea.
Weekend trip accommodation or food not included in Cultural Exchange Programme subsidies.
But wait, there’s more! (Read in your best infomercial voice!)
We have another awesome opportunity for anyone wishing to extend their time in South Africa and broaden their learning and experiences through amazing conservation work. Just a 16km drive from Kenton-on-Sea is a beautiful Game Reserve, one of the famous Big Five Game Reserves of South Africa. Home to hundreds of wild animals including elephants, lions, rhinos, giraffe, zebra and more, working as a conservationist at the Kariega Game Reserve is a once-in-a-lifetime dream opportunity for any animal lovers! By adding on our Xtreme wildlife volunteering experience you can stay on the reserve, immerse yourself into life ‘in the bush’ and learn a mountain of knowledge about the wildlife and conservation efforts of the reserve.
Cool activities include everything from elephant and lion monitoring, to helping to combat harmful alien plants.
If you’re interested in adding the Elephant and Lion Conservation Programme to your itinerary, just let us know and we’ll arrange the rest!
We provide accommodation for all of our programme participants. The house is situated in the stunning seaside town of Kenton-on-Sea, with gorgeous beaches and everything you need just a short walk away. It is not luxurious but has everything you will need for a comfortable and safe stay in Kenton-on-Sea. Bedrooms and bathrooms may be shared, depending on occupancy. The house includes a fully equipped kitchen, lounge with TV, courtyard and BBQ facilities. Bed linen is also provided and laundry is done for you in the washing machine on site. The house does not have a telephone but call cards can be easily purchased in the town, where there is also an Internet café.
This programme includes:
• Three basic meals per day.
• Cleaning and laundry services in your accommodation
• Domestic transport to and from the community projects and the house.
• Daily donation to the Cultural Exchange Projects.
• Transfer to the Kariega Game Reserve if you are taking part in the optional Elephant and Lion Conservation Project.
• Flights
• Transfer to and from Port Elizabeth airport or other pick-up point.
• Restaurant meals or outside entertainment, including drinks.
• Weekend trips and adventure activities around South Africa.
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Have you ever wanted to experience the thrill of a South African safari, complete with the Big 5, camping in the bush and relaxing with a cold beer in some of the most stunning landscapes in the world? Or perhaps you have a passion for wildlife, and want to help a major conservation project carry out its essential work with the local flora and fauna? Well, with this trip, you can have both, thanks to the wonderful scenery, vital conservation projects and bountiful wildlife at one of the most stunning game reserves in South Africa.
Found in the Eastern Cape, The Xtreme Gap Year game reserve offers a programme to all interested volunteers, combining various once-in-a-lifetime opportunities. If you want to see the real South African bush – and not simply get carted around in a tour coach – you should read on, as we know you’ll love everything about this amazing trip!
The working week is from Monday to Friday. Working hours depend on the season and may vary from 7 – 9 hours per day. The evenings are at your own leisure. Hang out with the other volunteers have a Brai (bbq) or fall in love with the African stars!
Saturdays are reserved for a town trip (either to Kenton- On-Sea, Port Alfred or Grahamstown) where you can do your shopping, eat out and visit all the sites of the local towns. Sundays are free time.
The Game Reserve is lucky enough to be home to a huge range of different animals, birds, reptiles and insects. Without diligent conservation efforts though, we risk losing these creatures forever – which is where you come in. As a volunteer, you will spend your days assisting with projects that will help to safeguard the future of this wildlife, which is something you can look back on for the rest of your life.
You won’t just get to do one of these projects though – you’ll be able to have a go at many of them! That way, you’ll get a real feel for how this important game reserve works. Occasionally, exciting projects such as animal releases and captures will also spring up, but these are not regular and therefore can’t be guaranteed. You’ll also get a number of educational lessons before each activity – don’t worry, they are informal and not like the formal classes found at schools and universities!
While on this experience, you will also get to give back to the local community. Just outside the game reserve is a school that needs as much help as possible – it is under-funded and there aren’t enough teachers to teach the pupils there effectively. Volunteers on this programme will spend occasional days at this school, helping out with lessons and making a real difference to the lives of the children there. Projects at this school range from teaching the kids a variety of subjects, through to helping to renovate areas that have fallen into bad states.
This part of the trip is only available if you book outside of the school holidays, and heavy rain will also close the school. There is always something extra to do in the game reserve though, so you won’t have time to get bored!
Don’t worry: it isn’t all work, no play on this trip! You’ll get plenty of days off and will have the choice of many different activities to complete – or you can simply sit back and relax for the day, while you take in the sun and the beautiful scenery in the game reserve. Some of the additional activities you can complete are:
Horse riding on the beach
Additionally, the closest town, Kenton, is only 15 minutes away and has an absolutely amazing beach, with a bar overlooking the sea – the perfect place to grab a beer and reflect on what you’ve done during the day. The town also has shopping facilities, where you can stock up on essentials. Port Alfred and Grahamstown are also close by, should you fancy a change of scenery.
Throughout your trip you will stay in a house on the reserve, sharing with other volunteers. There is an entertainment room within the house, as well as a TV and fully equipped kitchen. There’s even a plunge pool in the yard, although going outside of the house’s boundaries during the night is strictly forbidden – you don’t want to come face to face with one of the Big 5 when you aren’t expecting it!
There are no set arrival/departure dates for this project, but please note all arrivals are scheduled on Mondays. Departure days can be Fridays, Saturdays or Mondays (please note: no Sundays). Volunteers are required to sign an indemnity form acknowledging and accepting the consequences of working in close contact with wild animals. Applicants must be 17 years of age or older. The minimum time period for a booking is a two week placement and the maximum period is 12 weeks.
Please note that our activities are based on a minimum stay of four weeks. Although many of the activities listed below may take place in two to three week placements, not all are guaranteed. So the longer your stay, the more in depth your experience.
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You will be tasked with helping out and keeping the centre running smoothly. Now if you feel that sounds like a walk in the park, just consider the fact that most of your colleagues will be juvenile baboons!
You will have to keep them in check look after them and become best mates with the troop (That’s a bunch of baboons by the way).
The daily tasks of caring for them include preparing food and milk, cleaning their play enclosures, playing, supervising, and observing them throughout the day, cleaning their sleeping cages, and preparing blankets and soft toys for their sleeping cages in the evenings. This is not a glamorous job! You will get dirty, and peed and pooped on.
The animals’ needs come first, and they need the same care on weekends as well as weekdays. Other tasks include help preparing food crates for the older troops and monitoring troops daily. There are no rigid working hours, we finish when everything is completed, although a typical volunteer day usually is 7:00am until 5:00pm. Time off is dependent on the number of volunteers at the centre.
• This will make you really proud that is for sure. Travelling can give you so much confidence but working on a project like this is extremely self rewarding as well.
• As you will be working in a team it will show that you possess initiative and have the skills to work well with other people.
• Besides that it’s extremely worthwhile. It’s not everyday you make a genuine difference and do some good.
• South Africa is a mixture of many different cultures, it will give you plenty of exposure to different cultures and help you grow and develop as an individual.
• Job satisfaction guaranteed! This will be one of the best work experiences you could ever have, your colleagues will literally be monkeys.
• It presents you with an opportunity not only to develop your CV by demonstrating skills, but will actively put you in a completely different environment that will test you. If you plan to get into animal science or medicine afterwards even better, but that aside it would be an incredible experience to tell your friends about.
• This is a great way to spend serious time in South Africa, with three meals a day included all of your accommodation and lots of fun is perfect to add into any South Africa backpacking trip.
Your typical day looks like this, no time to get bored
7:00 – It up early to have breakfast with the Monkeys, expect a lot of banana action and pretty shocking table manners!
9:00 – After the monkeys are full of bananas, it’s time to stuff your face as well breakfast is served.
10:00 – 13:00 – Morning activities involves looking after the monkeys, and fulfilling various projects as set out by the staff.
13:00 – 14:00 – It in our break for a gorgeous lunch and to discuss the crazy goings on at the monkey Sanctuary
14:00 – 17:00 – Activities in the afternoon vary depending Upon what is happening at the monkey Sanctuary, You might be planting vegetables (We try and be a self-sustaining as possible when it comes to food for the monkeys) or but helping to build new cages, planting vegetables. You will be paired up with other members of the group and no matter what you get up to ensure to be a good laugh.
18:00 – Dinner
19:30 – After dinner, you’ll be feeding nocturnal animals, and will have the rest of the evening as free time to relax.
Of course it goes without saying the above is just a guide. Things will change depending on the needs of the project at the time.
Every day you will have a few hours of free time. Most volunteers nap, check email, read a book, visit the river, walk around taking photos, do laundry, give out extra enrichment/branches, or spend extra time in the baby hok.
You can ask for a day off and trips (at an additional cost) are offered to nearby attractions such as the Kruger Park.
Volunteers are accommodated in a rustic, two story brick and timber house nicknamed ‘The Mountain Lodge’. The ground floor is comprised of 3 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, kitchen, and open-air veranda/eating area.
The upper level has 4 bedrooms, a lounge with a DVD player and couches, and a balcony.
Bathrooms have hot water showers and flushing toilets. There are a maximum number of 4 people per bedroom. The veranda is protected from the animals by a diamond mesh wire enclosure, but rats, bugs, and other creepy crawly wildlife have free access. Electricity is 220v.
Food is purchased in town once a week. Menus are planned and cooked by the volunteers on a rotating schedule of cooking and cleaning. Basic, wholesome foodstuffs are provided.
The centre provides a mainly vegetarian diet. We can accommodate vegetarians, vegans, or anyone with food allergies. Additional personal food, such as alcohol, chocolates, sodas, etc, can be additionally purchased on your own accord. A ‘tuck shop’ is available onsite that sells some sweets and sodas. We often have a braai (a traditional South African BBQ) with delicious grilled meats and veggies.
There is a washing machine in The Mountain Lodge. Each volunteer is assigned one day per week to do his/her laundry. Clean clothes are hung in the backyard on clotheslines to dry. There is always the option for additional hand-washing. Detergent/washing powder is provided.
Volunteers will have a single bed with a mosquito tent/net. Sheets, a duvet, and pillows are provided. You can bring a sleeping bag or extra blanket if you want to, but is usually not necessary. There are storage lockers to lock away any expensive or personal items.
There is basic wifi internet connection at the Mountain Lodge. If you bring a laptop or tablet you can purchase the connection for a R150/month fee. Almost all volunteers use this wifi. You can purchase a mobile phone or SIM card in town. MTN and Vodacom are the local carries and the centre gets decent cell reception.
Kruger National Park, the largest national park in South Africa Is a short drive away. There are optional trips into the park, to see Jessica the Hippo, the Panorama Route, and other various animal parks including a reptile park, a cheetah sanctuary, and an elephant sanctuary, among others.
With regards to payment for the extra activities. They van be paid in cash when at the centre to the staff member organising the trips during that time. If trips are not available due to lack of vehicle/staff member some volunteers chose to hire a car for 2 days to do site seeing (elephants, chimp eden for example). We do not take money in advance for trips due to the possibilities of vehicle problems or lack of available staff – the baboons always come first, but we do try our best to accommodate trips/sightseeing to other projects and the Kruger Park.
What will this project give you?
• This will make you really proud that is for sure. Travelling can give you so much confidence but working on a project like this is extremely self rewarding as well.
• As you will be working in a team it will show that you possess initiative and have the skills to work well with other people.
• Besides that it’s extremely worthwhile. It’s not everyday you make a genuine difference and do some good.
• South Africa is a mixture of many different cultures, it will give you plenty of exposure to different cultures and help you grow and develop as an individual.
• Job satisfaction guaranteed! This will be one of the best work experiences you could ever have, your colleagues will literally be monkeys.
• It presents you with an opportunity not only to develop your CV by demonstrating skills, but will actively put you in a completely different environment that will test you. If you plan to get into animal science or medicine afterwards even better, but that aside it would be an incredible experience to tell your friends about.
• This is a great way to spend serious time in South Africa, with three meals a day included all of your accommodation and lots of fun is perfect to add into any South Africa backpacking trip.
You can start on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.
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]]>Starting a Cape Town this amazing tour covers some of the best sights and activities in Africa. Covering six countries and unforgettable features like the Okavango Delta, Victoria Falls and Lake Malawi, it will ensure that your African vacation is an epic adventure of a lifetime. The best option if you do not have the time of budget for the 56 day ultimate tour or want to end up on Zanzibar beaches (not included).
This eastern strip of Africa contains some of the most amazing highlights of the entire continent. Some of the best game parks including the Serengeti, the towering Mount Kilimanjaro and one of the worlds most beautiful tropical paradise islands Zanzibar. This exciting group tour takes you on a whirlwind trip around East Africa starting in Nairobi and ending in Dar es Salaam.
Day 1 Arusha
Today we depart the bustling capital of Kenya and cross the border into Tanzania. We will stop in Arusha to visit the local Masai Mara Museum and the snake park. This afternoon we make our preparations for the optional excursion to the Serengeti NP and Ngorongoro Crater.
Meals: Lunch, Dinner
Activity Package: Masai Museu
Day 2/3/4 Serengeti & Ngorongoro Crater
These 4 days are set aside for the 3-night camping excursion into the Serengeti National Park and Ngorongoro Crater. This area has one of the most densely inhabited large animal populations in Africa. On the first day from Arusha to Ngorongoro, there will be time for visiting the Oldupai gorge and museum. The Serengeti excursion is in open topped 4×4 safari vehicles in order to tackle the challenging side roads in the parks. For those not going to the parks, take this chance to absorb some of the fascinating local culture. Optional Activities for those not doing the Serengeti Excursion: Various Serengeti & Ngorongoro Excursion packages, Lake Manyara game drives, day hiking & village tours and many more various day trips.
Day 2/3/4 – For those going on the Serengeti NP/Ngorongoro Crater Excursion:
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Optional Activity: Serengeti Camping Excursion
Day 5 Arusha, Tanzania
Today those that went into the Serengeti NP and Ngorongoro will meet up with the truck in Arusha, where there will be time to share stories of the wonderful African animals seen in the park.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 6 Lushoto
Lushoto is the major town and district centre, albeit small, in the Usambara Mountains, halfway between the coast and the parks. The popular pot plant Saintpaulia has its only wild occurrences in Tanzania, and particularly in the Usambara Mountains.
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Day 7/8/9 Zanzibar
After an early wake up, we leave Lushoto and head for Dar es Salaam, where a local ferry will take us from Dar es Salaam (where we leave the truck) to Stone Town, the capital of Zanzibar. We spend the first night exploring the historical and unique architecture. There are also spice and seafood markets to be explored. The following day we take a transfer to the northern part of the island where we will spend 2 days relaxing on the beach. Optional Activities: Lunch and Dinner, Motorbike hire, Spice tour, Walking city tour, Swimming with Dolphins, Scuba Diving, Snorkelling etc.
Please note: If you have not purchased the Activity Package you will stay at the campsite in Dar es Salaam for the following 3 nights.
Meals: Breakfast
Day 10 Dar es Salaam
Today we leave Zanzibar and catch a late ferry back to Dar es Salaam and return to our truck and campsite.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
On our camping tours you will be staying in two-man dome tents. We supply a mattress and you supply your own sleeping bag. The accommodated tours stay in traditional huts, permanent tented camps and hostel-style rooms.
Please note you need to arrange your own pre and post tour accommodation.
Pretour accommodation option:
Location
Sentrim Boulevard is located at the end of Nairobi’s Harry Thuku Road, an oasis of peace and quite with beautiful manicured gardens and lawns. There are 70 rooms in 2 storeys. The main guest area consists of the reception, lounge area, Restaurant and bar. The Mezzanine floor has the conference facilities.
Access
International flights fly into Jomo Kenyatta International airport, Nairobi. Transfers from the airport to the Sentrim Boulevard take 30 minutes and covers 18 kms.
Accommodation & Rooms
The hotel comprises of 70 well appointed en suite guestrooms, 40 of the rooms are in the Garden wing and 30 in the Pool wing.
All rooms have a private balcony, telephone, security safe, radio and satellite TV.
Included are three hearty meals a day, (unless otherwise specified). Vegetarians are easily catered for and they’re always impressed by our varied menu. Our guides can produce miracles on a camp-stove. Special dietary requirements can be catered for, but only by special request. In East Africa it is more difficult to cater to certain requirements.
Activity Package
This is an optional additional payment that covers what we consider to be ‘essential activities’ on our tours and therefore this itinerary has been written with these items included in the day-by-day itinerary. Ideally we would include all of these, but not everyone can afford this.
Activities available on this tour, included if you book with activity pack
“We had a nice group of travellers, made some new friends. Special thanks to the crew: Godfree for his wonderful meals, Chris for his help, and Thabani, our guide. Hope too see you again on a other trip somewhere in Africa.! See more reviews here.”Marte B
” I just wanted to let you know that we had an outstanding time!! more reviews here.”Chavi
” The places we visited, the camp sites, the food, but most of all the people on this trip made it an unforgettable adventure!! See more reviews here.”Eduard
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]]>The post Meet Masai Mara and Gorilla´s Africa Overland Tour appeared first on Xtreme Gap Year UK.
]]>Our Masai Mara and Gorilla tour will take you through Kenya and Uganda in just two weeks, showing you the stunning landscapes and exotic wildlife that is unique to these regions and Africa. We will take you to see these beautiful endangered gorilla´s for yourselves.
The Masai Mara Reserve in south-western Kenya and is a continuation of the Serengeti National Park in Tanzania, over the border. It was named after the people who have made their homes in the area for centuries, the Masai. On this tour you’ll have the opportunity to meet the Masai, visit their villages and learn about their customs. Also the Masai Mara is home to a huge population of wildlife, including the big five and all major African cats. Here, you’ll be able to witness the annual migration of animals from the Serengeti Park, allowing it to offer the most coveted of all safaris in Africa.
The activity pack is a bolt on pack including what we consider to be the must to do activities on the trip. You do not have to purchase this at the time of booking, and all activities can be purchased locally as well, although this way you get to pre-book all of your activities and not have to worry about carrying a lot of cash on you throughout the journey.
We leave the capital and travel to the Masai Mara National Reserve. Today the tour enters this huge area of spectacular game viewing to photograph some of Africa’s most abundant wildlife. Famous for the annual migration of around 1.5 million wildebeest, the Masai Mara is also home to many other animals, including lions. Cultural interaction with Kenya’s native Masaai people completes our experience. *The Masai Mara Reserve excursion & game drive will be operated in safari type vehicles.
Meals: Lunch, Dinner
Activity Package: Kenyan Parks Highlights Excursion (Day 1 -3)
After an early morning game drive in the Mara, we depart towards Lake Naivasha for a relaxing day on the lakeshore. You can go hiking in the area and activities include game and bird watching. One of the more popular optional activities is to go game viewing from a bicycle. An alternative way to spend your afternoon is to take high tea at Elsamere, the former home of Joy Adamsson, best known for her autobiographical novel, Born Free. Optional Activities: Cycle hire, High Tea at Elsamere.
Meals:Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Today we will travel north to Lake Nakuru where we will spend the afternoon game driving. Originally created as a bird sanctuary, Lake Nakuru was upgraded to National Park status in 1968. White rhino inhabit the transitional savannah area surrounding the lake, with excellent photographic opportunities.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities: Hells Gate National Park, Game drive in Lake Nakuru NP
Leaving Lake Nakuru very early, we head towards Uganda, briefly stopping for a photo at the equator. Later we arrive in Uganda’s capital and largest city, Kampala.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Although officially this day is set aside for everyone to explore Kampala, most people take an optional day trip to the Chimpanzee Sanctuary of Ngamba Island. This non-profit eco-friendly project was set up in 1998 to care for orphaned chimpanzees. Optional Activities: Ngamba Chimpanzee Excursion, Kampala Markets, Dinner Out.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Lake Bunyonyi is a small but attractive lake with steep sides and abundant birdlife. Ringed by mountains, the lake is best known for its dense Otter population and stunning scenery. We make use of this beautiful spot to relax the night before the final drive to the gorillas.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
The mountain gorilla is extremely endangered and while exact numbers vary it is widely assumed that there are only around 650 left. Visiting the gorillas is a great way to support their future on earth as the money spent on permits is used for their protection. An extremely important part of the future conservation of the remaining gorillas rests in the community development work – as local communities change their attitudes towards wildlife and start to protect rather than poach, the future of the mountain gorilla is assured.
As permits granting permission to visit the gorillas are extremely limited we require flexibility in both the tour itinerary and where we actually visit them. The home of the mountain gorillas is completely at odds with man-made borders and so their range encompasses Uganda, Rwanda and the DRC (Democratic Republic of the Congo). Whenever possible we choose to make use of the National Park in Uganda, but this depends on the availability of permits.
Should we not obtain permits to visit the mountain gorillas in Uganda then we will inform all passengers beforehand that the tour will travel to Rwanda or DRC.
On your free day in Bunyoni you will have the opportunity to participate in certain optional activities. You can embark on a boat ride to the community of the Batwa (pygmies) who stay in the islands adjacent to the lake to observe their social lifestyle, behaviour and be entertained by their cultural performances. You can also go hiking or explore the area on a mountain bike.
Optional activities: Visit to the Batwa (Pygmies) tribe, mountain biking, nature walk, hiking.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Please note: Although there are 2 days allocated to Gorilla Trekking you will only spend one day on the trek. The other day are there to provide a large enough window in which to obtain permits and to allow the entire group to trek if there are more than 6 of you on the tour.
Leaving Lake Bunyoni, we venture to the Queen Elizabeth National Park, where we will spend the next 2 nights. Many game species can be found in this wetland park as well as the (elsewhere elusive) giant forest hog and the legendary tree-climbing lions of the Ishasha Sector. We will enjoy an included 4×4 game drive on day 10 through the NP. Optional Activities: Kasinga Channel Sunset Cruise, Chimpanzee trekking at Lake George
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Activity Package: Game Drive
Jinja is Uganda’s second largest city and more famous as the point where the Nile (officially the Victoria Nile) flows out of Lake Victoria and begins the 6695 kilometre journey to Egypt and the Mediterranean. Optional Activities: White Water Rafting.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch (Day 11 only), Dinner
Returning to Kenya we visit Eldoret, the country’s 5th largest city. The Great Rift Valley is still the dominant geographical feature of this region and the altitude at Eldoret is 2100 metres above sea level.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Returning to Nairobi, the largest city in the East Africa region, there’s an optional dinner, where we can swap stories and exchange contact details. Optional Activities: Meal out in Nairobi.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
NB: The itinerary is flexible and can be changed without notice in order to accommodate the best possible viewing of the Gorillas. The Permit price to visit the Gorillas can also change without notice.
On our camping tours you will be staying in two-man dome tents. We supply a mattress and you supply your own sleeping bag.
Included are three hearty meals a day, (unless otherwise specified). Vegetarians are easily catered for and they’re always impressed by our varied menu. Our guides can produce miracles on a camp-stove. Special dietary requirements can be catered for, but only by special request. In East Africa it is more difficult to cater to certain requirements.
Please note prices above exclude the gorilla permit which is mandatory if you intend on seeing the gorillas. This needs to be booked and paid for up front. You can opt out of this but this means you will not be able to see the mountain gorillas and may not be up to get a permit en route as they sell out well ahead.
*The Gorilla Permit is compulsory payment, the cost is between US$605 and US$705
Please contact us with your travel plans, there are set departures twice per month we will check availability for you.
Did you know we can help you plan an epic adventure? You can combine this trip with the following trips to extend you travels.
“We had a nice group of travellers, made some new friends. Special thanks to the crew: Godfree for his wonderful meals, Chris for his help, and Thabani, our guide. Hope too see you again on a other trip somewhere in Africa.! See more reviews here.”Marte B
” I just wanted to let you know that we had an outstanding time!! more reviews here.”Chavi
” The places we visited, the camp sites, the food, but most of all the people on this trip made it an unforgettable adventure!! See more reviews here.”Eduard
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The Xtreme Gap Year film school in South Africa will give you all the skills and practical experience you need to produce a nature orientated documentary. The filming will be done location in some of the most beautiful parts of South Africa, in the heart of the Garden Route. This will be perfect if you are interested in a career in television or filmmaking, and want to build practical experience and learn something new and exciting on your gap year.
Courses split into three sections, pre-production, on location and post-production.
The Xtreme Gap Year film school in South Africa is a 2D & 3D wildlife film school offering workshops, photographic/filming safaris and 30-day courses on the Garden Route of South Africa. Our mission is to pass on knowledge to benefit the new generation of wildlife filmmakers and enthusiastic amateurs.
With a maximum of 6 students, we offer a unique 30 day course on a private 200 hectare farm in the heart of the Tsitsikamma Forest. Our location is a haven for plant, bird and animal life.
We cover all the basics of Pre-Production, Production and Post Production with the latest technology (3D) in a fun, beautiful and peaceful environment.
Lectures are presented by professional wildlife filmmakers in classrooms or out in the field. The course is structured exactly the same as a documentary would be directed and produced. The best part of the course is that you will get to produce, film and edit your own broadcast-safe short nature documentary on a topic of their choice.
Throughout the course you will be guided and mentors by exceptionally qualified staff. The course is split into three separate stages as follows:
Starting off with an orientation session, you will be taken out on location and given an overview what can be done and where it can be done taking into consideration what kind of film you want to shoot. There will be a brainstorming session about the different topics available to choose from when shooting your own short documentary.
Then it’s on to learning about script writing and viewing wildlife film screenings of award-winning international films. You will be given a complete introduction to 2-D and 3-D camera technology as well as the techniques needed to successfully shoot movies in both 2-D and 3-D.
You will learn all about 2-D camera traps, and each student will have plenty of opportunities to setup camera traps themselves, enabling them to get unique and exciting footage of the local wildlife.
Expect bush pigs, duikers, bushbucks, vervet monkeys, baboons, reptiles….caracals and leopards!
The course will provide an introduction to sound and voice-over recordings and then finalising your script to get your shortlist ready.
Classes will take place in both classrooms and on location, and typically lectures given from 9 AM to 5 PM with a one-hour lunch break.
So once you learn the basics it’s time to get out there and apply practical experience to learn the techniques. This is a great opportunity to get all the footage you need for your film, but not only this you will be responsible for the maintenance of the equipment as well. At all times you will be accompanied by a highly experienced wildlife filmmaker and also a game Ranger depending on the topic you choose, as after all you will be out there in wild Africa!
Expect long hours behind the camera, typically wildlife documentary cameraman will be up at the first crack of dawn and staying up well into the night to record ambient sounds so if this is really a career that you want to get involved in expect long hours were not much sleep.
Not that your mind this, the experience will be incredible! You will spend a few weeks gathering the required footage under the guidance of our experts, and then the final section of the course takes place.
With all of your footage obtained it’s time to start editing, you have a movie to make! All the equipment and tools needed will will be provided, and once again you will be expertly taught the best techniques to bring all of your raw footage to life. You will have an introduction to Mac and Final Cut Pro editing software, and an introduction to 3-D editing with 3-D monitors 3-D televisions.
It’s a definite acquired skill to cut down all of this footage that you will have, into 3 min, is the most difficult part of any editors job, picking the best footage. Not to worry though, our team will be there to advise you and help develop your skills.
We will then work on voice-over narration, this can either be done yourself or you can have one of your fellow students do the voice-over depending on your preferences.
We cover topics such as introducing colour grading, laying down voice-over narration and even the finer details such as where to acquire royalty free music and ambient sounds for your film.
In the post-production section of the course we will do a final audio mix, and then finalise your documentary making it compliant with all the regulations for broadcasting and finally exporting it to a customised menu DVD.
Once all of the films from our students have been completed on the final evening we have our screening night.
The final day of the course is yours to enjoy at your leisure, there are plenty of activities to do in the surrounding area (at your own expense) like quad biking hiking whale watching is booked between June and December, you can even go snorkelling with Cape fur seals. There are plenty of adventure activities in the nearby location, canopy tours paragliding mountain biking, surfing and deep sea fishing.
On the final day we will drop you off at the airport (George airport) or you can carry on travelling with new found filmmaking skills under your belt.
It would be wrong to visit South Africa are not have a good Braai. So there is a barbecue area…Perfect for star-gazing and catching a glimpse of the fire-flies while sitting around a roaring fire.
The summer months from November to March you can expect warmer days with December to February seeing Midsummer daily temperatures of up to 30°C. Just remember the days maybe bright and warm but in the evenings it can get chilly, especially important as you will be shooting at night time and in the early morning.
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South Africans are a great bunch but they’re also slightly nuts. Of course we encourage this being Xtreme Gap Year, we know doing these kinds of things while you travel can really make your trip amazing. This is the ultimate African adrenaline fix, 3 Flavours depending on how much of an adrenaline junky you are!
The hard version does not include a sky dive or Shark Cage Dive – but does include the worlds highest abseil off table mountain. There is also an awesome day out Sandboarding down the dunes and a surf lesson so you can learn to surf with Table mountain as a back drop. There is plenty to see and do and on the days where others are skydiving or Shark Diving you can do loads of optional activities (arranged locally) like seeing Cape point, wine tours, big 5 safaris, walking tours or just chilling on the beach.
The Double Hard Version is like the hard version, but you can either choose a Shark Cage Dive or a Skydive as well. The mentalist, you do it all!
We have designed this programme to suit all levels of bravery and budget:
The itinerary is flexible due to some of the activities being weather dependent, however this is a rough idea as to what you can expect.
You will be right at home during your stay, at a legendary 4* backpackers in table view, with the best views of Cape Town and Table Mountain. A beautiful beach and great night life just on your door step, and super easy access to anywhere in the city. Our base is located right next to the top kite surfing location in Cape Town, so if you want to adults more adrenaline why not add on a kite surfing course as well?
We have all the facilities any traveller would need from an internet café to a jacuzzi to relax those travelling muscles. Whether you want a lazy day or a busy one, it’s all here.
Fast and reliable ADSL internet is permanently available in our Café. Contact home and catch up on your blog. The cost is R8 for half an hour.
This 9 women, 1 man jacuzzi is ideal to relax those muscles after an adventurous day. It is heated at night on request and reaches temperatures of up to 40°C.
Communal kitchen
Complementary tea and coffee is always available in the fully equipped kitchen.
A flat screen TV with satellite access and a video machine – what more do you need for those stay-in days?
Sit around the large bonfire area, swop travel tales and cook your food the traditional South African way: on the braai.
Grab a book and relax under the palm trees next to the pond.
Laundry
Although the starting date is set, we can also be flexible. So it is hard to say how many people will start on the exact same day. But hey you like adventure so it will be easy for you to meet other travellers. For one you will be picked up at the airport, you will sleep in a room with other solo travellers and there is a communal kitchen, a great lounge area and there are camp fires where all travellers meet. Other than that, your days will be so filled with cool activities during which you will meet lots of other people… Trust us before you know it you will be laughing, chatting and partying with the other travellers you meet on your gap year adventure in Cape Town.
Then you will be refunded in South Africa. Please not this is only due to weather cancellations, if you chicken out there are no refunds.
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You can also add on a kite surfing course for £399, this will add a couple of days onto your itinerary but it is one of the best places in the world to learn.
You can start this trip any time please contact us for availability.
“I will definitely recommend you to all my friends and book through you again! See more reviews here.”Louise Penman
” Oh my God! What a mental weekend I’ve just had. The Mentor list lives up to its name in every way time of my life! more reviews here.”James Mason
” Hello, Im now home from the trip of a life time!! See more reviews here.”Eddie UK
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The ultimate East African surf getaway, warm water, consistent Sandy bottom breaks and some amazing time to head of you on this superb surfing trip. Beginner or advanced this will be a surfing trip you will never forget.
Ever dreamed of watching an iconic African sunset from the beach? How about spending your days surfing and diving in the Indian Ocean and your nights enjoying a cool beer or cocktail in a hammock on the beach?
The ultimate surfing trip in Mozambique, on the exotic south east coast of Africa. Facing the enormous Indian Ocean, and surrounded by beautiful grassy san dunes and miles of stunning beaches, the small town of Tofo has quickly become a popular surfing and backpacking hotspot, with adventurous travelers from all over the world eager to test the waves and explore the local culture in this unique and fascinating destination.
The laid back atmosphere, exotic and remote location, stunning beaches, amazing diving spots and lots of great restaurants, bars and accommodation have propelled Tofo to fame among travelers looking to get off the beaten path and try something different.
Of course surfing and diving are the main attractions in Tofo, with both sports enjoyed to a world-class standard. Advanced and beginner surfers will love the chance to experience another side to Africa through Mozambique’s up-and-coming surfing culture.
Tofo beach is great for beginners and intermediates, as the waves are gentle, consistent and clean. Long-boarders will also love this beach for its perfect breaks, while the nearby and smaller beaches of Tofinho Point and Dragons Point are excellent for advanced surfers with exhilarating long rides possible in the right conditions. The water is warm, at around 24 degrees Celsius, making it ideal for year round surfing, however the best times to go are during the peak season of May to August.
With top-class instructors, equipment and companies catering to the growing number of surfing enthusiasts visiting this hidden gem on the southeast coast of Mozambique, the tourism in the area has also boomed. Restaurants, great accommodation and lots of entertaining other activities besides surfing and diving have popped up all around the area making this a wonderfully well-rounded adventure experience. So, if you get too tired from all that surfing and diving, you’ll be happy to hear you can enjoy some relaxing horse-back riding across the stunning sand dunes or unwind with some yoga lessons in a beautiful yoga temple; some very bucket-list worthy experiences!
So whether you’re a surfing pro, or you’ve always dreamed of learning to ride the waves, Tofo is an excellent place for both advanced and beginner surfers to enjoy the sport surrounded by an incredibly interesting, rich and friendly culture. Don’t just go on a surfing holiday; discover a whole new country, its captivating culture and its beautiful people at the same time.
This adventurous new tour offers travelers the chance to live in an authentic, small African surf town with a great laid-back vibe, for a total of six nights.
Your trip will be jam packed with fun activities, but each day will focus on surfing. In the mornings, you’ll spend time out on the waves learning the sport with some of the best surf instructors on the coast. These daily surfing lessons will take you through the morning until afternoon, when you can head for lunch in one of the many nearby restaurants along the beach. One of the great things about this tour is that you have a lot of freedom to choose how you want to spend your time. Apart from your daily surf lessons, the rest of the days’ adventures are up to you and your new surfing buddies. So you can choose to chow down on some freshly caught sea fish at a local restaurant, sip on a tropical fruit cocktail while watching the waves crash on the shore, or take that lovely horseback ride over the dunes. If you’re really keen however, you can always rent a surfboard from one of the many local suppliers and head back out to the surf after lunch. Why not grab a group of new friends and go for a surf at sunset?
The nearby, larger town of Inhambane is just a short drive from Tofo and provides a larger selection of shops, restaurants, services and, of course, nightlife, so you are never too far away from a change of scene and pace during your stay.
However you choose to spend your days, they will surely be relaxing and rewarding. One thing that many travelers love to do is to meet the local people and learn about their culture and way of life. Local vendors love talking to visiting foreigners, while other backpackers are always looking to make new friends so you’ll never feel alone or bored, even if you travel by yourself.
Whatever way you choose to spend your afternoons and evenings during your weeklong surfing adventure in Mozambique, you’ll wish you never have to leave your beautiful bohemian abode.
During your 7 days and 6 nights in Tofo, you will be hosted in the Turtle Cove Lodge, a beautiful, avant-garde and spacious lodge with large double, twin and dorms. Set among exotic gardens, the building blends perfectly into nature, providing a relaxing and eco-friendly home-away-from-home for your trip.
There is also an adjoining restaurant and bar serving a delicious selection of fresh prawns and fish, and sometimes even sushi! With live music, lots of surf chat and a great selection of food and drink, the Turtle Cove bar and restaurant is a great spot for mingling with fellow travelers and unwinding for the night.
Some of the freshest most amazing fish is just waiting for you on the barbecues!
Six nights:
You can join this programme any time all year round. Please contact us with your preferred dates.
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