Introduction
Kwantu Game Reserve is situated in the Eastern Cape (85km out of Port Elizabeth
towards Grahamstown) and spans over 6000 hectares.
Our product offering and facilities includes the following:
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The famed African Big 5 out in the wild
A predator educational and rehabilitation centre which houses endangered and
orphaned predators such as the rare Bengal tigers, wild dogs, white lions and
many more
Our own Kwantu Elephant Sanctuary where we have tame elephants where
guests can interact and ride with these gentle giants
Safari Walks
Pollards Inn hotel
Luxury bush lodges
A herb garden which grows organic herbs
Reptile centre
Touch farm
Sporting facilities such as a cricket field and tennis courts
An entertainment room with items such as a pool table, table tennis, darts, big
screen TV
And many more
A game reserve is a very dynamic environment and we are sure that you will come to
appreciate this fact during your volunteering with us.
The emphasis at Kwantu is placed on wildlife and conservation and we have highlighted
a few pointers below to make your stay a comfortable and enjoyable one.
Volunteer and Game Ranger Programme
Kwantu offers two types of courses as follows:
1. Game Ranger Course
This is an eight week course which equips one with theoretical and practical training to
become a qualified field guide. The course covers topics such as geology, astronomy,
weather and climate, basic ecology and taxonomy. These are run depending on the
demand as well as time of year and you are welcome to speak to us if you are interested
in participating in this course. The first few weeks of the course is focused mainly o
volunteering in order to give the participant exposure to wildlife and a chance to learn
and understand the basics, thereafter regular lectures and training is done in
preparation for the examination.
2. Wildlife and Conservation Volunteer Programme
This is programme designed for volunteers interested in having a truly African
experience while making a difference to the local wildlife and environment. Activities for
this programme vary on a day to day basis and are dependent on weather and other
factors (so please expect the itinerary to change from time to time!). There is an
itinerary of all the activities which are scheduled for each week. The itinerary is designed
in such a way that volunteers are divided into groups of up to 10 volunteers per group,
depending on the number of volunteers. Each group will have an outdoor volunteer
coordinator as a leader and mentor. The groups will be engaged in different daily
activities, but will all do the same type and number of activities by the end of the week.
In some cases all the groups might do the same activity at the same time depending on
the type of activity e.g. game capturing.
You will notice that your activities include some but are not limited to:
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Removal of alien vegetation in and around the reserve
Lion tracking and monitoring
School feeding schemes (speak to us if you would like to go as this is
voluntary and on a first come first serve basis)
Wildlife structures
Tree planting and landscaping
Game drives
Predator interaction and caring
Elephant sanctuary
Fauna and flora work in the nursery
Wilderness trail walks and patrols
Fence patrol
Game counts
Game captures
Above all, we ask you to understand that we are operating in a very dynamic
environment and as a result the itinerary can be changed at any time. If there are any
changes, volunteer coordinators will let you know should this be the case.
Volunteer Coordinators
For all your activities and welfare during your stay with us, we have specific outdoor and
indoor coordinators to look after you. Please note that during your stay at Kwantu
Private Game Reserve, you should endeavor to maintain a professional working
relationship with all staff.
Indoor Coordinators
Indoor coordinators are responsible for items such as your accommodation, transfers,
orientation, excursions, meals, laundry, and any other related issues. If you have any
problems in any one of the above mentioned, please do not hesitate to approach the
indoor coordinator on duty or reception area to speak to our front office manager.
Outdoor Coordinators
These are the coordinators that you will be working with on a day to day basis for all
your daily outdoor activities. They are specially trained in their field and any questions
on wildlife and fauna and flora can be directed at them. If you are not comfortable or
you are unable to do any activity planned for the day, please do not hesitate to
approach your coordinator.
Itinerary
All your day to day activities are shown on the itinerary which is always displayed on the
notice board and can be requested from the indoor coordinator. The itinerary will show
you what activity your group will be doing and at what time. If you have any
suggestions, you are also free to discuss with us. Please also take note that this is merely
an outline and will change from time to time due to the dynamic factors explained
above.
Working Hours
You will start work at approximately 0730 and finish at approximately 1630 Monday to
Friday. Your day is broken up into three parts which are as follows:
07h30- 09h30
10h00-13h00
14h00-16h30
Activities
Activities
Activities
Your coordinators start work at 07h00 and between 07h00 and 07h30 they will be either
feeding the horses, busy in the touch farm or at the workshop. You are free to join them
during this period if you so wish. These times are subject to change depending on the
activities for the day.
Meals
Breakfast
Lunch
Supper
- 09h30 – 10h00
- 13h00 – 14h00
- 18h00 – 19h00
Our basic breakfast consists of cereals, bread, butter, jam, tea, coffee and cheese, but
sometimes we serve eggs, sausages or baked beans, and sometimes a combination of
the above.
As for lunch and dinner we have a wide variety ranging from burgers, chicken and chips,
vegetarian dishes, potato casserole and so on (so you definitely won’t go hungry!).
Please note that if we have more than 20 volunteers, all our meals will be served at our
Mafusa Restaurant and if volunteers are less than 20, all meals will be at our Kubs
Quarters. If there are any changes, volunteers are always advised of this as this is
subject to change.
Selected meals can be served at our 5 star hotel by invitation of our CEO only, and in
such cases we ask that you adhere to the dress code of the hotel which is casual and
respectable.
Accommodation
You will be housed in either our Kubs Quarters or Mafusa Camp dorms. Our dorms are
single sex dorms and therefore no boys are allowed in the girls dorms and no girls in
boys dorms. In cases where volunteers want to stay as a couple, this can be arranged at
an extra cost and also depends on the availability of rooms, unless arrangements were
made prior to arrival.
Laundry
You will be provided with laundry services on a Tuesday and Thursday and will be
allocated one of these two days. In one of your bed drawers you will find a laundry
plastic bag, if you cannot find this, please advise the indoor coordinator.
All laundry will be charged at R70 per load and laundry should be handed to your indoor
coordinator before 07h30. No laundry will be taken after 07h30. You will get your
laundry back the following day and Kwantu accepts no responsibility for any losses or
damages to these items.
Internet
You will also get internet services between 09h00-10h00, 13h00-14h00 and 19h0020h00. Internet facilities are available at our Pollards Inn Hotel business centre. The
hotel receptionist will assist you with the computer and there will be a nominal charge
for this service. Our internet service varies from day to day due to our service provider
(the only one in SA) and we would appreciate your patience in this regard.
Uniform
You will each get a Kwantu T/shirt and a Kwantu Cap as part of your uniform. Please
note these items are for free and if you would like extra Kwantu branded items, this can
be arranged at an extra cost depending on availability.
Excursions
On weekends we send you out for excursions between Saturday and Sunday. Our
excursions will either be to Grahamstown, Port Elizabeth, or any other nearby
destination. On these excursions please note that Kwantu will only provide you with
accommodation and transport to and from your destination. Accommodation will be in
dorms and if you would like to upgrade yourself, volunteers are welcome to do so but at
your own cost.
For those participating in our Garden Route tours, we recommend that you stay behind
on the weekend to fully enjoy your wildlife component and go into PE on Monday. You
are free to participate in the weekend excursions, but the meals for the Monday will
then be for your own account.
We also offer Addo excursions through our partner and Kwantu can assist you with
these arrangements. Since these excursions are done by our agent, volunteers need to
pay for their accommodation, activities and meals which will form part of their
excursion package. Volunteers who are interested in this excursion should confirm by
Tuesday afternoon.
Our partner will also be happy to offer you other packages on request.
Volunteers are also free to organize their own excursion, but this will be at your own
cost.
You are also free to stay behind during the weekends to relax and unwind at Kwantu.
On Sunday when coming back from weekend excursions, please adhere to the pick up
times. If you are not there when the vehicles depart, you will make your own transport
arrangements from town to Kwantu at your own account.
Scheduled Transfers
Kwantu runs scheduled transfers to and from the airport since we are about 85km from
Port Elizabeth. Some of you would have realized that on your arrival you had to wait for
other volunteers arriving later due to the scheduled transfer. The same might also
happen with your return transfers. All volunteers will depart at the same time and this
will be determined by the times of the earliest flight.
If your flight is departing early the next morning, you will be taken to a lodge in town
where you can spend the night and be fresh for your flight the next morning.
If you are not comfortable with leaving on the scheduled transfer, please note a transfer
can be organized for you at an extra cost and depending on availability.
Scheduled Arrivals and Departures
Our scheduled transfers normally run as follows (roughly as times might change slightly
to accommodate volunteers):
Sunday-
Port Elizabeth to Kwantu (departs 4PM)
Kwantu to Port Elizabeth (departs 6PM)
Monday-
Port Elizabeth to Kwantu (departs 4PM)
Saturday-
Kwantu to Port Elizabeth (departs 9AM)
Should you be departing on the Monday or later, you will have the choice of going in for
the weekend excursion and staying over in Port Elizabeth on the Sunday night, or
spending your last weekend on Kwantu and returning to PE on Sunday afternoon to
spend the night there.
Please note that if you are not arriving by plane on your day of arrival, please make
arrangements to meet us at the following address no later than 3pm:
Al Beit Lodge
49 Admiralty Way
Summerstrand
Port Elizabeth
Tel: +27 41 583 6415
Email: [email protected]
Should you not be there when the vehicles depart, you can make your own transport
arrangements from Port Elizabeth to Kwantu at your own account.
Please note that should you elect to stay in Port Elizabeth before your departure flight,
then the trip from your accommodation to the airport will be at your own cost.
Alternatively, you would need to fall in with the scheduled transfers.
No go areas
There are some areas which are strictly no go areas on your own. Areas like our
Predator Enclosure, Kubs Enclosure and the greater game reserve. You will need to have
a coordinator with you to visit these areas. For your safety please adhere to this rule.
Medical
Please note that you are working out in the wild where there are a many insects and life
forms. It is important for you to do a bodily daily bodily check to ensure that you have
not brought any of these creatures home with you. Please alert our staff (co-ordinators
or front office staff) should you feel the need to be medically examined or require first
aid attention. Please note that we at Kwantu are aware of certain people who come
with pre-existing medical conditions, but we are not a medical centre and therefore
would advise you to ensure that you have enough medical supplies and to advise your
co-ordinator of your condition in case of emergencies.
A Few Simple Rules
There are a few simple rules which we ask you to observe during your stay with us. All of
these the rules are displayed on the notice boards (and are available from our indoor
coordinator). Some of these rules are listed below:
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Kwantu is a strictly non alcoholic environment
Please do not smoke when you are around animals
No smoking inside dorms
All dorms are single sex dorms. It is not allowed to entertain the opposite
sex or Kwantu staff in your respective dorms.
Photos
If you want to share your photos of your experience with us, you can contact our indoor
coordinator and they will be happy to download these photos for you. We have a
multiple card reader which can read most of the memory cards, so you don’t need to
worry about that. We will use these photos for marketing purposes and for our
“volunteer experience board”. So we will be happy if you would share these with us.
Valuables
Please note that Kwantu does not accept any responsibility for loss or damage to money
or valuables. You are welcome to speak to us about the safe keeping of your valuables if
you are concerned about them. Kwantu does provide lockers which can store your
items, but please make use of us should you feel the need to do so.
Rewards
Kwantu will from time to time reward hard workers in different ways. So, please always
try your best as you or your group could be the next prize winner/s.
Communication
Here at Kwantu we have a dedicated team to look after you. So please treat your
coordinators as your first port of call for any questions. If you are still unsure or
concerned, you are welcome to chat to our front office manager who will be more than
happy to assist you.
There are public telephones available for use at the reserve. Telephone cards can be
obtained from the local shop or when you go out for excursions on weekends in town.
From time to time however, the lines in the area are down due to inquisitive elephants
pushing down the poles on neighboring properties.
Emergency Numbers
Please store these numbers in your phone for emergency purposes.
Kwantu Front Office (24hrs):
+27 42 203 1400
Mr. Logan (general/ logistics):
+27 83 739 4589
Big 5 Hands on Interaction and Conservation
We would like to remind you that you will be working on a Big 5 game reserve where
the Big 5 are all in their natural state and free-roaming. We do try to give you as much
hands on interaction as is safely as possible with ‘the wild’ Big 5. You will however get a
chance to interact with some of the Big 5 in our rehabilitation centre as well as our
elephant sanctuary depending on the time of the year and availability.
Kwantu engages in extensive conservation programmes of which you will participate in.
this is important as without our conservation efforts, wildlife in this area will not be
sustainable.
Questions and Learning
Remember that the amount of information you receive at Kwantu is in your hands. If
you don’t ask questions, you will never know. We do try to disseminate as much
information as possible and always appreciate questions which benefit yourself and the
group as a whole.
Visas
Should you be staying an extended period of time with us, or be in SA for a number of
weeks, make sure that your visa covers this length of time or your time in South Africa.
We will try to assist you shall this not be the case.
Most Importantly…
We are here to ensure that you have the most amazing time of your life. So please feel
free to chat to us (at the reception/ indoor coordinator) if you have any suggestions or
complaints...we are also happy to accept compliments as well. People volunteer for
different reasons, so if you feel you would like us to give you more/less of something,
feel free to talk to our coordinators and we will try to assist you.
General Comments
Whilst we here at Kwantu Game Reserve try to ensure that each and every volunteer
honoring us with their presence leaves with a fulfilling, exciting, once-in-a-lifetime
experience, your experience with us will depend on your frame of mind and what you
make of it.
We have a dedicated volunteer department consisting of no less than twenty support
staff to assist you in realizing your goals and objectives while with us.
On a final note, we would like to wish you an enjoyable stay with us and to remind you
that you form an integral part of our wildlife and conservation efforts and that you will
be leaving behind a legacy for many, many generations to come.