South Africa Up Close

Join Tamandua and the VETPAW (Veterans Empowered to Protect African Wildlife) organization for an incredible, family-friendly expedition to South Africa. VETPAW’s goal is to help end the African poaching crisis and conserve endangered species. Take part in the conservation efforts at their beautiful sanctuary in the Eastern Cape of South Africa.

You will witness incredible wildlife all the while supporting the front lines of conservation, and will get a rare chance to get up close with the critically endangered and extremely rare black rhino.

Your immersive safari will leave you with a true appreciation for the magnificent beauty of African wildlife, and the realizations of the imminent threats to their survival. Most importantly, you will head back home with a sense of confidence in these animals’ continued safety and a sense of achievement for taking part in such a crucial task.

The reserve you will be visiting is a scenic 20,000+ hectare wildlife area diverse with flora, fauna, and ecology. This protected region is in the beautiful Eastern Cape of South Africa, with panoramic views of one of the most beautiful ecosystems in the country. It is home to many iconic animal species, including Elephant, Black and White Rhino, Cape Buffalo, Leopard, Cheetah, Hippopotamus, and a wide range of exotic antelope.

During the trip, the group will take part in a number of different activities. Each day's activities will be determined by expedition guides depending on conditions on the ground. During the week you will take part in such things as:

- Game Drives
- Sunset Drives
- Rhino Monitoring
- Cheetah Monitoring 
- Elephant Tracking
- Visit to Yendella Community
- Visit to Bathurst Community
- Fence Line Checks
- Snare Patrol Checks

The guides and staff will be focused on giving the group the best possible experience during the expedition.  You will have a trip of a lifetime while getting hands-on conservation experience with some of the most critically endangered species in the world!

Our team has rated this expedition as easy: this trip is accessible to everyone, although is recommended to people in good health. Expect to spend some time in safari drives in open vehicles on dusty, bumpy roads. Our activities will also include some time at a local beach. You will get to see unique and rare wildlife in a very private setting, with virtually no other tourists around, far from the busy crowds and traffic jammed road that are usually found in popular safari destinations. That also means that travelers should be very respectful of their surroundings and follow our guides' directions when it comes to wildlife interactions.

Expedition Team
An Expedition leader -- a wildlife expert -- will accompany this trip and be with you from the moment you exit the Port Elizabeth airport. Your expert will guide from the airport to the Private Reserve, to the local beach and back. They will help you learn and appreciate the wildlife on the property as well as the conservation efforts it takes to protect such a setting. They will also be your guide to discover the flora and fauna all around you throughout the trip.

Transportation
We have arranged all of your transportation needs during your stay from the moment you exit the airport. From the airport in Port Elizabeth, you will be driven in a comfortable vehicle to the private reserve. There, you will take part in drives in a four wheel drive open vehicle. Our team will also arrange transportation when visiting the local beach or other areas near the reserve.

Meals
During the trip, our team will prepare daily dinner for everyone. For breakfast and lunch, most often it will be open to each participant to cater to their preference. Because activities may change through the experience and people might prefer different options for what and when they'd like to eat, through the trip you will have access to a fully equipped kitchen packed with food. All our guests love the family-style approach of this trip!

Not included: