This safari takes you ‘behind the scenes’ on a wildlife game reserve in the Eastern Cape of South Africa, and offers you the opportunity to work closely with a resident South African wildlife veterinarian.  You will gain first-hand knowledge of the challenges and conservation concerns that are faced by wildlife vets in this country on a daily basis.  Discover the fantastic world of wildlife in Southern Africa from a veterinary perspective.

Guided throughout by one of our wildlife veterinarians and various local guides, you will be given a unique and rare insight into the world of wildlife in Southern Africa.

Join us for a once-in-a-lifetime safari, while helping to conserve Africa’s wildlife through your participation.

Day 1

Arrive at O R Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg – flights for your own arrangement.

On arrival in Johannesburg transfer from the airport to your nearby hotel via the free shuttle service provided by your hotel – Peermont Metcourt Suites at the Emperors Palace complex.  Your accommodation for the night is on a bed & breakfast basis and check in is from 15h00.

Enjoy dinner at your hotel complex – for your own expense.

The 3 star select services at the Peermont Metcourt Suites offer affordable accommodation with friendly service.  The hotel features 80 spacious suites with contemporary furnishing, including all of the usual technology available in the rooms, with Wi-Fi connectivity available in public areas.  En suite bathrooms feature bath and overhead shower combinations, tea/coffee making facilities and in room safes which are large enough to accommodate laptops.

Breakfast is served in the stylish Primavera Restaurant, and guest have access to the casino, dining, entertainment, convention and relaxation facilities of the Emperors Palace resort.

Overnight at the Peermont Metcourt Suites on a bed and breakfast basis.

Day 2

Check out after breakfast and return to O R Tambo International Airport on the complimentary hotel shuttle service.  Please note that the check in time for a domestic flight is 1 hour.

Subject to seat availability we normally book Flight BA6241 departing from Johannesburg at 11h10 and arriving in Port Elizabeth at 12h50.  Flight and time would be confirmed once the tour is guaranteed to run.

On your arrival in Port Elizabeth you will be met by a Brothers Safaris representative and transferred to the Amakhala Game Reserve to arrive at your lodge at about lunch time – approximately 40 minutes.

Check into your lodge and enjoy a late lunch before heading out at around 15h00 for your first afternoon/evening game drive on Amakhala Game Reserve in an open game viewer in search of their wildlife – rhino (white and black), elephant, cheetah, buffalo, lion, giraffe, black wildebeest, zebra, tortoise and over 16 antelope species. Watch the sun set while enjoying drinks and snacks, before searching for elusive nocturnal animals such as lynx, porcupine and spring hare.

Back at the lodge we’ll enjoy dinner and then review the programme for the safari, and prepare guests for tomorrow’s activities.

Amakhala Game Reserve began in 1999 as a joint conservation venture and today has several independently owned lodges. Many of these are owner managed by the descendants of the original families who arrived here with the British settlers of 1820.  The vegetation and landscape are awe inspiring and the time spent in this reserve of approximately 7000 hectares will teach you a great deal about African wildlife.

Leeuwenbosch Lodge is an historical colonial manor house built in 1908 and offers true country living in every sense.  Set amid beautiful indigenous gardens, this is an ideal base for game viewing and relaxation.

Your accommodation will be in Shearers Lodge, which  was originally built in 1930 and used for shearing and classing wool. It has now been beautifully converted into four luxury en-suite bedrooms, one with a private lounge. All the rooms open on to a wide colonial veranda, overlooking the rolling lawns and swimming pool.

For more information and images, please visit http://www.amakhala.co.za

Overnight in Amakhala Game Reserve at Leeuwenbosch Lodge.

Accommodation is on a full board basis, including certain local drinks (excludes premium drinks and extras).

Day 3

After early morning tea and coffee we set out on a morning game drive at around 06h30 on Amakhala Game Reserve before returning to the lodge for breakfast. All game drives on the reserve will be guided in an open game viewing vehicle giving you a true safari experience while learning about the various species.

After breakfast we will have some discussions and presentation on The Role of the Wildlife Vet in southern Africa and Basic Capture and Immobilisation Techniques and Pharmacology.

Once the talks are concluded we head in for lunch and, time permitting, enjoy some leisure time before heading out on another evening game drive and hopefully enjoy a sundowner cruise along the Bushman’s River which runs through the reserve, (subject to water levels of the river).

Return in the evening to the lodge for dinner.

Overnight in Amakhala Game Reserve at Leeuwenbosch Lodge.

Accommodation is on a full board basis, including certain local drinks (excludes premium drinks and extras).

Day 4

After an early coffee / tea and rusks, it is time to participate in our first veterinary procedure relating to the management of African plains game – most likely antelope work on Amakhala Game Reserve.  Details will be finalised nearer the time depending on what veterinary work needs doing at the time.

We will return to the lodge in the late morning and enjoy a hearty breakfast before (depending on time) holding some discussions and presentations on Conservation Issues in (southern) Africa. Time permitting we will also take a look at dart gun systems and darts and try our hand at darting a target.

Lunch will follow, and some leisure time should be available we will head out on another afternoon game drive in search of the species you may not yet have encountered.

Return to the lodge in the early evening for dinner.

Overnight in Amakhala Game Reserve at Leeuwenbosch Lodge.

Accommodation is on a full board basis, including certain local drinks (excludes premium drinks and extras).

Day 5

This morning we would ask everybody to ensure that all possessions are packed into your bags and put ready in your room.  Whilst you are out enjoying your morning’s activity, your bags will be transferred over to another lodge within the Amakhala Game Reserve and will be ready and waiting in your rooms on your return.

Set off early morning, after tea/coffee/a light breakfast, to do some rhino work…..most likely at one of the nearby Eastern Cape Nature Reserves – maximum drive time normally one hour each way.

The final venue and work to be done will be finalised nearer the time, but the most likely scenario is that rhino needing to be ear notched and micro-chipped for management reasons and to help combat poaching, will be immobilised. DNA samples are normally also taken for storage/research.

On arrival final preparations are made and then the rhino will be located and darted – either from a helicopter or a vehicle, depending on the terrain, etc.

When the rhino is immobilised and it is safe, guests will be allowed to leave their vehicle and join the duty veterinarian, hands on! There will be an opportunity to help monitor and treat the rhino/help with procedures. Of course there will be time for those photos of a lifetime too!

Once we are done we’ll reverse the rhino’s immobilising drugs, and watch him recover. Hopefully he heads off in a direction away from us!

We will take a packed lunch along with us today, which we will enjoy after the immobilisation procedure is complete.  During lunch there will be a talk on black rhino conservation and management, and time permitting, we will enjoy a short game drive in the reserve before returning to our lodge in the mid afternoon to relax and rid ourselves of some of the adrenalin that is sure to have coursed through our bodies and to discuss the morning’s adventure …

Feel invigorated by the sounds and fragrances of the African bush, while lounging on your personal deck, or viewing from within your plunge pool. Built in the bush, against a back drop of aloe’s and indigenous fauna and flora, Bush Lodge is the perfect African retreat. The luxurious, secluded tented rooms with private plunge pools, atmospheric fireplace, alfresco double showers and hot and cold air-conditioners, offer an unforgettable and exceptional romantic experience. Leisure time can be spent indulging in professional treatments in the privacy and comfort of your own suite by an exclusive in-house therapist. Enjoy cuisine that excites the palate and leaves you needing to explore true African culture, hosted by local staff who are willing to attend to your every need. A far cry from the average safari experience, the Bush Lodge provides undivided, personal attention ensuring your stay is pleasurable and unforgettable.

Dinner and overnight at Bush Lodge on a full board basis (including local but not premium brand drinks and extras).

Day 6

After early breakfast we head for nearby Addo Elephant National Park today, a drive of approximately 40 minutes.

We’ll enjoy an open vehicle game drive through the main park conservation area and discuss aspects of wildlife management in national conservation areas, as we go. We will discuss the different management aspects of this exceptionally diverse reserve from Karoo through mountain & thicket vegetation types, into coastal dune systems and marine environments.

We will also visit the bomas (wildlife holding facility) in the park and if we are lucky will spend some time with South African National Parks staff discussing conservation issues in the park – this depends on staff schedules and availability at the time.

Lunch is at the park restaurant – for your own expense.  There will also be some time to explore the park shop and buy some souvenirs to take home.

Addo Elephant National Park lies deep within the shadows of the dense valley bushveld of the Sundays River region of the Eastern Cape. The original Elephant section of the park was proclaimed in 1931, when only eleven elephants remained in the area – today this finely tuned ecosystem is sanctuary to over 420 elephants, 450 Cape buffalo, black rhino, a variety of antelope species, as well as the unique flightless dung beetle, found almost exclusively in Addo. For the first time in over 100 years, lion and spotted hyena were reintroduced to the park in 2005.

After lunch, en route back to Amakhala, we will pass through one of the poorest villages in South Africa, Paterson, where we visit a local Aids orphanage led by its dedicated staff, to learn more about the plight of these children in the context of the HIV pandemic in South Africa.

Return to the lodge to enjoy dinner and overnight.

Dinner and overnight at Bush Lodge on a full board basis (including local but not premium brand drinks and extras).

Day 7

Today will serve as a backup day for any veterinary work that may arise nearer the time, or not yet have been completed as a result of inclement weather or any other reason.

Should all veterinary work have been completed, then we will enjoy an early breakfast at the lodge before transferring through to Port Elizabeth for a marine excursion into Algoa Bay (weather permitting).

We will meet our skipper at the Yacht Club in Port Elizabeth at 07h45 and depart on our cruise at 08h00.   This ocean safari will give us a chance to see dolphins, whales, sharks, seals and the island home of half the world’s population of African penguins. This part of the bay incorporates some of the marine component of the Addo Elephant National Park.

Lunch is back at the marina – for your own expense.

On route back to the reserve we will visit the Orphanage Craft shop located at Reed Valley Lodge to support their work.

Back at the lodge we will head out on another evening game drive into the reserve before returning to the lodge for dinner.

Dinner and overnight at Bush Lodge on a full board basis (including local but not premium brand drinks and extras).

Day 8

After early morning tea or coffee it is time for your last game drive onto Amakhala Game Reserve before returning to the lodge for breakfast and then checking out of the lodge.

Transfer back to Port Elizabeth airport to check in for your flight back to Johannesburg.

Subject to availability – we generally book Flight BA6242 which departs from Port Elizabeth at 13h10 and arrives back in Johannesburg at 15h05.

Costing: Contact Keryn on info@brotherssafaris.com for 2013 costs

This cost is based on a group size of 8 persons sharing participating.

Your safari cost includes your return domestic flights from Johannesburg to Port Elizabeth, accommodation and meals as laid out in the itinerary, all land transfers in a comfortable air-conditioned mini-bus/similar, guides & wildlife veterinarians where indicated throughout the safari, and various other local guides and researchers, all practical work, tours, presentations and activities as laid out above,, VAT and Government Tourism levies.

Not included are premium drinks at both lodges, own beverage consumption off Amakhala Game Reserve, dinner on day 1, lunch at Addo Elephant Park and in Port Elizabeth if you undertake a marine cruise,  items of a personal nature, gratuities, medical travel insurance (compulsory) and international flights.

Please note that due to the nature of this experience, times and plans may need to be adjusted slightly as we proceed. Please bear with us should this become necessary.

Please note the following regarding the darting/other procedure/s:

While every endeavor is made to locate and dart the animal in question, factors such as severe weather conditions or illness involving the animal, which are unpredictable, may prevent the darting from going ahead. Every effort will be made to ensure that the client participates in the darting procedure, or similar, as laid out in the itinerary, but the animal’s welfare will not be compromised at any stage, and a procedure may have to be aborted and the animal revived in certain circumstances. This may shorten the procedure/down time and hence the close up experience for the client. Brothers Safaris, its staff, and appointed agents will not be held liable for any losses incurred by a client as a result of such situations, and accept no responsibility whatsoever. Every endeavor is made to ensure the health and safety of all our clients, but any procedure with a potentially dangerous wild animal is of such a nature that certain circumstances may be beyond our control. Should any such situation arise which leads to death or injury due to any reason whatsoever, Brothers Safaris, its staff, and appointed agents, will not be held liable for any losses incurred as a direct, or indirect, result of such a situation, or our actions in such a situation.

Booking Terms and Conditions:

• A 30% non-refundable deposit is payable at confirmation of booking
• Balance of 70% payable 56 days before commencement
• 60% Refund for cancellation 42 – 56 days prior to commencement
• 50% Refund for cancellation 28 – 42 days prior to commencement
• Cancellation within 28 days subject to full forfeiture
• Payment of deposit implies acceptance of terms and conditions
• Cancellation must be made in writing to Brothers Safaris
• An administration fee of ZAR 500-00 per person will be charged for amendments made after confirmation
• Brothers Safaris reserves the right to use a similar lodge/hotel if the intended lodge/hotel is not available, this may affect pricing
• The itinerary costing is subject to availability and currency fluctuations
• Terms and Conditions are subject to change without notice

Come and join Brothers Safaris on a veterinary journey into the exciting world of wildlife in South Africa.  This “behind the scenes” safari allows you a rare opportunity to interact with researchers, ecologists, vets and guides, whilst experiencing the conservation work undertaken by local wildlife veterinarians.  You will also meet with colleagues from across the world, and share with them on a professional and social level.

This itinerary incorporates “traditional” tourism activities as you journey from the malaria free game parks of the Eastern Cape, through the spectacular scenery of the Garden Route and on to Cape Town.  The trip is interspersed with a variety of private veterinary visits to learn more about cheetah conservation, ostrich farming and specialised wildlife breeding programmes including the re-introduction of the extinct quagga.

Not only will you have a fantastic time but your participation also means donations to the various wildlife projects, thus you are helping wildlife conservation efforts.

Guided throughout by a South African Wildlife Veterinarian and various local guides, you will be given a unique and rare insight into the world of wildlife in Southern Africa.

Join us for a once-in-a-lifetime safari, while helping to conserve Africa’s wildlife through your participation.

Day 1

Fly into Port Elizabeth airport to arrive at approximately 12h00. Flights are for your own arrangement and can be booked through Brothers Safaris at an additional cost.

On your arrival in Port Elizabeth you will be met by a Brothers Safaris representative and transferred to the Amakhala Game Reserve to arrive at the lodge at about lunch time – approximately 40 minutes. This transfer is scheduled to depart Port Elizabeth airport at 12h30, so please ensure that your flight arrives in sufficient time to collect your baggage and meet in the arrivals terminal by 12h30.

Check into your lodge and enjoy some leisure time at the lodge, followed by a late afternoon/evening game drive (depending on arrival time) on Amakhala Game Reserve in an open Land Rover in search of their wildlife – rhino (white and black), elephant, cheetah, buffalo, lion, giraffe, black wildebeest, zebra, tortoise and over 16 antelope species. Watch the sun set while enjoying drinks and snacks, before searching for elusive nocturnal animals such as lynx, porcupine and spring hare.

Back at the lodge you will enjoy dinner and then the wildlife veterinarian will review the programme for the safari, and prepare guests for tomorrow’s activities.

Amakhala Game Reserve began in 1999 as a joint conservation venture and today has several independently owned lodges. Many of these are owner managed by the descendants of the original families who arrived here with the British settlers of 1820. The vegetation and landscape are awe inspiring and the time spent in this reserve of approximately 7000 hectares will teach you a great deal about African wildlife.

Leeuwenbosch Lodge, which consists of the Country House and Shearers Lodge, was built in 1908 and is set in its own lovely garden. The Country House is a large and beautiful home, which offers true country living in every sense. Both spacious and comfortable, it has four en-suite bedrooms and a newly added suite.

Shearers Lodge was originally built in 1930 and used for shearing and classing wool. It has now been beautifully converted into four luxury en-suite bedrooms. All the rooms open on to a wide colonial veranda, overlooking indigenous gardens, rolling lawns and the quaintly charming Leeuwenbosch Chapel.

Your overnight accommodation in Amakhala Game Reserve is at Leeuwenbosch Lodge on a full board basis (accommodation, meals, standard drinks and activities; but excluding certain premium drinks and extras).

Day 2

After early morning tea and coffee you set out on a morning game drive on Amakhala Game Reserve. All game drives on the reserve will be guided in an open game viewing vehicle giving you a true safari experience while learning about the various species. You will be given an explanation, together with a demonstration, on how telemetry works and spend some time tracking some of the animals being monitored on the reserve.
Return to the lodge for breakfast.

After breakfast there will be some discussions with the veterinarians on the safari, as well as a presentation on The Role of the Wildlife Vet in Southern Africa and Basic Capture and Immobilisation Techniques and Pharmacology.

Enjoy lunch at the lodge.

In the afternoon we will participate in an immobilisation and/or veterinary procedure relating to the management of African plains game – most likely antelope work on Amakhala Game Reserve. Details will be finalised nearer the time depending on what veterinary work needs doing at the time.

Return to the lodge for dinner and to overnight.

Your overnight accommodation in Amakhala Game Reserve is at Leeuwenbosch Lodge on a full board basis (accommodation, meals, standard drinks and activities; but excluding certain premium drinks and extras).

Day 3

Today we set set off in the early morning, after tea/coffee/a light breakfast, to do some rhino work…..most likely on one of the nearby Eastern Cape Nature Reserves – maximum drive time normally one hour each way.

The final venue and work to be done will be finalised nearer the time, but the most likely scenario is that rhino needing to be ear notched and micro-chipped for management reasons and to help combat poaching, will be immobilised. DNA samples will also be taken for research and an anti-poaching campaign led by the Onderstepoort DNA laboratory.

On arrival final preparations are made and then the rhino will be located and darted – either from a helicopter or a vehicle, depending on the terrain, etc.

When the rhino is immobilised and it is safe, guests will be allowed to leave their vehicle and join the duty veterinarian, hands on! There will be an opportunity to help monitor and treat the rhino/help with procedures. Once all is done the duty veterinarian will reverse the rhino’s immobilising drugs, and you will watch him recover. Hopefully he heads off in a direction away from us!

You will take a packed lunch along today, which you will enjoy after the immobilisation procedure is complete. During lunch there will be a talk on black rhino conservation and management, and time permitting, you will enjoy a short game drive in the reserve before returning to Leeuwenbosch Lodge in the mid afternoon. This talk depends on which venue your group will be working in.

Addo Elephant National Park lies deep within the shadows of the dense valley bushveld of the Sundays River region of the Eastern Cape. The original Elephant section of the park was proclaimed in 1931, when only eleven elephants remained in the area – today this finely tuned ecosystem is sanctuary to over 420 elephants, 450 Cape buffalo, black rhino, a variety of antelope species, as well as the unique flightless dung beetle, found almost exclusively in Addo. For the first time in over 100 years, lion and spotted hyena were reintroduced to the park in 2005. This Addo visit would be at an additional cost.

Once everyone is back at Leeuwenbosch you will head out on a short game drive to the Bushman’s River, which runs through the reserve, and enjoy a boat cruise and experience the bird life which is prevalent along the riverine area. This boat cruise is dependent on water levels of the river and the time of your return to Amakhala Game Reserve. Enjoy sundowners before returning to the lodge for dinner and to overnight.

Your overnight accommodation in Amakhala Game Reserve is at Leeuwenbosch Lodge on a full board basis (accommodation, meals, standard drinks and activities; but excluding certain premium drinks and extras).

Day 4

This morning you will enjoy a leisurely breakfast at the lodge before checking out at 08h30 and heading west in the direction of the world famous Garden Route.

Leaving the city of Port Elizabeth behind, you will make your way into some of the most exquisite country and coastline that South Africa has to offer. Travelling first into the Tsitsikamma area, this is a fairyland of giant trees, ferns and birdlife.

Tsitsikamma is a Khoi word meaning “place of abundant or sparkling water”. The region stretches from Eerste Rivier in the east to Bloukranz River in the west, and is bordered on the north by the imposing Tsitsikamma Mountains and in the south by the Indian Ocean. The area is covered in large tract of indigenous forest, commercial plantations and Fynbos. Deep river gorges cleft the plateau as they make their way down to the sea, creating spectacular waterfalls of “Coca Cola” brown water from the vegetation that they carry.

At the Bloukranz River Bridge you will stop off to view the site of the world’s highest commercial bungy jump – a whooping 216 metres high! This is the ultimate thrill, but not for the fainthearted. The bridge is the highest and largest bridge in Africa; the third highest in the world and the largest single span concrete arch bridge in the world. Learn about the incredible engineering feats that went into building this amazing bridge. Walk along a spectacular and specially designed catwalk to the top of the arch from where you look out over the Gorge to the mountains and the sea in the distance. Informative local guides will introduce you to the enchantment of this special place. This is the perfect way to watch the live bungy show up close and personal and is an ideal alternative to jumping off! The bungy jump and bridge walk tour cost would be for your own expense.

From the bridge it is a short hop to the rural community of The Crags. Here you will make your way to Peppermill Café at The Mill, a small centre housing a wonderful mohair shop which offers the world’s largest selection of mohair products. At approximately 13h00 we will stop for lunch at Peppermill Cafe (for your own account).

Lunch over, you head to the nearby Tenikwa Wildlife Awareness Centre.

Tenikwa Wildlife Awareness Centre offers a truly unique Wildcat Experience. Guests are taken on a guided tour to meet captive-bred furry felines, living in a semi-natural environment. So close you can hear them purr …..

Tenikwa Wildlife Centre has a deeply rooted respect and love for the African landscape and its animals. They are passionate about their work and would like to share this with you. Be they big, be they small, spotted, furry or feathered, the animals of Tenikwa will charm their way into your heart.

The Awareness Centre gives visitors and the community the opportunity to learn about South African indigenous animals. Many visitors are completely unaware of how fragile our eco – systems really are. At Tenikwa, they aim to develop an appreciation of the struggle for survival that these animals face in the wild and what we, as responsible individuals can do to assist. A core function of Tenikwa is the fully registered Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre with a prime purpose of returning displaced or injured animals back to the wild. African Animals under rehabilitation are not viewed by the public because they need to retain a natural fear of humans if they stand a chance for survival in the wild.

At Tenikwa you will have a private guided tour of the facility, meeting all of the numerous cat species at the centre. You will have the unique opportunity of going behind the scenes into the Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre and taking part in whatever is possible on that day at the centre. This visit to Tenikwa has been specially organised by Len Freeman (founder and owner of Tenikwa) himself, and we have agreed on a sum of R500 donation per person towards their cause for each guest for his time and effort in this regard. There is effectively no tour charge, but only the mentioned donation which is included in your overall tour price.

Len’s enthusiasm for his work at the centre will keep you enthralled until it is time to head 24 kms further west to your overnight accommodation in Plettenberg Bay.

Nestled in a quiet cul-de-sac just a few steps away from the sweeping white arc of Robberg beach, Cottage Pie Guest House welcomes guests to the pride of the Garden Route – Plettenberg Bay. Renowned for the splendour of its ever changing sky and seascapes, and the unspoilt beauty of its lagoons and beach, Plettenberg Bay is a destination of distinction.

The Guest House offers 8 well-appointed suites offering the luxury and comfort expected from a first class establishment, including Wi-Fi, TVs in all rooms, fridges and tea trays in all rooms.

The comfort of the rooms is complimented by the secluded private garden with its sparkling pool, where one can relax under a bougainvillea shaded terrace. Breakfast is served under the thatched boma.

Check in to your guesthouse and take some time to settle in and relax, or enjoy a stroll along the beach located just 100 metres from your doorstep.

Having had chance to freshen up, head out to the Look Out Beach area of Plettenberg Bay and enjoy dinner (for your own expense) at the Look Out Restaurant. The diverse menu caters for all tastes, and the excellent kitchen facilities and well trained staff ensure that the restaurant is able to produce a wide variety of delicious meals throughout the day.

After dinner head back to your guest house to relax in the lounge or head to bed after a day of fresh air.

Your overnight accommodation in Plettenberg Bay is at Cottage Pie Guest House on a bed and breakfast basis.

Day 5

Enjoy an early breakfast at your guest house, before checking out at 07h30 and heading further west through the magnificent scenery of the Garden Route to Mossel Bay.

From Knysna you will enter what is known as the “Lake District” of the Garden Route, as apart from the vast lagoon on which Knysna is situated, this is a captivating world of lakes, rivers and estuaries, stretching for about 38 kilometres. The area is unique in that in this short distance there are three different types of lakes all of which are common throughout the world but are not common in that they are found in such a small geographical area.
Heading past the inland city of George you are on your way to the outskirts of Mossel Bay, claimed in 1992 in the Guinness Book of Records to have the second mildest climate in the world, and home to a Milkwood Post Office Tree. In 1500 a Portuguese sailor left a letter in a shoe, tucked in the tree. In 1501 this letter was found by Joao da Nova, who was en route to India. In this way the first post office in South Africa was founded.

At Great Brak River you will meet at The Croft Animal Hospital at 09h00 with Drs Greg & Andri Garrett to view their mixed practice facilities. You will then head out to their local wildlife farming operation with Dr Garrett to enjoy a private behind-the-scenes tour of the management facilities and veterinary implications of wild life ranching in South Africa. Dr Garrett will discuss the raising of buffalo, sable and nyala, and you will learn about the passive capture techniques which they have developed on their property over the past decade.

After lunch in Mossel Bay (for your own expense) you will head inland, over the Robinson Pass, to the ostrich capital of South Africa – Oudtshoorn.

Drive through Oudtshoorn into the picturesque Schoemanshoek Valley and check into your guest house at around 15h00.

Berluda lies in the picturesque Schoemanshoek Valley, halfway between Oudtshoorn and the Cango Caves.  The Schoeman Family’s footprints lie deeply imprinted on the roads of this valley, where for generations the family farmed tobacco, fruit, vegetables and ostriches.

Berluda Farmhouse has been home to the Schoeman family for more than fifty years.  It is a typical Klein Karoo Farmhouse, with characteristic South African antiques, wooden floors and rooms filled with love. Recently upgraded, the farmhouse provides home-from-home comforts, amidst luxurious interior and beautiful decor. Lush gardens, authentic South African farm hospitality and traditional South African cuisine, is what made Berluda famous.   All the rooms are fitted with luxurious touches and have their own Jacuzzi bath en suite.

This afternoon you will meet with ostrich vet, Dr Adrian Olivier from Klein Karoo Ostrimed, and embark on an exclusive tour of one of the world’s largest ostrich enterprises, owned by Piet Schoeman, Matilda’s brother. Here you will experience the breeding birds in the field; chick rearing operations; feeding; the hatchery; flock movement; dosing and plucking and of course the beautiful unspoilt Little Karoo vegetation.

Return to your guest house to enjoy a relaxing drink in the bar followed by dinner.

Your overnight accommodation at De Opstal Country Lodge is on a dinner, bed and breakfast basis, and excludes drinks.

Day 6

This morning you will have an early breakfast before checking out of your guest house and heading into the town of Oudtshoorn to meet again with Dr Adrian Oliver, who will take you on an extensive tour of the ostrich leather production facilities, as well as the ostrich feather sorting and grading facility.

Ostrich leather processing at Klein Karoo has advanced tremendously since ostrich skins were first processed here in 1970. Since 1945 Klein Karoo has accumulated a wealth of knowledge about ostriches. Technological advancements and on-going research have enabled them to produce the very best exotic leather – from farm reared ostriches only. Feather production processes are managed with regard to proper feather care on each farm, feather harvesting, handling and presentation and the provision of only the best quality feathers. You will have the opportunity to visit the Klein Karoo Ostrich Boutique to purchase your selection of fashion a accessories, interior décor, gifts or curios at the most affordable price. A donation is included in the tour price towards the local community projects run under the auspices of the Klein Karoo Group.

After lunch at the Klein Karoo facility, it is now time to make tracks towards the Western Cape along the famous Route 62, the world’s longest wine route, which meanders between Oudtshoorn and Cape Town.  This scenic route passes through farming towns such as Calitzdorp, Ladismith, historic Amalienstein, Zoar and the fruit growing and wine producing towns of Barrydale, Montagu, Ashton, Bonnievale, Robertson, McGregor and Worcester.  From Worcester you head into the renosterveld, one of the most threatened vegetation types which make up the World Heritage Site of the Cape Floral Kingdom

Check into your guest house late afternoon / evening and enjoy some leisure time before heading into dinner.

Bartholomeus Klip is a romantic Victorian farmstead, situated on a large wheat and sheep farm with its own 10 000 acre private nature reserve, about one hour’s drive from Cape Town. There is a long history of hospitality at Bartholomeus Klip which shows in the friendly smiles that greet the guests on their arrival. You are welcome to make the house your own either in one of the reception rooms or on the large broad veranda that winds around the homestead.

All bedrooms are en-suite, with lovely views of the surrounding countryside, with luxurious and stylish finishes and crisp cotton bedding and elegant fabrics.

The food – in the French tradition but with a local flavour – is one of the highlights of a stay at Bartholomeus Klip. The dedicated chefs in the kitchen have ensured that as many as possible of the ingredients they use come from the area, such as the locally-produced salmon trout and lamb, and the menus are varied and imaginative.

Your overnight accommodation at Bartholomeus Kip is on a dinner, bed and breakfast basis and excludes drinks.

Day 7

Enjoy some tea / coffee and light refreshments such as muffins and fruit at the guest house before heading out onto the reserve at around 08h00 for a morning game drive.

You will be accompanied by Bernard Wooding, reserve manager at Bartholomeus Klip, who will provide you with his in depth knowledge of the animals on the reserve, and in particular on the quagga breeding project taking place on the reserve.

This project, which has aroused enormous interest from around the world, is a revolutionary one aimed at re-breeding the extinct quagga – a zebra like animal with no stripes on its rump and legs, and reintroducing it into reserves in its former habitat.

An important milestone in the 13-year history of the Quagga Project was reached on the 29th June 2000, when the Quagga Project Association and the South African National Parks entered into a co-operation agreement. This has changed the Quagga Project from a private initiative to an officially recognised and logistically supported project.

Whilst on your drive you will hopefully also encounter another important inhabitant of the reserve: the endangered geometric tortoise, one of the world’s rarest reptiles, safe here in its last remaining viable habitat. Sadly there is little chance of seeing these during October. The reserve is teeming with herds of eland, springbuck, black wildebeest, zebra and bontebok. Many other animals, such as baboons, bat-eared foxes, lynxes, and smaller species of antelope, live here too, and it is known that leopards still occur in the mountains. In the old days these fierce and beautiful animals regularly used to kill sheep, up to 25 at a time, but nowadays all the sheep are kept safely on the farmlands farther away from the mountains and the leopard has to live on the smaller wild game.

Return to the guest house and enjoy a sumptuous breakfast / brunch before heading out, again with Bernard Wooding, to learn about another interesting and unusual project at Bartholomeus Klip – the breeding of disease-free buffalo, which was embarked on in 1999. As most of the buffalo in Southern Africa are infected with Theielria parva and Foot and Mouth Disease, and often Bovine Tuberculosis and Brucellosis too, ‘clean’ animals from Bartholomeus Klip are in great demand on game ranches especially as buffalo are one of the ‘Big Five’ (the others being lion, elephant, rhino and leopard) that tourists always want to see.

The breeding programme has been managed along basic farming principles since the original founder herd of 20 buffalo calves were raised on dairy cows. The herd is now breeding at a sustainable rate and numbers are kept at around 60 animals, with offspring being sold to areas that need stocking.
This programme provides a wonderful insight into the successful combination of modern farming and conservation, as well as allowing you the chance to get up close to view these magnificent animals. Your veterinarian guide will of course elaborate on the disease aspects of the buffalo.

Return to the lodge to check out at latest 12h00 and head in the direction of Paarl, one of the major towns on the famous winelands route.

You will stop over in Paarl to enjoy a wine tasting and lunch (for your own expense) at Fairview Wine Estate.

Fairview is a third generation, family owned wine and cheese farm, on the south-west-facing slopes of Paarl Mountain, a granite rock outcrop in the heart of the Paarl wine district of South Africa. Fairview’s most famous landmark is undoubtedly the Goat Tower, and the select few who call it home proudly represent the herd of over 750 on the farm.

In the wine and cheese tasting room your hosts will guide you through a relaxed tasting of the products made right here on the farm.

After a relaxing lunch you will head out on your final leg of your journey into the Mother City of South Africa – Cape Town.
Check in and enjoy the evening at leisure with dinner at one of the many nearby restaurants (for your own expense).

City Lodge V & A Waterfront is a centrally located hotel at the gateway to the vibrant and dynamic V & A Waterfront, within walking distance of the Cape Town International Convention Centre (where the World Veterinary Congress is being hosted), the CBD and the waterfront complex itself.

A nautical theme runs through the hotel and a spa pool is available for guests. Rooms are spacious and air-conditioned with all modern amenities. Wireless Internet is available throughout the hotel, and fax and photocopy serves are also available.

Your overnight accommodation at City Lodge V & A Waterfront is on a bed and breakfast basis.

Day 8

Enjoy breakfast at the hotel and be ready for your full day Cape Peninsula Tour at 08h15, when you will be collected from the hotel foyer and embark on a wonderful tour of this breathtakingly beautiful city. A local guide will be on hand to share the secrets of the many wonderful locations you’ll visit today.

Background information: The English navigator, Sir Francis Drake, in his ship the ’Golden Hind’ was the first to sail around the world in 1580, and he said : “This Cape is the most stately thing, and the fairest Cape we saw in the whole circumference of the earth.”

The city of Cape Town lies in the amphitheatre formed by Lion’s Head and Devil’s Peak on each side with the majestic 1134m Table Mountain behind. On a clear day the mountain can be seen from 200km out to sea.

Cape Town is known as the Mother City and the Western Cape is an area which is regarded as one of the most beautiful regions in the world. The City is a rare cultural gem, resulting from the amalgamation of Indonesian, French, Dutch, British and German settlers, the local Bushman and Hottentot tribes and the Bantu tribes from the north. The impressive presence of Table Mountain, flanked by the legendary Devil’s Peak and historical Signal Hill, stands proudly above the city.

Beautiful white sandy beaches along a peaceful coastline frame the Cape Peninsula, which is famed for its unique floral kingdom, bountiful rivers, vleis and dams and magnificent countryside. The surrounding area extends far into the winelands; green in summer and red-gold in autumn. Cape Town boasts a multitude of entertainment, ranging from outdoor activities and adventures in the sun to a roaring night life under neon signs. The vast range of shopping opportunities includes haggling with vendors at Greenmarket Square Flea Market, as well as breezing through sophisticated and stylish shopping malls. The huge variety of restaurants reflects the multicultural history of the Cape and caters for everyone’s taste, from fast-food outlets and casual pavement bistros, to chic and very elegant dining options.

Cape Town provides a setting for many scenic wonders, magnificent seascapes and panoramic vistas. The beautiful coastal areas of Camps Bay, Clifton, Llandudno, Bantry Bay, Hout Bay and Blouberg surround the breath-taking tranquillity of the winelands, Constantia, Stellenbosch, Paarl and Franschhoek.
Cape Town is a city of culture, built on a history that reflects in the architecture, cuisine, music and dance. Together with a warm summer and temperate winter climate and a friendly community, the Western Cape and the Mother City are an ideal holiday destination throughout the year.

A SYNOPSIS OF YOUR DAY:

The Atlantic Seaboard – drive through

Sea Point – High-rise blocks of expensive apartments now dominate Sea Point, once a little seaside resort out of town, where affluent Capetonians had their holiday and weekend homes. The promenade of Sea Point is a jogger’s mile and many people meet here for a walk and talk.
Clifton – Probably one of South Africa’s most famous beaches, Clifton attracts swathes of scantily clad locals and tourists onto its white sand and, less frequently, into its icy waters. With Table Mountain and Lion’s Head forming a spectacular backdrop and with good protection from the summer wind, it is considered one of the world’s finest beaches. The beach bungalows are among Cape Town’s most expensive real estate and command magnificent views of the ocean.
Camps Bay – is a long sandy, family friendly beach accessed directly from the road, with street side cafes, restaurants and a few small grocery stores lining the opposite side of the road. The beach offers more space for games and sandcastles than the other surrounding beaches.
Hout Bay – Affectionately called the Republic of Hout Bay by its residents, due primarily to the limited road of access, Hout Bay was formerly a fishing village and has managed to maintain its unique combination of fishing harbour and country atmosphere, despite development. Its long sandy beach faces a bay framed by mountains is quite exceptionally beautiful. Capetonians throng here over weekends to partake of the local fish and chips and to catch a glimpse of the resident Cape seals that make the harbour their home.  You will stop in Hout Bay to take a wander around the harbour, and for an optional boat trip to Duiker Island (for your own expense).  A forty minute to one hour boat trip will take you out to the waters surrounding Duiker Island, home of the Cape Fur Seals. Beneath the well-known Sentinel Mountain you can view thousands of Cape Fur Seals in their natural habitat.Chapman’s Peak Drive (Subject to road being open) – Chapman’s Peak Drive winds it way between Hout Bay and Noordhoek. Situated on the Atlantic Coast, at the south-western tip of South Africa, it is one of the most spectacular marine drives anywhere in the world.
Initially constructed during the First World war, this 9km route, with its 114 curves, skirts the rocky coastline of Chapman’s Peak, the 593m high southerly extension of Constantia Berg. Falling rocks have over the years been a constant threat, and a series of unfortunate events lead to the closure of the road in 2000. A massive upgrade programme was embarked on, including some amazing engineering feats, and the road was reopened to traffic in December 2003. Severe weather does however on occasion force the temporary closure of this route, and then travel to the Point is via Ou Kaapse Weg.
Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve – From its rugged, rocky outcrops and sheer cliffs to the fynbos covered plains, Cape Point holds much in store for visitors to these shores. You’re in for spectacular views; natural beauty and incredible vistas.

The Table Mountain National Park (TMNP) encompasses the incredibly scenic Table Mountain Chain stretching from Signal Hill in the north to Cape Point in the south and the seas and coastline of the peninsula. The narrow finger of land with its beautiful valleys, bays and beaches is surrounded by the waters of the Atlantic Ocean in the west and the warmer waters of False Bay on the eastern side, and has within its boundaries two world-renowned landmarks – majestic Table Mountain and the legendary Cape of Good Hope.
The Park is recognised globally for its extraordinarily rich, diverse and unique fauna and flora – with rugged cliffs, steep slopes and sandy flats – is a truly remarkable natural, scenic, historical, cultural and recreational asset both locally and internationally. Nowhere else in the world does an area of such spectacular beauty and such rich bio-diversity exist almost entirely within a metropolitan area – the thriving and cosmopolitan city of Cape Town.
Since 2004, it also forms part of the Cape Floral World Heritage Site made up of eight protected areas, covering 553,000 hectares. The Cape Floral Region is one of the richest areas for plants in the world. It represents less than 0.5% of the area of Africa but is home to nearly 20% of the continent’s flora. The site displays outstanding ecological and biological processes associated with the Fynbos vegetation, which is unique to the Cape Floral Region. The outstanding diversity, density and endemism of the flora are among the highest worldwide. Unique plant reproductive strategies, adaptive to fire, patterns of seed dispersal by insects, as well as patterns of endemism and adaptive radiation found in the flora are of outstanding value to science.

You will stop along the way to enjoy lunch where you can take in the spectacular sea views while relaxing over your food (for your own expense).

Boulders Beach Penguin Sanctuary
Visit the penguins at Boulders Beach in a penguin sanctuary for the African Penguin, which has been listed as a vulnerable species. The sheltered beach is open to the public. The penguins are best viewed from the Foxy Beach boardwalks, where you can chuckle over the antics of this noisy, bustling colony of birds. They used to be called jackass penguins, a name that will quickly become apparent as you get to know and hear these endearing creatures – but don’t try to touch them, they can be grouchy.

Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens – Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden is acclaimed as one of the great botanic gardens of the world. Few gardens can match the sheer grandeur of the setting of Kirstenbosch, against the eastern slopes of Cape Town’s Table Mountain.

Kirstenbosch was established in 1913 to promote, conserve and display the extraordinarily rich and diverse flora of southern Africa, and was the first botanic garden in the world to be devoted to a country’s indigenous flora. Kirstenbosch displays a wide variety of the unique plant life of the Cape Flora, as well as plants from all the diverse regions of southern Africa, both outdoors and in the Botanical Society Conservatory. There are over 7000 species in cultivation at Kirstenbosch, including many rare and threatened species.

The Garden covers 36 hectares in a 528 hectare estate that contains protected mountainside supporting natural forest and fynbos along with a variety of animals and birds. Kirstenbosch lies in the heart of the Cape Floristic Region, also known as the Cape Floral Kingdom. In 2004 the Cape Floristic Region, including Kirstenbosch, was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site – another first for Kirstenbosch, being the first botanic garden in the world to be included within a natural World Heritage Site.

You will return to your hotel at around 17h00 in the afternoon, where the tour ends.

Depending on the mood of the group a dinner venue can be pre-arranged on your behalf to enjoy the last evening of the tour together (for your own expense).

Your overnight accommodation at City Lodge V & A Waterfront is on a bed and breakfast basis, excluding drinks.

Day 9

Guests who are not staying on in Cape Town will check out of the hotel and transfer to the Cape Town International Airport (transfer price included in the Safari).

For those guests wishing to spend more time in Cape Town Brothers Safaris can arrange additional nights’ accommodation and further excursions to visit the local attractions on request.

Cost of tour:  Contact Keryn on info@brotherssafaris.com for 2013 costs
This price is subject to a minimum group size of 10 persons and a maximum group size of 14 persons.

Inclusions:  Transfer Port Elizabeth airport to Amakhala Game Reserve in an air conditioned vehicle; all accommodation, meals and activities as specified in the itinerary; participation for all veterinarians in the wildlife procedures detailed in the itinerary; overland transport on the tour in an air conditioned 16 seater vehicle;  entrance (donation) to Tenikwa Wildlife Centre; the services of a qualified wildlife veterinarian throughout the tour, as well as the services of local veterinarians as specified in the itinerary at various wildlife establishments; visits to wildlife farming and ostrich farming units; tour and lunch at Klein Karroo facility in Oudtshoorn; private tours at Bartholomeus Klip; entrance to Cape Point Nature Reserve, Boulders Beach Penguin Sanctuary and Kirstenbosch Gardens on the Peninsula Tour; Vat and Government Levies.

Exclusions:  Any items noted as particular exclusion in the itinerary, such as:

Bungy jump or bridge walk entrance fees;
Lunch Day 4 – Peppermill Café
Dinner Day 4 – Look Out Restaurant, Plettenberg Bay
Lunch Day 5 – Mossel Bay
Lunch Day 7 – Fariview Wine Estate
Wine tasting Fairview Wine Estate
Dinner Day 7 & 8 – City Lodge V & A Waterfront
Day 8 – Duiker Island optional boat trip
Day 8 – Lunch on Peninsula Tour

No flights are included in the tour price, but can be booked by Brothers Safaris on request.
Drinks are for your own account apart from those specified at certain game lodges.
All extras such as telephone, items of a personal nature and gratuities.
Travel and medical insurance (compulsory).

Please note the following regarding the darting/immobilisation procedures:
While every endeavour is made to locate and dart the animal in question, factors such as severe weather conditions or illness involving the animal; inability to locate or approach the animal close enough due to bush conditions; failure of the animal to come to a bait, etc; which are all unpredictable, may prevent the darting from going ahead. Every effort will be made to ensure that the client participates in the darting procedure, or similar, as laid out in the itinerary, but the animal’s welfare will not be compromised at any stage, and a procedure may have to be aborted and the animal revived in certain circumstances. This may shorten the procedure/down time and hence the close up experience for the client. Brothers Safaris, its staff, and appointed agents will not be held liable for any losses incurred by a client as a result of such situations, and accept no responsibility whatsoever. Every endeavour is made to ensure the health and safety of all our clients, but any procedure with a potentially dangerous wild animal and veterinary drug is of such a nature that certain circumstances may be beyond our control. Should any such situation arise which leads to death or injury due to any reason whatsoever, Brothers Safaris, its staff, and appointed agents, will not be held liable for any losses incurred as a direct, or indirect, result of such a situation, or our actions in such a situation.

Terms and Conditions

• 30% non-refundable deposit is payable at confirmation of booking
• Balance of 70% payable 56 days before commencement
• 60% Refund for cancellation 42 – 56 days prior to commencement
• 50% Refund for cancellation 28 – 42 days prior to commencement
• Cancellation within 28 days subject to full forfeiture
• Payment of deposit implies acceptance of terms and conditions
• Cancellation must be made in writing to Brothers Safaris
• An administration fee of ZAR 500-00 per person will be charged for amendments made after confirmation
• Brothers Safaris reserves the right to use a similar lodge/hotel if the intended lodge/hotel is not available, this may affect pricing
• The itinerary costing is subject to availability and currency fluctuations
• Terms and Conditions are subject to change without notice

This course is intended to give Veterinary students the opportunity to gain some technical knowledge involved in wildlife veterinary practice in South Africa and the immobilisation of wildlife, and uses theory and practical to achieve this aim. Students will receive lectures on a wide variety of topics, and will also be given practical demonstrations and opportunities to practice certain skills.

While the topics are intended to be very practical, this course will not turn a Veterinary student into a “Wildlife Vet”, and this is not the intention.
The knowledge and experience gained during this course should highlight some of the issues facing Wildlife Vets and Conservation in Southern Africa, and the knowledge needed to successfully work in this industry. However, this knowledge and the broad basics will naturally serve as a sound base for future wildlife work anywhere in the world.

Day 1, Thursday

Arrival day – all delegates must arrive at Port Elizabeth airport by 1.00 pm.  If anyone has not yet managed to change currency to ZAR now would by the time to do this, since you are heading into the bush where there are no such facilities.  At 1.30 pm you will be met by a Brothers Safaris representative at the “Information Desk” of the airport, in the terminal, and transferred to Amakhala Game Reserve, to the north east of Port Elizabeth (approximately 1 hour drive).  Late arrivals at Port Elizabeth will have to pay for their own transfer to Amakhala Game Reserve.

Check in to your lodge accommodation, and spend some time relaxing and acclimatising to your new surroundings, before heading out on a shortened game drive onto the reserve at around 4.30 pm.

On you return to the lodge you will be given a short course introduction/overview, before dinner.

Overnight at one of the lodges on Amakhala Game Reserve before enjoying a good night’s rest.  (During your stay there will always be staff on the premises should you need any assistance)

Amakhala Game Reserve began in 1999 as a joint conservation venture and today has several independently owned lodges. Many of these are owner managed by the descendants of the original families who arrived here with the British settlers of 1820.

Amakhala Game Reserve is a unique conservation initiative that allows animals to be re-introduced to the area where they once roamed freely and so making a contribution to the conservation of our natural heritage. The land was used to ranch sheep and cattle up to the turn of the century. The challenge has been to re-establish the original flora and fauna species to the area and to return the land to nature.  The vegetation and landscape are awe inspiring and the time spent in this reserve of approximately 7000 hectares will teach you a great deal about African wildlife.  The reserve is home to a variety of species, including lion, leopard, elephant, rhino, buffalo, cheetah, giraffe, zebra and numerous other antelope species.

Students will be accommodated at one of the lodges on the reserve, where the normal rooms will be converted to small “dormitory” style sharing rooms, each with its own en suite bathroom facility.  The lodges all have a central living and dining area where time will be spent during leisure periods.  All meals are included in the rate, but drinks and light snacks will be on sale at the lodge. You can be assured of comfortable accommodations that are more than adequate for the purposes of the course.

Day 2 – Friday

After breakfast at 8.00 am, we will start with some introductory lectures at 9.00 am.  This lecture will be presented by the Wildlife Veterinarian running this particular course.

• “An Introduction to the wildlife of Southern Africa – the basics”
• “The role of the Wildlife Veterinarian in South Africa”
• “Capture and immobilisation methods – the big picture”
• “Immobilisation First Aid”
• “Helicopter safety”

Break for lunch at 1.00 pm.

Enjoy some leisure time after lunch before heading out at around 3.00 pm for a game drive (wildlife viewing) on Amakhala Game Reserve with one of the local guides. All game drives on the reserve will be guided in an open game viewing vehicle giving you a true safari experience while learning about the various species.

Return to your lodge in the early evening after looking for some of the nocturnal species on the way back. Enjoy dinner at around 7.00 pm before enjoying another good night’s rest.

Day 3 – Saturday

After breakfast at 8.00 am, we’ll have a lecture on various dart gun systems and darts, and after the lecture spend time loading darts with water and firing them at a target.

Enjoy lunch at 1.00 pm and then some leisure time before heading out at around 3.00 pm for a game drive (wildlife viewing) on Amakhala Game Reserve with one of the local guides. Head out further and search for species that you have not yet seen.

Return late afternoon/early evening and enjoy dinner at the lodge at around 7.00 pm and some wildlife DVDs will be available for viewing after dinner.

Day 4 – Sunday

Breakfast will be served at 7.00 am and is followed by lecture sessions, either at the lodge or another venue in close proximity, throughout the day, starting at 8.00 am.

Dr Peter Buss – wildlife veterinarian currently with Veterinary Services for South African National Parks and based in the Kruger National Park; ex zoo vet and ex faculty of Veterinary Science Pharmacology Department – will  be your lecturer for the day.  These lectures are crucial to understanding wildlife immobilisation and will focus on the following:

• The physiology and pharmacology of wildlife immobilisation
• Species specific considerations for immobilisation – drugs and techniques

We will break during the course of the lectures for lunch at 1.00 pm and tea.

Enjoy dinner at the lodge at 7.00 pm – tonight is the night for a traditional braai….

Day 5 – Monday

Early morning breakfast at 7.00 am, followed by any unfinished lectures. Today’s lectures are again presented by Dr Peter Buss and will cover the remainder of the above topics not yet covered.

We end lectures late morning and enjoy some leisure time before an early lunch at 12.00 pm.

After lunch we set out on our first field veterinary excursion. This afternoon’s work is likely to involve antelope immobilisation and relocation, and be carried out on Amakhala Game Reserve/a nearby reserve.

Back at the lodge we will  review the capture operation  then enjoy some leisure time before dinner.  Enjoy some DVD’s/social time.

Day 6 –  Tuesday

Early morning breakfast before setting out for the day’s veterinary work.

This morning’s work is subject to confirmation nearer the time.

Lunch back at the lodge, or a packed lunch, pending the day’s work.

After lunch we’ll review the morning’s practical session and then have some leisure time to review lectures and activities covered to date.

You head out at around 3.00 pm for a game drive (time permitting) on Amakhala Game Reserve with one of the local guides.

Enjoy leisure time at the lodge before dinner.

Day 7 – Wednesday

Breakfast at 7.00 am at the lodge before heading to nearby Addo Elephant National Park where we’ll spend the day, starting at 9.00 am.

Our visit will include a game drive in the park, a visit to the boma (wildlife holding) facilities in the park, and possibly a talk on the park by one of the SAN Parks staff members/veterinarians – talk subject to confirmation. This will give delegates an insight into a different wildlife management system and a different habitat too.

Lunch is at the park restaurant and for delegates own expense (budget approximately R60-R120, depending on your taste/hunger level!). There will also be some leisure time to explore the park shop and buy some souvenirs/mementos to take home.

Deep within the shadows of the dense valley bushveld of the Sundays River region of the Eastern Cape lies the Addo Elephant National Park. Here, the evenings are punctuated by the strident howl of the black-backed jackal, and the francolin’s call heralds each new dawn. Safe from relentless persecution in the past, the grey leviathans of the bush now roam in peace. The original Elephant section of the park was proclaimed in 1931, when only eleven elephants remained in the area – today this finely tuned ecosystem is sanctuary to over 450 elephants, Cape buffalo, black rhino, a variety of antelope species, as well as the unique flightless dung beetle, found almost exclusively in Addo. And there Addo has only just begun, with plans to expand the  164 000 ha Addo National Elephant Park into a 360 000 ha mega-park. In addition, plans include the proposed proclamation of a 120 000 ha (296 500 acre) marine reserve that includes islands that are home to the world’s largest breeding populations of Cape gannets and second largest breeding population of African penguins.

Return to the lodge late afternoon for an evening in camp. Enjoy dinner at the lodge at 7.00 pm.

Day 8 – Thursday

After early morning tea and coffee and a light snack we head out on a morning game drive at 7.00 am today, to experience the wildlife at a different time of the day.

Return to the lodge for brunch at 9.45 am. (On days where we have brunch we basically have two big meals with a light snack in between).

Breakfast is followed by a lecture on wildlife diseases, starting at 10.30 am by the wildlife veterinarian conducting this course.

This afternoon we head back out onto AGR or one of the other nearby reserves to do any veterinary work that needs doing. This is likely to involve more antelope work. In the event of this not being available, students will enjoy another afternoon game drive on Amakhala at 3.00 pm, before dinner back at the lodge at 7.00 pm.

Day 9 – Friday

After early morning tea and coffee at 7.00 am, we head out on a short morning game drive to enjoy a river cruise on the Bushman’s River which runs through the reserve (dependent on water levels).

We enjoy a bush brunch at an amazing spot in the reserve.

After brunch we have a talk and discussion session at 11.30 am on the history of wildlife/conservation issues in the area – Dr William Fowlds or other local authority.

This lecture will take place at the Amakhala Conservation Centre, and when completed, the staff of the Conservation Centre will also give a presentation about the conservation issues and their work on Amakhala Game Reserve. This will be followed by a talk on telemetry and its use on the reserve, and a tour of the Conservation Centre’s museum.

Head out mid afternoon on a game drive at 3.00 pm in search of the species you may not yet have encountered, and to learn more about the behaviour of the various wildlife species by spending time monitoring them. You will also test your skills on how telemetry works, and spend time tracking some of the animals being monitored on the reserve.

Return to the lodge early evening for dinner at 7.00 pm, followed by an astronomy talk by one of your guides – talk subject to confirmation.

Day 10 – Saturday

After morning tea and coffee at 7.15am, half the group will head out on a morning bush walk today, to experience the wildlife and environment on a totally different level. You will be guided by a specialist guide on this activity.

The other half of the group will enjoy a lie in/some leisure time, and have their turn to walk on Sunday.

Enjoy brunch for everyone back at the lodge at 10.30 am.

After brunch we will visit the Shamwari Born Free Centre at around 12.00 (duration approximately 1 hour) for a different look at Wildlife Conservation and their work with ensuring that wildlife remains in the wild.

Return to the lodge for leisure and study time in the afternoon, and to work on any case studies that have been allocated.

Dinner at the lodge will be at 7.00 pm, after which we will enjoy some DVD’s/social time.

Day 11 – Sunday

After morning tea and coffee at 7.15am, the second half the group will head out on a morning bush walk today, to experience the wildlife and environment on a totally different level….. You will be guided by a specialist guide on this activity.

The other half of the group will enjoy a lie in/some leisure time.

Enjoy brunch for everyone back at the lodge at 10.30 am.

After brunch there will be some talks on the flora and environment of the reserve. This is important to understand the bigger conservation issues that face wildlife.

After the talks it’s time for some leisure time and then another afternoon game drive where you will have the chance to again observe behaviour of the various wildlife species by spending time monitoring them, and can again practice your telemetry/tracking skills.

Return to the lodge after sunset for dinner at 7.30 pm, and relaxation time.

Day 12 – Monday

After breakfast at 7.00 am we spend the morning being lectured by Dr Jennifer Gush, The Director of the Conservation Centre on Amakhala and a PhD graduate in marine life.

Dr Gush’s lectures will cover topics such as:

• Overall look at the oceans of the world
• Conditions under which marine life live
• Special characteristics of the oceans surrounding southern African
• Some examples of marine research in this area
• Examination of the big marine spp in the southern African systems
• How vet practices operate in the marine system

Between 12 and 1.00 pm case studies will be presented by course delegates – if applicable.

We enjoy lunch at the lodge at 1.00 pm and after lunch we head to the nearby Aids Orphanage to learn more about the plight of these children in the context of the HIV pandemic in South Africa. Donations of clothes or financial contributions would be much appreciated.

Arrive back at your lodge in the late afternoon and enjoy an early dinner at 6.30 pm.

After dinner we head out on a night drive to explore Amakhala by night, in search of those elusive nocturnal species…..

Day 13 – Tuesday

Its early breakfast again today, and then we head back to Port Elizabeth for a boat cruise on the ocean to apply some of the knowledge gained the previous day – weather permitting.   If we are lucky we could encounter dolphins, whales, penguins and various sea birds on route….

Lunch is back at the marina/nearby – for your own expense (budget approximately R100-R150 for this, pending your tastes).

After lunch there will be a few hours to catch up on shopping/telephone calls, etc, before we head back to the peace of the reserve.  On route back we will visit the Orphanage craft shop to support their work.

Arrive at the lodge late afternoon/early evening and enjoy dinner at 7.00 pm, followed by leisure time.

Day 14 – Wednesday

Early morning breakfast before setting out for the day’s veterinary work.

This morning’s work is subject to confirmation nearer the time, but will probably be with some of the larger mammals, such as rhino.

Lunch back at the lodge, or a packed lunch, pending the day’s work.

Late morning or early afternoon we’ll have a practical helicopter session darting a target with a paintball gun/similar. This will give you an excellent idea of what is required when darting from the air! Please note that this exercise carries a weight restriction for safety reasons. Anyone weighing more than 100kg should please speak to the responsible Veterinarian in private before this exercise.

After ridding yourself of some of the adrenalin, we’ll cover any remaining lectures/topics of interest that have not yet been addressed, or enjoy another game drive.

We enjoy dinner back at the lodge at 7.00 pm, before another night of leisure.

Day 15 – Thursday

Early morning breakfast before setting out for the day’s veterinary work – subject to confirmation.

Lunch back at the lodge, or a packed lunch, pending the day’s work.

This afternoon you will be given a written exam on the course material as a means of self-evaluation – the exam is typically out of 100 marks and written over a maximum of 1 hours, and covers both theory and practical aspects covered on the course. While all activities on the course are obviously optional, course delegates are encouraged to participate in all of them, including the exam.

Enjoy a game drive and sundowners in the bush for the last time before returning to the lodge for dinner and to overnight.

Day 16 – Friday

After breakfast we check out at 10.00 am and transfer back to Port Elizabeth airport for your flight to Johannesburg International Airport, in time for connecting flights home/to your next destination.   Please do not book any flight which departs from Port Elizabeth earlier than 1.30 pm.

Cost Per Person Sharing:

ZAR 32 000.00

per delegate sharing on the above basis.
This cost is based on a minimum of 10 students and a maximum of 14 participating.

The course cost includes meals and shared accommodation as indicated above, all land transfers in a comfortable air-conditioned mini-bus or game viewer vehicles, guides and lecturers as above, all practicals and lectures as above, all tours and activities as above, Park entry fees, VAT and Government Tourism levies.

Not included are flights (international and domestic), drinks and snacks either at any lodge or on game drives, meals as indicated for your own expense above, optional additional activities, items of a personal nature, gratuities (budget on approximately R500-00 over the duration of the course), travel/medical insurance (compulsory) and pre- and post-course activities (we have a leisure department that can assist with all travel arrangements in Africa).

Course Dates:

• 06 – 21 June 2013
• 27 June – 12 July 2013

This cost is based on a minimum of 10 students and a maximum of 14 participating.

The course cost includes meals and shared accommodation as indicated above, all land transfers in a comfortable air-conditioned mini-bus or game viewer vehicles, guides and lecturers as above,all practicals and lectures as above, all tours and activities as above, Park entry fees, VAT and Government Tourism levies.

Not included are flights (international and domestic), drinks and snacks either at any lodge or on game drives, meals as indicated for your own expense above, optional additional activities, items of a personal nature, gratuities (budget on approximately R500-00 over the duration of the course), travel/medical insurance (compulsory) and pre- and post-course activities (we have a leisure department that can assist with all travel arrangements in Africa).

Please Note:

• This course is accredited by the South African Veterinary Council (SAVC) for Continuing Education/Continuing Professional Development purposes for Veterinarians. Each formal contact hour equates to one CPD point in the SAVC system.
• Brothers Safaris does not guarantee that any one particular veterinarian, guide, ranger, lecturer will participate in a particular course, despite any reference to specific names in this itinerary.  However it does guarantee that any personnel employed for any of the above is suitably qualified and appropriately experienced to handle the veterinary work / guiding / lecturing in question.
• Due to the nature of wildlife and the situations in which we work, as well as the working conditions for people involved with wildlife, and weather conditions, it is often necessary to amend the itinerary and plans as we go along. There is also never a 100% guarantee of what work will be successfully completed, although we obviously select work and situations that have a very likely chance of being completed/successful. Ultimately course delegates will be expected to be flexible and understanding, and will also have to share duties during immobilisation and hands-on work throughout the course, in order to give everyone maximum exposure and practical experience since there will obviously not always be multiple animals at each immobilisation. Your understanding in this regard is much appreciated.  All participants are requested to ensure that they have a timepiece with a suitable second hand to aid in monitoring procedures.
• While we do have an enormous amount of fun, this is a course intended to educate you in many of the veterinary aspects related to wildlife and you should be aware that many of the days are long, and work filled. Safety of course delegates and patients is an obvious priority and delegates will be expected to co-operate with, and adhere to, instructions issued in this regard. We reserve the right to refuse access to situations if it is deemed that a student is not satisfactorily adhering to such instructions.
• Meals are provided as indicated and dietary requirements such as vegetarians and allergies will be catered for, as far is possible under these circumstances. We unfortunately cannot accommodate each delegate’s preferences for food which are not related to ethical/medical reasons.
• Limited telephone access & internet (for email only) will be available while at the lodge (in the evenings – not during lecture hours) for communication back home. These costs are for your own account. When in town/other areas, telephone access will occasionally be available. Emergency contact numbers for our staff are available prior to your arrival, and family members are encouraged to phone in to students to reduce costs.
• Weather at this time of the year can be extremely variable, please come prepared. Temperatures can range from freezing to over 20 degrees Celsius, and we may encounter rain. Please use the link on our website for more information.
• Laundry facilities will be available at the lodge.
• Course delegates will be expected to sign an indemnity on arrival, as well as an adherence to lodge/course rules form. These are available for viewing prior to booking, on request. The lodge/course rules are to ensure everyone’s safety and enjoyment during the course. Delegates are expected to be courteous and tolerant to staff and fellow course delegates.
• A suggested packing list and general information document will be supplied to all participants on confirmation as a delegate.

Please note the following regarding the darting/immobilisation procedures:

While every endeavour is made to locate and dart the animal in question, factors such as severe weather conditions or illness involving the animal, unable to locate or approach the animal close enough due to bush conditions, failure of the animal to come to a bait, etc. which are all unpredictable, may prevent the darting from going ahead. Every effort will be made to ensure that the client participates in the darting procedure, or similar, as laid out in the itinerary, but the animal’s welfare will not be compromised at any stage, and a procedure may have to be aborted and the animal revived in certain circumstances. This may shorten the procedure/down time, and hence the close up experience for the client. Brothers Safaris, its staff, and appointed agents will not be held liable for any losses incurred by a client as a result of such situations, and accept no responsibility whatsoever. Every endeavour is made to ensure the health and safety of all our clients, but any procedure with a potentially dangerous wild animal and veterinary drugs is of such a nature that certain circumstances may be beyond our control. Should any such situation arise which leads to death or injury due to any reason whatsoever, Brothers Safaris, its staff, and appointed agents, will not be held liable for any losses incurred as a direct, or indirect, result of such a situation, or our actions in such a situation.