Hiatus... Hoping: South Africa / Southern Africa

Maps:


Zoomable roadmap
Jiwire's hotspots (lots of them)


Pillars: Volunteering, Ecology, Safari


Book Bus - Zambia program has taken families before NQ and includes side trip to Victoria Falls; also does safari trips originating and ending in Lilongwe, Malawi; and another route entirely within Malawi

Orca Foundation - marine research / ecotourism with voluntouristy component an hour or so (? maybe more?) outside Capetown.

Enkosini - Alleged US registered 501(c)3 (?) affiliated with range of conservation projects, mostly around Kruger and Capetown.  Essentially eco-tourism; not clear what volunteers *do*; but that may fit the bill for families... director noted that Enkosini Wildlife Reserve, Makalali Game Reserve, and Whale & Dolphin Marine Project are suitable for families.  Concerned that though they list as 501(c)3, the number does not actually turn up with Charity Navigator or the IRS.

Kariega - several eco-lodges along "Garden Route" on Cape; take short term volunteers as well as eco-tourist kinds of projects

Siyafunda - Rehab center near Kruger

help2read - South African-registered NGO outside Capetown, affiliated with Books for Africa; variety
of very short term (ie office help for one afternoon) to gap year teaching opportunities (18+); Goodwill Globetrotting keeps Pack-for-a-Purpose-like wishlist running for them

you2africa - help2read-linked database of a handful of Capetown-based projects, including seven schools, taking (18+) medium and longterm volunteers

United Planet does not have program in South Africa; Tanzania teaching & orphanage programs are open to families NQM at "basic" program; NAA at full-service including (attractive) excursions


Daktari Bush School and Wildlife Orphanage: Enrichment/support for middle school kids and animal rehab center in Limpopo (near Kruger); extensive (rather cooked) TA feedback; but also affiliated with Thousand Points of Light and Global Giving and appears quite established; MB at 2 weeks.  Website insists all participants must be 16+ but worth checking in with them if our itinerary brings us in that direction, particularly if we have a car at that point.  Alternate contact through Goodwill Globetrotting, evidently a UK-based Pack for a Purpose sort of clearinghouse...


Global Camps Africa: PL initiative


Global Vision International seems to have greatest range of projects in the region; most are not listed as open for families but it's worth checking, as a number of their *other* projects are open and some of these sound like they could be appropriate. Includes a couple in Swaziland. Project costs vary substantially.

Cross-Cultural Solutions - Capetown (teaching and community development) volunteering NAA

GoEco voluntourism trip (education) with side trips to penguins and safari (does not specify where); sure wish I could find independent reviews NQ

Visiting:

Zambia:

SEKA - Community theater program in (central Zambia, near South Luangwa Natl Park) which focuses on AIDS awareness and other (mostly health related) outreach efforts.  For $200, will come to a tourist destination or community project near you.  Affiliated with Norman Carr operation (his granddaughter is MD and one of the co-founders) and Pack for a Purpose.

Project Luangwa - Umbrella organization founded by Jo Pope (wife of Robin) which draws on resources of network of safari operators (I think all in South Luangwa) to support a number of schools, health and conservation initiatives

Room to Read - John Wood's well-financed and -connected global organization building community libraries has expanded into girls' education scholarships and school buidling as well; running a Zambia field trip on Oct 2-3 but this is unlikely to fit The Schedule
Malawi:

Malawi Children's Village - founded in 1987 by former Peace Corps volunteers; run a range of services including orphan support services, malaria nets, HIV education, to villages around Blantyre

Friends of Mulanje Orphans - UK based non-profit providing orphan support services; featured in the excellent (YA fiction) The Heaven Shop

South Africa:

South Africa National Foundation for the Conservation of Coastal Birds (i.e., working with the penguins): this is the direct link to the true research organization in Capetown, for those looking for the direct link. However, does not appear to work with families.

Booksforafrica projects near Capetown

Growing the Future - sustainable agriculture focusing on developing women's skill base; in Gansbaii/ Western Cape; alternate address via Goodwill Globetrotting.  They do take volunteers but not suitable for families... too bad my jam-making skills are so rudimentary...

Angus Gillis Foundation community lending program a la Grameen with range of projects in / around Kwandwe Private Game Reserve (Eastern Cape)

Bridges Academy - well established school in Philippi (Capetown township) ; affiliated with California-based Bridges of Hope, which is classified by IRS as non profit foundation (not a charity) though FWIW it does not appear on Charity Navigator

Heifer South Africa: Community development projects, most within 2 hours of Heifer office in Limpopo; Heifer evidently also recently opened an office in Capetown (dunno if this link will hold: Darling St 8000)

Daktari (see above) near Limpopo

Imagine Scholars: Can't quite figure out exactly what this *is*; possibly just a couple funding a bunch of enrichment scholarships for a handful of hand-picked highschoolers... just below Kruger and above Swaziland; linked through idealist.org

Recommended Accommodations:


Johannesburg:

Capetown:

Kruger National Park: RG recommends renting a car and staying at park's own restcamps, which offer game drives and night walks and a "great vibe"... (More diligence, perhaps).  Park also has seven breathtakingly expensive luxury lodges.  Still looking for a happy medium.

KwaZulu Natal: a basically random walk brought me to The Cavern, so reviews TBD, but it looks intriguing if we do go off in that direction...

In-Country Logistics:

Rovos Train: Skip highly recommended overnight from Pretoria to Capetown $$$$
Wild Card: Parks passport-type program for all SA parks and many reserves; has family card (check once itinerary is more solid to see if it makes sense)


South African Airways: Main game in town; has travel agent arm that puts together packages; also look at the AirPass once a couple of pillars are in place


Safari Now: Short term apartments and boutique hotels as well as safari operators throughout southern Africa; recommended in Rough Guide

Greenwood Guide: Selected accommodations in South Africa, Namibia and New Zealand (?!) with vetted standards; recommended in Rough Guide


Cape Town Tourism: Booking services to national park cottages

JM's rec for renting Cape Town apartments

Robben Island: Many boats go near the island; only this museum provider is allowed to go onto the island.  Guidebooks and site itself warn to book ahead on line.


Table Mountain National Park: (penguins) day pass or has cottages

Tour providers:

JK rec Robin Pope Safaris in Zambia and Malawi
Cultural visits in Port Elizabeth / easter Cape area: Calabash Tours (somewhat random walk to get there; affiliated through several degrees of separation, via UK and Netherlands Calabash Foundation, to idealist.org)

Safari tours:  RG recommends Livingstone Trails, Outlook Small Group Explorations, Transfrontiers and Wildlife Safaris for Kruger.  Fodors recommends SKI (which, no kidding, stands for Spend the Kids' Inheritance), South African Airways' Expressions of Africa, Cybele, Matsimba, Springbok and Welcome Tours.

HandsUp Holidays: RG rec; combines touristy with "taste of volunteering" activities.  Expensive.

Baobab Travel family South Africa/Swaziland trip (RG rec) combines Kruger, Swaziland, "cultural education," and Stay Another Day add-ons such as turtle tracking, community development, etc. NAA

Pithy advice from those who've traveled the road before:

The Gills on hauling electronics through South Africa as hub on the way to other destinations (sigh)

sixintheworld on just renting a minivan and camping in the SA parks

Note: library has Fodor's South Africa 7th ed/2012, Rough Guide South Africa 2010; LP South Africa, Lesotho and Swaziland 8th ed/2009; LP Southern Africa 4th ed/2007; and Bradt Malawi 3rd 2003 (sigh)