MARINE CONSERVATION & SAFARI

MARINE RESEARCH & KRUGER COMBINATION PACKAGE

Give back to others, see spectacular sights and cultures and have fun on a life changing experience.

“I loved the tours and the guidance we got with it.”

Dewl KoorenKruger to Cape

“All staff strive to provide the best possible experience and to help implement our feedback where possible-very impressed.”

Olivia BattockKruger to Cape

FAST FACTS

Location:	Mozambique, Swaziland & Mozambique
Duration:	5 or 8 Weeks
Price:	Starting at $3979*
Deposit:	10%
Accommodation:	Tilak Lodge & Kruger Campsite
Meals:	3 meals per day
Start Date:	First Monday of the Month

Please Note: * Rates may vary by destination. Flights are not included in the cost.

Marine Conservation & Safari

Volunteer in Mozambique on the Marine Research Project and help with hands-on Whale Shark research, coral reef monitoring, Humpbacked Whale monitoring, Manta Ray and turtle ID and nest surveys, as well as, explore one of Africa’s best scuba diving destinations. Complete your volunteer experience with a week exploring the beautiful Kingdom of Eswatini and the world-famous Kruger National Park on a 4 night camping safari.

OVERVIEW

Accommodation & Meals

During your stay, you will be accommodated in Albatroz Lodge, in Tofo. Three meals a day will also be provided, some on a self-serve basis and others cooked for you.

Project Start Dates

The start date for this project is the first Monday of the months of January – October ONLY.

Included in the cost

● Comprehensive 24 hours, 7 days a week support from

All Out Africa

● Volunteer projects specifically designed to enable you

to make an active contribution During your stay,

● Support of volunteer project coordinators who are

experts in their fields which ensure the volunteer experience is valuable

● Comprehensive orientation to the country, its culture

and your role As a volunteer, upon arrival

● All food and accommodation throughout your stay

● Tour guide for the duration of your tours

Where Your Project Fee Goes

By signing up with us you are donating your time and skills to work directly with communities in need through a structured project. There are many benefits of volunteering with an organization like ours. Sometimes it is hard to find projects to support in a foreign country that are safe, worthwhile and reputable. When you sign-up for one of our projects for 2 or 12-weeks, you become part of a bigger, sustainable plan that our team of qualified staff has carefully crafted. You will also receive travel and visa support, orientation, a safe place to stay, logistical support, in addition to clear expectations of the work you will do. This is why we charge a fee for volunteering or interning abroad.

Your project fee goes towards a company you can trust, an experience that is worthwhile and an opportunity that will make a positive and sustainable impact on the community you have chosen to serve.

Not Included in the Fee

8 Local transport fares to your projects

8 Medical/Travel Insurance

8 All Flights & Visas

VOLUNTEER ROLE

Volunteer role

There are 2 distinct parts to this travel experience each with its own interesting flavor. In Mozambique, your role will be to collect important data and conduct activities to support research and Conservation efforts in the area. As a volunteer, you will help monitor Whale Shark numbers, the behavior and ecology and take underwater identification photographs of the Whale Sharks. You will also join research scuba dives to help monitor the condition of coral reefs and indicator species of reef fish. At certain times of the year you may help survey Humpback Whale numbers and turtle nesting activity as well as other indicators of the health of marine biodiversity. You may also assist with beach cleanups and other general environmental activities. You may also help upload and analyze the field data and create awareness among the general public of the importance of the marine environment.

The project involves conducting multiple types of research with different species. The following is a summary of the type of research and conservation activities you may be involved with. Some of the activities are conducted at specific times of the year whilst others are conducted all year round. Our co-ordinating project scientists will teach you how to assist with data collection throughout your project duration.

In order to carry out many of these activities, you will need to be able or willing to learn to scuba dive. An open or advanced internationally recognized diving course is provided in the cost of the program to facilitate this (not included in the 2-week option).

You will also need to be a capable swimmer (able to swim 100m unassisted) and snorkeler. Being able to hold your breath to dive down would be an advantage but is not required.

Some of the activities you will get involved in may include:

Whale Shark (throughout the year) The Whale Shark component of the Project involves joining ocean safaris to snorkel with Whale Sharks in the open ocean. It involves taking underwater photographs for identifying the Whale Sharks as well as recording other ecological information. As a summary, you will collect the following information on the Whale Sharks:

● Date, GPS location, surface and underwater conditions

● Size, sex, scars/distinctive features, the behavior of the Whale Shark

● You will take an ID photograph and identify each Whale Shark & record re-sightings

Dolphin (Annually) You will be collecting data which enables dolphin numbers and the behaviors to be recorded and uploaded onto databases to share with our Marine Partners. Of particular interest in this study is dolphin the behavior in relation to tourism.

Coral Reef and Fish (Annually) This involves carrying out underwater data collection on indicator species of coral fish and the condition and cover of coral and echinoderms on the reefs.

Seahorses (Annually) This project will involve traveling to the nearby Inhambane Estuary and snorkel in relatively shallow waters to evaluate and monitor the seahorse population. The seahorses are counted and photos are taken to identify the size of the seahorses and data then entered into a database to allow for analysis.

Humpback Whales (June – October) Monitor the numbers of Humpbacked Whales on their seasonal migration up and down the coast. This involves sand dune based observations using binoculars and boat-based observations recording the numbers of Whales, the makeup of the pods and the behaviors witnessed.

General Environment (Annually) A number of more general environmental awareness and clean-up activities will be also carried out during the project

In Kruger, you will be joining a camping safari holiday. Here your days will be spent on game drives searching for the incredibly diverse wildlife that this world-renowned national park has to offer, while at night you will be camped out under the African stars, sitting around a crackling campfire listening to tales of the African bush. While In Kruger, your guide will teach you about the animals and plants of the African Savanna and how important it is to protect this beautiful but fragile Eco-system.

* Please note that the activities listed above are based on availability and may vary by season. These are samples of activities that are volunteers are likely to participate in.

ITINERARY

Day in the life of a volunteer

7:00 Wake up to see the sunshine and get yourself started for the day with breakfast!

7:30 Get prepared for your research dive – get your equipment together and head to one of the dive sites and conduct research including fish and Manta Ray surveys Or you may go on an ocean safari and go searching for Whale Sharks and dolphins to take photo ID shots and record behavioral data,

12:30 Time to either return to your accommodation for lunch after an action-packed morning!

14:00 Go to the office and enter data into our databases of the research work you did that morning

15:00 Depending on the time of year – you may be collecting data on Humpback Whales from the top of the sand dunes, uploading photo IDs into the database, conducting turtle nest surveys or a clean-up collection.

16:30 Return back to your accommodation and share your day’s adventures with other volunteers.

18:00 Enjoy a delicious evening meal and relax……

Itinerary for your experience

Day 1 Fly into Inhambane Airport, usually connections are available from OR Tambo Airport Johannesburg or Maputo Mozambique where you will be met by an All Out Africa staff member who will transfer with you to your accommodation.

Day 2-5 Your orientation will start with a presentation by the coordinating project scientists to prepare you for your project. You will also start an open water scuba diving course which usually lasts between 4 and 7 days depending on conditions. This is an internationally accredited course and upon completion you will get a certificate permitting you to scuba dive to 18m anywhere in the world. Those who already hold an open water course will complete an advanced dive course (qualifies you to dive to 30m).

Day 6-7 and all other weekends At weekends there is time to explore the stunning palm-fringed beaches of Tofo. During the first weekend you may also be completing your open or advanced water certificate.

Day 8-12 and all other weekdays You will begin your project activities.

Day 27-30 Travel to Eswatini and explore Eswatini Travel to Eswatini with All Out Africa and relax and enjoy four nights in the Kingdom of Eswatini. Your time here is free for you to relax by the pool, take part in adventure activities such as quad biking, zip-lining or hiking, or learn about the culture and history of Eswatini.

Day 31-35 From Eswatini you’ll then venture on an exciting 5-day camping safari into the heart of the world-famous Kruger Park, including 4 nights camping in the park and unlimited game drives exploring the vast wilderness with the expert guidance of one of our wildlife guides. Kruger National Park is one of Africa’s most famous Conservation area. Spanning nearly 20,000 km² it covers a vast array of habitats and associated wildlife.

Day 35 Depart Kruger and return to Eswatini.

Day 36 Return home Sadly all great adventures must come to an end and on your final day you will leave Eswatini and transfer to OR Tambo International Airport, South Africa to catch your flight. Airport transfer is included and facilitated by All Out Africa if you leave on your designated departure day.

NB: Occasionally this trip may be 6 weeks in length due to the timing of the Kruger tour, please check when booking. For the 6 week option, you will be in Eswatini from day 27-37 (with the option to volunteer on our building or sports program), be in Kruger on days 38-42 and depart from Eswatini on day 43

DOWNLOAD BROCHURE

Additional Information

Additional information for those booking onto the Mozambique Marine Program

• As part of the project activities, you will complete an Internationally Recognized Dive Qualification during a normal 4-week program, along with 11 or 12 ocean activities (ocean safaris or research dives) depending on the dive course chosen. Numbers of ocean safaris and research dives are calculated accordingly for shorter/longer programs.

• In order to carry out the activities required of you in the Marine Conservation Project you will need to be a capable swimmer (able to swim 100m unassisted) and snorkeler; being able to hold your breath to dive down would be an advantage.

• Volunteers who sign up for a 2-week project must have either their open or advanced water dive certification.

• Volunteers who have pre-existing medical conditions or are over 45 years of age must also bring a medical clearance letter permitting them to dive.

• Any volunteers taking Lariam/Mefloquine/Mephliam/Tropicure (or any other derivatives) as anti-malarial treatment (prophylaxis) will not be permitted to dive, as it causes increased risks when diving. Please advise your doctor that you are going on a dive holiday and request another suitable anti-malarial treatment.

• Accredited divers must bring their dive cards (listing their last logged dive) with them to the project site as proof.

• Dive accredited volunteers not requiring/wanting a dive course but who have not logged a dive within 6 months of their project will need to complete a Scuba Review before they can participate in their research dives. The cost of a Scuba Review is not included in the project cost and a small fee will be paid locally for this directly to the Dive Center we partner with.

• The open water certificate qualifies volunteers to dive up to 18 meters and some of our dive sites are between 20-30 meters deep. It is not essential to dive at these deeper sites, but should you wish to participate in deep diving (up to 30 meters) you will either need to complete a Deep Dive course at a small additional local cost, or there is also the option to complete an Advanced Water Course at an additional cost.

• Ask for our fish-list if you would like a head start on coming to grips with all the different species that you will be seeing on your dives!

All Participants on this project MUST fill out this PADI form and submit the final document along with their booking form before they travel to Mozambique.

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