Cape Town Volunteering and Kruger Safari

Day 1: Welcome to the Mother City!
Arrival Day: Saturday
Touch down in Cape Town and let the journey begin! You can land at any time on Saturday. We can also pick you up from a nearby hotel if you're already in Cape Town.

You'll be greeted at the airport and taken straight to your cozy accommodation near the beach. Settle in, get your bearings with a handy local map, and take the rest of the day to explore! Stroll the golden beaches, dip into local shops, sip cocktails by the sea, or unwind at a beachfront café. In the evening, enjoy a warm welcome dinner and meet your fellow volunteers - your new adventure crew!

Day 2: Explore the Heart of Cape Town
Fuel up with a relaxed self-serve breakfast before your awesome tour guide shows you how to navigate the local bus system. Then, it's off to the city!

Cape Town Walking Tour Highlights:
Wander through historic sites like the Castle of Good Hope & Grand Parade
Discover South Africa's past at the District Six Museum and Parliament Buildings
Shop for unique handmade treasures at Greenmarket Square and St George's Mall

Afterwards, head to the vibrant V&A Waterfront, where you can grab a coffee, enjoy fresh seafood, and watch ships cruise in and out of the harbor.

Want even more? Optional adventures include (at own cost):
Take the cable car up Table Mountain for panoramic views
Visit Robben Island, the historic prison of Nelson Mandela

As the sun sets, hop on the local bus back to Table View and join the buzz at one of the nearby beachfront bars or restaurants. The ocean breeze, good vibes, and great company await - just steps from your hostel.

Project Start: Monday morning (your first day includes training)

The Cape Town Volunteer Project is flexible and volunteers need to use their initiative and run parts of the project on their own. The main objective is empowering the local community and supporting them with their basic needs. We regularly distribute food hampers to the underprivileged and clothes in the winter. We engage these communities in regular education, motivation, and social upliftment programs and exciting events such as fun at the beach, various sporting activities, creative and musical days and movie outings which are hosted throughout the year.

Sample Weekly Itinerary - Cape Town Volunteer Project
Monday
Morning:
Welcome circle and daily briefing
Assist at preschool: help with breakfast, hygiene, and morning routines
Teach fun, engaging lessons to older kids (colors, shapes, letters, English through play)

Afternoon:
Volunteer Team Meeting & Planning Session
Discuss weekly goals, activity ideas, and community needs with project leaders and fellow volunteers

Tuesday
Preschool assistance: cooking, feeding, and developmental play for younger children
Lead storytelling, art, or music sessions with older kids
Organize a creative or sporting activity for local youth
Optional visit to a local community hub or school to assist with after-school programs

Wednesday
Run an English-through-play session with younger children
Vocabulary games and group reading with older kids
Assist with food or clothing distribution (seasonal)
Community outreach or planning for weekend events

Thursday
Themed lessons (e.g. environment, emotions, health & hygiene) with older kids
Hands-on developmental play with toddlers
Outdoor play supervision
Help organize a beach trip or group walk if weather allows

Friday
Morning:
Fun Friday: group games, dance, and music with all age groups
Assist with preschool tidy-up and weekly clean

Time to say goodbyes and leave Cape Town. After flying from Cape Town to Hoedspruit, you will arrive in time for a sunset game drive - the perfect way to get your first experience of wild Africa. You will be collected from Hoedspruit Eastgate Airport anytime before the late afternoon, followed by a drive to Tremisana Game Lodge. Upon arrival at the lodge, take advantage of time to either enjoy a refreshing swim or rest briefly in your air-conditioned chalet.

Afterwards, embark on the open Landcruiser for an exhilarating Sunset Drive, using spotlights after dark to spot nocturnal animals.

Dinner awaits, offering an unforgettable BUSH BBQ experience deep in the African bush. Following dinner, extend the excitement with a Night Drive, culminating in an overnight stay in an en-suite, air-conditioned chalet.

Embark on an early morning departure to the Olifants River, where your armed ranger will guide you on an exhilarating 4-hour walk in the wild. Immerse yourself in the Bushveld's secrets on foot, providing a unique opportunity to track Africa's big animaLs and capture close-up photos.

Return to Tremisana for brunch. After lunch at 13:30, board the open Landcruiser at 15:00 for a 2-hour Game Drive.
Conclude the day with dinner and an overnight stay at Marc's Camp.

Journey to Orpen in Kruger, where your guide will unveil the diverse fauna and flora of this magnificent wildlife paradise. Delight in a full day of bird-watching and game-viewing, concluding with a drive to Marc's Camp for dinner and overnight.

Tuesday: Sunrise Game Drive and Departure
Embark on an early morning game walk with an armed guard to explore the many animals inhabiting Marc's Treehouse Lodge. Following breakfast, venture to the Three Rondawels of the Blyde River Canyon.
Around 17:00, you will arrive in Johannesburg at your hotel/hostel or international Airport, wrapping up this unforgettable experience.

This project runs all year round, however, during school holidays we run the project according to our holiday club program. During the holidays it's a time for the kids to have fun so the programs are less structured and may change depending on the number of children that arrive on the day. Working hours are generally from 08:00 to 14:00.

In addition there are a lot of public holidays spread throughout the year. Please note that during the holidays, it's a time for the kids to have fun, so the programs are less structured and may change depending on the number of children that arrive on the day.

Due to Christmas and New Year's celebrations between December 23th - Jan 2nd, all projects in Cape Town are closed, however, volunteers may still use the accommodation and food and join us for Christmas lunch on the 25th.

Public Holidays 2025
18, 21 & 27-28 April
01 May
16 June
09 August
24 September
16, 25-26 December

School Holidays 2025
28 Jun - 21 Jul
04 Oct - 12 Oct
13 Dec - 14 Jan 2026

School Holidays 2026
29 Mar - 07 Apr
28 Jun - 21 Jul
04 Oct - 12 Oct
11 Dec - 14 Jan 2027

2 Week Cape Town Volunteer:
Airport pick up
Cape Town walking tour
Accommodation
3 meals a day (Monday - Friday) and breakfast and lunch (Saturday - Sunday)
Weekly social events
Transport to and from projects
24-hour support and supervision
Donation to the project
Certificate of appreciation

Flight Ticket - Oneway Cape Town to Hoedspruit is included.

4 Day Kruger Experience - Tent:
1 night at Tremisana lodge and 2 nights in tent at Marc's Camp
4-hour Sunset Drive on Balule Big S Reserve
3 breakfasts and 3 dinners (including Bush BBQ at Marula Tree Boma) are included.
4-hour Big Five Bush Walk with armed rangers
2-hour Afternoon Game Drive on Balule
Full day in Kruger on open gameviewer
Morning walk at Marc's Camp with armed ranger
Scenic highlights of Blyde River Canyon including a stop at the Three Rondawels
Johannesburg drop-off by road transfers

Minimum age of 18
CV/Resume
Police Clearance Certificate
Basic level of competency in English
Acceptance subject to availability

Volunteers need to be flexible and keep an open mind concerning their placements as situations can arise beyond our control which could require you to be placed at a different project than the one you have initially chosen. We will of course always do our utmost to fulfill your initial wishes but do remember that where you are going is quite different from where you are coming and as such one should be prepared for things not always going according to plan.

Volunteering and intercultural travel share a common trait: the more you put into it, the more you get out of it. This program is designed for proactive individuals and groups that are prepared to adapt to the local environment and its current needs. Naturally, the scheduling and activities of our program are subject to change. Alterations in activities are mainly due to changes in local conditions, which we believe is part of what makes overseas programs the interesting adventure and incredible learning experience that they are.

Our projects range from 1 week up to approx. 30 weeks. Projects have a specified minimum stay, then it's up to you how long you can commit. In our experience the longer you stay the more you will gain, as your understanding of the project broadens and you take on more responsibilities. Every volunteer will be given a certificate of appreciation at the end of their stay as a symbol of volunteering stay.