Embark on a once in a lifetime conservation experience. This journey gives you the opportunity to join Working With Wildlife Project in their vital conservation efforts in this remote and pristine wilderness. Drive to the reserve from Johannesburg and enjoy a true safari experience.
Working With Wildlife is located in one of the most remote parts of South Africa and on the border of South Africa and Botswana. The reserve covers an area of 240,000 acres and wildlife does include the highly sought after “Big Five” although the focus of a stay here is the opportunity for the guests to be involved in an unique conservation experience in the Kalahari. The reserve is not open to the general public and the camp has full traversing rights with no time limits. The remoteness of the reserve does also mean that the night sky offers incredible star-gazing.
Africa
8 Day Working With Wildlife Project Self Drive
Overview
Itinerary Highlights
- Enjoy a safari whilst contributing to conservation in this unique initiative
- Get the opportunity to preserve wildlife and enjoy living on a 240 000-acre Big-5 and Malaria Free private game reserve in South Africa’s Kalahari Desert
- The project offers a true perspective of the problems facing African Wildlife, and allows guests to give something back to the continent’s conservation efforts
- Break free from tourists and time limits as you follow animals in their natural habitat in this once in a lifetime conservation experience
Itinerary in Brief
- Day 1: Arrive in Johannesburg and pick up your car rental. Drive to your hotel
- Day 2 - 6: Drive to Working With Wildlife reserve and start your 6 days safari program
- Day 7: Drive back to your hotel in Mahikeng
- Day 8: Drive back to Johannesburg and return car before your departure
Tailor-made suggestions
- Extend your stay and explore the highlights of Southern Africa: Southern Africa Essentials
- Continue your self drive adventure and discover the iconic Garden Route: Garden Route Self Drive & Safari
- Visit South Africa's highlights with our South Africa in Depth
Travelling with Eclipse
Peace of Mind
- Eclipse Travel is Australian owned and run, and an ATAS accredited travel agent.
- 24/7 emergency numbers and local contacts provided for support while you’re abroad.
- We provide all the information you need to organise your visas and vaccinations, making travel preparation stress-free.
- No currency surcharges. Once your deposit is paid, your price is guaranteed.
Specialists
- Our consultants are true destination experts, with firsthand experience and extensive travel in the regions we offer.
- Expect quick, professional responses and dedicated service from our knowledgeable team.
- We conduct regular checks on destinations, hotels, and services to ensure quality for every trip.
Authentic Travel
- Tailor-made itineraries designed around your unique requirements.
- Freedom to select your preferred style and standard of accommodation.
- Unique itineraries that take you beyond the major highlights, immersing you in each location.
- Committed to responsible travel: we reinvest in the environment and local communities across our destinations.
Day 1 - Johannesburg: Arrive in Johannesburg - Meet and Greet / Johannesburg Car Hire - Toyota Rav 4 AWD / Self-drive: From Johannesburg to Mahikeng
Arrive in Johannesburg - Meet and Greet
On arrival, you will be welcomed at the door of your aircraft by our local representative with your name on a signboard, who will assist you through immigration, baggage collection and customs and on to your next service.
Should your aircraft be directed to the apron and not the terminal building, you will be transported to the terminal by bus where you Meet and Greet will be waiting for you as you step off the bus.
Johannesburg Car Hire - Toyota Rav 4 AWD
Pick up your rental car for your upcoming journey.
Self-drive: From Johannesburg to Mahikeng
Start your 4 hours drive from Johannesburg Airport to your hotel in Mahikeng.
The drive offers a varied landscape, starting with urban areas giving way to agricultural lands and scenic vistas of the Highveld region. Along the way, you'll pass through towns and villages, encounter indigenous vegetation, and perhaps spot roadside markets and wildlife. It's a journey that showcases the diversity of South African life and landscapes, from bustling cities to the tranquility of the countryside.
Day 2 - 7 - Mahikeng: Self-drive: From Mahikeng to Working With Wildlife / 6 Day Working With Wildlife Project
Self-drive: From Mahikeng to Working With Wildlife
Today you will drive around 4 hours from your hotel in Mahikeng to Working With Wildlife.
The drive from Mahikeng to Working With Wildlife takes you through the North West and Northern Cape provinces, offering a transition from savannah to semi-desert landscapes. Initially departing Mahikeng, you'll encounter rural scenery with farmlands and occasional villages. As you proceed into the Northern Cape, the landscape gradually transforms into semi-arid terrain, characterized by sparse vegetation and vast expanses of open land. Along the route, you may encounter wildlife such as antelope, birds of prey, and possibly even glimpses of larger mammals. The journey offers stunning views of the expansive Kalahari landscape, with its red sands and distinctive vegetation.
6 Day Working With Wildlife Project
A once in a lifetime conservation experience, Working with Wildlife is located in one of the most remote parts of South Africa and on the border of South Africa and Botswana. The reserve covers an area of 240,000 acres and wildlife does include the highly sought after “Big Five” although the focus of a stay here is the opportunity for the guests to be involved in an unique conservation experience in the Kalahari. The reserve is not open to the general public and the camp has full traversing rights with no time limits. The remoteness of the reserve does also mean that the night sky offers incredible star-gazing.
Day 1: Arrival Day
Arrive at the camp and check in. This afternoon you can start to join the camp's conservation activities.
Dinner included.
Day 2-5: On Safari: Kalahari & Surrounds and conservation activities
Activities are dependent on the needs of the reserve and the conservation efforts required at specific times but could include wildlife research such as monitoring population dynamics and predator/prey relations of African Wild Dogs, Cheetahs and Lions, placing and monitoring camera traps to conduct scientific research, nocturnal monitoring, and animal identification, game surveys to monitor the distribution and sex and age ratios in all the reserve’s wildlife populations or anti-poaching efforts such as assisting experienced rangers with their daily patrols by identifying signs of poaching and collecting valuable data. Guests will also be exposed to educational opportunities such as learning from qualified and experienced personnel about the reserve’s ecology, biology and interesting animal behaviours, as well as the importance of habitat restoration and nature conservation for future generations, learning about the ongoing rhino poaching crisis from experts in the anti-poaching field, the methods that are currently employed to combat poaching, and the importance of saving the species and perhaps learn how to track animals with radio antenna and GPS as well as conventional methods like spoor, signs of movements, and even the birds that can indicate the presence of a specific animal!
Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner included.
Day 3: Departure Day
After breakfast, depart Working With Wildlife reserve.
Breakfast included.
Day 7 - Kalahari Desert: Self-drive: From Working With Wildlife to Mahikeng
Self-drive: From Working With Wildlife to Mahikeng
Today you will drive around 4 hours from Working With Wildlife back to your hotel in Mahikeng.
Breakfast included.
Day 8 - Mahikeng: Self-drive: From Mahikeng to Johannesburg / Johannesburg Car Hire Return
Self-drive: From Mahikeng to Johannesburg
Today you will drive 4 hours from your hotel in Mahikeng back to Johannesburg Airport.
Johannesburg Car Hire Return
Breakfast included.
- Day 1 - Arrive in Johannesburg - Meet and Greet / Johannesburg Car Hire - Toyota Rav 4 AWD / Self-drive: From Johannesburg to Mahikeng
- Day 2 - 7 - Self-drive: From Mahikeng to Working With Wildlife / 6 Day Working With Wildlife Project
- Day 7 - Self-drive: From Working With Wildlife to Mahikeng
- Day 8 - Self-drive: From Mahikeng to Johannesburg / Johannesburg Car Hire Return
8 Day Working With Wildlife Project Self Drive
Mahikeng, South Africa - Protea Hotel Mahikeng by Marriott
Kalahari Desert, South Africa - Working With Wildlife Project
Whats included?
- Multimedia Documentation
- VIP Meet and Greet
- 7 Night’s Accommodation
- All your meals and snacks as specified
- All conservation activities
- All Park Fees/ Conservation levies / Entrance fees / Taxes as specified
- All guests are welcome to join our wildlife monitoring/research team for free on their daily activities
- 8 Days Car Hire
What’s not included?
- Alcoholic beverages and soft drinks
- Medical aid is mandatory for all guests, and must allow for evacuations and working with dangerous animals
- Flights
- Travel insurance
- Gratuities
- Transfers to / from the reserve
Price Assurance
At Eclipse Travel, our expert destination knowledge and decades of travel planning experience come at no extra cost to you. While many think booking through a tour operator is more expensive than planning a trip independently, that’s not the case. We’re paid by our travel partners—such as hotels, activity operators, and cruise providers—via commissions, not by our clients.
Our team negotiates the best rates for you and ensures you receive unbiased advice, with no preference for any particular supplier. In fact, where we secure higher commissions, we often pass the savings on to you, giving us a competitive price edge.
Additionally, we lock in exchange rates at the time of your deposit, ensuring no surprise costs when it’s time for final payment. You can rest easy knowing we’ll handle the details with our suppliers. The only exceptions are national park fee increases or fuel surcharges imposed after your booking, though these are rare.
Take advantage of our team’s expertise and let us help you plan the perfect holiday—hassle-free!
Destination: Africa
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