Immobilisation Safaris
KWAZULU NATAL RHINO & ELEPHANT SAFARI
2012
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This safari takes you ‘behind the scenes’, giving you the opportunity to interact with vets and guides while discovering the fantastic world of wildlife in Southern Africa. The focus of this safari will be on elephant and rhino, but many other species will be viewed and enjoyed along the way……..
The traditional wildlife viewing activities included in the safari programme make this an ideal safari for first time visitors, as well as seasoned travellers to Africa wanting something new and exciting!
Not only will you have a fantastic time but your participation also means donations to the various projects, thus you are helping conservation efforts and to save endangered species.
Guided by an African Vet Safaris Wildlife Vet, and various local guides, you will be given a unique and rare insight into the world of wildlife in Southern Africa.
The entire safari is set in the northern area of KwaZulu Natal.
Join us for a once-in-a-lifetime safari, while helping to conserve Africa’s wildlife through your participation……..
Day 1 – Sunday
Arrive at O R Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg – flights for your own arrangement and expense.
On arrival in Johannesburg transfer from the airport to your nearby hotel via the free shuttle service provided by your hotel – Peermont Metcourt at the Emperors Palace complex. Your accommodation for the night is on a bed & breakfast basis and check in is from 14h00.
Enjoy dinner at your hotel complex – for your own expense.
Contemporary convenience at its best... your 3-star Peermont Metcourt Hotel offers stylish and comfortable rooms as well as a "group-friendly" experience for corporate, convention and leisure guests. The hotel offers a variety of room configurations and amenities which include LCD flat screen TV, satellite DSTV channels for all languages, tea and coffee stations, secure internet connections, laptop safe, working desk with business-convenient plug points. The hotel's clean and modern façade is complimented by a private and sheltered pool terrace, set in a beautifully landscaped garden, providing guests with food and beverage service throughout the day.
There is also an express-style deli for quick and convenient meals, a business centre with workstations and data connectivity for laptops, boardroom with state of the art facilities, and Wi-Fi internet access in public areas. The hotel also features the F.L.A.G Café and the 21° Cocktail Bar. The hotel features 248 rooms and your stay will be in one of the Classic Rooms.
Overnight at the Peermont Metcourt Hotel on a bed and breakfast basis.
Day 2 – Monday
Check out after breakfast and return to O R Tambo International Airport on the complimentary hotel shuttle service in time to catch your domestic flight to Richard’s Bay. The flight price has been included in the cost of this tour, but is subject to a particular ticket class being available at time of booking.
On your arrival in Richard’s Bay you will be met by a Brothers Safaris representative and transferred to your Northern KwaZulu Natal lodge, to arrive in time for check in at approximately 14h00 – 2 to 2.5 hour road transfer. The lodge operates on a brunch and high tea basis, hence there will be no lunch on arrival, but high tea will be served soon after. So anybody feeling a little peckish should purchase some snacks at Richard’s Bay Airport to keep them going until high tea.
Check in to Safari Lodge and have some time to settle into your tents before returning to the lodge at around 15h00 to enjoy a high tea, before heading out on your first evening game drive in an open game viewing vehicle.
The Game Reserve was first proclaimed in 1894 and is the second oldest reserve in the world. It is a sanctuary to a large variety of wildlife, including elephant, giraffe, wildebeest, zebra, impala, hyena, buffalo, rhino (white and black) and leopard. Exactly 100 years after the last sighting of elephant in the area, two breeding herds were reintroduced in 1993 as a direct result of the dreams and vision of Dr Heinz Kohrs, owner of Safari Lodge, and a Veterinarian by profession.
In 2006 black rhino were re-introduced to the reserve as part of the Black Rhino Range Expansion Project, which is a partnership between the World Wildlife Fund and Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife.
Birdlife in the reserve is prolific due to the diversity of habitats, with in excess of 350 species recorded.
The Game Reserve is a co-operative conservation project between private landowners, tribal communities and government conservation services, and aims to form the heart of a large ecological and socio-economically viable "Big Five" reserve.
Safari Lodge was originally built in the 1920's, and this 16-bedded lodge captures the history and romance of the "colonial era". The sweeping views and tranquil setting provide the venue for a unique African experience. Eight luxurious safari-style tents, each with en-suite bathroom, outdoor canvas shower, private veranda and personal bar, ensure a secluded retreat in unspoilt savannah bushveld, teeming with game and birdlife. Insect gauze on windows and tent-flaps, overhead ceiling fans, mosquito nets and crisp white percale bed linen provides luxurious comfort as well as old world romance. Unwind with dusky birdcalls, moonlit vistas and the distant gentle lapping of water. The lodge is rated 5 star.
Return to the lodge late afternoon/early evening for dinner.
After dinner we may watch a video on the historic re-introduction of the elephant into this reserve, before falling asleep to the sounds of Africa just outside your canvas tent…..
Your overnight accommodation is on the basis of accommodation plus full board (continental breakfast, late brunch, afternoon high teas and dinner) plus eco- activities as specified. Drinks are not included in the price.
  
Day 3 – Tuesday
After early morning light continental breakfast at around 05h30, we set off into the reserve in search of rhino and elephant…...
We will endeavour to locate and spend time with some of the elephant and black rhino on the reserve, as well as many other species we come across, furthering our knowledge on these magnificent beasts in their natural environment.
The research work that is being done with these elephant in the reserve and surrounding area will be explained to us by the local rangers/researcher while on drive. Allied to this quest the "Space for Elephant" Foundation has been formed to realise the goal of a biosphere large enough to viably sustain an elephant population of a thousand elephants and allow the re-establishment of the ancient elephant migration routes.
We will also discuss in detail the WWF-KZN Wildlife black rhino expansion project and what exactly this entails, with special reference to the animals on this Nature Reserve. This species is highly endangered and projects such as this are crucial to the survival of the black rhino.
Time permitting your guide will explain about telemetry tracking and give you an opportunity to try your hand at this.
We return to the lodge late morning for brunch.
After brunch there will be some informative talks on issues relating to elephant and rhino immobilisation, particularly in regard to the actual procedure, equipment, drugs, etc. This will also cover safety aspects and guests’ involvement in the procedure.
Time permitting we will also take a look at dart gun systems and darts and try our hand at darting a target.
High tea will once again be served at around 15h00, and then we will head out for a game viewing experience with a difference ….
  A boat cruise on Lake Jozini is the perfect opportunity to hear the haunting cry of the fish eagle, hear hippos snorting and inhale the tranquillity of Africa. Sightings of herds of antelope, crocodile on the water’s edge, and a variety of bird species are common.
Return to Safari Lodge for dinner and some relaxation – if you can keep your mind off the excitement that awaits you in the morning.
Day 4 – Wednesday
After another early light breakfast, the team heads out to locate our patients for the day – the endangered black rhino.
The moment of truth arrives when we dart the rhino from a helicopter….. executed by one of our wildlife veterinarians.
Once the rhino is safely immobilised, you will have the experience of your life while assisting with the various procedures – ear notching for positive identification and management reasons, and to help combat poaching, and also micro-chipping and blood sampling for research purposes - all the while monitoring the status of the patient.
All being well, there will be plenty of photo opportunities as you get hands-on with one of Africa’s most endangered species…..
Once the procedures are done, guests retreat to the safety of the nearby vehicle while the rhino recovers and walks off into the bush, often a little disgruntled!
All being well we will attempt to immobilise and work with two rhinos.
After the immobilisation and the rhino’s recovery, guests return to the lodge to reflect on the morning’s activities, after all, it is not every day you get to work with one of Africa’s most endangered species….
Enjoy a late brunch and some leisure time to get rid of the adrenalin!
After high tea we will head out into the reserve again in the late afternoon for another game drive, during which we will endeavour to find our patients and check up on their progress. We enjoy sundowners before heading back to camp to enjoy dinner and the day’s tales.
Day 5 – Thursday
Yesterday’s adrenalin rush is again reawakened this morning as we set off after early morning continental breakfast to attempt to immobilise an elephant and place a tracking collar on one of the elephants on the reserve.
Once we have located the elephant that has been earmarked for work today, the animal will be darted from vehicle by the wildlife veterinarian accompanying you on this safari.
When the elephant 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 elephant/help with procedures. Provided the patient is stable and the work done, there will be time for those photos of a lifetime too!
Once we are done, we’ll reverse the elephant’s immobilising drugs, and watch him/her recover. Hopefully he heads off in a direction away from us!
After the immobilisation and the elephant’s recovery, guests will return to the lodge to catch their breath and no doubt share their experience in more detail as they examine their amazing photographic records of this experience.
Enjoy a late brunch and some leisure time.
After high tea we will head out into the reserve again for our final late afternoon game drive on the reserve. Once again we will endeavour to locate our patient and ascertain that they are doing well, before enjoying sundowners and returning to the lodge for dinner around the fire.
Day 6 – Friday
This morning we will either head out for a shortened morning game drive or simply enjoy a lie in, absorbing the sounds of the bush. This will be determined by the time of your flight back to Johannesburg (included in the tour price but subject to availability of seat class). Check out from the lodge and transfer back to Richard’s Bay (2 to 2.5 hours) in sufficient time to check in for your return flight.
*** END OF SERVICES**
Costing: USD 4500.00 per person sharing. ** based on current rate of exchange subject to change **
Single supplements apply. .
This cost is based on a minimum of 6 guests participating in the safari, and is subject to a maximum of 8 guests.
This price is inclusive of: Return flights from Johannesburg to Richard’s Bay (subject to economy class seat availability), ground transfers; accommodation on a full board basis (including all meals and listed activities, but excluding drinks) at your KZN lodge; the services of an African Vet Safaris Wildlife Vet and the services of local guides and staff, as indicated; tourism levies and Government VAT.
Cost excludes: Additional optional activities; unspecified meals per itinerary, all drinks, items of a personal nature; gratuities, and travel and medical (compulsory) insurance.
Departure Dates:
11 – 16 March 2012
Please note:
- Arrangements (transfers/accommodation) can be made for early arrivals from abroad/late departures, but these costs are not included in the itinerary.
- This program is a guide and all these activities will be done, but not necessarily in this order, as Elephant & Rhino’s don’t read that well!!
- Every effort will be made to ensure that the client participates in the darting procedure, 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. The animal is the primary reason for this safari, and we need to bear that in mind and respect the patient.
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 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.
All Veterinary work is bone fide management or research based work and animals are not immobilised for the sake of clients, nor is their heal or safely compromised in anyway. |
