Gap Experience – Gap Africa

Gap Africa Experience:
Group Travel

Gap Africa Experience: Group Travel

The Gap Africa Experience is a group travel of maximum 10 travellers aged between 18 and 25 years’ old. It is a unique experience where you discover South Africa with peers and get to know her culture and people. We choose our partners with care so we can guarantee that you gain the most valuable experience and that your efforts go to the right organisation.

Each trip will start in Cape Town and from there you travel to the next destination of your choice. On every location you will work as a volunteer during the week. Weekends are for you to explore your surroundings. This way you gain valuable work and life experience and learn new skills. You can choose to travel to Kruger National Park and work in an Eco Village or Bush School. Or travel to Hluhluwe and Kosi Bay where you will work in a nature reserve and learn everything about nature conservation.

The Ciy Experience:

Cape Town

Cape Town is known as one of the most beautiful cities in the world, nestled between Table Mountain and two oceans.

In Cape Town you will find numerous beautiful beaches and nature reserves such as Table Mountain and Cape Point Nature Reserve. The city is not limited to a center but is spread out in different neighborhoods, all of which have something unique to offer. In addition to nature, the city also has a rich history and a vibrant center. During your stay in Cape Town, you will work as a volunteer in an after-school surfing program for children from disadvantaged neighborhoods. Your tasks vary between assisting with homework and helping with the surf lessons.

You will stay in Muizenberg, a real surfer’s town. In the mornings you can attend surf lessons and yoga. You’ll learn to surf like a pro and you are accommodated in a cozy hostel by the sea. During the weekend you go out and discover the beautiful Cape Peninsula, climb Table Mountain or go snorkling in the mysterious kelp forest.

This program is a great way to immerse yourself in the local community, contribute positively to children’s lives, and enjoy a surfers lifestyle! If you have any specific questions, feel free to ask!

Gap Experience Destinations:

Hluhluwe & Kosi Bay

Hluhluwe is a reserve of 96,000 hectares of bush located in KwaZulu-Natal that has a beautiful hilly landscape and is home to the famous ‘big five’.

Kosi Bay is a three-hour drive from Hluhluwe, just below the Mozambique border. Kosi Bay is on the UNESCO World Heritage list because of the beautiful iSimangaliso Wetland Park. Kosi Bay is also called the aquarium because of the clarity of the water and the enormous range of fish species that live there.

During your stay you will work in a reserve in Hluhluwe and learn all about the plants and animals that live there, and you will also help with nature conservation. You stay in a group accommodation with a kitchen where you prepare your own meals. You learn to recognise tracks and conduct research into the variety and populations of wildlife. Together you travel to Kosi Bay where you learn about marine life and enjoy the surroundings on a kayak or with a snorkel. You stay in a tented camp, prepare your food on a campfire and look at the endless starry sky.

This experience blends hands-on conservation work with educational workshops, offering participants the chance to immerse themselves in nature and wildlife preservation. Life in the bush is unpredictable, offering new and exciting challenges each day.

The Bush Experience:

Hoedspruit: Bush school

Hoedspruit is also called the gateway to Kruger National Park. The famous Kruger Park is an extensive wildlife park of no less than 19,485 km². It is the natural habitat of the big five and attracts nature lovers all year round.

This NGO is located right next to Kruger and you will work with children from neighbouring villages. The Bush School offers a unique program for children from the area where they learn everything about their environment and the importance of nature conservation and the animals that live in it. Every week, 8 children come to live on campus and follow a carefully developed curriculum. You help in the camp, during lessons and activities. There is also a shelter for wild animals. You help care for the rehabilitation of injured or orphaned animals. In your free time you can hop on a jeep and go on game drives, explore Blyde River Canyon or visit one of the small villages where you can meet the locals and learn all about their culture.

This program is ideal for individuals looking to make a tangible impact on both the local community and wildlife conservation efforts while enjoying the breathtaking landscapes of the bush. If you have any specific questions or need further information, feel free to ask!

The Community Experience:

Hoedspruit: Eco Village

This organisation is all about Immersive Volunteering. They offer learning opportunities for people that are passionate about conservation, research, or gaining new skills, encouraging participation in dignity-centered tourism.

The Eco Village is the beating heart of various projects that have been set up to support the surrounding communities. You can participate in the nutrition program – working in the garden or helping out in the kitchen – help to grow vegetables or assist in workshops about sustainable agriculture. There are many education programs for young and old. If you have the technical skills you can use these for computer education.

The camp looks beautiful, partly because of all the materials that are carefully recycled and incorporated into beautiful projects. This organisation offers a very broad range of experiences where you have the opportunity to learn new skills and find out where you passions are. In addition, the Eco Village is a good place to hang out with other volunteers and will be your home away from home.

This program is ideal when you want to explore new skills and intercultural learning in a vibrant Eco Village with a great community feel. If you have any specific questions or need further details, feel free to ask!

The Ciy Experience:

Hout Bay

The Hout Bay municipality runs from the beach through the valley to Table Mountain. It is cosy, photogenic and close to the beach. Imizamo Yethu (also called Mandela Park) is an informal settlement (Township) and is located in Houtbay. All projects of this organization take place in or on the border of this township.

Support classes in English are of particular importance at Hout Bay Primary School. Although English is one of the official languages of South Africa, the reality is often different. The students mainly speak isiXhosa or other home languages at home, so they only come into contact with the English language when they enter school life. In order to facilitate this introduction for the students, we identify competencies and deficits and try to work on these as best as possible in remedial classes.

Many children stay home alone after school because their parents work until late in the afternoon. To prevent the youngsters from being unsupervised for several hours, the program offers aftercare from Monday to Friday from 1:30 PM to 4:00 PM for about 35 children.

This program is ideal for those who want to make a positive impact on children’s education and well-being while experiencing the culture and beauty of Hout Bay.

Choose your Experience

Experience Packages

Volunteer Surf School
Volunteer Bush School
2 destinations
South Africa
1 domestic flight
Shuttle service
24 hour support by our Gap Team
based in Cape Town
Exciting day trips
Volunteer Training
Accomodation
Meals

Volunteer Surf School
Volunteer Eco Village
Volunteer
Nature Conservation
3 destinations
South Africa
2 domestic flights
Shuttle service
Travel with a peer group
24 hour support by our Gap Team
based in Cape Town
Exciting day trips
Volunteer Training
Accomodation
Meals

Volunteer Surf School
Volunteer Eco village
2 destinations
South Africa
1 domestic flight
Shuttle service
24 hour support by our Gap Team
based in Cape Town
Exciting day trips
Volunteer Training
Accomodation
Meals

Experiences

“The staff of Gap Africa helped me with searching for a nice volunteerjob. I wanted to be in a community, with kids and animals and I got that. They were also easy to reach whenever I had questions and everything was well taking care off".

“My time in Cape Town has given me more than I expected. The environment has inspired me enormously and given me new meaning that I still get a lot of value from today. I strongly recommend GapAfrica, because their broad knowledge actively helps you determine the extent of your time in Africa.”

“Thanks to Gap I found a super nice apartment for my internship in South Africa. I really came into contact with the local culture and people. This has taught me to really appreciate the little things in the Netherlands!”

“My time in Cape Town was without a doubt an unforgettable trip. The city and the people there positively surprised me in every respect. Thanks in part to GapAfrica, I was able to discover Cape Town, which has changed me both professionally and personally. It is an experience that will stay with you forever and that will help you grow as a person and as a professional.”

In the five weeks of volunteer work we saw and did a lot. Had exactly the animal encounters I was hoping for, and many more additional unexpected experiences. We also gained a new friend, thanks Mr D

Lots of interaction with the guides who can really help you to get everything out of the experience. Learned a lot about the animals and saw many animals. It's also nice that there are many different locations where you can do other things.

I enjoyed the many exotic animals that I saw, but the goats were the most fun. The house we stayed in is large and spacious, so plenty of room for everyone and their belongings. Being surrounded by the exotic trees, plants and many animals when I walk out of the house was great for me as a city person.

Gap Africa Experience:
Group Travel

Gap Africa Experience: Group Travel

The Ciy Experience:

Cape Town

Cape Town

Gap Experience Destinations:

Hluhluwe & Kosi Bay

Hluhluwe & Kosi Bay

The Bush Experience:

Hoedspruit: Bush school

Hoedspruit: Bush school

The Community Experience:

Hoedspruit: Eco Village

Hoedspruit: Eco Village

The Ciy Experience:

Hout Bay

Hout Bay

Choose your Experience

Experience Packages

6 Weeks Experience

8 Weeks Experience

6 Weeks Experience

Experiences

Your journey doesn't begin until you take your first step

Your journey doesn't begin until you take your first step

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