A Question for Travel Agents: When is the best time for students to participate in educational holidays in Africa?

[Corne Schalkwyk]

A question for travel agents: I'm planning research/conservation education holidays at a research camp in Pongola Game reserve in South Africa. I'd really appreciate your input as to when is the best time for students to travel and attend conservation courses in Africa, so I can schedule the programs accordingly? Thanks for your help!

 

Topics Included in course:

· Describe a range of threats to biodiversity
· Conduct habitat surveys and interpret biological data.
· Evaluate a range of animal monitoring techniques including radio telemetry, satellite tracking, small mammal trapping, bird ringing and chipping and tagging.
· Describe the principles of conservation biology and explain the importance of maintaining biodiversity.
· Study a range of habitats and ecosystems and explain how they are managed for both biodiversity and the conservation of individual species.
· Explain the role of captive breeding and re-introduction programmes in the conservation of endangered species.
· Explain the significance of effective breeding management in domestic, captive and wild animal populations
· Critically evaluate the requirements of good animal welfare for a range of animal species in a range of situations.
· Evaluate general techniques and indicators used in the diagnosis of disease.
· Analyse mechanisms of disease transmission and evaluate methods to treat and prevent diseases, both in wild and captive populations.
· Describe difference in disease between captive and wild populations
· Evaluate methods of population control of both captive and wild populations

[Eco Tur Angola]

Well I am not in South Africa, but I would definitely avoid December and January as this is the peak season for domestic holidays in South Africa ! Cheers Paul

[Kathy Moroney]

Hi Corne.

I don't know if you are still wanting to get input on your question or not. I'm in California and have a travel agency that specializes in travel to Africa. I'm a bit confused by your attachment, that focuses on Botswana, vs. your question about Pongola. But let me answer your specific question about the best time for educational holidays.

I'm not clear whether your courses are academic/classroom only, or also involve field studies. I'm assuming that field studies are part of the courses--otherwise there wouldn't be any need to travel to Africa! But I also don't know how long the courses will be.

There are several considerations. In no particular order:

1) Cost of airfare. Anytime there are school holidays in the US, the cost of airfare is higher. So think summer, Christmas/New Years, Easter (this is a roving date and usually a month or two before/after are part of the Easter season because schools take that holiday at various times.)

2) Opposite seasons. When it's winter in the northern hemisphere it's summer in the southern. I know you know this. But the practical effect is the amount of travel from Europe in the colder months of the northern hemisphere. For example, school holidays in the UK will always mean an increase in people going to southern/eastern Africa. This affects the availability of air seats, the availability of lodging in general, and the overall costs.

3) Weather patterns. The eastern part of southern Africa gets rain during their summers; the western part gets rain during their winters. Thus, focusing on the Pongola area, it will get rain during their summer, which is the winter in the northern hemisphere. This "green" season is when many animals have their babies, because of the availability of grass/leaves for eating (depending on whether the animals are grazers or browsers). But this also means that there will be lots of food and lots of water available, as well as dense, filled-out, vegetation. So it's harder to find the animals because they don't have to congregate in just a few places. On the other hand, their dry season is their winter, which is the summer of the northern hemisphere. It's hot and the the scenery is much less pleasing to the eye; it makes backgrounds for photos pretty ugly to see all the dry vegetation. But that means that because there aren't leaves/high grasses the animals can be more visible. It also means that animals have to congregate around the fewer sources of water. There are greater chances of observing hunting/eating behaviors due to the higher congregation of animals in one place and the shortage of food.

So, having said all this, I think you probably just need to pick a time that works around your school's academic year and when it makes sense to have the students traveling. If this is a full semester program, and it's a semester-abroad program, that gives you a lot of flexibility. But if it's just a few weeks, and has to be arranged during the academic school year holidays, then you have a lot less flexibility.

Whatever you do it will be a fabulous experience!

If you'd like to talk, I'm at [phone]. The agency is Distinctive Destinations, and our website is www.distinctive-destinations.com. If you are interested in offering optional touring to the students either before or after the course I'd be glad to work with you on developing these ideas. There are SO many things! To name a few::
--Johannesburg/Soweto area, with a focus on the Apartheid museum and understanding the origins of the student opposition to apartheid
--Durban with its beaches, strong Indian influence, aquarium
--North east coast of South Africa, where there are turtle egg-laying projects and proximity to the beaches/diving in Mozambique
--Madagascar, to see lemurs and diving
--The Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Game Reserve to focus on rhinos
--Hiking in the Drakensburg mountains
--Visiting Lesotho to get into the wild mountains where there is hiking and pony trekking
--Cape Town, with its vibrant urban vibe, the beauty of Cape Point, Table Mt, Robben Island, and the wine country
--flying up to Victoria Falls, to see the falls, do a flight over them, raft below them, bungee jump near them, etc.
--Kruger Park's private concessions and safaris with well-trained guides

And, if any of the students is interested in doing birding safaris, I have a great guide in South Africa who's a bird specialist.

Good luck.

Sincerely, Kathy Moroney
[e-mail] .