Daktari Bush School & Wildlife Orphanage, Hoedspruit

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DESCRIPTION:

Daktari inspires, motivates and educates children to care for the environment.

Daktari Bush School & Wildlife Orphanage is a registered non profit organisation and the accommodation we provide helps to cover the running costs of the wildlife orphanage and the education of local underprivileged children.

We are on a 700 ha. private game farm located in the Limpopo Province, close to the town of Hoedspruit in South Africa. Staying at Daktari is a unique experience. You will be in the middle of the bush. During your stay at Daktari you will be able to help us in our objectives by helping the children and caring for the animals, or just relax and visit the surroundings.

The objective of Daktari is to have volunteers to educate children and provide the nursing for the animals. We focus on our local underprivileged children. The key to protection of the environment lies in education. The children of today are going to be its future custodians. It is a sad fact that many of the underprivileged rural school children have never had the opportunity to see indigenous wildlife which is their heritage. The wildlife orphanage is used as a medium to inspire and educate underprivileged children to care for their environment.

Accommodation

There are four comfortable chalets (round brick buildings with thatched roofs). Each chalet has one double bed and two single beds. This can be changed to four single beds in each, if necessary, or extra beds can be added on request.

Bed linen, towels etc. are provided.
Each chalet has hot and cold water, solar lamps for lighting, toilet and shower.

Food and facilities

Hot and cold water in ablutions (one for each building).
Two of the buildings are en-suite and wheelchair accessible.
Main covered eating area.
Kitchen / bar / lounge.
Swimming pool.
No electricity – we use paraffin and solar lamps and gas fridges / stoves / deep-freeze.
Electricity is only available in the morning when the generator is running.

THE BUSH SCHOOL

Each week we invite children from the local underprivileged school or local HIV+/AIDS Orphanage, to stay at Daktari. We only take six children at a time, which provides a unique possibility for them to benefit from a more individual learning experience. As all the children come from underprivileged backgrounds we only charge them a minimal fee of R20 (2 euros) for their stay.

Here at Daktari we believe that education is the only way to a better future, and therefore we have developed an educational program with special focus on the environment and wildlife. We have included lessons in English, Maths, Biology, Geography and also life skills about relationships, substance abuse, safe sex, violence and respecting your environment.

Many of these children have not had the opportunity to learn about wildlife and therefore we encourage interaction with wild animals in order to stimulate a sense of responsibility for their heritage.

THE WILDLIFE ORPHANAGE

A very important aspect of Daktari is the wildlife orphanage. We care for animals which are hurt, orphaned or too tame to be rehabilitated back into the wild. We provide them with good facilities, care and love. They also serve as a great education medium for the children who assist in the daily care, cleaning and feeding of these animals.

Daktari Bush School & Wildlife Orphanage, Hoedspruit, Limpopo

Accommodation

Food and facilities

THE BUSH SCHOOL

THE WILDLIFE ORPHANAGE