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Gap Year Conservation - Gap-Year-Kenya - Africa and Asia Venture

Gap Year Conservation

Where?

Kenya. Spend 6 weeks on a conservancy in the dry Kenyan plains of the Great Rift Valley, smoking volcanoes, flamingo-tinged lakes and hippo pools visited by the fantastic array of African game; the unique smells of colourful market towns; dusty roads teeming with people, rickety bikes and smoky buses and lorries, condemned long ago by their previous owners in the 1st world; smiling people, waving ragamuffin-children shouting "Mzungu! Mzungu!" excitedly running after vehicles and asking for sweets - Kenya is amazing!

Uganda. Spend another 6 weeks on the banks of the mighty Nile. Ten million litres of water per minute pouring from its source in Lake Victoria; endlessly rolling towards its eventual home in the Mediterranean, and watering much of Africa on the way. Dug out fishing canoes; Mamas thrashing the family washing on stones; naked laughing children leaping off the steepest banks they can find; the multi-coloured uniforms of children wending their way to schools in the pre-dawn mornings; potholes in most roads; and wide smiles and laughter everywhere! We defy you not to fall in love with Uganda.

When?

Dates fall between February to June, May to September and October to February.

Outline Experience

How Does it Work?

The scheme has something for everyone, including a wide variety of environmental, community and adventure activities. The project phase is for 3 months altogether (2 x 6-week periods) and follows immediately after the 4-day orientation course. Your group will begin its work in either of the 2 countries involved - Kenya or Uganda - and you will change over after 6 weeks. Tasks will include:

Uganda

• Tree planting/reforestation on islands and banks of the Nile with Wildwater Conservation group and the local villager communities.
• Monitoring fish stocks and river wildlife.
• Seasonal help to village communities.
• Rebuilding village schools and classrooms.
• Football coaching for national league school teams.
• Teaching (if you want)

Kenya

• Removal of fences and snares to allow free movement of game.
• Wildlife monitoring and data collection.
• Renovation of schools, clinics and rangers' accommodation.
• Work with communities to promote sustainable micro industries.
• Ranch work of all types.

What Do We Live In?

Kenya. Accommodation will be in a large house, with electricity, on a 48,000-acre conservancy at Soysambu, on the shore of Lake Elementaita. It has large living areas and bedrooms as well as showers and lavatories. Food and allowances are provided.

Uganda. Group accommodation will be 30 kilometres north of Jinja, on the banks of the Nile, with food and allowances provided. You will live in a fenced compound with dormitory-style bedrooms, a communal kitchen and eating area, and with a fabulous view over the River. There are also hot showers, electricity and an experimental loo, to demonstrate to the community the value of converting everything possible for use on crops! It is only your product that will eventually be required for the demonstration, not the act of producing it - there is plenty of privacy!!

Are There Travel Opportunities?

OH YES! This is one of the things people love about AV. Following your project work you will all have a period of independent group travel in Kenya, Uganda or Tanzania for nearly 3 weeks. Options are too numerous to mention but the following have always been popular:

• Relaxing under palms on the white sands of the Kenyan coast.
• Exploring Zanzibar's spice markets, beaches and diving schools.
• Visiting the mountain gorillas in the Ruwenzori Mountains.
• A 3-day camel and camping safari in the bush.
• White-water-rafting, bungee and quad biking around the Nile.
• Game-viewing safaris almost anywhere.
• Climbing either (or both!) of Africa's highest mountains (Mt Kilimanjaro and Mt Kenya).

What About The Safari?

Crikey! This is something AV has always done as part of the scheme and it is certainly worth the wait! You will all gather in Nairobi after your 3 weeks of travel and adventure and be taken on a brilliant 6- day safari. It will take in all the game you would hope to see in Africa, and some you probably didn't know existed! The flamingos living around the edge of Lake Nakuru provide an amazing pink hue to the entire lake - there being an uncountable number of them mixed in with the pelicans! After a couple of nights at Lake Nakuru and 3 nights in the famous Masai Mara or Samburu National Parks, you ought to have quite a number of memories (and picture) to take home with you - perhaps even the ‘Big Five' (elephant, lion, leopard, rhino and buffalo).

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