Volunteering South Africa

The Journey through Africa Begins!

freewalker2012 — Fri, 21 Dec 2012 20:54:35 +0000

The Freewalker team has set out for an adventure of a life time! From December 23 to January 10 we will be traveling from Kenya to Tanzania, Zanzibar, Malawi, and Zambia by Land Rover and flying home from Victoria Falls! We will be joined by a very adventurous Midwesterner from Illinois, Ashley Nagele, as our first volunteer on tour!

The creation of the Truly African Experience through the passions of Kevin Kimwelle…

I (Kevin Kimwelle) have labelled the overland trips I do ‘Taste Africa’; I am focused on community development through social-cultural exchange. My inspiration to travel Africa begun with a dare from some friends back in 2004 when I came down south from Kenya to do my undergraduate degree. The dare was for us to backpack from Port Elizabeth, South Africa all the way to Nairobi, Kenya. From the original five, only two of us finally ever started the trip and in Gaborone (Botswana) my last comrade abandoned ship back to Johannesburg for a flight to Nairobi.

Almost two weeks later I surfaced in Nairobi to find anxious friends and family at the finishing line; I had met the dare – but more so I emerged a different man – I met Africa. Five years later, I did it the trip again, but this time as in an overland trip from Kenya to South Africa. I’d saved up and could afford do have ‘Red Turkana’ (my landy’s nickname) and had to see Africa again.

I have ended doing this every year ever since then as I travel to and fro to visit my home in Kenya, while I study in South Africa. I have also experienced several different routes, each with a different special flavour and challenge to the trip. The farthest I’ve been up north of Kenya is Addis Ababa, the capital to Ethiopia, while I have travelled most of the southern Africa countries.

Besides my passions for music and photography, cultural exchange and travel, I am back again to school as I do my doctorate studies where I question the role of the architect in promoting sustainable community developments Africa and its place in enhancing social change in Africa.

Here I explore the ability of architecture to help bridge the gap in the between the rich and the poor – in reducing poverty in Africa.

Freewalker + Taste Africa= A full African experience

Working together towards a truly unique package…

As you can see both have a common mutual ground and we specialize in different areas. Together we can bring this expertise to create a truly unique African experience that will go unrivaled. Whereas Freewalker would be focused on the stay/charity/volunteers/charity/work in South Africa, Taste Africa will complement this work by introducing overland trips (long and short distance) with a cultural exchange.

The full trip would consist of seeing Ten World Heritage Sites en-route

1. The Great Zimbabwe National Monument (Cultural)

2. Khami Ruins National Monument (Cultural)

3. Kilimanjaro National Park (Natural)

4. Lake Malawi National Park (Natural)

5. Mosi-Oa-Tunya – Victoria Falls (Natural)

6. Mount Kenya National Park/Natural Forest (Natural)

7. Ngorongoro Conservation Area (Mixed)

8. Serengeti National Park (Natural)

9. Stone Town Of Zanzibar (Cultural)

10. Ukhahlamba / Drakensberg Park (Mixed)

The Journey Ahead….

DAY 1 – Friday 27th December (Kenya)

Frist day in Nairobi: visit Kibera School, Nairobi city, & animal orphanage, Dine at THE CARNIVORE

DAY 2 – Saturday 28th December

Drive off to Naivasha Visit Elsamere Conservation Centre (Joy Adamson – born free) Visit Lake Naivasha Visit Hells gate national park Reside at Nyasha Guest House

DAY 3 – Sunday 29th December

Drive off to Nakuru

DAY 4 – Monday 30th December

Drive off to Nairobi Servicing of Landi Reside at Nairobi residence

DAY 5 – Tuesday 31st December

Drive off to Arusha (Tanzania) 1200 drive off to Ngoro Ngoro Crater

DAY 6 – Wednesday 1st January

Breakfast at Ngoro Ngoro Crater, drive off to Mt Kilimanjaro drive to viewing points of Mt Kilimanjaro Spend evening in Marangu Guest House

DAY 7 – Thursday 2nd January

Sunrise at Kilimanjaro (Tanzania) Walking trail, hiking, biking etc. social evening at Moshi

DAY 8 – Friday 3rd January

Sunrise breakfast at Kilimanjaro, Drive off to Dar-es-Salam Board speed ferry to Zanzibar

DAY 9 – Saturday 4th January

Tour drive of Zanzibar Stone City Snorkeling / swimming / beeches Spend social evening at Zanzibar

DAY10 – Sunday 5th January

Tour drive of Zanzibar Stone City More snorkeling / swimming / Spend social evening at Zanzibar

DAY 11 – Monday 6th January

Board fast ferry to Dar-es-Salam, Drive off to Mbeya Social night at Mbeya Guest House

Day 12 – Tuesday 7th January

Drive off to Nkata Bay (Lake Malawi)m Arrive late at Nkata Bay (Lake Malawi)

Day 13 – Wednesday 8th January

A little tour of the area Diving, fishing and swimming Spend social evening at Nkata Bay

Day 14 – Thursday 9th January

Drive off to Victoria Falls Arrive at Victoria Falls Spend social evening at Victoria Falls

Day 15 – Friday 10th January

Visit Victoria Falls Mur, Jord, & Ash Fly Home to Port Elizabeth

Book your trip for next year!

A Visit to the Sangoma

freewalker2012 — Thu, 13 Dec 2012 09:43:46 +0000

By Olivia lemercier

Mpumelelo Slwana, aka Vuma, doesn’t go to the Greenacres mall anymore, too many people kneel down in front of him, and it’s a bit too much for him. But apart from that the sangoma we went to enjoys what he has been called to do.

As opposed to the nyanga, a South African traditional healer is mainly concerned with medicines made from plants and animals, or the witchdoctor who treats and even curses others using witchcraft, thesangoma relies primarily on divination for healing purposes and might also be considered a type of fortune teller. Sangomas access advice and guidance from the ancestors for their patients through channelling, throwing bones, or by interpreting dreams.

In modern times though, colonialism, urbanisation, apartheid and cross-cultural mixing have blurred the distinction between the two and traditional healers tend to practice both arts.

The first thing Vuma does as we arrive is to light a candle as ancestors cannot come in the dark. He also burns a sacred plant like imphepho (known as the ‘licorice-plant’) to connect with them. He says he dreams while talking to people as the connection with your ancestors and guardian angel comes through dreams. These messages either show you something that will happen or something that should have but has not because your ancestors were there for you.

A lot of what Vuma gets is messages from ancestors, but the toughest thing for him is to encode the messages and make it relevant to the strangers sitting in front of him. What most of them seem to point to is the purpose one has in life; as this purpose is intrinsically linked to one’s welfare and sense of self.

Vuma then pours a shot of brandy in a corner of his room—for his ancestors—and does the same at the front of the door. This is a way to welcome both his and our spirits to the séance. Next we drink a shot too, to allow our ancestors to pass and talk “through us”.

Hanging behind him are two sticks. Every sangoma gets these on their final ‘graduation’ ceremony. A cow is slaughtered for you, the tail of which is put on a stick. Wherever he goes, Vuma walks around with this to ward off evil spirits. He likewise has beads and goat skin around his wrists and ankles, while the heart of a cow is on the wall. This was not just any cow though, this was the same sacrificial cow whose tail he keeps, one who died for his sins and whose heart and tail will be buried with him when he passes.

Looking around the small room, one sees a snake skin, a thatched roof, a calabash to drink from, a Big 5 cloth hung on the wall, low stools to sit on and countless jars in which crushed plants are kept sealed. With his ancestors’ specific instructions, Vuma makes medicine from these to help with either diabetes, cancer or any other ailments.

Vuma received a cricket scholarship to Grey High School as a youngster. Even though he arrived there not knowing a word of English and was the only one to fail standard 6 (grade 8), he kept on struggling and stayed faithful to his education. He finished his matric, and then started attending Nelson Mandela Metro University through a cricket bursary. He used to cycle from the New Brighton township to NMMU, but was one day hit by a taxi. In hospital, his (late) grandfather repeatedly came to him through visions, telling him in detail how to build and decorate his ‘consulting’ room—he specified where to get the straw for the thatch roof (an ancestral land) and how to set it up. Scared of these apparitions, he asked his dad about it on his return home, to which his dad exclaimed he knew Vuma was destined to be a sangoma, as sangomas had long been the destiny for members of his family.

Today, Vuma acknowledges he is happier as a sangoma. He realises that before the accident he didn’t know himself—he went partying, for a “piss-up” as he calls it. But he had no reason to, and “one needs a reason for everything in life.” What keeps him going is seeing someone walk into his place, someone who is hurt, injured, or sick, and watching them walk out feeling alive again. Healing someone, finding that someone smile afterwards, hearing this person wanting to do anything for him in return (that’s how completely they have been touched by the séance) is what he relishes attaining. What counts for him afterwards is that his “patients” then respect their ancestors and follow his guidelines in living their normal lives. It is definitely not about money, but all about helping someone.

Vuma has a job, AND he helps those who come to him by tapping into the spirit world. He is the Development Co-ordinator for EP cricket; developing and coaching youngsters in the sport in township schools, helping with equipment, and paying transport when they go play. To him it makes perfect sense: “I’m doing what I love, my purpose in life. Everything I have is because of cricket. I’ve got the best job in the world- the thing that makes me who I am is cricket. I don’t have to prepare for presentations or anything. You can wake me up at 2am I’ll be fine as long as it’s for cricket.”

People come from far to see Vuma, some sleep at his place waiting for him, but he never turns anyone away, as “it’s my calling.” To have two jobs suits him perfectly, now he will never have time to go for the notorious “piss-ups”, nor “mess around with someone else’s girlfriend”. He is very aware that getting hit by a taxi was a sign from his ancestors, “to stop me from doing that, from becoming like this” and for him to remember where he came from.

Vuma is very at ease with who he is, and seamlessly manages to live in both the modern and traditional worlds. “I don’t dress like this all the time, when I go to work you won’t recognise me,” he says, laughing. At barely 27, he is the youngest sangoma in the Eastern Cape and is very happy doing what he does. He doesn’t stress, he has found a way to appreciate everything in life, even if some days everything is against him. His 17 dogs keep him grounded; when they come up to him and show him affection, he is reminded to appreciate the smaller things in life. He puts this succinctly: “People always judge you, animals you give them food they will be faithful to you. They will know when you’re hurt, they will know when you’re crying and they’ll come sit on you and everything will be fine.”

But he has made sacrifices to be where he is now. To become a sangoma, he attended 8 months of “school” in which time he could have “no girlfriend, no kissing, and no phone calls.” The ithwasa, or trainee sangoma may not see their families during training and must abstain from sexual contact and often live under harsh and strict conditions. This is part of the cleansing process to prepare the healer for a life’s work of dedication to healing and the intense experiences of training tend to earn a deeply entrenched place in the sangoma’s memory. Obviously, today he is still to live a pure and faithful life. He says he has been single for the past year and 2 months, waiting to get married.

He wakes up at 2am every morning, lights candles, and takes time to visualise his goals. But what of us mere mortals, how can we find direction and keep from straying? Vuma suggests for us to work to “know yourself, know what you like, don’t compromise about yourself, always follow your heart.” He adds: “If something says to go home at 12 o’clock, go home… that’s how your ancestors or your guardian angel works. If someone wounds you, someone who’s not your family, don’t worry about them. It might well be because they don’t know themselves that they hurt you so much- don’t charge nor grudge them.”

After much tearing up from us two girls as his words hit home, we ask him one last question, one which every girl wants to know- what about our relationships?

“Set goals, have a little book, write your wants in it. Everyone is struggling because we don’t know the reason why we’re here. Meanwhile the reason is because we don’t have time for ourselves, it starts with you inside.”

I know I am definitely working on it. As Vuma said in parting: “Be humble, be happy guys!”

v Sangomas are legally recognized in South Africa as ‘traditional health practitioners’, under the Traditional Health Practitioners Act of 2007 (Act. 22 of 2007) as diviners alongside with herbalists, traditional birth attendants, and traditional surgeons.

v While there are recorded instances of white sangomas before 1994, since 1994 an increasing number of white people have openly trained as sangomas in South Africa. The question of authenticity is still an on-going discussion.

v Estimates of the number of indigenous traditional healers in South Africa ranged up to 200,000 in 1999, compared to 25,000 Western-trained doctors. Traditional healers are consulted first (or exclusively) by approximately 80% of the African population.

v Traditionally a new sangoma is called by an initiation illness, often psychosis, headache, stomach pain, shoulder or neck complaints. Vuma went blind for the 2-3 months before he heeded the calling.

v Muti is the name given to medicine given by a Sangoma (a mixture of different tree barks and herbal plants) and has become slang amongst white South Africans as a term for any medication.

v One often gets pamphlets handed to us describing the services of a “new sangoma in town” which promise everything from better sexual performance to winning the lottery and finding a job. People unfortunately pretend to be sangomas as a money-making scheme and promise wealth and outlandish claims to their patients.

v In many ways, a sangoma also acts as a counsellor and social worker within any given South African community. Many different families visit with village healers in order to mend family arguments. Since healers know the inner workings of a village, these individuals can often offer advice and counselling to those in need. While complex, the relationship between townspeople and a healer is often one of great admiration and reverence.

InkomoMali Project all the way from Oz

freewalker2012 — Thu, 29 Nov 2012 06:34:45 +0000

By Murray Luscombe

This is a story of significant difference indeed. Samuel Hart, a past adventure client of Freewalker, has managed to raise money for the “Donate to Educate” project in a completely innovative way. Samuel, showing us that cowboys do care, has raised a little bullock in Australia and dedicated the sale of the calf to KwaFord school. Thanks must go to “Stockie” for this tremendously generous donation and for showing us all we should think outside the box a little bit more!

We miss you crazy cowboy…Thanks for all of your dedication to the children of South Africa!

Click the photo to see how you can help!

Donors Make a Difference

freewalker2012 — Thu, 29 Nov 2012 06:05:20 +0000

By Olivia Lemercier

Freewalker’s client-base has done it again, Melanie Schuck and her mom have raised 400 dollars for the “Donate to Educate” project at KwaFord Primary School! The two ladies, with help from children they teach, raise the money single-handedly and have supported us in this way for 3 years. A HUGE thank you must go out to Mel who, besides valiantly fighting through some tough medical conditions of her own, has still managed to selflessly keep donating to our kids. If anyone reading this knows her, please make sure she knows how much of an inspiration she is to us all.

Nancy and Tom Flint, Larry and Elaine Adams: four great, bubbly, spontaneous and adventurous travelers who recently did an exclusive 9-day tour with us from Cape Town to Lalibela decided that they could do more. Once having returned safely back to the States after an action-packed adventure, they made a significant donation of 500 dollars towards the “Donate to Educate” project. We truly appreciate your donation and will make great changes towards the development of the school and its education.

Click the photo to see how you can help!

Volunteer Conservation Efforts in the Bush

freewalker2012 — Thu, 29 Nov 2012 05:11:25 +0000

By Olivia Lemercier

Adventures and construction have gone hand in hand during the past few months’ wildlife volunteering. Freewalker and its volunteers assisted in catching and relocating Mozambican Tilapia into dams around our private game reserve base. This was managed through the subtle art-form of tapping the dam water at the edge to scare all the fish to the middle, and then getting the crazy volunteer co-ordinators to splash around like mad people in the middle and scare the fish into a net held by Freewalker’s sturdy founders. Restocking a dam with a lioness eyeing you from the long grass, two crocodiles being kept busy at another end by dangling a big stick in the water, and keeping an eye out for the two lady hippos whose dam we were invading, was an experience to say the least!

Freewalker ventured even further into the bush by making use of their brawn and brains to rebuild and modify the game reserve’s bush camp. The round cement braai was ‘bushified’ with large stones packed around it, and volunteers built an outdoor dining table and social area from bluegum, an invasive alien species. Sore backs and muscles were well worth all the effort taken to create an even cosier and rustic atmosphere in the middle of wild animals.

Volunteers were also kept busy on a day-to-day basis by patrolling the fence, helping with daily conservation and management efforts and excitedly keeping track of the lions’ movements and kills. Apart from learning about rhino awareness, they have been working hard at ranger assistance, going on drives, helping with locating animals, spotlighting as well as translating. It pays to be Swiss or French with tourists!

Thank you for all your hard work and conservation efforts ladies!!

Proof that the Sky is the Limit

freewalker2012 — Wed, 28 Nov 2012 17:56:39 +0000

By Olivia Lemercier

KwaFord Primary School in New Brighton has had a busy and very successful last month with regards to its participation with Freewalker. So much has been happening it’s hard to keep up!

A dedicated pre-school teacher has come aboard as the school volunteer co-ordinator to take volunteers under her wing—helping them reach out to these children of all ages through a mixture of compassion, laughter, English songs, sharing, silly games, quizzes and serious talks. Through this, the volunteers were able to learn by watching and mimicking her interaction with them before helping to sustain projects and ideas that has already borne, and will certainly bear fruit in the near future. Volunteers soon got the hang of her methods and went even further by holding open discussions with the Grade 7’s on issues such as leadership, respecting yourself and your bodies, and going through the tumultuous adolescence phase.

The kitchen staff were diligently helped to serve lunch to the children, and taught the two Israeli girls new Xhosa words in the process. The Grade 4’s were opened up to the interesting and fun world of vegetables through a quiz on properties of a few of these latter—who knew eating carrots helps keep your teeth clean, or that eating tomatoes helps against sunburn? Later, these ‘Super Striker Onions’, ‘Clever Cucumbers’ and the other quiz teams were raring to start their own vegetable garden; be it by pulling weeds, raking, turning the soil over and planting seeds to watering and keeping an eye out for more weeds. To keep their interest, cartoons of animated vegetables introducing themselves were shown, with one of the boys walking around for the rest of the day declaring: “Hi, I’m a vegetable, I’m Mr. carrot!” More friendly competition was to be had when they tried to guess vegetables first through touch, then smell, then taste (understandably, everyone wanted to munch on carrots, no one was keen on either broccoli or onion).

Aghast at the state of hygiene at the school, the Israeli volunteers prepared a board on “taking care of yourself” but also kept busy by teaching the kids about Israel, helping the Grade 2’s in reading and writing, reading to the Grade R’s, and generally being at the disposition of teachers either to invigilate exams or by stepping in when these latter needed to do some paperwork. As much as they gave to the school, the volunteers also learnt and grew from their interaction with students and teachers; development is definitely a two-way process in this regard.

Later on, the Grade R’s had their graduation- the first ever for KwaFord! Freewalker volunteers then made two huge collages of the day’s photos to put up in the school’s culture room and office, a glimpse of the joy and growth that took place on that day. From the smallest kids, to the biggest—Freewalker also helped with the certificates for the Grade 7 graduation, hoping that the volunteers’ intervention and talks would have given them the necessary tools for their future high-school experience.

Michele Grobler and Kyle Schimper have been real stars by organizing beautiful cupcakes for the Grade R’s and donating hugely needed sports goods to KwaFord. Kyle works for Alexander Road High School and would have been overjoyed to see the cute Grade R’s going crazy with rugby, soccer, and basketballs whizzing past from all directions. A few Grade 7’s also took advantage of the hockey and cricket kits to try and wack or defend balls from going into their improvised goals, what a delight to watch!

We are looking forward to even bigger plans in the New Year, plans which will hopefully come into fruition with the help of new volunteers and donations. The sky is the limit!

Grade R’s Grandiose Graduation

freewalker2012 — Wed, 28 Nov 2012 09:51:52 +0000

By Olivia Lemercier

The tiny tots of Grade R were oohed and aahed over before being swept away for a day of exploration and fun on their graduation. In their mini graduation gowns they enthralled parents, Freewalker and volunteers alike by showing off their knowledge of the months (in both Xhosa and English), dedicating a poem to their mothers, and swaying and clapping to Xhosa tunes and hymns. All had high aspirations for their future, either by wanting to become doctors, teachers, policemen or even lawyers! Whisked away for a scrumptious picnic and juice provided by Freewalker, they were then escorted to the Bayworld Museum. Freewalker was on hand to show them the wonders of animal life and hold them when they got scared of the big, noisy, moving dinosaur towering over them. The day was not over though, as another amazing discovery awaited them- the joy of running into and out of waves kept them at King’s beach for what seemed like hours on end. Luckily for them, they had loads of willing hands to hold onto for their first few moments of trepidation before they were able to venture in alone. Lots of fun was had by all involved, what a privilege to be a part of all of this!

For more photos check out: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.395733250497142.86858.367114680025666&type=3

Introducing Freewalker’s Exclusive Family Tours

freewalker2012 — Mon, 05 Nov 2012 20:25:03 +0000

As the land swept through green pastures to the tip of Africa we could not have been in better hands and enjoyed ourselves more or had any more fun! Five stars to you both. Thanks for sharing your passion with us, absolutely fabulous.

~Liz & Jim Barry, Exclusive Family holiday July 2012

Leave all your worries behind and let the Freewalkers personally design your dream trip for an experience of a lifetime, where the whole family can enjoy!

Freewalker Exclusive Tours

Freewalker offers exclusive luxury tours between the Eastern Cape to Western Cape, providing clients the finest in terms of services and lodging. We pride ourselves on our flexibility and tailor made packages that are personally designed with the clients, thus making sure it will be their dream vacation. These uniquely diverse, multiple day adventures are designed to generate a deeper appreciation for the natural beauty, abundant scenery, historically rich-cultural backgrounds, and spectacular wildlife, all along indulging in the best adventure activities South Africa has to offer.

What to Expect on Tour

Freewalker allows clients to completely sit back and enjoy their holiday worry-free, while we ensure every detail is covered. We at Freewalker make it our personal interest in guaranteeing a fun adventurous tour for the entire family. All aspects of travelling are covered, from vineyard tours to eating out at some of the best restaurants South Africa has to offer, shark diving, paragliding, scenic hikes, whale watching to name but a few, relaxed coastal walks, sunset cocktails, massages and treatments, educational culture trips to must see spectacles, luxury shopping and pure relaxation. With our personalized touches and knowledge of the country side, we pride ourselves on your absolute enjoyment.

How the tours began

Two childhood friends with mutual passions and trust in one another, came together to make their dreams a reality. Through the combination of hunting/photographic safaris with JohnX Safaris and exclusive family/individual tours through South Africa with Freewalker, their reality became a dream package for their clients. Today, there are many stories to tell with new friends from all over the World and lifelong memories to cherish. There are always new adventures and more areas to explore in South Africa, therefore our new friends often become our lasting friends…

Tours on offer down the Garden Route

The trips are designed to either end in Cape Town after the Safari and tour, or start in Cape Town and end at Lalibela. Either way, guests are treated to the many wonderful adventures and scenery along the World famous Garden Route. With the tours being personalized, clients are given the option of accommodation and number of nights spent at each place, with guidance from our knowledgeable team. The majority of the tours have been seven days Lalibela to Cape Town with a number of tours being spent in Plettenberg Bay or Knysna for four days and flying out of Port Elizabeth. Both options described below:

~Lalibela to Cape Town Trip (vice versa)

Guests are collected from Lalibela and the tour begins, with set accommodation and routes planned with a few adventure and personal interests booked. The tours are personally designed, which allow the guests to let the guides know what they want out of their holiday. The Garden Route to Cape Town is filled with diverse scenery, culture, adventure, luxury and entertainment and caters for all ages. This tour is perfect for a family holiday and seven days is more than enough to fully enjoy your South African adventure. Good advice would be to spend two nights at accommodation destinations to enjoy the area to avoid spending the holiday in the bus.

~Lalibela to chosen destination

Guests are collected from Lalibela and transported to Plettenberg Bay or Knysna for the remainder of their holiday. These 3-6 day tours are for the travelers who wish to be based at one or two accommodations for the entire stay and enjoy the town activities and surrounding adventures. Guests fly out of Port Elizabeth airport after this tour. The towns mentioned above are the most popular amongst the past families and our personal favorites. Best for families who wish to do less driving and more holidaying.

The Exclusive Adventures of 2012

This has been a year full of lifelong memories made with amazingly special new friends! From large families of three generations to young and old couples checking off their bucket lists, these new Freewalkers have done it all! Just to mention a few of the activities: African elephant back safari, waterfall zipline, world’s highest bungy jump, deep-sea fishing, spectacular hikes, snorkeled with Cape Fur seals, dove with Great White sharks, climbed Table Mountain, explored the Southernmost tip of Africa, sunset sushi cruises, rode an ostrich, monkey interactions, cuddle a lion and tiger cub, tasted the finest wines of Africa and eaten the most delicious creatures of the sea and lands, spa treatments, African craft and luxury shopping, watched whales from the land and boat-so close you can hear their blows, paraglide over Cape Town, visited numerous historical sites, experienced some of the most breathtaking scenery and filled memory cards! Great adventures where had by all and we are missing all of our amazingly passionate travelers! You were all so special!!

Thoughts from our past guests…

We have spent the last two weeks catching up but mostly raving about our trip and working on getting pictures down to a manageable number. We miss South Africa in many different ways! It is hard to capture how phenomenal the whole experience is in writing but we will give it a try.

Our visit to South Africa was truly the trip of a life time! Freewalker handled all the details of our Garden Route tour efficiently and graciously. Eleven of us, ages 4 to 58, travelled together and Murray and Jordie made it look easy as they tailored the trip to meet all of our interests! Freewalker’s familiarity with the area and people was clearly valuable as they arranged for spectacular lodging, zip-lining, snorkeling with the seals, great white shark adventure, shopping, great restaurants and a myriad of daily requests and needs. Freewalker took all the worry and hassle out of the trip leaving us to enjoy the breath taking sites and fantastic adventures.

Murray and Jordie enthusiastically shared their knowledge and insight of South Africa. For adults and children in our group alike, their drive and commitment to give back to this beautiful country is inspiring. They easily fit our family and we count them among friends. Our granddaughter cried as we left them expressing what we all felt!

Okay, that does it:) Honestly, I am crying as I write this and I was the “cynic” in the group about the trip in general. Thanks again for a memorable, enriching and fun experience!

Janine Barry, Exclusive Family holiday trip July 2012

After a ten day safari with John X Safaris, owner Carl Van Zijl highly recommended Freewalker to guide three generations of our family on a tour of the Eastern Cape and Cape Town. From the moment our family was introduced to Jordie and Murray, it was like we had known them for years. Their excitement and energy was contagious and as we would find out, was everlasting! We spent six days experiencing things we never thought possible with moment to moment planning on Jodie and Murray’s part. They catered to every age and interest in our group. From wine tasting, private sunset cruises and curio shopping for the grandparents; zip lining, elephant and ostrich riding for the more adventurous, to playing with lemurs, learning to carve African figures and sightseeing for the kids. All while ensuring that the entire family was content at all times. Their attention to detail was impeccable and we could tell there was much thought put into finding the perfect adventure or activity that was right for our family. Freewalker Adventure Tours is not your ordinary tour guide company. Jordie and Murray are like your best friends that know everything there is to do, see, and experience in South Africa. If you want to do it, they will make it happen and they will handle every detail in planning flawlessly. Thank you Freewalker for your friendship and for a trip of a lifetime!

Eric and Kristie Arnette, Exclusive Family holiday trip, May 2012

Our trip to South Africa in July 2012 was truly the trip of a lifetime. After spending the first week of our family vacation on a game reserve we decided to take the next week of our trip to travel from Port Elizabeth to Cape Town along the Garden Route. While we would normally take this adventure on ourselves, for a trip of this magnitude we decided to use Freewalker. What a great decision. Jordie and Murray picked us up right from the game reserve and stayed with us until we were checked into the airport at Cape Town. They did an awesome job coordinating all of our adventures including zip lining, cage diving with Great White sharks, shopping, Cape Point…and the list goes on. There would be no chance that without their local knowledge we could have pulled this off. We enjoyed every minute without having to think once about how to find something, where to eat, or what time the tours departed. They took us to some of their favorite restaurants along the way and the fresh seafood certainly did not disappoint. With their outgoing and fun personalities, very quickly in our trip you began to look at Jordie and Murray like they were part of your family and not just your tour guides…they are very special people and we would highly recommend Freewalker to anybody traveling around the Eastern / Western Cape.

Mark and Jen Barry, Exclusive Family holiday, July 2012

Words can’t express how special you made our trip to SA. You both are such wonderful, extraordinary people and taught us both so much. We enjoyed our adventure to both Plett and Knysna and every little detail you put forth in making it so special. Hugs to you both….take care and hope to see you again sometime! This was the trip of a lifetime, one that I will hold dear to my heart for many years to come!

Peg & Shandra Christianson, Exclusive Family holiday, March 2011

This was the best tour company in South Africa, a must have guides Jordie and Murray are a blast and get the job done. You dream it they make it happen. I also look forward to a return trip, but I don’t know how you could ever top the last one. It was truly our favourite trip ever. Also Murray and Jordie from Freewalker Adventures were the best we have ever had, they did an outstanding job. Making sure all 7 of us got to do what we wanted and fit it all in somehow. They make it happen, and made us feel like family.

Paul Majeroni & Family, Exclusive Family holiday, September 2012

Hope to see you next year…book now at www.freewalker.co.za!

Meet the New Additions to the Freewalker Team!

freewalker2012 — Tue, 23 Oct 2012 08:21:08 +0000

A warm welcome to a new crazy couple!!

Nick Wentworth

Wildlife Program Volunteer Coordinator & Adventure Guide

Nicholas Wentworth is an avid nature and wildlife enthusiast who is happy sharing his knowledge and love of South Africa. Originally from Zimbabwe, he has grown up in this marvelous country, living in the bush with wild animals and adopting some of their endearing mannerisms. He has years of experience as a safari guide which has put him in contact with interesting people from the world over. Apart from having taken part in helping conserve wildlife, he keeps busy with all sorts of adventurous sporting trips, yodeling on the guitar, surfing the vast ocean, restoring countless old vehicles, and drawing some of the magnificent lions and other beasts he encounters. He is a real jack of all trades whose thirst of adventure has kept him away from his plumbing trade and into Freewalker’s path. He is most comfortable barefoot and unshaven but under his unkempt good looks lies a pure, responsible guide who puts his all in making trips with him adventures well worth remembering.

Olivia Lemercier

School Development Volunteer Coordinator

Originally from Belgium,Olivia Lemercier’s nomadic lifestyle has brought her to South Africa; a country she has lived in the longest and one she has readily adopted as her own. A photojournalist in her own right, she puts to good use the countless languages she babbles in to explore and photograph Africa’s diverse culture. Her love of children has sent her around the world, from Mozambique to Poland and back to South Africa, adding to her experience in educating and understanding these mischievous little human beings. Always with her trusted camera at the ready, she strives to make the world a better place by tapping into what is most pure and innocent- the fascinating world of kids. Her energy lies in aiding cross-cultural exchanges and education through Freewalker volunteers to brighten the future of South Africa. A word of caution to those who may come in contact with her- as a product of numerous countries, her accent is an eclectic mixture which chops and changes depending on where she is and who she speaks to.

New School Development Video!

freewalker2012 — Mon, 22 Oct 2012 20:18:30 +0000

Volunteering South Africa

The Journey through Africa Begins!

The creation of the Truly African Experience through the passions of Kevin Kimwelle…

Freewalker + Taste Africa= A full African experience

The full trip would consist of seeing Ten World Heritage Sites en-route

The Journey Ahead….

Book your trip for next year!

A Visit to the Sangoma

By Olivia lemercier

InkomoMali Project all the way from Oz

By Murray Luscombe

We miss you crazy cowboy…Thanks for all of your dedication to the children of South Africa!

Click the photo to see how you can help!

Donors Make a Difference

By Olivia Lemercier

Click the photo to see how you can help!

Volunteer Conservation Efforts in the Bush

By Olivia Lemercier

Thank you for all your hard work and conservation efforts ladies!!

Proof that the Sky is the Limit

By Olivia Lemercier

Grade R’s Grandiose Graduation

By Olivia Lemercier

Introducing Freewalker’s Exclusive Family Tours

As the land swept through green pastures to the tip of Africa we could not have been in better hands and enjoyed ourselves more or had any more fun! Five stars to you both. Thanks for sharing your passion with us, absolutely fabulous.

~Liz & Jim Barry, Exclusive Family holiday July 2012

Leave all your worries behind and let the Freewalkers personally design your dream trip for an experience of a lifetime, where the whole family can enjoy!

Freewalker Exclusive Tours

What to Expect on Tour

How the tours began

Tours on offer down the Garden Route

~Lalibela to Cape Town Trip (vice versa)

~Lalibela to chosen destination

The Exclusive Adventures of 2012

Thoughts from our past guests…

Hope to see you next year…book now at www.freewalker.co.za!

Meet the New Additions to the Freewalker Team!

A warm welcome to a new crazy couple!!

Nick Wentworth

Wildlife Program Volunteer Coordinator & Adventure Guide

Olivia Lemercier

School Development Volunteer Coordinator

New School Development Video!

Enjoy yet another beautifully put together video from Murray of the amazing children of South Africa!

Come join Freewalker and be a part of creating a future for these children!