Working with Wildlife — Hotel in Kagisano-Molopo Local Municipality

What can I say.... I was absolutely taken back by the complete wild beauty of the Camp and the area.. With the most wonderful, informative, passionate hosts Edyta and Gary. With their lovely, such accommodating, sweet staff. Nothing is too much trouble for any of them. Their kindness and compassion is off the chart, Edyta has a lovely wicked sense of humour , and Gary's passion for his work they immerse you into their world. You just need to meet these guys. It's a privilege, and I am glad I have had that.. (plus you get to meet Pluto, Ugly Betty and Sweeny Todd.) Their 3 dogs. Who are characters themselves.

Working with wildlife you can really take your passion of safari to another level. You can be your own version of a Sir David Attenborough. The animals are totally wild. They are not used to seeing humans at the moment and that, is part of the beauty of this project.

You get to go out with Gary or Edyta and see their amazing work They take you through what they are doing, projects, while you are out on your drive searching for the animals while finding the ones they are tracking. I don't want to go so much into this, as it's something you need to see for yourselves. I don't want to spoil your adventure. I'm just sorry that we did not get to spend extra time with them due to other engagements, but I would definitely go back, especially in a different season, so I can see the changes in nature of the Kalahari. The accommodation is fab! It's tented.. I love a tent while out on safari.. the beds are lovely and comfortable and you also have your own shower room, dresser, fresh water and even the water is via an economical friendly way, so no plastic bottles. There is a lovely little balcony with a table and seating area, facing out into the wilds, in the morning you get a beautiful view of the sunrise ( you can't beat an african sunrise) and we had a heard of wildebeest just outside the electric fence every morning. Fantastic! What a way to start the day. There is a lovely little dip pool for the mid-day heat to cool down and a seating area, there are lots of bird baths, and it's lovely seeing them fluttering to and frow going about their business, all different breeds, colours.. so pretty, and all outfacing, so you can view wildlife passing, and if you go in the right season I was told you can see them grazing.. it's only an electric fence and a wooden baracade that is between you and the wildlife of the Kalahari. You all eat together in the main living tented area, where you can purchase your soft drinks, or ask for something a little stronger, tea, coffee, water, snacks fruit is there 24/7. Tv, with a very comfortable sofa.. and again all facing outwards to view what is passing.. great set-up a good amount of thought has been put into the style of this camp. Everything revolves around your potential viewing of the wildlife. I was so impressed with all of this i wrote Clare at Wild Wings who booked this tour for me, gushed how impressed I was, and thanking her for telling me to go and put this destination on my list. But you can book directly also I found out by talking to Edyta and Gary. I have also contacted a few tour operators I have used in Kenya and told them they need to look this place up. I wish all the very best to all at this wonderful camp.. they truly opend up my eyes to a more involved safari experience, and my friend Sue who I travelled with spoke non stop about this visit to anyone and everyone in South Africa and in the US when she got home.. After 20 years of hoping we finally got to see a pangolin.. we both hugged with joy and tears.. it was like a Christmas morning for 2 dedicated safari...

“Working With Wildlife” was a highlight of my trip to Africa. I stayed for a week with a group of eight women from across Canada and the USA. Each day brought new experiences, insight into the wild animal world and many fun adventures! Gary and Edyta, both in their mid-thirties, were fantastic hosts and a great team. Gary took us on all the game drives and taught us so much about the wildlife while on the game drives and throughout the day. He even shared his anti-poaching presentation with us one morning. Both of our hosts were so knowledgeable about the wildlife, their predators and prey, tracking of animals, the flora and maintaining a safe and ecologically sustainable environment within the Khamab Kalahari Reserve. Edyta took care of us, her three dogs and any of the reserve staff that visited, with lots of love and care - home-cooked meals (breakfast between 6-7 am, game drives coffee and snacks, lunch between 12-1 pm and dinner 7-8 pm), laundry, fun conversations about animals, love, life, shopping and recipe sharing. One of my favorite meals was her homemade African Bobotie. So delicious! We stayed in tents on stilts that were like a private cottage. Each tent had two beds, dresser, chair, separate bathroom and a beautiful deck. Although there is no A/C, there is a big fan in each tent and with the open, screened windows, it was quite comfortable, even in the extremely hot days. We were extremely blessed to see the Big 5 and so many more animals. I remember saying on our first game drive, that I just wanted to see a zebra and giraffe. Within the first 5 minutes, we saw one, two and then twenty + more zebras, then a number of giraffes and then I spotted the two male lion brothers that Gary was looking for and monitoring! It was so exciting! I felt like a kid in a candy shop! We also searched for two female lionesses that needed to be moved to another reserve but we were not successful in that adventure. Luckily Gary found them after our time at the reserve. One of our missions during our stay was to find a tagged Timminks Ground Pangolin whose monitoring system stopped working. Prior to arriving in Africa, I had never heard of a pangolin. While in Zimbabwe, we were told that seeing a live pangolin was a once in a lifetime experience, if you were lucky! Well, we were doubly lucky because not only did we find the tagged pangolin, we were able to take part in the release of a pangolin who had been poached. After spending time at a hospital, this little female was brought to the Khamab reserve because the location had lots of ants and termites for the pangolin to eat and it gave her a great chance of survival. What an amazing experience! Seeing all the animals in their natural habitat was an experience I will never forget! If you have an opportunity to stay with Gary and Edyta, I promise that you will not regret it! It is a once in a...

I can’t say enough about my time at Working with Wildlife. I have been on many other commercial game drives, and this experience is far more rewarding. Your entire stay will be a de facto game drive. You will likely see all of the big five plus dozens of other species. The owners are incredibly knowledgeable about the ecology of the reserve and the threats facing the African ecosystem at large. The volunteer work you perform is varied, engaging, and vital. Projects may shift rapidly due to animal locations or a newly discovered urgent need. Simply getting to and from the work sites requires miles of game drives, and the owner will always stop to view animals or change direction to follow tracks. Projects are tailored to your level of activity or interest. What can be challenging work seems easy as you know you are playing a vital role in helping to protect this reserve and some of Africa’s most endangered species. This is a massive reserve. I only saw one other vehicle the entire week, and it belonged to the staff ecologist. When the day is done, it’s time for more game viewing and the traditional sundowners, if desired.

The tented accommodations are modern and comfortable. The food is varied, delicious, and constantly available. Evening dinners may be in the dining tent or taken outside in a traditional boma along with a campfire. This is the Kalahari, so check the forecast and bring layers of clothing. The remote location of this reserve and the lodging style give you the sense of what the African experience may have been like years ago before the over-commercialization and influx of travelers. The site also provides extraordinary stargazing opportunities.

Working with Wildlife is a “can’t miss” opportunity. While first-time visitors to S.A. will likely not discover this gem, I would certainly recommend it. Be warned, after your time here, commercial lodge game drives will always disappoint. If you are a seasoned visitor to the area, this opportunity provides a deeper, richer, and much more educated understanding of the true nature of African conservation. If you are an eco-warrior, get here as fast as you can! And for all, this is a fun and fantastic opportunity to see and photograph the beautiful animals we all love.

My visit to Working with Wildlife has enriched my life. I am a better person for having come. I amassed a prolific amount of memories and photographs. Most importantly, this place gives you the chance to get involved in protecting this vital corner of the world and all of the beautiful creatures contained within. I will return as...