ASKARI

"Askari provides volunteers with a lifetime opportunity that will never be forgotten; to actively contribute to and participate in the daily management, wildlife research and monitoring activities taking place on a game reserve in Africa. The programme fosters the conservation of wilderness and is based on Pidwa Wilderness Reserve in 25 500 hectares of untamed beauty.

Pidwa is well on its way to becoming a benchmark wilderness reserve as it has based all its ideals on mimicking the natural system as much as possible. As the old saying goes, “why reinvent the wheel?”
Unfortunately humans have taken their toll on many wild areas of Africa and natural processes have been affected. The goal of Pidwa is to restore the balance that existed prior to human interference and this requires a little assistance. Askari volunteers are hands on members of the team responsible for all aspects of this assistance from varied reserve management projects to the research and monitoring of the reserve’s flora and fauna.

Volunteers at Askari will experience life on an active game reserve, enjoy world class wildlife viewing, while making a real contribution to conservation and the establishment of a benchmark wilderness area.

PIDWA WILDERNESS RESERVE

Pidwa Wilderness Reserve, the home base of Askari, is in the Limpopo province in the North Eastern part of South Africa. It is about 70 kilometres from each of the towns of Phalaborwa, Tzaneen and Hoedspruit, and is about an hour’s drive from the famous Kruger National Park. This area is known as the Lowveld, and is rich in wild life habitat and reserves.

Pidwa is 14 000 hectares in size and is the northern half of the 25 500 hectare Greater Makalali Conservancy. The Conservancy was set up by the various landowners within it, agreeing that internal fences be dropped to give the animals a much bigger area to roam freely.

All internal roads are dirt roads so it is easier to check tracks and animal movements. The terrain is gently undulating, with wonderful views of the magnificent Drakensberg mountain range.

The Selati river flows through Pidwa and carries its most water in the summer months, the rainy season in the Lowveld. The river supports beautiful indigenous trees, and is a favourite haunt of all game, and especially lions and elephants.

Pidwa runs breeding programmes of rare and endangered species, including sable, reedbuck and nyala antelope. Brown Hyaena, rescued from farmers’ traps have been introduced. Cheetah, eland, African wild cats, and tsessebe are among the different species also brought in.