General Facilities: The following "anchor industries" are available for school groups:

Industry:

• Rhino and Lion Nature Reserve:
• Wonder cave:
• Rainbow Trout Farm:
• Palaeontological Talks:
• Old Kromdraai Gold mine:
• Bird of Prey:
• Environmental Lectures:
• Danielsrust Farm:
• Living Jewels:

Programmes are offered to give your students maximum educational value for the duration of their visit. Hiking options are coded quick reference regarding group size, time, arrangement, recommended age group and price. The packages that are offered are a result of popular demand although tailor made packages may be created to suit your needs. Overnight accommodation as well as catering are available on request. If two or more industries are visited on the same day, reduced rates apply.

Trading Hours: Unless otherwise stated or by special arrangement school visits are welcome from Monday to Friday from 08h00 - 16h00. We guarantee punctuality; in return we request punctuality. Should the group arrive late, the tour time will be forfeited and the group will be accommodated as soon thereafter as possible.

Admission: As regards, ages from 3 to 18 are considered scholars. Rates and Tariffs are inclusive of discounts for school groups only and rates will differ from facility to facility. Teachers are charged scholar prices. Groups must preferably be larger than 30 the standard public fee will be applicable.

Bookings: Booking is essential for all facilities and may be done by contacting the:
Conserv Booking and Information Office at:

Tel: 083 454 6529
Fax: 086 658 3787.
E-mail: info@conservtours.com
Visit our web site: www.conservtours.com

P.O.BOX 163
Paardekraal
1752

Payments: Payments is to be made preferably in cash although cheques are accepted by prior arrangement, made out to each industry individually, as will be stated on your booking form.

Confirmations, Changes and Cancellations: Early bookings are recommended, and please confirm your booking no less than seven days before your outing by first quoting your reference number. Any cancellations must be communicated to this office no less than seven days prior to your proposed visit. In some cases a cancellation fee will be applicable.

Special Arrangements: Depending on transport arrangements/group size/time constraints and activities, the group may be required to divide into manageable group sizes. If you require a lunch break to be included in the days activities please request this on making your booking. Lunches can also be supplied by Conserv. Please enquire for further details. Conserv reserves the right to charge any price or programme without prior notice.

Road Access: All roads lead to Kromdraai! Please find map attached. Some roads are gravel, and in extreme wet weather please check with this office as to the state of the roads or for possible alternative routes. We are not responsible for the weather conditions!

Guides: All tours are guided by competent guides appointed by each industry. No self-guided options are available. On package tours the same guide/guides will accompany your tour for it's duration in order to ensure continuity.

Transport: Transport by bus can be arranged although we do not specialise in this. Once the groups is in the area Conserv may provide limited transport in the form of a game vehicle for internal ferry services, at a cost , should the need arise. When exercising different options it may be necessary for groups to use their own transport from one venue to another.

We look forward to hosting you and your students! Thank You.

1. RHINO AND LION NATURE RESERVE: Programmes for school children:

Pricing:  By Quotation Only

The Rhino and Lion Nature Reserve has the following standard educational programme for school children:

The scholars can relax in an enclosed grassed picnic area with the game grazing close by. A swimming pool, kiosk, volleyball court, ablution facilities are provided. Gifts can be purchased from a well-stocked curio shop.

Scholars (3 - 18 yrs) enjoy a reduced entrance fee for educational purposes. Cheques are payable to Mr E. A. Hern.

The option of booking a game drive in our open vehicles with a ranger is the ultimate. Day or Night. Maximum of 60 children can be taken on a game drive at one time.

Entrance Fee:  Scholars: By Quotation Only, (minimum 30 scholars) own bus, ranger included.
Game drives: By Quotation Only, (minimum 30 scholars, entrance included)
Night drives: By Quotation Only, (minimum 30 scholars, entrance included). Groups less than 30 must have a Ranger accompany them. A day's outing can be planned by visiting the Reserve, as well as the Wonder Cave, Rainbow trout farm, or Kromdraai Goldmine. School groups are only accommodated during week days. All of the above is by booking only.

2. KROMDRAAI WONDER CAVE: Programmes for school children:

Pricing:  By Quotation Only

The Wonder Cave has the following educational programme for school children:
The children are taken on a tour through the Wonder Cave by a competent guide, the guide will inform the children about the formations, how they are formed, geology and the cave itself. All tours are conducted by a guide along well-lit pathways, where no crawling is necessary, reducing the likelihood of claustrophobia. A talk on ancient man, or environmental lectures can be included at an extra fee per scholar. (minimum of 30 scholars)Light snacks and refreshments are available, with limited braai areas. A curio shop displays unique arts & crafts. Fossils that have been excavated are on display. A full days outing can be created by visiting adjoining attractions such as the Rhino and Lion Nature Reserve, the Rainbow Trout Farm, and the Kromdraai Goldmine. Special lunch packages for scholars can be ordered, contact our office for further details.

Formations: Rim-stones pools, cave pearls, stalactites, stalagmites, popcorn formations, mushroom formations and the Madonna.

Abseiling and Wild Caving:  The Wonder Cave also offers an 18m abseil, combined with the standard tour. Allow approximately 3 hours for 20 scholars. The rate includes the entrance fee and is applicable to a minimum of 20 pupils.Wild caving can be arranged at a nearby cave with a minimum of 20 scholars. In this case, old clothes should be worn.

Routes: There are two routes to the Wonder Cave, namely: Route A, which is direct to the cave or Route B is via the Rhino and Nature Reserve.

Tour Times: 08:00, 09:00, 10:00, 11:00, 12:00, 13:00, 14:00, 15:00, 16:00.

Trading Hours: The cave is open daily from 08:00 to 17:00. School tours only run during the week.

Admission For Schools: Pricing By Quotation Only

All of the above is by booking only.

3.RAINBOW TROUT FARM:  Programmes for School Children:

Pricing:  By Quotation Only

The Rainbow Trout Farm has the following standard educational programme for school children: The group, of maximum 100 children but preferably closer to 60, is divided into two sub groups. Both groups are lectured to for a period of 30 to 40 minutes, depending on the age and the attention span of the sub group. Group A is lectured on the following topics: The origin of trout, and it's introduction to South Africa. Different species of trout. Steps of procreation of the trout. Predators of trout in it's natural environment. A pictorial description of the innards of a trout, followed by a dissection of a freshly caught trout. Group B is lectured on the following: Brief description on the area of Kromdraai, with reference to this geology and palaeontology. Reasons why trout can survive there. The workings of the trout farm, both physically and commercially.(Purchasing, transporting, sorting, feeding) The problems that are experienced on a farm of this nature and how they are countered. Different ways of catching trout, either with bait or with artificial 'fly'. A collection of artificial flies is shown around. Reason why trout, once caught, may not be released again on this farm, followed by feeding of the fish by the children. After the above lectures the two groups alternate. A break can be organised either between the two lectures or preferably thereafter. The farm has a small kiosk where the children may purchase refreshments. From arrival to departure the total time spent on the farm is 2 hours.
Cheques payable to The Rainbow Trout Farm. Certain schools opt for an extension to the standard educational programme by allowing pupils to actually catch one or more fish each. (Not suitable for children below Grd 4). In this case we definitely cannot accommodate groups of more than 60 children. A fish cannot be caught on command - this becomes a whole mornings exercise as fishing will be done after the "educational", which will now include a demonstration of how to use a spinning rod and a fly rod. We guarantee that, "by hook or by crook" each child who may catch will come home with a fish. Fishing by the children will be with bait, using spinning rods, which we supply. The children are paired off with a landing net and a rod, so that each in turn catches a fish. Each fish caught is taken to the kiosk for weighing and is charged to the child at the going rate. The fish is then gutted, put into a plastic bag labeled with child's name and kept in the fridge until departure. The school should organise cooler bags to transport the fish back to the school.The average size of the trout is more or less half a kilogram. Recipes on how to prepare and eat the trout are given to each child. At least one private school turns this outing into an annual social event for the parents of the Grd 5 class by having a fish braai at the school in the evening.

4. PALAEONTOLOGY: FOSSIL TALKS AT THE WONDER CAVE: Programmes for school Children:

Pricing:  By Quotation Only

The school children are given a brief overview of the evolutionary process from ape to man. The talk involves a lecture of +/- 30 minutes. Ideally groups of 30 scholars can be lectured at one time, and a tour to the Wonder Cave can be included for the larger groups. The palaeotological talks are structured and presented in such a manner that it can be given at any of the facilities within the Kromdraai Conservancy, and it is suggested that they are conducted in conjunction with any of the other school tours. The lecture includes a brief introduction on to palaeontology and palaeotological field methods, the talk will then also briefly discuss the age, build and significance of all the well known species of evolutionary man. Children get to look and touch the fossil replicas of the more well known fossils.  Dedicated field trips can be arranged to a fossil site in the presence of a resident scientist. Please enquire for further details.

5.THE KROMDRAAI GOLD MINE: Programme for School Children:

Pricing:  By Quotation Only

The Kromdraai Goldmine is the first on the Witwatersrand and is situated in an unspoilt rural setting 12 kms north of Krugersdorp. Gold was discovered here in 1881 by Johannes Stephanus Minnaar. The first government mining concession on the Witwatersrand was granted to Kromdraai Goldmine by Paul Kruger. The trip includes an exciting and informative tour, suitable for SMALL GROUPS.
The trip comprises of:

• An underground mine trip, level and easy walk, of approx. 30 mins.
• Lecture on History and Geology of the mine, level depenanton age of the scholars, approx. 20 mins. Please allow 1 hour per 30 scholars.
  Cheques payable to G. Whatley.
  A day's outing can be planned by visiting the surrounding attractions

All of the above is by booking only.

6. S.A. NATIONAL BIRDS OF PREY CENTRE: Programme for School children:

Pricing:  By Quotation Only

The South African National Birds of Prey Centre on the Rhino and Lion Nature Reserve has a team of Eagles, Owls, Hawks and Falcons, which are flown for the children to display the differences between the species. This programme is well suited for scholars of all ages. Duration is approximately 45 minutes . This raptor show can be packaged for a minimum of thirty scholars, with the following industries:
Rhino and Lion Nature Reserve,Wonder Cave, Kromdraai Goldmine or Rainbow Trout Farm. The Birds of Prey Centre can also be booked for flying display at your school. In this case, an open area or field must be made available.  Payment to the South African National Birds of Prey Centre.

All of the above is by booking only.

7. ENVIRONMENTAL LECTURES: Programmes for School Children:

Pricing:  By Quotation Only

An environmental lecture can be packaged with the activities with the activities above to add educational programme will enable students to realize how they can contribute to conservation of natural resources both at home and at school. Programmes can be adapted to all age groups and to complement your school syllabus. Duration approximately 30 minutes. This lecture is only available as part of a package with any of the attractions listed. Payment to Conserv Tours.

8. DANIELSRUST: Game Viewing, Fossils, Environmental Education. Programme for School Children: An educational excursion offering a combination of game walks, game drives, environmental education and fossil history on a 1000 ha game farm.
The programme kicks off with a full environmental lecture with educational games. Thereafter the group will take a walk on the 'wild side' with the opportunity of viewing a variety of antelope in their natural environment. Our unique educational fossil site is the only one of its kind, offering hands-on experience on the workings of a fossil site, combined with a palaeotological talk. Facilities include a tuck shop and picnic area.

Entrance Fee: Pricing By quotation only. Duration of Programme: Approximately 4 hours.

Horse trails on request for small groups. Also inquire about weekend accommodation and game walks.

The above is by booking only .

9. LIVING JEWELS: Carnivorous Plants and Koi.

Programmes for School Children:

Pricing:  By Quotation Only

An introduction to the magic of carnivores plants and Koi fish. The group of maximum 50 scholars will be divided into two groups. One group will have a lecture and demonstration on the habits of a variety of carnivorous plant species, and general information on Koi fish.
The second group will go on a guided tour of the Koi ponds and greenhouses.
Facilities include a tuck shop, curio shop and picnic area.
Carnivorous plants, Gold fish and Koi to buy.

Duration of Programme: Approximately 2 hours.

 Bigger groups can be alternated with an educational lecture or Fossil talk on the facility by quotation only

The above is by booking only.

For more information and bookings contact the Conserv Bookings and Information Office at 083 454 6529, Fax 086 658 3787 or email: info@conservtours.com