AAI’s Next South Africa Trip Now Available!Dates: September 19 – 27 (Includes a special Glamping Safari 9/25-9/27!) /This trip offers opportunity to engage in meaningful work with local orphanages and schools…”work” that is a LOT of FUN!!!
We will focus on:
- Rebuilding a home
- Having fun with the kids through local activitiesl
- Helping with projects each home needs
- Talking with the children to learn about their stories
- Touring local schools, meeting teachers and some of their students
- Participating in National Heritage Day activities
Special Event:
We will celebrate National Heritage Day on September 24 by visiting a school that is hosting a special event just for us! It will feature music and fun activities with everyone dressed in their cultural outfits….certain to be a memorable experience!
Donations Needed:
We are collecting clothes, healthcare products, hygiene items, and school supplies. Any contributions will be greatly appreciated.
To Help You Finance This Trip:
You can support the trip by raising money through GoFundMe or similar platforms.
Trip Cost: $900
Hotel Cost:
The guesthouse Sun Rock near the airport in a gated community will be a separate fee, costing around $300 for the entire stay from September 19th to 25th. There are options to share rooms for a lower price. The hotel offers a complimentary breakfast buffet and dinner for around $10 USD. They also provide airport pickup.
Special Safari September 25-27 – Approximate Cost:
The cost of the safari for 2 nights and 3 days will around $450 sharing a tent. Space is limited. A single tent will be more.
Extra Excursions not included:
If you arrive early, there will be an opportunity to walk with the lions, tourJohannesburg, Soweto, the apartheid museum and so much more. You can also plan to go to Capetown and Victoria Falls on your own — definitely suggested if it’s your first time to South Africa. If you want to do any extra excursions before the trip, please arrive early, and we can have it set up for you!
Plan ahead and join us for an unforgettable experience!
Sign up today at this Link!
> $100 Deposit to hold your spot.
> Please contact Cheryl Robinson for any questions: Cheryl.robinson@airlineamb.org call/text 517-599-4095
Here is the itinerary: South Africa AAI trip September 2024
Cost of the Airline Ambassador trip: $900 please pay your deposit of $100 on the AAI website to hold your spot. Remaining $800 due by September 11
Optional September 17-18 Excursions on your own (I can help arrange; walking with the lions, Jo burg tour, Apartheid museum and Soweto)
Helping the children September 19-24
Optional – September 25-27 Glamping Safari at Dinokeng (Highly recommended)
September 16-18 arrive Johannesberg JNB !!
Airport transportation provided
Arrive at The Sun Rock guest house
Dinner on your own starts at 7 ($13)
September 17/18 Tuesday and Wednesday
Your own Excursion (please let me know and I can help arrange that for you)
The Lion walk and Elephants (example)
Early departure 6:30-7am TBD
Lion walk 6-7pp Rand 2090 = $112 (it will be more with less people)
Elephant excursion Rand 800= $43
Please let me know so I can make the reservation ($155pp) Cash is preferred but he will accept credit card
Dinner 7-9
September 19 Thursday
7 -9 Breakfast
9-9:30 Leave for Maria’s Mpumelelo Daycare center
10–12 Introduction from Maria
Getting to know the children (babies and pre-school age)
Tour of her complex and the surrounding area wear comfortable shoes
Help feed the children their lunch
12 – 1 Bag lunch (will be available from our guest house upon request $7-8)
1-4 Start project there or at the orphanage (if you prefer to play with the children that would be wonderful)
4-4:30 Depart for the guest house
7-9 Dinner
Free time at lodge
September 20 Friday
7 – 9 Breakfast
9-9:30 leave for Maria’s daycare/orphanage
9:30-4:30 Project of painting her orphanage
12-1 Bag Lunch (upon request $7-8 from Sun Rock)
4:30 Depart for Sun Rock
7-9 Dinner
Free time
September 21 Saturday
7 – 9 Breakfast
10-11 Depart for Maria Gaba’s
Day spent finishing the project (if needed)
Party doing fun activities with the kids like dancing, singing and games at Maria’s home
Late lunch will be provided of KFC (their favorite)
6 Depart for Sun Rock Guest house (they hate when we leave)
7-9 Dinner at Sun Rock Guest house
9 Free time
September 22 Sunday
7 – 8 Breakfast
9 Departure to Sinethemba Hope House (Grant and Sharon’s home; orphanage)
10 – 12 Introduction, tour of their home and start project (if needed)
12-4 TBD either activities there, a project or something fun will be arranged
If anyone has a fun game please let me know. It’s fun to do some outdoor activities, they have a large area.
Late Lunch will be an outdoor picnic or something of their choice for all of us
4-5 Depart for Sun Rock
7-9 Dinner at the Guest house (if you are not very hungry, we can always order a large salad for everyone, because the dinner is always a Buffet)
September 23 Monday
7 – 9 Breakfast
9-9:30 Leave forGrant and Sharon’s
10:00 Arrive
10-3 Finish project or more games
12 – 1 light snack
3-5 (TBD) movie time with all the kids from both places
5 Depart for Sun Rock Guest house
7-9 Dinner
9 Free time at lodge
September 24
7-9 Breakfast
Heritage Day at school
9:30 Depart for the school (some of Maria’s kids go here)
The principal has once again invited us to join them for this celebration.
Spend most of the day with the kids celebrating Heritage Day, this is where they dress in their tribes wear and sing and dance. There will also be a few activities.
If our day ends early we will have something fun planned.
September 25-27 Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday
Safari
This is an amazing opportunity to stay in a tent and experience a Safari
We will do Game drives, morning and evening, a chance to do a walking Safari and maybe a Safari from a boat.
The last day we do a morning safari then breakfast before we leave, which means we will return around 12:30-1 most flights depart in the evening so some of us may want to get a room to relax before we leave or do a half day excursion.
Everything is included except for the tips and snacks /2 night Glamping Safari / Single tent $525 pp/ Double sharing (2 beds) $416 pp
September 27
1pm Arrive at Jnb Airport for departure or back to guest house. Times are TBD
most flights depart in the evening, if you need to leave in the morning please plan accordingly and leave on September 28.
Most important once you decide please let me know so I can make all your reservations.
I will make the Sun Rock reservation for you, once that is made you are responsible for payment of those nights. They will send you an invoice to pay by email. I need to know as soon as you can as they do not have many rooms left. Breakfast is included and dinner is $13 and drinks are an extra charge. There is also a lady who does massages, facials, and nails. We try and arrange for a few of us to be spoiled every night!! She’s amazing.
Rates are per night (approximately) Single 1150 Rand $63 /Sharing 1650 Rand $91 (for 2)
We have just recently started doing excursions with the kids, the transportation for all of us is difficult sometimes. This is why a few things are not yet determined. Our last movie time was so much fun that we want to do it again. We might also do another activities.
They are building Maria’s new orphanage and I’m hoping it will be finished by the time we arrive and we can assist with that. So exact activities are uncertain now will be all planned before we arrive. They are so excited for us to arrive.
I’d like to thank you in advance for all your patience! For any changes I will let you know the day before or as soon as possible !! and will revise this as needed.
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Let me know if you want a list of the things that they need in case you want to check a few bags.
Many people ask what they can do to help, since most of us are stand by then it’s difficult to check bags, please don’t worry if you don’t bring anything. If someone would like to give a cash donation I suggest you bring some cards to give to them with a special note.
There are ATM machines we can use. /Anything left over from the money we all pay is our donation to them./Any food allergies please let me know.
The price of the trip includes: Transportation daily for 6 days/ All supplies needed for the projects/ All excursions while we are together with the children
Food while we are with them (except a few bag lunches at Maria’s) /Parties with both places? Cash donations from us at the end with all money leftover
As always I’m looking forward to seeing everyone, it’s going to be an amazing trip.
I’m arriving on September 16 on Delta.
See you there. Thanks so much, Cheryl
