Blue Hill Escape – www.bluehillescape.co.za

Here is some general information that we think is important for you in relation to volunteer stays at Blue Hill Escape, so please take a moment to read it. 

This is how our volunteer program works: You help us with whatever there is to do and we give you free accommodation and food, plus hopefully an interesting, learning experience. You must be prepared to help out with a variety of things, so be flexible. The basic idea is that you help us with anything we happen to be doing at the time of your stay. This way you will get a good idea of what it is like to be living and working out here. 

Activities include, but are not restricted to:

Clearing alien vegetation
Planting and 'rocking' erosion gullies
Trail maintenance over the extensive hiking system
Trail marking
Infrastructure development (building hides, bridges etc)
Possibly also help with research projects such as data entry from camera traps and bird ringing
General maintenance
Helping out with kitchen duties

In your free time you can explore the area or retire with a good book from our extensive library.  If you have your own transport, you are free to use your time off to explore the surrounding area. But if you like hiking then there is a lot for you to do just on our property. Be prepared to spend your free time by yourself as there aren't always guests or other volunteers around. It is important that you enjoy being very remote and that you like nature and the outdoors!  

Accommodation will normally be in our four-bed volunteer room with private cubicles with shared bathroom, kitchenette and living area. We normally only take two volunteers at a time. You usually take evening meals with us, and we provide breakfast and lunch for you to prepare yourself in the volunteer room. This is usually cereal for breakfast and stuff for sandwiches for lunch. You are welcome to help in the kitchen or prepare meals for everybody if you enjoy doing this.  

We usually go to Uniondale once a week to do our shopping. Uniondale is at 40 km the nearest town. It takes us 45 minutes to get there as most of the driving is on a gravel road. Please be aware of this when you come here, and bring everything you need for your stay. Uniondale is a small town and only basic things can be purchased there. You are welcome to join us on our trips to town – to do some shopping or go to one of the cafes. The nearest hospital is in Uniondale.

We have a landline telephone, and we don't mind you receiving calls on it as long as it's within reason. You can also make calls from this phone if you bring a calling card. Please note that we don't have cellphone reception at the guest house. Reception is available up a nearby hill (15 minute walk). We have slow and capped internet and there is a public laptop you can use to check e-mails. Broadband internet can be used in Uniondale once a week. This is where you should do most internet browsing other than checking e-mails, such as organizing your further travels. We recommend that you plan most of your trip before coming out here. 

We reserve the right to cancel your stay at any time for serious offences. These include but are not limited to drug and alcohol abuse, and unwillingness to contribute constructively to activities. However, you are welcome to indicate where you do not feel comfortable undertaking certain activities beyond your skill set or fitness level so that we can organise alternative activities. 

Bear in mind that you undertake activities at your own risk, as we are not in a position to be liable for injury! As such, suitable insurance is highly recommended. 

In case of medical emergencies, there is a public hospital in Uniondale. However, good medical facilities including doctors are further away (2hours drive) in the city of George. We will make every effort to assist in evacuation, but stress that medical bills need to be covered by you or your insurance. 

A note on travel arrangements: There is an Intercape bus service between Johannesburg and Cape Town with a stop in Willowmore. This town is 60 km from us and we will pick you up from there. For information on timetables and prices, as well as to book a ticket, go to www.intercape.co.za or phone 0861 / 287287 (or from abroad 0027 / 861 / 287287). 

Where we are: near Uniondale, in the Western Cape but bordering the Eastern Cape. Our coordinates are S33 35.5' E23 24.4'. Maps are available on our website.