Dear Jay and the Stay Wild Stay Creative Team,

We are incredibly excited to welcome you to South Africa and to host you at Olienhout this December.

Before we get into the itinerary, there is one important thing to understand: this is the bush. Some days everything runs beautifully according to plan. On other days, all hell breaks loose—a fence is damaged, an animal needs to be located, equipment stops working or the weather changes everything—and we simply work together and keep things moving.

For this visit, we are hoping for the perfect balance: we want everything to run smoothly, but perhaps not too smoothly! We want you to experience what day-to-day life on a working reserve genuinely looks like—the unexpected moments, physical work, problem-solving and teamwork that happen behind the beautiful wildlife footage.

Our aim is not to offer you a staged conservation tour. We want you to take part in the real work involved in restoring and managing a former cattle farm as a wildlife reserve, while documenting the people, projects and purpose behind it.

The itinerary will therefore remain slightly flexible. Wildlife, weather and the immediate needs of the reserve may influence the programme, and sometimes those unplanned moments make the best stories.

DECEMBER 8 — ARRIVAL IN JOHANNESBURG

Your flight is scheduled to arrive at OR Tambo International Airport at approximately 19:00.

Christiaan will personally welcome the group at the airport and accompany you to Lamorie Guest House for the night.

The overnight package includes:

· Transfer from OR Tambo International Airport to Lamorie

· Dinner

· Selected refreshments

· Shared accommodation

· Breakfast packs for the following morning

The discounted rate is R2,000 per person sharing for the night. To receive this rate, payment will need to be made through our account.

Considering that the transfer, accommodation, dinner, refreshments and breakfast packs are included, we believe this offers very good value.

DECEMBER 9 — JOURNEY TO OLIENHOUT AND WELCOME EVENING

After an early breakfast, the group will depart Johannesburg for Olienhout in the Northern Cape.

Once you arrive, the afternoon will be kept relaxed after the long journey:

· Settle into your accommodation

· Unpack and familiarise yourselves with the facilities

· Take a gentle walk around the camp and surrounding reserve

· Capture your first footage of the landscape, facilities and atmosphere

· Enjoy some quiet time before dinner

Between 19:00 and 20:00, we will gather in the boma for a welcome dinner around the fire. The sun sets late at this time of year, so the exact dinner time will depend on the day and the light.

The evening will include introductions, the story of Olienhout and an induku session.

An induku is a traditional African talking stick. It is passed around the circle, and whoever holds it has the opportunity to speak while everyone else listens without interruption. At Kukama, we use it to encourage honest conversation, reflection and respect. It gives every person a voice and allows a group of strangers to begin becoming a team.

Everyone will be invited to share who they are, what brought them to South Africa and what they hope to take away from the experience. We will then share the story of Olienhout—its history as a cattle farm, the work completed since 2024 and our long-term vision for rewilding the property.

It will be the first opportunity for all of us to connect properly and set the intention for the week ahead.

DECEMBER 10 — FENCE MANAGEMENT AND A SUNSET SAFARI

Morning:

The day will begin with one of the most important parts of managing a wildlife reserve: checking the boundary fence.

Activities will include:

· Driving and walking selected sections of the fence line

· Identifying damage, weak points and maintenance needs

· Completing practical fence repairs where required

· Removing old fencing material where necessary

· Comparing the original fencing with sections that have already been upgraded

· Discussing the fencing required for the future introduction of rhino

· Capturing footage of the work and the different stages of the fence’s development

Christiaan will explain what the fencing looked like when we purchased the property, what has already been upgraded and what still needs to be completed.

We will enjoy a bush picnic while moving through the reserve and checking the fence line.

Early afternoon:

After returning to camp, the group will have time to rest, freshen up, charge equipment and back up footage.

Late afternoon:

We will head out for a sunset safari drive. This will be a more relaxed opportunity to experience the reserve, photograph and film wildlife, and enjoy the landscape during the best afternoon light.

We will stop at a scenic location for sundowner refreshments and snacks before returning to camp.

Dinner will be served between 19:00 and 20:00.

DECEMBER 11 — ALIEN INVASIVE SPECIES AND RESERVE CLEAN-UP

Morning:

The morning will focus on alien invasive species and the effect they have on the reserve.

Activities will include:

· Identifying selected alien invasive plants

· Removing invasive plants from priority areas

· Discussing their effect on indigenous vegetation, water availability and habitat quality

· Capturing before, during and after footage of the work

· Discussing the long-term management needed to prevent regrowth

Late morning:

The group will then assist with cleaning selected areas of the reserve by:

· Collecting old fencing wire

· Removing plastic and other rubbish

· Clearing material left from the property’s cattle-farming years

· Checking for potentially dangerous wire or material that could injure wildlife

· Documenting how removing the physical remains of previous land use forms part of the rewilding process

We will return to camp for lunch, followed by a break during the hottest part of the day.

Late afternoon:

We will return to the project areas to complete outstanding work, film the progress made and capture comparison footage showing the difference made during the day.

Dinner will be served between 19:00 and 20:00.

DECEMBER 12 — BUSH ENCROACHMENT, MATTRESS PACKING AND ROAD MAINTENANCE

Morning:

The morning will focus on selected areas affected by black-thorn encroachment.

Activities will include:

· Identifying areas where encroachment is affecting veld condition

· Clearing selected sections

· Discussing the difference between responsible veld management and unnecessary clearing

· Processing suitable cleared material into firewood

· Capturing practical and before-and-after footage

We will also demonstrate how suitable cleared material can be reused for mattress packing in damaged or eroded areas.

The mattress packing will show how vegetation removed during responsible bush management can be used to slow water movement, trap soil and support the rehabilitation of affected areas.

After lunch, the group will have a break during the hottest part of the day.

Late afternoon:

The afternoon may include practical road and erosion-control work such as:

· Inspecting sections of the reserve roads

· Repairing damaged areas

· Building or repairing erosion-control bolsters

· Clearing and repairing mitre drains

· Improving the movement of rainwater away from roads

· Discussing how road maintenance helps prevent erosion and protects the surrounding veld

Dinner will be served between 19:00 and 20:00.

DECEMBER 13 — WITSAND AND THE KALAHARI WILDLIFE PROJECT

This will be a full-day excursion and will include:

· A visit to Witsand Nature Reserve to experience its unique white dunes, landscapes, birdlife and vegetation

· Exploring the 4x4 route

· Discussing responsible tourism and the importance of remaining on designated tracks

· A visit to the Kalahari Wildlife Project to learn more about the rehabilitation of endangered and other wildlife species

· Filming the people and conservation work behind both projects

For the journey to Witsand, we would love the group to travel in our open safari vehicle. It is always part of the adventure and a memorable way to experience the area.

A second vehicle will follow so that cameras, bags and other equipment can be transported safely and protected from dust and weather.

The exact order and timing of the two visits will be confirmed closer to the date.

DECEMBER 14 — WILDLIFE MONITORING, FINAL PROJECTS AND THE WALL OF PURPOSE

Morning:

The final working day will begin with wildlife monitoring and may include:

· Conducting wildlife counts along selected routes

· Recording species, numbers and locations

· Observing wildlife distribution across the reserve

· Discussing how this information supports management decisions

· Photographing and filming the wildlife-monitoring process

Depending on the work completed during the week, the morning may also include:

· Completion of outstanding conservation projects; there is actually so much that can be done- we still need to build specialised cages for birds (Christiaan can explain more about this)

· Returning to project areas to record the finished results

· Filming final comparison footage

· Capturing any wildlife, reserve or conservation footage still needed

When we refer to “capturing” the reserve and its wildlife, we mean capturing it through photography and filming.

Late afternoon:

The group will have dedicated time for:

· Final interviews

· Reflections on the week

· Scenic footage during the late-afternoon light

· Any remaining photographs or video needed to complete the story

· A final drive through the reserve

We will also add Stay Wild Stay Creative to our Wall of Purpose.

The wall represents the people, groups and partners who have become part of the Olienhout journey and contributed to its story. Adding your name will leave a permanent reminder that your team was here, worked alongside us and helped share the story of the reserve with a wider audience.

The visit will conclude with a farewell dinner around the fire between 19:00 and 20:00.

DECEMBER 15 — RETURN TO JOHANNESBURG

We will personally drive the group back to OR Tambo International Airport.

We propose departing Olienhout at approximately 07:00, which should allow us to reach the airport by 15:00 at the latest. This provides a comfortable buffer before the Delta flight departs at 21:55.

Please let us know whether this timing suits the group or whether you would prefer to arrive at the airport earlier.

The flight is scheduled to arrive in Atlanta at approximately 13:00 on December 16. Anyone wishing to remain in South Africa longer may also arrange an optional extension.

GENERAL DAILY RHYTHM

Although some days will differ, our general daily rhythm will be:

· 06:00–06:30 — Begin the morning’s activities

· Late morning — Brunch, lunch or a bush picnic

· Approximately three-hour break during the hottest part of the day

· 16:00–16:30 — Return to the field

· 19:00–20:00 — Dinner, depending on the day’s activities and available light

The programme will be active and practical, but there will be time to rest, charge equipment, back up footage and prepare for the next filming session.

All fieldwork will be guided and supervised by our team.

ACCOMMODATION AND MEALS

The Lamorie package on December 8 includes the airport transfer, dinner, selected refreshments, shared accommodation and breakfast packs.

Accommodation and meals at Olienhout for the remainder of the visit are covered according to our arrangement.

Closer to the visit, we will confirm dietary requirements, allergies and final room-sharing arrangements.

TRANSPORT

The airport transfer from OR Tambo to Lamorie on December 8 is included in the Lamorie package.

Transport from Johannesburg to Olienhout on December 9 and from Olienhout back to OR Tambo on December 15 is still to be confirmed.

We have approached several companies and organisations for assistance and are hopeful that one of these opportunities will materialise.

The worst-case option would be hiring an 11-seater minibus at approximately R16,000 per trip, bringing the estimated round-trip cost to R32,000. We will keep you updated and will confirm the arrangement before committing to the cost.

SHARING THE STORY

More than anything, we want your group to experience the honest reality of conservation—the work, uncertainty, teamwork, setbacks, progress and purpose behind rebuilding a functioning wildlife reserve.

After the visit, we would love to update our Study With Impact page with the story of your time at Olienhout and the work completed during the week.

It would be a meaningful way to show how conservation, education, tourism and creative storytelling can support one another.

We hope this visit will be the beginning of a long-term relationship and that, by the time you leave, you will already be thinking about what we can do together when you return.

FINAL PLANNING CHECKLIST

To help both of us keep track of what has been confirmed and what is still outstanding, we can work through the checklist below:

Travel and transport

· Final passenger numbers confirmed

· Arrival flight details reconfirmed

· December 8 airport collection confirmed

· Johannesburg-to-Olienhout transport confirmed

· Olienhout-to-OR Tambo return transport confirmed

· December 15 airport arrival time approved by the group

Accommodation

· Lamorie accommodation confirmed

· Lamorie room-sharing arrangements confirmed

· Lamorie payment made through our account

· Olienhout room-sharing arrangements confirmed

Meals and guest information

· Dietary requirements received

· Food allergies received

· Relevant medical or practical information received

· Final meal arrangements confirmed

Filming and equipment

· Priority stories and filming objectives received

· Interview list agreed

· Camera and production-equipment requirements received

· Charging requirements confirmed

· Safe equipment-storage arrangements confirmed

· Drone requirements and permissions discussed, if applicable

· Footage-sharing arrangements discussed

Programme

· Witsand visit confirmed

· Kalahari Wildlife Project visit confirmed

· Open safari vehicle confirmed

· Second support vehicle confirmed

· Conservation projects prepared

· Stay Wild Stay Creative Wall of Purpose feature prepared

· Final itinerary approved by both parties