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Welcome to your program
Prepare for an exciting two-week adventure at Lory Park Zoo! You'll have daily activities like participating in zookeeper rounds, veterinary labs, and learning to properly handle captive animals. On the weekend, you take a weekend trip to Kruger National Park and explore a local cultural village.
This page will take you through everything you need to know about your program. You should READ every section. We've linked additional information under each topic as needed.
Housing
Stay in a large, cozy house in the middle of the zoo with a kitchen, two living rooms with couches and a tv, an outdoor patio adjacent to one of the rooms. There are multiple bedrooms with bunk beds and fans. There are four shared bathrooms.
Food
Food at Lory Park Zoo is your typical American Food. For breakfast students have the option of eggs, toast, cereal, etc. For lunch and dinner students will have options like, hamburger, hot dogs, sandwiches, pasta etc. There are a few culture nights where traditional South African meals and Braiis, including pap, antelope, and stews. The zoo cafe also has snacks for purchase, such as chips, candy, chocolate, and soda.
Flights: most dates Posted! More coming soon!
Taking the group flight is mandatory unless you live outside of the continental US. Solo fliers are subject to additional fees. If you choose to fly off the group flight, you must first contact admissions@loopabroad.com.
Packing
The only items you are required to bring are those on the “required” lists. General required items (like your passport) are found on the ALL PROGRAMS packing list above. Program specific required items are found below under the REQUIRED section. For the rest of the items, you are welcome to use your discretion. There may be items missing from this list that you’d like to bring, and there may be items on this list that you don’t want to bring. If you have any questions, please feel free to ask!
Required for this program
Towel- Some students prefer a microfiber travel towel. You may want 2, as things can take a while to dry).
Warm clothes- You will be cold. Check the weather before you pack!
Suggested for this program
Binoculars (certainly not required, but helpful for spotting wildlife)
Field guide (certainly not required, but helpful for identifying wildlife)
A pair of work gloves or gardening gloves
Some students suggest they were happy to have sneakers, sandals with a strap (similar to Teva, Chaco or Keen), or other particular shoes; bring whatever makes you comfortable
Sweatshirt, fleece, or light jacket
Winter jacket or coat for evenings (it can be below freezing)
Gloves, a hat, and other warm gear for early mornings (did we mention it will be cold?)
Travel hand lotion/moisturizer
FAQ
IT IS COLD IN SOUTH AFRICA DURING THE MONTHS OF MAY TO AUGUST. PLEASE CHECK THE WEATHER AND PACK ACCORDINGLY.
WIFI: Students will have WiFi at the program location but the WiFi is not reliable. If you are interested in a travel phone plan, please talk to your phone provider before your program starts.
Bedding: We will provide you with sheets, pillow and blankets.
Towels: Not provided some students prefer brining a microfiber travel towel and a washcloth.
Laundry: Available for emergency use only. Students are responsible for the price of laundry and laundry detergent. You are traveling during South Africa's drought season and the zoo needs to conserve their water. You should not need to use the machine on a two week trip. You may find it useful to bring detergent and wash small items in the sink
Outlets: Outlets are different - you will need an adapter. This global one is a popular style and can be used in almost all locations around the world. You can also get a set of these small adapters and just bring the one you need if you prefer.
Dress Code: There is no uniform dress code for South Africa. Most students like to bring T-shirts/tank tops with a jacket. On Safari days, you are riding in an open truck early in the winter morning, pack accordingly. In the evenings, you may want a winter coat, hat, slippers, socks, gloves, and warm pajamas, such as sweatpants and a sweatshirt (it can be below freezing). Most students were happy to have a heavy jacket or coat for the evenings and early mornings. The next thing below South Africa is a very cold ocean and then Antartica. We suggest you bring some neutral, earth-tone clothing (brown, khaki, etc) which is best for game drives and some other animal activities. Plan to get dirty on this program! On "Flamingo Day" we highly suggest bringing an outfit you don't mind donating- this is a super fun but very dirty activity! Your program takes place during winter in South Africa. IT IS COLD IN SOUTH AFRICA DURING THE MONTHS OF MAY TO AUGUST. PLEASE CHECK THE WEATHER AND PACK ACCORDINGLY.
Money: Most students spend around $200 USD on a two-week program. The shops at our program locations and the shops at Kruger do accept credit cards if you are spending over $10. You’ll likely want to buy things like souvenirs, laundry, snacks or drinks. So you don’t NEED any money, but you’ll want to bring enough that you can buy some things to bring home. We HIGHLY recommend contacting your bank and ordering South African Rand before leaving for the program. There will be an ATM where students can withdraw money, and there is an ATM transaction fee each time.
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