OUR 2008 GROUP TRAVELLED TO SOUTH AFRICA FROM JULY 17 TO AUGUST 6.

USE THIS LINK TO VIEW PICTURES FROM THE TRIP!!!!!

 Travel to Southern Africa next summer with a group of IUP students and professors. There you will learn first-hand about the history, people, ecology and wildlife of this diverse region through a series of field trips, lectures and guided tours. To find out more about this unique educational experience, go to the following sections of the site.   

Course Descriptions:

    The Department of Biology at Indiana University of Pennsylvania plans to offer both undergraduate and graduate courses in Southern Africa during Summer, 2008. Courses will begin in mid to late July and end in early August-the best time for game viewing in the Southern Hemisphere's late winter season. Biology majors or those students with an interest in biology may enroll in BIOL 490 Field Studies in Biology, an upper-division class that counts as a free elective or as a major elective toward the BA, BS or minor in Biology at IUP. Students who are not Biology majors are eligible to enroll in BIOL 490, with permission of the instructor. With the Director's approval, this course may be applied to the Pan-African Studies minor at IUP as well. Graduate students may enroll in BIOL 590, which is the Masters-level equivalent of BIOL 490. Students who do not wish credit toward the Biology major or minor at IUP may enroll in BIOL 281 Special Topics:The Diversity of Southern Africa. This course counts as a free elective and it has also been approved to count as a Liberal Studies non-lab science course under Option II of the IUP Liberal Studies graduation requirements. There are no pre-requisites for BIOL 281. Students may elect an audit grade option for this course.  Although all the courses have Biology titles and emphasize the plants and animals in various parts of Southern Africa,  they are entirely appropriate for students in other disciplines such as anthropology, sociology, political science or history.

    All students who enroll in the course will spend 2-3 weeks travelling primarily in the Republic of South Africa, although the class may visit other nations as well. Students will interact with many of the people of Southern Africa-individuals of European, Indian or African descent-in a variety of settings from urban, cosmopolitan Cape Town to a working safari lodge in the bush country of Limpopo Province. Students will observe the dynamic multicultural society of Southern Africa and gain an appreciation for its history and politics as the region moves through a period of significant transition. There will be multiple opportunities for observation of wildlife in national parks or in other settings, and if we are lucky, we'll see each of Africa's famed Big Five animals. Students can expect an up-close and personal encounter with the amazing diversity of Southern Africa in all its dimensions.

Planned Activities For 2009:

    The 2009 class is in the planning stages, but our proposed itinerary includes a "round trip" through diverse areas of the Republic of South Africa and Swaziland. We plan to fly in to Johannesburg and then travel north by road to Marula Safari Lodge, in the bush country of Limpopo Province near the border with Botswana and Zimbabwe. After several days in Marula, we'll drive east and south to Kruger Park, widely considered to be one of the world's finest national parks. After travelling the length of Kruger, we'll pass through Swaziland en route to the province of Kwa-Zulu Natal and the beautiful wildlife sanctuaries of Hluhluwe-Imfolozi and Cape Vidal in the St. Lucia estuary. From there we will move on to  the Western Cape Province, where we plan to get in some whale-watching at Walker Bay. Our last few days will be in the cosmopolitan "Mother City" of Cape Town where we'll have a chance to visit some of South Africa's most important cultural sites.  

    Here are some of the sites and activities planned for the 2009 classes.

Cape Town Area Cape Peninsula tour and Cape of Good Hope National Park Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens Hermanus coastal area for whale-watching  (if they cooperate!) Motor launch trip to Seal Island near Haut Bay Cape Town V&A Waterfront and cultural sites such as Robben Island Photo at right: The 2005 group prepares for the trek up to the Cape Point lighthouse
KwaZulu-Natal Province St. Lucia Estuary UNESCO World Heritage Site Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park-game reserve of Zulu kings Cape Vidal reserve-Indian Ocean beachfront Photo at right: Up close with hippos at St. Lucia in 2003.
Marula Safari Lodge Visit to crocodile farm Limpopo River for elephant viewing Venetia Wild Dog Breeding Project Wild game capture and transport Mapungubwe UNESCO World Heritage Site and National Park Photo at right: Limpopo River 2005-elephants always come to water at dusk.
Kruger Park Area Morning or evening game drive-escorted by park ranger Daily opportunities for viewing large and small game Park museums at rest camps Mingle with visitors from many countries Photo at right: As students observe hippo trails in 2005 the animals call out warnings from the reeds.

 Here are some images from the IUP class trip in 2008.

THANKS TO THE FOLLOWING PROVIDERS FOR A GREAT TRIP IN 2008:

MARULA SAFARI LODGE, http://www.plainsgame.co.za/index.html

CRUISELITE TOURS AND SAFARIS, http://www.cruiselite.co.za/Default.htm

ABSOLUT TOURS AND SAFARIS, http://www.absoluttours.com/3/homepage

Photo Gallery:

    Here are some images from IUP class trips in 2003, 2004 and 2005.

Projected Expenses

 Since the intinerary for the 2009 trip is not yet finalized, we cannot at present provide an accurate estimate of expenses for next summer. However, we expect that the costs for 2009 will be in the general range of those for 2008-below-with allowances for possible increases in air fare,  fluctuations in exchange rate and changes in providers' fees.  The information below will provide some very rough guidelines on what you can expect to spend. Payment dates for 2009 may be different from those for 2008 and we hope that they will be earlier.

Health Precautions

     Malaria prophylaxis tablets are a must!  Mefloquine is the preferred medicine.  LARIUM is the brand name available in the U.S.  A physician must prescribe them.  Students should update their tetanus shot.  The CDC recommends  Hepatitis A vaccine. Hospital and dental care are excellent in South Africa.  At Marula Lodge we will be about one hour’s drive from a hospital; there is a doctor in Alldays (ten minutes from Marula Lodge).  You should consult your physician about health precautions for your travel to South Africa several months prior to the departure date.

Contact Information:

    If you are interested in Summer, 2008 Biology classes in Southern Africa and wish further information, send an email to                             

                Dr. Carl Luciano

                Department of Biology

                Indiana University of Pennsylvania

                luciano@iup.edu

Photo Credits:

Tammy Adams, John Eck, Gerrie Fourie, Alena Kupchella, Carl Luciano, Steve Luciano, Krista McAuliffe