Volunteer at a safari lodge in Africa
| country: | Botswana, Kenya, South Africa, Tanzania, Zambia, Mozambique, Malawi |
| departures: | Departures are flexible and can be arranged to suit you but will depend on local weather conditions and seasons. |
| price: | From £2400 (12 weeks) excluding flights. In rare circumstances there may be an increase in cost, such as when the hosts are unable to get local park fees, in these cases the cost will be confirmed on application. |
the amazing things you'll be doing
Think you’ve got what it takes to help run a luxury safari camp in one of Africa’s finest game parks? If you’ve ever dreamt of waking up to a dawn chorus of Hippopotamus and sleeping under a breathtaking blanket of stars, now is the time to make dreams a reality. Our unique placements offer you a privileged insight into the Africa, which tourists don’t get to see. Embrace the challenge of working in an exclusive lodge on a three-month volunteer experience that will open your eyes, awaken your senses and surpass your expectations.
The work involved varies from camp to camp – our job is to make sure your skills and expectations fit with the right camp and indeed the right characters that run these heavenly places in often challenging environments! We do this by talking to you at length about your options either on the phone or in our office and narrow it down from there. In most cases you will be part of the safari teams getting the show on the road, doing everything from setting up bush breakfasts and organizing the client’s day-to-day itinerary to masterminding ad campaigns, and problem solving around broken generators! You can be assured that every day will be different and the best skills you can take with you are self motivation, flexibility and a sense of humor.
Whatever your previous experience you will make a valued contribution to the lives of staff, guests and local people. Very often the camps are very involved with local communities who they support in one way or another and so opportunities are available to help on local community and conservation projects where your help is greatly needed and effective. Many people venture off by themselves or with a friend. However it is fairly common that a camp needs more than one extra pair of hands and so you might find us pairing you up. On these occasions we take great care in matching personalities and aim to get you together before departure.
Solo placements are available throughout Eastern and Southern Africa, so ask us about the different countries each with its unique landscapes, cultures and tribes and then check out the individual camps: Kenya, Tanzania, Malawi, Botswana, South Africa, Zambia and Mozambique. All volunteers will be provided with staff accommodation, which obviously varies from camp to camp. If you choose to work in a camp it is highly likely to be in the form of canvas whereas in a lodge it will probably be in the form of a more permanent structure. Bush style showers and toilets are popular and usually involve being out under the stars and the occasional encounter with inquisitive monkeys!
Price includes briefing and training in the UK, supporting travel documents, management and support by and in country director and placement manager, 24hour emergency backup, £40 per month living allowance, airport pick up and transfer to and from the placement, full board and accommodation.
Please note: Normally we only take volunteers aged 22 upwards unless in exceptional circumstances.
The work involved varies from camp to camp – our job is to make sure your skills and expectations fit with the right camp and indeed the right characters that run these heavenly places in often challenging environments! We do this by talking to you at length about your options either on the phone or in our office and narrow it down from there. In most cases you will be part of the safari teams getting the show on the road, doing everything from setting up bush breakfasts and organizing the client’s day-to-day itinerary to masterminding ad campaigns, and problem solving around broken generators! You can be assured that every day will be different and the best skills you can take with you are self motivation, flexibility and a sense of humor.
Whatever your previous experience you will make a valued contribution to the lives of staff, guests and local people. Very often the camps are very involved with local communities who they support in one way or another and so opportunities are available to help on local community and conservation projects where your help is greatly needed and effective. Many people venture off by themselves or with a friend. However it is fairly common that a camp needs more than one extra pair of hands and so you might find us pairing you up. On these occasions we take great care in matching personalities and aim to get you together before departure.
Solo placements are available throughout Eastern and Southern Africa, so ask us about the different countries each with its unique landscapes, cultures and tribes and then check out the individual camps: Kenya, Tanzania, Malawi, Botswana, South Africa, Zambia and Mozambique. All volunteers will be provided with staff accommodation, which obviously varies from camp to camp. If you choose to work in a camp it is highly likely to be in the form of canvas whereas in a lodge it will probably be in the form of a more permanent structure. Bush style showers and toilets are popular and usually involve being out under the stars and the occasional encounter with inquisitive monkeys!
Price includes briefing and training in the UK, supporting travel documents, management and support by and in country director and placement manager, 24hour emergency backup, £40 per month living allowance, airport pick up and transfer to and from the placement, full board and accommodation.
Please note: Normally we only take volunteers aged 22 upwards unless in exceptional circumstances.
volunteer travel - what's it all about?
Are you are looking for an adventurous trip with a purpose, or on a gap year or career break? If you want to make a difference in some of the world’s most important conservation areas - and in community projects - then volunteer trips are for you! Volunteers tend to have a sense of adventure, and come from a range of different backgrounds and from all over the world. Edward Abbey said 'sentiment without action is the ruin of the soul'.
how this holiday makes a difference
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We work very closely with the lodges we are involved with, all driven with the underlying ethos that the conservation of tomorrow is based on the strong relationship between local people, the environment and eco-lodges. The success of one helps the other and so together they help build a better future for developing communities. For example: the lodges provide employment and therefore a valuable, reliable income. This income can be spent on education and buying basic provisions and very often supports a large extended family as well as the individual employed. Indirectly the communities will be more respectful of the environment and its wildlife realizing that without the animals there will be no tourists and then no job – a very effective way to reduce poaching!
On a smaller scale, the lodges and camps we work with are predominantly built out of local materials often using solar power and rainwater. They strive to make a minimal impact on the environment and adhere to strict rules about litter, recycling, carbon footprints and the responsible use of vehicles within National Parks. By working in these camps you will be integral in helping educate not only the local communities about long term sustainability but also the tourists who visit, many of whom will be experiencing Africa for the first time. Education is an important aspect of a placement and an investment in the future stability and interest in these fragile environments, both locally and internationally. Approximately 60% of the cost of the scheme is given to the camp who spend this on their ongoing local community projects or environmental initiatives. In some camps it is even possible to become directly related in teaching English to local children and in most you’ll be required to help conserve the environment for example by helping to detect and remove snares from the bush or rehabilitating injured animals. |
Tourism can be good and bad for destinations & local people. We carefully screen every holiday against our criteria for responsible travel. 'Look behind the brochure' to find how each holiday makes a difference (see left). We don't claim to be perfect - there is no global accreditation - but we've led the way since 2001 and screened 1000's of holidays. We invite every traveller to write a review about their experiences and responsible tourism. This valuable feedback is sent to the people who run the holidays. We keep a very close eye on it and take off holidays that don't live up to our standards. |