Tel. +44 (0)1273 600030 (UK)

Conservation volunteering in South Africa

COUNTRY:
South Africa
LOCATION:
Limpopo Province
DEPARTURES:
Please enquire for departure details
PRICE:
From R 11,908 (2 weeks) excluding flights
Convert prices to approx. UK Sterling Convert prices to approx. US Dollars Convert prices to approx. Euros
VOUCHERS:
Gift vouchers can be used with this holiday
Make enquiry
Conservation volunteering in South Africa

Conservation volunteering in South Africa

Volunteer travel - what's it all about?
Are you 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

This project provides biodiversity data to SANSA, SABCA, SARCA, SABAP which will directly assist in producing updated atlas maps of many of the fauna of South Africa and aid future conservation plans for vulnerable species. In addition you will be helping to increase scientific research for the Waterberg area.

A focus of the project is education. Volunteers will not only learn about the wildlife and the ‘bush’ but also wider issues of sustainable tourism and land use. By joining this project you will be directly helping to protect one of the last wildernesses in South Africa (as stated by the renowned conservationist, Clive Walker). By increasing sustainable tourism, which has low impact (Volunteer projects) on the environment, the land is protected from other more degrading land uses such as cattle, agriculture or even mass tourism.

Your financial contribution allows the work to be done here, as well as, through organised trips, provides economic provision into the local area, creating jobs and income for the communities around. The project is located in a beautiful and isolated area. All elements of the project, both on and off the reserve are carried out to minimise impact on the local and wider environments as much as possible. We keep vehicle journeys low to minimise CO2 emissions and we organise our own sustainable refuge clearing.

Make enquiry
How we choose providers
Conservation volunteering in South Africa

Conservation volunteering in South Africa

Reviewed 14 Sep 2007 by Federico Spinucci5 star rating

1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?


Waiting in the hide to see kudus eating at night very close to me. Pilanesburg Game Park. Free camping in the bush.

2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?


Bring your sleeping bag, binoculars and get ready to a full immersion in the wild African bush!

3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, and minimized impacts on the environment?


Yes. The project in Leopard Creek aims to restore the original environment and will surely benefit the whole area.

4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?


A great experience! I learned a lot about wildlife and biodiversity. The whole team at the project was passionate and genuine about respecting the nature and keeping and improving the reserve and very helpful and kind to the volunteers. I will definitely keep a very positive memory of this project and the people that I met there.

Reviewed 12 Sep 2007 by Philippa Brown5 star rating

1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?


Overall, the most memorable part of the holiday was getting the opportunity to see such a wide variety of animals and birds in their natural habit. Some more specific highlights for me were: 1. a trip where we were able to get close to a black rhino who was being rehabbed and 2. A prolonged sighting of a pair of elephants who came down to a waterhole in the Pilanesberg National Park 3. Watching a troop of forty or so baboons cross a plain on the reserve that we stayed on - with the big, swaggering alpha male at the back 4. Discovering how much I enjoyed bird watching

I also enjoyed the opportunity to learn about the animals, birds and their environment from Kelly (the co-ordinator of the programme at the reserve). Kelly is very knowledgeable and passionate about her subject and this shines through as she talks. She is also a patient, good humoured and gifted teacher - always happy to answer any questions for volunteers (however basic you may think your question is!)

2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?


This is the perfect trip for anyone wanting a thorough introduction to the birds and animals of South Africa where you can learn from others in a relaxed and friendly environment. It would also suit those wanting to understand more about the practicalities of conservation work.

I am moderately fit so I thought I might find physical work in the heat a bit tough. However, there was less physical work involved than I had initially anticipated. When we did it, it was hard but we did not do as many days of this as I'd expected. The reserve owners are thoughtful about the volunteers - you do not do physical work for too many hours in one go. Also you only do a half-day at a time - so if you're doing physical work in the morning, you will be doing something less strenuous (e.g. a hide watch) in the afternoon.

Finally volunteers must be OK with dogs - the reserve owners have 4 lovely Rhodesian Ridgebacks. The dogs are allowed in communal areas but not in volunteer's rooms. They are good dogs and very friendly, but if you are allergic to or frightened of dogs then this trip might not be for you.

3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, and minimized impacts on the environment?


The holiday benefited the reserve, the immediate environment and the local economy. The project briefing pack for volunteers contains a comprehensive breakdown of where your money is spent.

4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?


I would highly recommend this holiday. We learned a lot, we made a small positive difference on the reserve (the best result you can get in the short time of 2 weeks) and we had fun. The trip is good value for money - visits to other reserves are included in the price and everything is organised for you.
Make enquiry

Holiday Reviews

We invite every traveller who books a holiday via us to send in a review. Because we don't run the holidays they're completely independent and unedited... remember to read between the lines though, as two people on the same holiday can have different views!

Read our review policy

Conservation volunteering in South Africa
Convert currencies