Volunteer with elephants in South Africa
Description of Volunteer with elephants in South Africa
Dive into an unforgettable adventure and create lifelong memories by volunteering with elephants in a stunning conservation park along South Africa's renowned Garden Route. This unique opportunity allows you to work hands-on with these gentle giants, helping to care for elephants of all ages who have been rescued from human exploitation and natural disasters.
About the Elephant Conservation Park
At this sanctuary, elephants roam freely in a spacious park designed for their recovery and well-being. As a volunteer, you will play a crucial role in monitoring their behavior, contributing to vital research efforts aimed at understanding this magnificent species. With elephant populations declining rapidly in South Africa, your involvement will help raise awareness about their plight and combat threats such as poaching and habitat loss. Experience close encounters with elephants like never before, gaining invaluable knowledge and skills—without the controversial practice of elephant back riding.
What Will You Be Doing?
Your tasks may include:
Participating in important research projects by observing and documenting elephant behavior, collecting notes, and taking samples.
Preparing nutritious meals and enriching the elephants’ environment to enhance their well-being.
Monitoring the health and welfare of the elephants to ensure they thrive.
Assisting with maintenance work around the park to keep the facility in top shape.
Where Will You Stay?
You’ll be living just steps away from the elephants in comfortable, self-catering accommodation shared with fellow volunteers. The park is conveniently located just 15 minutes from Plettenberg Bay, providing easy access to explore the beautiful coastal region. During your weekends, you can unwind at nearby beaches, savor delicious local cuisine, or partake in thrilling activities such as bungee jumping, surfing, and skydiving. You can also discover local game and nature reserves, adding adventure to your conservation experience!
Join Us for an Impactful Journey!
This is your chance to contribute to the preservation of elephants while enjoying the breath taking landscapes of South Africa. Sign up today and embark on a life-changing experience dedicated to protecting these incredible creatures!
Price information
Transfers from George airport included.
Departure information
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Reviews
1 Reviews of Volunteer with elephants in South Africa
Reviewed on 01 Jul 2019 by Jane Stoyles
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
Being so close to such amazing animals and being accepted by them. Preparing the enrichment birthday treats was fun and creative and then feeding it to an individual elephant was wonderful. Standing out in the field on a warm sunny day observing the herd , not quite such good fun at 5 o clock on a wet and windy
morning but still very memorable!
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Take your own waterproof things ,in sensitive colours. We took too many every day clothes ,trousers and the t shirts provided are worn most of the time.
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
The experience certainly benefits the elephants and the scientific study. By eating in the local restaurants and visiting other places must benefit the local people.
4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
My husband and I ,both 66 years old had a great time ! The physical work was fine and we enjoyed the company of a real mix of other volunteers.
Pick your time of year depending on how hot or wet you expect it to be. It was good!
Responsible Travel
Planet
Our projects are designed to immerse you in a different culture, living and working with local people. There’s plenty to gain personally from this. But we make sure that the project directly benefits local people and wildlife too.Animal welfare
This research and care programme has been running since 2010. It is overseen by an experienced and well-regarded team. Although the elephants do have contact with humans, they are helped and encouraged to live as naturally as possible, roaming freely across the park in a matriarchal herd. As well as protecting individual elephants the organisation aims to improve public awareness about safeguarding their environment.
The elephants at the park are the main priority; their conservation, their care and their rehabilitation. Education on elephants, habitat destruction, the illegal ivory trade and exploiting elephants is also hugely important. Visitors come to the park and are given a presentation and a tour, meet the elephants and learn all about their backgrounds.
The main backbone of the volunteer programme is research and conservation. This is led by a qualified and experienced team, who have been working with these elephants for years. Many of the elephants come to the park in a distressed state, needing care and time to recover from their trauma.
There is no elephant back riding allowed at the park.
Protecting the world
We are passionate about encouraging our travellers to be kind to the environment as they travel. Each participant receives advice about how to care for the environment whilst they are away. This includes water usage, how to avoid single use plastic, and electricity usage.
We insist that all participants bring their own water bottles when they travel with us, and clean free water is always available. We have even created a water bottle that can be purchased before departure and encourage people to use it at all stages of their journey including at the airport, on flights and whilst on their project. We are striving for all of our projects to be free of single use plastic.
People
Meeting local needsThe park also plays an important role in protecting the local economy. The ‘big five’ wild animals are a key source of tourist income for South Africa and protection of these species is vital for some rural areas, who rely on responsible tourism to sustain them. By volunteering at the park, you will be helping to meet an important local need. You will also contribute directly to the area’s economy, creating jobs for domestic staff at the park, eating locally-sourced food and making use of shops and leisure facilities in the town. You will not be taking jobs away from local people. The organisation employs as many local staff as it can afford, but relies on volunteers to support them.
Cultural sensitivity
We emphasise the importance of showing respect for local people and their customs in our briefing material. Participants will work alongside permanent staff, forming close bonds and getting an insight into real life in rural South Africa.
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