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Operator:
SAVE Volunteering
Price From:
2,130 USD
Ideal Age Range:
19 to 30,
31 to 50
Fitness Needs:
Moderately Fit
Program duration:
2 weeks
Over the course of 2 weeks, you have the opportunity to learn about and take an active hand in endangered species conservation. Located in a game reserve in beautiful South Africa, the project gives you a truly authentic experience in the African bush, up close to iconic wildlife including elephants, rhinos, lions and much more.
During the program, you will learn basic bush survival skills, navigation skills, how to track the animals on foot and in a vehicle, how to safely approach animals while on foot. Most of your days will be spent tracking animals, observing their behavior, location, and condition. The data you’ve collected will be entered into the center’s computers and used to determine better conservation methods.
This unique program is designed for the animal lover and anyone interested in visiting South Africa and participating in a Safari. Not only will you have the chance to do good, you’ll have the thrill of seeing Africa’s most recognized animals in their natural habitats.
Today is your project start day! You'll be picked up in town and brought to the endangered species project center!
While on the project, the needs of the program may vary. This is an example of what to expect:
Mornings:
Your mornings will generally consist of rhino and cheetah location walks. You'll learn how you can determine their whereabouts using their tracks, and how you can record this information. When you have located the animals, you'll have a chance to observe their behaviour, interactions, environment, in an effort to better understand them.
You'll enter the data collected into the computers upon return to the camp. During the week, you'll take part in talks about bush skills, data collection and even a Zulu lesson.
Afternoons:
Afternoons you'll head out on drives in order to monitor and locate areas of the cheetah, rhino and Southern Ground Hornbill. After you discover tracks, you'll continue to track on foot. These drives often give you access to see the Big 5 in their natural habitat!
Friday afternoons, you'll meet the research group and overnight under the stars!
Saturday mornings you'll spend assisting with bush clearing, erosion control, road maintenance, and habitat work. Later in the day, you'll take a monitoring drive followed by a cool beer at a local pub or a South African BBQ!
Today is a free day, but there may also be a planned outing you can participate in. If you choose, you can also take a different excursion or tour.
Between activities, you may also receive presentations of the project work, how to approach dangerous game, and more.
Flag | ![]() |
Continent: | Africa |
Official Language(s) | 11 - Afrikaans, Northern Sotho, English, Southern Ndebele, Southern Sotho, Swazi, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa, Zulu |
Capital: | No official capital. Three branches of government split between Cape Town, Pretoria and Bloemfontein |
Population | 54,956,900 (2015) |
Climate(s) | Desert (Warm/Cold), Semi-arid (Warm/Cold), Mediterranean (Warm/Temperate), Humid Subtropical, Oceanic (Subtropical/Warm/Temperate) |
Major Airport(s): | Cape Town (CPT), Johannesburg (JNB), Durban (DUR) |
Economic Driver(s): | Mining, Agriculture, Manufacturing, Tourism |