Wildlife Volunteering in South Africa

Looking for a wildlife volunteering programme in South Africa where your work makes a real difference? At Kwantu Private Game Reserve you join our conservation team on a 6,000-hectare Big 5 reserve on the Sidbury Plains, along the Bushman’s River, about an hour’s drive from Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth) in the malaria-free Eastern Cape.

What wildlife volunteers do

• Lion tracking and monitoring
• Game drives in open safari vehicles
• Wilderness trail walks, patrols and fence patrols
• Removing alien vegetation, tree planting and work in our nursery
• Building and maintaining wildlife structures
• Game counts and game captures (in season)
• Optional community outreach at local school feeding schemes

You work Monday to Friday in groups of up to 10, each led by an outdoor coordinator. Working hours vary with the season; at the moment the day runs from about 09:00 to 12:00 and 14:00 to 16:00. Weekends are free, with an optional excursion to Gqeberha.

Please note: there is no animal interaction at Kwantu. Volunteers do not touch, feed or handle any animals, and there is no hunting on the reserve.

All-inclusive, from 1 to 24 weeks

Stay anywhere from one week to six months. Packages include volunteer dorm accommodation, three meals a day, scheduled airport transfers from Gqeberha (new volunteers arrive on Mondays), the weekend excursion, a Kwantu T-shirt and cap, and dedicated volunteer coordinators. The minimum age is 16. Prices start from R14,495 per person per week.

See the full Wildlife & Conservation Volunteering programme, or read our programme information before you travel.

What volunteers say

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