Be An Africa Wildlife Volunteer – Best Programs (2025 Update)
Africa is famous for its iconic wildlife – of course!
It’s hard not to be in awe of Africa’s epic animals. An amazing way to learn 8re about them and experience them in person is to volunteer with an African wildlife conservation project.
My own volunteer experience was a phenomenal way to get an in-depth lesson on African wildlife. But I learned a lot about life in Africa, as well, from the time I spent with the monitors and the locals we came in contact with.
I was part of a group with 4 more volunteers from all corners of the globe. We had the most amazing time!
Volunteering is an ideal way to thoroughly enjoy this spectacular continent – your own African conservation experience.
Ethics and Volunteering
Unfortunately, not all programs are truly for the benefit of wildlife.
It’s so important that you research and vet the programs you’re considering to find the perfect project to take part in.
In this way, you do what you can to ensure that the one you end up supporting has the best interests of the animals at heart.
.A program should be able to tell you how you will be spending your days with them. If there is any mention of petting, walking with, or riding animals – run.
The same with cub petting, or elephant riding, for example. In an ethical African volunteer program, animals’ well-being comes before entertainment.
There is a Facebook page dedicated to this topic called Volunteers in Africa Beware. Also have a look at The Good, Bad and Ugly Lists for Volunteering Places in Africa, last updated July 2023.
They’re not always entirely up-to-date as new volunteer programs pop up often. But they’re both good resources when deciding which program you want to support.
To help with your search for a responsible I’ve done the due diligence for you. Here are 5 top volunteer programs for you to consider. They’re all great, ethical options.
5 of the Most Amazing Conservation Volunteer Programs in Africa
If you want to work with wildlife in Africa, you’re sure to find the perfect opportunity for you. There are programs in many parts of the continent, with many different focuses.
There are even programs that work in marine wildlife conservation.
Whichever program you choose, it will be an experience that will stay with you forever. You’ll also end up leaving a bit of yourself behind.
Browse through these top programs – in no particular order. Keep in mind that the pricing may have changed since this writing. Visit each website for current pricing.
1. Imire Rhino Conservation
• Wedza, Zimbabwe
• 1-12 week stays for US$1050 per week
• Find Imire Rhino Conservation
* The Imire Volunteer Programme is offering a 20% discount on projects starting between January 6th and March 30th, 2025!
The original focus of Imire was the black rhinos due to their extremely high level of poaching. They now also work with elephants and cheetahs, as well as other wildlife.
This is one of the few programs where you may be in a position to work with the animals directly.
Your days will involve activities such as monitoring the rhinos, elephants and cheetahs. You’ll work with data capture and record your observations of their behaviour.
You’ll help out with anti-poaching initiatives and ensure a clean place for the resident animals to sleep. In addition, you’ll assist in keeping any enclosures in good repair.
You will also have the opportunity to take part in community education, working with local schoolchildren to educate them about their environment and the importance of the wildlife there.
Click below to view the current program brochure:
🦏 Fun Fact: Imire was the setting of the Animal Planet documentary, “There’s a Rhino in My House”.
2. African Impact
• various locations in Southern and East Africa
• 1-12 week stays, starting at US$1,050 – $3,295 depending on the program
• Go to African Impact
They have opportunities to work with animals in South Africa near Kruger National Park, and in Kenya, close to the Maasai Mara Reserve.
One of the South African programs focuses on the Big 5, tracking their movements and observing and recording behaviour.
As many of these animals are most active at night, you’ll get to take part in night drives through the bush.
Their other South African program is about coming to the aid of animals who are victims of wildlife/human conflict. You’ll learn how best to help these animals and enable them to be returned to the wild.
If you choose to participate in the Kenyan program, you’ll get to assist with research in the Big Cat program. While you’re in Kenya you’ll also get the chance to meet the local community.
You’ll teach them skills they’ll need to be wildlife guides, as well as the importance of wildlife to the ecosystem. You’ll also get to members of the Maasai tribe, and learn about their culture and traditions.
The different locations offer different accommodation options, some with single rooms. You might be able to enjoy a hot tub, or even reliable Wifi.
Whichever program you choose, you’ll have time for safari drives through the bush to see the spectacular wildlife in its natural habitat.
3. Elephant-Human Relations Aid
•Southern Kunene Region Namibia
• 12 night multiples of up to 72 night; 12 nights = US$1205
72 nights = US$5995
• Go to EHRA
The mission of the EHRA is to help elephants and people coexist peacefully.
In an area where water is scarce, elephants will do what they need to in order to access it. This often means damage to whatever might be standing in the way, leaving communities without a water source.
EHRA builds walls to protect the infrastructure. This also helps to preserve the relationship between the elephants and the people they share the land with.
Your time will be divided by weeks. One week will be wall construction, all done by hand as a team. Your second week is spent tracking elephant herds.
You’ll also gather data to learn as much about the individual elephants, their movements and personalities as possible.
You will also communicate with the local farmers to learn about any situation that has or may arise between them and the elephants in the area.
Accommodations and facilities are basic, and you will have the awe-inspiring opportunity to sleep under the stars. This is a great way to experience the night in Africa.
4. Wildlife ACT
• South Africa & Seychelles
• South Africa: 2 weeks+
~ US$1,132 – US$1,719 for first 2 weeks depending on the project
• Seychelles: 4-8 weeks, US$2,778 for each 4wk period
• Go to Wildlife ACT
Wildlife ACT has volunteer opportunities in several different areas of Zululand, which is in the northeast part of South Africa. They are Fair Trade Tourism certified.
This means that they have proven that they hold themselves to high ethical standards. Their focus is on endangered and priority wildlife species.
These include the African Wild Dog, rhino, lion, elephant, leopard, cheetah, and vulture. You will learn how to track the animals, as well as what to do with the information you gather.
There may be the opportunity to participate in collaring the animals, relocation, and setting up camera traps.
Every project and every day is different. As you can imagine, working with wildlife brings many surprises, heartbreaks, and amazing experiences.
Participants are responsible for preparing their own meals, and for general cleaning and maintenance of the camp. It’s your home while you’re on-site, and you get to make yourself at home while you’re there.
Wildlife ACT also has a marine conservation project on the North Island in Seychelles. Along with monitoring endangered species, you will also participate in marine conservation and the restoration of the ecosystem.
This project is a bit more challenging than some others. You will need to be fit enough to walk several kilometres in the sand and up hills.
You’ll also be entrusted to work independently after a few days of training. This project offers the chance to make a substantial contribution to this marine ecosystem.
Wildlife ACT did at one time offer online and virtual programs. Unfortunately, as of December 12, 2024, they are not currently in operation.
5. Na’ankuse Wildlife Sanctuary
Na’ankuse has several projects you can take part in, and volunteer activities are similar to the previous programs. Volunteers track wildlife, take care of maintenance and security, and work with camera traps.
You may also have the opportunity to interact directly with the animals while you’re here.
As well as monitoring wildlife and collecting data, Na’ankuse is a haven for injured and orphaned animals. These animals are cared for with the goal of returning them to the wild.
However, if for any reason this isn’t possible, a permanent place is found for them at the sanctuary.
Volunteers are asked to take part in feeding these animals, cleaning their enclosures, and providing physically and mentally stimulating activities.
Na’ankuse Sanctuary as a whole can accommodate about 65 people at a time. This number is divided up among the individual projects, but there can seem to be crowds of people around at times.
This is especially true when groups are ready to leave and new groups are arriving. This causes a bit of festive chaos at the sanctuary.
You’ll see by the sad faces of the departing ones that their time at Na’ankuse was a rewarding one.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why Consider Volunteering in Africa with Animals?
It might be that you’re just an animal lover, or maybe you’re also looking for a holiday with a purpose.
It could be that you want to get to know Africa from a different angle and give something of yourself to a place you’ve come to love.
Whatever your reasons for considering volunteering with animals in Africa, it’s an amazing experience. You’ll learn about the wildlife, about the country you’re in, and a little about yourself.
Some programs even let you sleep out under the stars.
And even aside from all that, it’s a fantastic way to meet other travellers. You’ll come across people of all ages, and from around the world.
Right away though, you’ll know you have some things in common. Animals and Africa. But most importantly? The animals need you.
Can You Volunteer in Africa for Free?
Now, the word volunteer might sound as though we can simply offer our services to one of these programs. However, that’s not quite how it works.
You actually have to pay these organizations in order to be a wildlife conservation volunteer in Africa. The vast majority of volunteer programs have a fee.
This fee goes towards their animal conservation efforts, their own salaries, as well as the care and feeding of their volunteers. You.
And while it may seem counterintuitive to pay someone to work for them, it’s really the experience that you’re after here. And it’s worth it.
Am I Too Old to Volunteer?
Another misconception is that this type of volunteering is for the younger demographic. Gap-year students or new college grads, for instance.
On the contrary, volunteering with animals in Africa is for anyone of any age. At the time of my own volunteer experience, I was 49, and of my group of 6, only one person was younger than me. The oldest was 69.
As long as you can still get around, there’s a volunteer program for you.
What Factors Should I Consider When Choosing a Program?
If you search for wildlife volunteer programs online, you’re going to come up with a lot of choices. Narrowing them down will depend on which animals you are most interested in helping.
And also on which part of Africa you want to spend your time.
You also have to consider how much time you want to spend volunteering. In addition, what sort of conditions you are willing to stay in? And of course, it depends on your budget.
But especially, consider whether or not a program is ethical in its treatment of the animals and the land. Unfortunately, many aren’t.
Keep in mind that there’s a good chance that you may not be in direct contact with animals. In fact, promises of petting, feeding, or walking with animals may be a red flag regarding the ethics of the program.
I talked more about that in this section.
Expect the work to be more information gathering, tracking, and observing. It is incredibly interesting and rewarding work to do.
You may not have your hands on the animals, but you’ll have your eyes on them daily, and often. Your daily routine will be built around them.
What Will I Be Doing as a Volunteer with African Animal Conservation?
You’ll learn a great deal about Africa, the animals, and the situations surrounding the issues wildlife populations face.
A great many of these issues centre around the frequent conflict between the animals and the people who share their space.
As a volunteer, you may also have the opportunity to help educate communities and school children. You’ll teach them about the wildlife itself and ways to coexist with them.
This is a great way to get to know the real Africa. Learning about the people by actually talking to them. Even if this isn’t the reason behind your trip to Africa, it will be a great experience.
Essential Details: Working with Conservation Projects in Africa
Now that you’ve been introduced to these top African wildlife volunteer programs, you may be wondering about some of the practical details of making the trip.
Read on, and you should find the answers to your questions.
• Unless stated otherwise, they all include airport transfers, meals, and shared lodging for your time with them. The prices are generally similar between the different organizations.
• You will be responsible for the cost and arrangement of your airfare. It will also be up to you to take care of your vaccinations and visas before you leave home.
• Many volunteer organizations will advise you on what vaccinations are needed for the area you’ll be going to.
If you’re not provided with this information, most national governments have a website with the information you need. You may also have a travel clinic nearby that can help.
Or visit Passport Health Global, and take the information you find there to your doctor. The two of you together can work out what you need.
• Any necessary visas will also be your responsibility to obtain. What visas you’ll need will depend on what country your passport is from. A quick Google search will tell you.
Your organization may also be able to tell you if you need any visas.
• Groups are usually between 6 and 16 people, men and women, with accommodation separated by gender. The minimum stay for most programs is 2 weeks, with certain designated starting days.
You can usually add on to your stay in 2-week increments if you like.
• Be aware that electricity and especially cell service is intermittent, and can be non-existent in some places.
Summing it Up: Be an Africa Wildlife Volunteer
I can honestly say that the time I spent volunteering in Africa was one of my best experiences. The monitors that I worked with were local to the country I was working in. (Monitors are the conservation specialists who oversee the volunteers.)
They were passionate and knowledgeable about the wildlife around us. I felt like I learned more about it, and about the country itself than on any of my other visits to Africa.
I’d do it again in a heartbeat. And sooner or later I will.
If you decide to join a volunteer program in Africa, I hope your experience is a positive one. If you choose one other than those mentioned above, do be careful to vet it carefully.
If you have questions for me or want to give me your feedback when you get home, please do! Just visit Contact Me.
Happy Travels!
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• Travel Africa – Tips and How-To’s
• Planning for Africa – A Step-by-Step Guide
• The African Adventure Packing Guide
• 40 Safety Tips for Travel in Africa 2022
• What to Bring When Travelling to Africa: 10 Unexpected Essentials
