Volunteering on Safari in Kenya is a New Money-Saving Travel Trend

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A safari in Kenya is a spectacular experience.

The iconic African wildlife is the top reason people travel to this beautiful East African country.

Kenya’s national parks and game reserves welcomed more than 2.5 million global visitors in 2022. It’s been named the top safari destination in the world, more than once, and there are many reasons for that.

But if you’ve looked into taking a safari yourself, you know that the Kenyan safari experience doesn’t come cheap. Volunteering has become a popular way to offset this cost, according to an article in the Mail.

However, volunteering comes with a price, too. It does tend to be less expensive than a commercial safari though, and additional weeks past the minimum commitment are much cheaper with many organizations.

You’ll also have the chance to get to know Kenya and its wildlife in a way that just isn’t possible when you just book a safari.

Projects Abroad

Projects Abroad is a volunteer organization with a variety of locations and project opportunities. One of these is their Giraffe and Lion Conservation, location – Kenya.

You’ll stay in the programme’s ranch house, assist with setting up and working with camera traps, and study the behaviour of the lions and Rothschild’s giraffes. Maintaining waterholes and ridding the area of invasive plant species may also be on your agenda.

And while you’re in the bush taking care of business, who knows what other sorts of wildlife you’ll get to lay eyes on.

Their projects are based in Nanyuki, close enough to Mount Kilimanjaro that it would be a shame not to at least take a hike around the base in your free time.

You can spend your evenings sampling local dishes in the restaurants, getting to know local bands, and wandering through the markets.

The minimum commitment is one week.

African Impact

This organization offers a Big Cat & Elephant Research and Conservation project. You’ll be working in a conservation area in the Greater Maasai Mara Ecosystem, conducting research on elephants, lions and cheetahs.

You’ll go on daily game drives in search of your animals, as well as meet with members of the Maasai tribe. You’ll learn about their culture and the importance of the wildlife in it.

When the local schools are in session, you may even get involved with the children’s Wildlife Clubs. Here you’ll teach them how to care for and respect their environment.

Apart from the kids, you’ll help to spread eco-awareness throughout nearby communities, as well as pitching in with sustainability projects.

You’ll stay in permanent safari tents with views of the plains and Rift Valley escarpment that are what dreams are made of.

Minimum commitment is two weeks.

GoEco

GoEco runs the Maasai Mara Lion and Wildlife Conservation project. Not only will you get to work in one of the top spots in Africa to see the big cats, but if your timing is right, you’ll also get to witness the Great Wildebeest Migration firsthand.

And you’ll get to do it while living right in the African bush. You’ll assist in important wildlife research, learning from expert Maasai guides.

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