South Africa Big 5 Conservation

The game reserve

You’ll find the 6,000 hectare reserve in the heart of the African bush on the malaria-free Eastern Cape. The reserve is home to an astonishing mix of animal life, including the Big 5 (lions, leopards, black rhinos, African bush elephants, African buffalos) as well as zebras, giraffes, hippos, wildebeest, cheetahs, warthog, lynx, meerkats and over 250 bird species. Basically, it’s an animal lovers’ paradise.

Why join the programme?

In a nutshell, it’s a once-in-a-lifetime experience, where you get to give back to the natural environment and the local community. It’s an immensely satisfying feeling knowing that you’ve helped to protect this incredible part of the world for generations to come. You’ll also gain invaluable skills and knowledge in conservation that can really boost your CV.

What to expect

You’ll be staying in one of our amazing volunteer camps in the heart of the reserve and working alongside trained zoologists, rangers, conservation staff and other volunteers from Monday to Friday (8:30am – 430pm), with weekends free for you to relax. Day-to-day itineraries vary and might include helping with fence patrols to keep animals safe from poachers, feeding predators, replacing alien plant species with indigenous vegetation, and even helping with animal capture for medical treatment. During term-time, you may also work with the local community, delivering nutritious meals to local children.

Free time and weekend excursions

With the working day ending by 4:30pm, you’ll have plenty of time during the week to relax on the reserve. Play a few rounds of tennis, soak up the sun by the reserve’s pool or relax in the communal lounge with your new friends. Weekends are yours to spend as you choose. The programme runs various overnight excursions to locations in the surrounding area such as Port Elizabeth, Jeffreys Bay and Grahamstown, where you can go hiking, windsurfing, whale-watching, horse-riding and much more. 

Download the trip notes for more information

You’ll need to arrange for your flight to arrive in Port Elizabeth Airport (PLZ) before 4pm on your programme start date. You’ll be met at the airport by some of the reserve’s staff, who will transfer you to the volunteer camp on the reserve. The camp is around 85km from Port Elizabeth and the transfer may not depart until other volunteers on later flights have arrived. 

You’ll spend the final night of your stay in a lodge in Port Elizabeth (reserve staff will transfer you there) and you’ll need to make your own way back to the airport in time for your flight. Please allow plenty of time for transfers to allow for any potential traffic or delays.

Accommodation

All accommodation during your stay on the programme is included. You'll be staying in one of our backpacker five-star volunteer camps in the heart of the game reserve. These are made up of single sex dorm rooms with shared single sex bathroom facilities. The camps feature a lounge area, entertainment area with TV and satellite, and an on-site shop. You’ll have access to the game reserve’s facilities including table tennis, table football, pool table, a library, swimming pool, tennis courts and cricket field.

A laundry service is available twice a week at an additional cost, and internet services are available between 9-10am, 1-2pm and 7-8pm. The internet service may vary from day to day because of the service provider (the only provider in South Africa), so it may be less reliable than you are used to at home.

You’ll spend the last night of your programme in a lodge in Port Elizabeth, so that you’re close to the airport for flights the following day.

Please let us know if you're travelling as a couple or a mixed sex pair and would like to be placed together. This may be arranged at an additional cost and depending on room availability.

Meals

You'll be provided with three meals a day during your stay. Please let us know in advance if you have any dietary requirements.

Breakfast consists of cereals, bread, butter, jam, tea, coffee and cheese, but we sometimes serve eggs, sausages and baked beans as well.

Lunch and dinner are varied and include meals such as burgers, chicken and chips, veggie dishes and potato casserole – you definitely won’t go hungry!

Meals are served in the central dining area. Breakfast is served from 9.30 – 10am, lunch is from 1 – 2pm and dinner is from 6 – 7pm.

Please note: The reserve is an alcohol-free environment, but you will be able to go out for drinks in Port Elizabeth during your free time.

You'll need to be a minimum of 18 years old to participate in this project. You don’t need to have previous experience of working with animals, but an enthusiasm for animals and conservation is a must!

British citizens visiting South Africa for tourism for a period of up to 90 days, don’t need a visa. Your passport should be valid for at least 30 days beyond your intended date of exit from South Africa. However, some immigration officials request 6 months’ validity on your passport, so it’s best to go with that, to avoid problems at the airport.

Please note: Visa and passport restrictions can be subject to change. Always check foreign travel advice and visa rules with the local embassies before travel.

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