Namibia Wildlife Conservation Experience Essential Info
Located only 42 km east of Windhoek.This unforgetable gap year programme takes place in a natural savannah paradise with riverine vegetation, lush grass plains and magnificent mountain views.
You can help to ensure their welfare through feeding and enclosure patrols. The Namibia Wildlife Sanctuary believes that the wild belongs in the wild and we direct all their efforts towards long term rehabilitation. But sadly not all of the animals who come to the sanctuary are able to be released back into the wild. Only those that cant, mostly for reasons of human impact, remain at the sanctuary.
Many of the animals have been orphaned, hand raised from a very young age or have become too used to captivity. It would be difficult and dangerous for them to survive in the wild as they are no longer afraid of people which in turn means they are at higher risk of conflict.
There are a variety of animals located on the sanctuary who need to be cared for by our wildlife volunteers including: semi-tame meerkats, pigs, sheep, guinea fowl, chickens, turkeys, leopard tortoises, rabbits and lots of dogs. Baboons form a large part of the project; volunteers become surrogate mums for the little ones, bottle feeding and sleeping overnight with them. They also go for walks with any babies currently at the sanctuary and our tame bigger baboons. We cannot predict when young baboons will arrive at the sanctuary so the numbers and ages may vary.
You may be lucky enough to spot some of the other wildlife freely roaming in their natural environment on the farm including; leopards, cheetahs, game (kudu, oryx, hartebeest, duiker), wart hogs, porcupine, aardvark, ostriches, caracals, jackals, wild baboons, African wild cats, hares, mongoose, meerkats, vultures, eagles, and various other bird species.
Our aim is to provide volunteers with the wonderful opportunity of experiencing unspoiled African wilderness in the knowledge that they are contributing to both the conservation and development in this rural area.
Role of the volunteer
Volunteers are key to the success of this project, which is renowned for the variety of animals and activities that you can experience. Participation in the programme provides employment to the local Bushman community and ensures the rescue, survival and rehabilitation of the animals, which are housed in natural environments around the site.Daily activities will include food preparation. Throwing meat to the Lions, Leopards, Cheetahs, African Wild Dogs and hand feed the Meerkats. You will prep vegetables, fruit and millipap to feed to the Baboons and farm animals. You will be responsible for cleaning all the animal enclosures. You can walk with the 4 tame Caracals and experience how they hunt in the wild and spend time with the tame and semi tame Cheetahs in their enclosures.The orphaned baboons play a large part in our project. You will also rotate responsibility for bottle feeding, walking and sleeping overnight with the five baby baboons, which are currently too small to live in the camp with the young baboons. Security on the farm is very important. You will do border fence patrol on the golf carts and do carnivore enclosure patrol on foot with a trained farm worker.
There will be the opportunity to join the carnivore feeding tour when guests at the farm visit the large carnivores. You will assist the tour guide with feeding the animals whilst the guests take their treasured photos! Please remember that the animals are rescued, taken in, cared for and if possible, released into natural habitat again, therefore the variety and number of animals at the sanctuary differs and rotates on a daily basis.
The programme does however provide a hands-on experience with most of the animals.As new animals arrive new enclosures have to be built. Volunteers will assist the Bushman with the preparation of materials, digging foundations and waterholes and the erecting of the enclosures. Existing enclosures have to be maintained to a high standard, waterholes cleaned regularly and bones from feeding collected.
All the money raised through our volunteering program goes directly back into the project which provides employment, education and accommodation to the local Bushman community and ensuring the rescue, survival and rehabilitation of the animals which are housed in natural environments around the site.Volunteer Role at the Namibia Wildlife Sanctuary. During your stay at the Namibia wildlife sanctuary, you will be working hands on in helping to develop and maintain a sanctuary for the rehabilitation of Nambias exotic wildlife.
Accommodation
Accommodation is basic, clean and single-sex sharing with 3 beds in each room. The single beds are comfortable with bedding provided (sheets, duvets and pillows). Bathrooms include 3 showers, wash basins and 3 toilets. Electricity is available in the rooms. A laundry service is provided twice a week.
Meals
Breakfast is self service and includes toast & cereals.
Lunch is typically cold and varies between sandwiches, soup or filled pancakes and fruit when available.
Dinner is typically a hot meal or on occasion a braai (barbeque) and typically includes meat, vegetables, bread, pasta and rice.
Getting There
The closest city to the Namibia Wildlife Sanctuary is WINDHOEK. Flights are available from Europe to Windhoek as well as from Johannesburg/Cape Town to Windhoek. Great fares from Jo'Burg to Windhoek can be found at www.kulula.com. We can arrange for you to be pick up at the Windhoek Airport.
If you need assistance please advise on your booking form.
When To GoThis project runs all year.
Price and Dates
- 2 weeks 999
- 3 weeks 1350
- 4 weeks 1699
- Additional weeks 375 / week
Included
- Arrival Orientation
- All accommodation during your stay
- Three meals daily
- Work Placement
Excluded
- All flights
- Personal travel insurance
- visa
- E-mail/Internet and telephone calls
- Snacks, soft drinks, wines and spirits
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