Get ready for some Xtreme monkey business!

You will be tasked with helping out and keeping the centre running smoothly. Now if you feel that sounds like a walk in the park, just consider the fact that most of your colleagues will be juvenile baboons!

You will have to keep them in check look after them and become best mates with the troop (That’s a bunch of baboons by the way).

The daily tasks of caring for them include preparing food and milk, cleaning their play enclosures, playing, supervising, and observing them throughout the day, cleaning their sleeping cages, and preparing blankets and soft toys for their sleeping cages in the evenings. This is not a  glamorous job! You will get dirty, and peed and pooped on.

The animals’ needs come first, and they need the same care on weekends as well as weekdays. Other tasks include help preparing food crates for the older troops and monitoring troops daily. There are no rigid working hours, we finish when everything is completed, although a typical volunteer day usually is 7:00am until 5:00pm. Time off is dependent on the number of volunteers at the centre.

Highlights:

• Playing and looking after adorable juvenile Baboons and Getting involved in a lot of monkey business
• If you are wild about animals, and want to learn more about primates there is no better opportunity.
• Join a team of professionals and other volunteers to learn something new, rewarding and ultimately unforgettable
• Bottle feeding orphaned baby baboons, giving you a real sense of excitement and achievement
• Staying in an incredible environment, right in the heart of the African Bush this will be a completely mind blowing experience
• Loads of satisfaction in knowing that what you are doing is genuinely helping out
• Optional Kruger Park Safari way can check out the big five during your time off

Photos

Full Details

What will this project give you?

• This will make you really proud that is for sure. Travelling can give you so much confidence but working on a project like this is extremely self rewarding as well.
• As you will be working in a team it will show that you possess initiative and have the skills to work well with other people.
• Besides that it’s extremely worthwhile. It’s not everyday you make a genuine difference and do some good.
• South Africa is a mixture of many different cultures, it will give you plenty of exposure to different cultures and help you grow and develop as an individual.
• Job satisfaction guaranteed! This will be one of the best work experiences you could ever have, your colleagues will literally be monkeys.
• It presents you with an opportunity not only to develop your CV by demonstrating skills, but will actively put you in a completely different environment that will test you. If you plan to get into animal science or medicine afterwards even better, but that aside it would be an incredible experience to tell your friends about.
• This is a great way to spend serious time in South Africa, with three meals a day included all of your accommodation and lots of fun is perfect to add into any South Africa backpacking trip.

Your typical day looks like this, no time to get bored

7:00 – It up early to have breakfast with the Monkeys, expect a lot of banana action and pretty shocking table manners!

9:00 –  After the monkeys are full of bananas, it’s time to stuff your face as well breakfast is served.

10:00 – 13:00 – Morning activities involves looking after the monkeys, and fulfilling various projects as set out by the staff.

13:00 – 14:00 – It in our break for a gorgeous lunch and to discuss the crazy goings on at the monkey Sanctuary

14:00 – 17:00 – Activities in the afternoon vary depending Upon what is happening at the monkey Sanctuary, You might be planting vegetables (We try and be a self-sustaining as possible when it comes to food for the monkeys) or but helping to build new cages, planting vegetables. You will be paired up with other members of the group and no matter what you get up to ensure to be a good laugh.

18:00 – Dinner

19:30 – After dinner, you’ll be feeding nocturnal animals, and will have the rest of the evening as free time to relax.

Of course it goes without saying the above is just a guide. Things will change depending on the needs of the project at the time.

You will be a member of the team and your activities include

• Living in a Big 5 South African Nature Reserve – so enjoying regular drives through the reserve to spot animals
• Hand-rearing orphan baby baboons (and so making bottles, preparing food/toys, cleaning the nursery, supervising the babies in the nursery and taking them on river walks)
• Taking care of sanctuary baboons (those that cannot be released); making their food/enrichment’s, social grooming/interactions, cleaning their enclosures
• Helping with the rehabilitation of other small mammals in the reserve when needed
• Observations of releasable baboons
• Living amongst wild baboons and vervet monkeys (wild troops roam the centre)
• Walking the rescue dogs in the reserve
• Enclosure renovations
• Giving education
• Learning about primates, wildlife conservation, husbandry and rehabilitation
• Helping with the rehabilitation of other rescued wildlife (usually small mammals/birds)
• Excursions to the Kruger Park and surrounding attractions as a supplementary cost

Free time

Every day you will have a few hours of free time. Most volunteers nap, check email, read a book, visit the river, walk around taking photos, do laundry, give out extra enrichment/branches, or spend extra time in the baby hok.
You can ask for a day off and trips (at an additional cost) are offered to nearby attractions such as the Kruger Park.

Accommodation

Volunteers are accommodated in a rustic, two story brick and timber house nicknamed ‘The Mountain Lodge’. The ground floor is comprised of 3 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, kitchen, and open-air veranda/eating area.

The upper level has 4 bedrooms, a lounge with a DVD player and couches, and a balcony.

Bathrooms have hot water showers and flushing toilets. There are a maximum number of 4 people per bedroom. The veranda is protected from the animals by a diamond mesh wire enclosure, but rats, bugs, and other creepy crawly wildlife have free access. Electricity is 220v.

Meals

Food is purchased in town once a week. Menus are planned and cooked by the volunteers on a rotating schedule of cooking and cleaning. Basic, wholesome foodstuffs are provided.

The centre provides a mainly vegetarian diet. We can accommodate vegetarians, vegans, or anyone with food allergies. Additional personal food, such as alcohol, chocolates, sodas, etc, can be additionally purchased on your own accord. A ‘tuck shop’ is available onsite that sells some sweets and sodas. We often have a braai (a traditional South African BBQ) with delicious grilled meats and veggies.

There is a washing machine in The Mountain Lodge. Each volunteer is assigned one day per week to do his/her laundry. Clean clothes are hung in the backyard on clotheslines to dry. There is always the option for additional hand-washing. Detergent/washing powder is provided.

Volunteers will have a single bed with a mosquito tent/net. Sheets, a duvet, and pillows are provided. You can bring a sleeping bag or extra blanket if you want to, but is usually not necessary. There are storage lockers to lock away any expensive or personal items.

There is basic wifi internet connection at the Mountain Lodge. If you bring a laptop or tablet you can purchase the connection for a R150/month fee. Almost all volunteers use this wifi. You can purchase a mobile phone or SIM card in town. MTN and Vodacom are the local carries and the centre gets decent cell reception.

Trip Frequently Asked Questions

Price

• 2 Weeks £464
• 3 Weeks £658
• 4 Weeks £854
• 6 Week £1.254
• 8 weeks £1.624
• 10 weeks £1.999
• 12 weeks £2.394

Dates

You can start on  Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.