28 December 2010

Volunteer at a safari lodge in Africa

Countries: Botswana, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, South Africa, Tanzania, Zambia
Departures: Departures are flexible and can be arranged to suit you but will depend on local weather conditions and seasons.
Price: From £2400 (12 weeks) excluding flights. See below for price inclusions. In rare circumstances there may be an increase in cost, such as when the hosts are unable to get local park fees, in these cases the cost will be confirmed on application.

Think you’ve got what it takes to help run a luxury safari camp in one of Africa’s finest game parks?
If you’ve ever dreamt of waking up to a dawn chorus of Hippopotamus and sleeping under a breathtaking blanket of stars, now is the time to make dreams a reality. Our unique placements offer you a privileged insight into the Africa, which tourists don’t get to see. Embrace the challenge of working in an exclusive lodge on a three-month volunteer experience that will open your eyes, awaken your senses and surpass your expectations.
The work involved varies from camp to camp – our job is to make sure your skills and expectations fit with the right camp and indeed the right characters that run these heavenly places in often challenging environments! We do this by talking to you at length about your options either on the phone or in our office and narrow it down from there. In most cases you will be part of the safari teams getting the show on the road, doing everything from setting up bush breakfasts and organizing the client’s day-to-day itinerary to masterminding ad campaigns, and problem solving around broken generators! You can be assured that every day will be different and the best skills you can take with you are self motivation, flexibility and a sense of humor.
Whatever your previous experience you will make a valued contribution to the lives of staff, guests and local people. Very often the camps are very involved with local communities who they support in one way or another and so opportunities are available to help on local community and conservation projects where your help is greatly needed and effective. Many people venture off by themselves or with a friend. However it is fairly common that a camp needs more than one extra pair of hands and so you might find us pairing you up. On these occasions we take great care in matching personalities and aim to get you together before departure.
Solo placements are available throughout Eastern and Southern Africa, so ask us about the different countries each with its unique landscapes, cultures and tribes and then check out the individual camps: Kenya, Tanzania, Malawi, Botswana, South Africa, Zambia and Mozambique.
All volunteers will be provided with staff accommodation, which obviously varies from camp to camp. If you choose to work in a camp it is highly likely to be in the form of canvas whereas in a lodge it will probably be in the form of a more permanent structure. Bush style showers and toilets are popular and usually involve being out under the stars and the occasional encounter with inquisitive monkeys!

Price includes: briefing and training in the UK, supporting travel documents, management and support by and in country director and placement manager, 24hour emergency backup, £40 per month living allowance, airport pick up and transfer to and from the placement, full board and accommodation.
Please note: Normally we only take volunteers aged 22 upwards unless in exceptional circumstances.

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