Day 1 (Monday) Arrive into Windhoek Airport (airport code WDH) and you’ll be met by our staff and taken straight to the sanctuary – your home for the duration of your trip. Settle in and get to know your fellow volunteers, the permanent members of staff and the animals who also call this place home.
Day 2 (Tuesday) After breakfast all new arrival volunteers will come together for orientation – this important session will talk you through the history of the sanctuary, its aims and the important program safety rules. Then you’ll get stuck in ! Duties begin around 8am and tasks at the sanctuary are varied, with all aspects of the program carried out on rotation to ensure that everybody gets involved in the full range of experiences available. You can expect to be involved with some or all of the following:
Feeding the animals, including meal preparation
Providing enrichment (animal interaction, walks in the bush or other activities)
Intensive care for juvenile wildlife, which may include overnight care for young baboons and other animals
Research activities inc. tracking & monitoring carnivores wildlife in the local area
Maintenance and building of enclosures and facilities
Wildlife data collection including animal population counts in the bush
Horseback riding
Cleaning and maintenance of animal enclosures
You may also choose to be involved with the kinder or primary school which are located within the grounds of the sanctuary. These facilities have been established to provide free education to the San Bushman children whose parents work on site and who would otherwise not have access to schooling.
Weekends During your free time there’s lots to do…or do nothing at all! Take a nature walk across the farm, swim in the pool, play football or even go paintballing – but always make time for the beautiful African sunsets. Saturday afternoons are set aside for fun and games as a group followed by a braai (BBQ) for dinner. You may have chance to join a trip into Windhoek or to visit the ancient San skills academy to try your hand at a range of tribal skills including fire-making with traditional San fire sticks, making bows and arrows and jewellery.
Last day – (Monday) On your last day with us at the sanctuary, having said goodbye and packed your bags, we’ll whisk you off to the airport in plenty of time for your flight onwards, or home.
Accommodation and meals : There are two accommodation styles, allocated on arrival – these are standard rooms or large, raised safari tents with proper beds. Both types are very comfortable and twin-share – if travelling solo you’ll be paired with another volunteer (same-gender). Showers and toilet facilities are communal, please bring biodegradable shampoo and soap. Three meals a day are included so you’ll enjoy the luxury of having your breakfast, lunch and dinner prepared for you. You can look forward to some authentic African braais (BBQ) on a weekend too !
Other information As a desert country, Namibia experiences an average of 300 days of sunshine in the year with hot summers and mild winters. There is no bad time to visit Namibia.The sanctuary does have mosquitoes but no malaria. A net is not a necessity, but do bring insect repellent. Internet is not available on site but you’ll get the chance to check your email on your days off.
As part of your stay, we recommend you combine time at the sanctuary with a stint at one of the ongoing research sites in the remote and spectacular south of Namibia. A research week (or two) is a fantastic way to have a complete African wildlife experience.
Neuras is 4-5 hours’ drive from the sanctuary, Kanaan a bit further at 6-7 hours’ drive. The two locations are very different from each other and the research focusses unique (currently mountain zebra @ Neuras and spotted hyena @ Kanaan) so the projects can easily be undertaken consecutively for a rewarding and interesting experience.
Research weeks are undertaken in small groups escorted by members of the sanctuary team. All transport, accommodation, meals and training are provided, and a surcharge of $170 per week applies over the standard sanctuary program rate. A more detailed Info Pack is available for these programs, so do please ask.
Extensive hiking in the mountainous terrain make up a large part of the daily activities, so a good level of fitness is recommended. You will track and monitor animals in the area, contributing to invaluable research that will help mitigate human-wildlife conflict. Volunteers will be involved with all aspects of the research program, which may include: · monitoring camera traps · radio telemetry tracking · game counts · feeding semi-habituated cheetahs · assisting with captures and releases · night drives and sleep-outs (Kanaan) · Optional day trip to Sossusvlei (Neuras) · mapping and exploring the terrain · data processing · maintenance activities