Itinerary (February and September groups)
Day 1 Sunday
Arrive at Windhoek Airport (airport code WDH) and after clearing customs you’ll be met by our driver and taken straight to the sanctuary, a journey of around 40 minutes. Depending your time of arrival, there should be plenty of time to freshen up and make yourself at home before your official welcome and induction session, then dinner !! Mondays to Fridays The Veterinary Experience runs for 10 days, Mondays through Fridays with the weekend off in between. Your days will be filled with pre-planned practical activities such as the capture and anaesthesia of various resident animals for sampling and health checks, shadowing our resident vets on their daily activities including any emergencies which may arise. Practical sessions are interspersed with engaging presentations about wildlife capture and anaesthesia, behavioural patterns and pharmacology. At weekends there’s lots to do…or do nothing at all! Take a walk, swim in the pool or book one of the many optional activities available – what better than a horse ride in the desert, mingling with giraffes and watching the beautiful African sunset? ** The Sept 2025 itinerary includes Week 3 at TimBila Reserve. TimBila is a spectacularly beautiful location, home to a wide range of translocated, rehabilitated and native species all living together in perfect harmony. Everyone loves TimBila which is why we have included it as standard for this group. Refer to the section below for a detailed description of your week at TimBila Reserve. ** Final Day Having spent your last night back at the sanctuary, we’ll whisk you off to the airport in plenty of time for your flight onwards, or home. Itinerary (April, July, August & October groups)
Our major wildlife partner in Namibia recently took over the management of the country’s oldest wildlife sanctuary at Harnas and with it gained a licence for a new veterinary clinic at this reserve. With a large number of resident animals to care for and a number of key veterinary projects already in the schedule, we’re delighted to offer the Wildlife Veterinary Experiences at Harnas, delivered by the exact same team as our original and hugely popular veterinary program.
Your base for this exciting 2 week Veterinary Experience is Harnas Wildlife Foundation in Namibia’s east. Harnas comprises a 10,000 hectare reserve located in the heart of the Namibian bush and at its centre is the wildlife sanctuary, home to countless orphaned, injured and conflict animals including cheetahs, lions, leopards, caracals, African wild dogs, banded mongooses, meerkats, crocodiles, vervet monkeys, chacma baboons, kudus, warthogs ……. You will participate in the capture and immobilisation of a variety of resident carnivores for health check purposes, get involved in the primate sterilisation and small-stock vaccination programs, feed the big cats and free-roaming rhino and meet the K9 Anti-Poaching Unit. A series of informative presentations will also ensure you learn extensively about wildlife conservation, game management and the veterinary care of captive animals in Africa. Saturday Arrive at Windhoek Airport – first night at the main wildlife sanctuary, only 40 minutes from the airport. Sunday After a good night’s sleep and a relaxing breakfast we’ll head off to Harnas Wildlife Foundation, a drive of around 280 kms which takes about 4 hours. Settle in and before dinner we’ll run through orientation to get you ready for the busy days ahead. The Wildlife Veterinary Experience – Harnas Edition is hosted throughout by the head veterinarian/s, both incredible sources of information gained through their experiences working daily with Africa’s wildlife. Your days will be filled with pre-planned practical activities such as the immobilisation of various resident animals for sampling and health checks, with a focus on large carnivores such as leopard, lion and African wild dog. A primate sterilisation program is a key priority so expect to be involved with chacma baboons or vervet monkeys. You’ll also get hands-on with the small stock vaccination program and the carnivore feeding tour will introduce you to the variety of big cats who call Harnas home. An exciting session with the K9 Anti-Poaching Unit will introduce you to the essential work carried out by this team of intrepid rangers and their dogs. What’s more, you will get a front-row seat for any unexpected veterinary activities which arise, including emergency call-outs and wildlife rescues. The practical sessions are interspersed with many engaging presentations about game management, wildlife capture and immobilisation, behavioural patterns in captive animals, pharmacology, physiology, nutrition, contraception, zoonosis, poaching and conservation, suturing, disease identification and control….. Harnas is also a haven for Namibia’s San (Bushmen) communities, the oldest culture in the world. We’ll discover their traditions and skills whilst joining local San on a nature walk, We’ll linger next to a homestead fire, regaled by their myths and legends. On Saturday & Sunday you’ll join in regular wildlife volunteer activities such as food-prep, animal feeding, creation of enrichment, enclosure cleaning and maintenance. There’s also plenty of opportunity to kick back and enjoy the peace and quiet of the Harnas “Lapa” area, to catch up on your socials and perhaps take a swim in the pool. Saying goodbye On the Friday afternoon of week 2 we’ll travel back towards Windhoek and will spend the night back at the wildlife sanctuary, familiar surroundings from your arrival day. For those who have made the clever decision to experience some of the other wonderful program options on offer, you’re in exactly the right place for a seamless transition. For those heading home, it’s just 40 minutes to the airport tomorrow and our driver will deliver you for your flight out at any time of the day. Itinerary (June and November groups)
The June and November itinerary has been designed to provide a variety of veterinary, wildlife rehabilitation, husbandry, enrichment and cultural activities. Intended to be somewhat fluid in structure, the planned outline is as below but please be open minded as things can and likely will change. What’s more, you will get a front-row seat for any unexpected veterinary activities which arise, including emergency call-outs and rescues.
** The November 2025 itinerary includes Week 3 at TimBila Reserve. TimBila is a spectacularly beautiful location, home to a wide range of translocated, rehabilitated and native species all living together in perfect harmony. Everyone loves TimBila which is why we have included it as standard for this group. Refer to the section below for a detailed description of your week at TimBila Reserve. ** |
TimBila Wildlife Research
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