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Location
  • South Africa
    • Cape Town
    • Hoedspruit
    • Johannesburg
    • Port Elizabeth
    • Johannesburg
    • Mossel Bay
Project Types
Agriculture Childcare Community Development Youth Marine Conservation Environmental Conservation Wildlife Conservation Education Teaching Health Sexual Health Medical HIV Veterinary Service +4

Program Details

Language
English
Timeframe
Year Round
Housing
Guesthouse Host Family Hostel Lodge Tent
Groups
Small Group (1-15) Medium Group (16-30) Large Group (31+)
Travel Type
Budget Family Older Travelers Solo Women

Pricing

Starting Price
500
Price Details
Most of our programs include 2-3 meals per day, accommodations, pre-departure kit, comprehensive travel health insurance, local in-country staff and 24 hour emergency support. Please see the project details on our website for a complete list of what is included.
What's Included
Accommodation Airport Transfers Meals Some Meals
What's Not Included
Airfare Airport Transfers Travel Insurance Visa
Oct 12, 2022
Aug 14, 2021
Wish List
45 travelers are looking at this program

About Program

A volunteering journey to South Africa means being immersed in the culture and traditions of an ancient land, and marveling at magnificent landscapes and an abundance of wildlife, while being embraced by warm and welcoming people. South Africa is a truly inspiring and exciting country to explore.

GoEco’s volunteer programs are designed to let you get a real taste of living in South Africa, while still providing you with all the support you need before, during, and after your trip.

This program is currently not being promoted on Go Overseas by its provider. Check with GoEco for the most up-to-date information regarding the status of this program.

Video and Photos

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Top Volunteer Projects in South Africa with GoEco
Top Volunteer Projects in South Africa with GoEco
Top Volunteer Projects in South Africa with GoEco
Top Volunteer Projects in South Africa with GoEco
Top Volunteer Projects in South Africa with GoEco
Top Volunteer Projects in South Africa with GoEco
Top Volunteer Projects in South Africa with GoEco

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Program Highlights

  • Gain experience in wildlife conservation or teaching abroad
  • Get up-close with Africa's Big Five!
  • Ethical wildlife interactions and volunteering tasks
  • Discover Cape Town, Johannesburg, Kruger Park and other top destinations
  • Comprehensive and professional pre-departure travel guidance, 24/7 GoEco emergency hotline, experienced local field team.

Popular Programs

Female volunteer with a giraffe on a wildlife conservation program

Wildlife Sanctuary

Wildlife lovers rejoice! This sanctuary is home to various wildlife species who have been rescued but are unable to be returned to the wild. Volunteers are able to provide hands-on care by preparing food for the animals and creating enrichment activities. Volunteers also assist in maintaining the sanctuary itself.

Female volunteer with a lemur at a wildlife conservation program in Africa

African Wildlife Ranch

Work closely with fascinating African animals at a widely-accredited wildlife ranch! Volunteers work alongside professional staff and have the option to join as a volunteer or wildlife intern. Volunteers prepare food, feed the animals, maintain the ranch and more. Take the opportunity while here to dive with the resident crocodiles!

Female volunteer with a child in Cape Town

Cape Town Community Projects

Join a program in Cape Town to empower the local low-income communities. Provide educational resources to local children, assist in a preschool or lend a hand at a farm school. Volunteers will create fun, educational activities and games, and teach the local schoolchildren.

Wildlife Rehabilitation Center

Wildlife Rehabilitation Center

Gain vast experience in animal care as you volunteer at a world renowned wildlife rehabilitation center in South Africa!

Pre-Vet Wildlife Internship

Pre-Vet Wildlife Internship

Gain hands-on animal care experience unlike anywhere else in the world. Whether you are going on a game capture or taking a lecture on animal health and nutrition, you will be exposed to the immense variety of animals and knowledge that is available in the African environment. Perfect for pre-vet students!

Marine Big 5 Conservation

Marine Big 5 Conservation

Go on an experience of a lifetime in South Africa as you volunteer for the conservation of the Maring Big Five species! Gain hands-on experience working in marine conservation with this highly reputable organization.

Big Cat Refuge

Big Cat Refuge

Volunteer in South Africa at a big cat rescue sanctuary to enrich the lives of these majestic animals! This rescue sanctuary rescues cats from traffickers. These cats cannot return to the wild, as they would not survive due to their captive upbringing. This sanctuary gives them care and love while making the best life possible for them outside of the wild.

Wild Cat Sanctuary

Wild Cat Sanctuary

Spend your days working with Africa’s beautiful big cats and learn all about the conservation efforts that are being put into place to protect and rehabilitate these beautiful creatures that were rescued from captivity. The sanctuary is also a safe haven for animals that cannot be released into the wild, due to their captive upbringing.

Big 5 and Endangered Species Reserve

Big 5 and Endangered Species Reserve

Experience life in the African bush! Live close to the animals in their natural habitats and will learn about wildlife conservation first-hand! Gain experience in data collection and wildlife monitoring, which will then be passed on to conservationists in the field to be used in their work.

Penguin and Marine Bird Sanctuary

Penguin and Marine Bird Sanctuary

Volunteer to help with conservation efforts of African penguins and other marine birds at a sanctuary in South Africa! This sanctuary in Port Elizabeth takes in sick and injured African penguins and other marine birds in need of rehabilitation. This organization is an internationally recognised leader in oiled wildlife response, rehabilitation and chick-rearing.

Program Reviews

4.96 Rating
based on 23 reviews
Leave a Review
  • 5 rating 95.65%
  • 4 rating 4.35%
  • 3 rating 0%
  • 2 rating 0%
  • 1 rating 0%
  • Impact 4.85
  • Support 4.9
  • Fun 4.6
  • Value 4.85
  • Safety 4.85
Showing 17 - 23 of 23 reviews
Default avatar
Natacha
50
Female
4/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Wildlife Sanctuary

Jun 7, 2015

I had one of the most amazing experiences in my life at the wildlife sanctuary in South Africa. I've always wanted to have a close and personal experience with African animals and you really get a chance to do that at this project. We have plenty of interactions with different animals and we also get to participate in the daily activities that help maintaining the sanctuary running. It's a great opportunity to meet new people as well and learn more about wildlife in Africa. Definitely an experience I'll never forget!!

What would you improve about this program?
Personally I think I would have liked better accommodations, and that we didn't have to pay for services like laundry and Internet access.
82 people found this review helpful.
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Default avatar
Thais
50
Female
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Unforgettable experience

May 20, 2015

Volunteering with GoEco has been an unforgettable experience, helped me to understand the biodiversity of the ocean, including seabirds & penguins, seals and the Great White Shark. In addition, I had the great opportunity to help on seabird recovery, as part of the The African Penguin & Seabird Sanctuary volunteer program.

What would you improve about this program?
I would provide more humanity related tasks.
83 people found this review helpful.
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Default avatar
Cierra
32
Female
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Teaching in Cape Town, South Africa

Jan 14, 2015

I must say this was an once in a lifetime experience that I would highly recommend anyone who has the chance to go to DO IT! It was amazing interacting with people from the communities and getting to know them on a day to day basis. I really enjoyed working with the children and loved how I could see the difference that I was making while I was there. At the end of the week you could see the progress the kids were making with their colours and shapes and letters. I came to South Africa wanting to make a change and when I left I definitely achieved what I wanted to. The house was a bit crowded at times in the mourning with everyone getting ready for their day which was frustrating but I am glad we all lived together for the month because then I got to make friends from all over the world that I will possibly be able to meet up with in my later travels. Overall this experience showed and taught me a lot and the memories that I made along the way will stay with me forever. Some day I will be returning to South Africa :)

What would you improve about this program?
The program description could be improved in the web listings because it doesn't specify exactly what we are doing it just gives a broad range of things we could be doing not what we are actually doing. Also I would try to make the meals a little healthier because I found that there was a lot of carbs but not a lot of veggies and fruit. Lastly make more room in the living room just so that everyone can eat dinner together so that no one feels left out and that would also give a family feel if everyone could sit at the dinner table together and would help the volunteers bond with one another ( sharing their day or stories over dinner)
87 people found this review helpful.
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Default avatar
Michaela
50
Female
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Perfect weeks in Cape Town

Jan 9, 2015

I spent 6 weeks in Cape Town to work in an over 30s Teaching and Community Development project. That was one of my best times and most valuable experiences I had so far.

In the mornings we went to pre-schools in two different townships and helped the children with all the typical pre-school stuff: getting to know numbers, colours and shapes, writing their names, learning to listen. With the younger children it was mostly about chasing, playing and cuddling.

The afternoons were spent in two other townships where we provided after school programs in a library or a foster home. It was really great to see that the kids have a safe to go after school. We helped them with their homework, talked about their future plans or just played or danced with them.

It was so rewarding! And so many of the kids are so much fun! And I learned so much! It was just great.

Furthermore, Cape Town is an incredible beautiful place and me and my fellow volunteers spend a lot of time exploring the city, gazing at the scenery, strolling through pubs and restaurants. I loved it!

Thanks to GoEco for making this wonderful experience possible.

81 people found this review helpful.
Helpful
Default avatar
Andrea
32
Male
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

#LoveCapeTown

Dec 18, 2014

I was on the "Teach Children and Surf in Cape Town".

Goeco helped me with everything I needed and assisted me in every step on my way to Cape Town.

There, volunteer share a big house and they're splitted into double or triple rooms. It's definitely not a five-star hotel and the food is quite bad, but you don't go there looking for jacuzzis and saunas (even though you can look around for them in the neightborhood).

The overall experience has absolutely positive, demanding but extremely rewarding. I meet lots of beautiful people there, and I surely will keep in contact with them in the next years!

Andrea

What would you improve about this program?
Nothing major, just some adjustments in the on-site organization.
78 people found this review helpful.
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Default avatar
David
32
Male
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Volunteer and Surf in Cape Town

Nov 11, 2014

I did the "South Africa - Teach Children and Surf in Cape Town" with GoEco and it was the most amazing trip of my life!

I spent my mornings in a township teaching 3-5 year olds how to speak english and spent my afternoons surfing and helping 13-15 year olds learn how to surf.

The hostel SaltyCrax an volunteer organization SAVE that GoEco paired me up with was top notch and full of extremely awesome and helpful people. If felt very welcome, was able to settle in from the time I arrived, and truly felt like Cape Town was my home for the 6 weeks I was there.

In addition to the volunteering and doing other activities in the Cape Town area, we had the weekends free to ourselves to explore. I went on a tour of the Eastern Cape and got to see a bunch of other amazing towns and areas of South Africa and even got to surf in the Indian Ocean at Jeffreys Bay!

I know I would not have had as awesome and fun filled a trip if I didn't book with GoEco, so I truly recommend them for any and all volunteer trips abroad!

David Kolakowski

What would you improve about this program?
I stayed at the same township the whole time. It was amazing and I got to know the children very well, but I would have liked to rotate to another township for a few days here and there. So the 1 thing I would improve would be a more organized system to rotate people to different locations once in a while but still have their main location to go back to!
78 people found this review helpful.
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Read my full story
Default avatar
Gabriella
32
Female
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Working with Kids

Feb 18, 2014

I fell in love with the kids I taught, the nature, the language and the people that I worked with. The adults and the children were hungry for knowledge, affection and attention and I'm glad I was a part of their life for a short amount of time. 3 weeks was not enough! I learned some basic Zulu, and I was able to communicate to the children and the locals of the Zulu tribe. I even managed to teach a whole lesson in Zulu on my last day, and the kids answered me in English!

I'm so happy I volunteered through GoEco. GoEco has been there for me from day one, helping me with whatever was needed for this trip. I was supposed to volunteer at different project with children in Mozambique, but that program was canceled a week before my flight. GoEco immediately contacted me, and told me about another similar volunteering project that had a space for a few more volunteers in St. Lucia, just a few hours away. I jumped at the opportunity! I mean, come on, who wouldn't?

What would you improve about this program?
I wound't change anything. Everything went smoothly, the volunteers and staff were incredible. So were the kids and adults I had the chance to work with and get to know. I managed to experience things people only dream of!
84 people found this review helpful.
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Questions & Answers

Alumni Interviews

These are in-depth Q&A sessions with verified alumni.

Lara Schroeder

Program
Top Volunteer Projects in South Africa
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Why did you choose this program?

From the beginning, I knew that I wanted to go to Africa, because of the great variety of animals and because I was interested in the different cultures.

I looked through a few programs, most of them in South Africa, and finally found the perfect one -- Wildlife Sanctuary takes care of ALL kinds of animals, big and small, and the reviews previous volunteers had written gave me the impression that this would be the perfect place to go.

Another advantage is that you can go anytime during the year for as long as you want to. My parents were not too keen on me traveling by myself to Africa, but they were glad that I chose South Africa as it is clearly a more developed country.

What did your program provider assist you with, and what did you have to organize on your own?

GoEco was very helpful and told me exactly what to organize, when and how. They booked the program after I had filled in some basic information and send me the documents I needed to fill out for travel insurance. I booked my own flights and send the details to them so that they could organize my transport from and to the airport and everything worked out perfectly.

They were always really quick to reply to my e-mails and even called after I had signed up for the program to shortly discuss it with me.

What is one piece of advice you'd give to someone going on your program?

Be open-minded and talk to everyone, especially the locals, who are just lovely.

Do as many excursions as you can (especially skydiving), as they enable you to see a bit more of the stunning landscape and if you can, go to another program afterward, or travel a bit by yourself as you only see a tiny part of this huge country when volunteering at Glen Afric.

Bring gloves and gumboots and be prepared to do some hard work. It is so rewarding to see the results of your effort in the end.

Finally, don't be scared and enjoy every second. You will make great friends and have the time of your life!

What does an average day/week look like as a participant of this program?

The day starts at 8 am when you clean the elephant house and horse stables. After this is done, usually at 9, you go for breakfast (the food is always great), and after that, you will be split into groups.

One group does work that often consists of preparing new enclosures, while the other group has animal interaction: you can pet the cheetah, learn about the behavior of leopards, or maybe even train some animals. The next day, it will be the other way around.

An exception is Shitmonday! Sounds horrible, but is actually quite fun. You take all the shit and bones out of the enclosures and layer it on the shit trailer (yes, that is an entire trailer full of shit).

Two times a week you assist in the animal feeding, a great occasion to get a closer look at the lions, tigers, and hyena, and to take some stunning pictures. On Thursday afternoons and on Sunday you are off and can choose to go on an excursion. You also have the possibility to go horse-riding or to do elephant walks once a week.

Going into your experience abroad, what was your biggest fear, and how did you overcome it? How did your views on the issue change?

I was probably most worried when arriving in Johannesburg. The driver was already there waiting for me, but I had no idea what to expect and was nervous to meet the other volunteers.

As soon as I got to know them, I realized that I had no reason to worry. They were all lovely people and as we all had similar interests, we instantly connected. The flight is the only time you are actually by yourself, but as soon as you arrive, all of your worries just disappear as you become a part of the team.

Another thing I was worried about was the fact that I stayed for 4 weeks and I thought that the work might get monotonous, but now I know that 3 or 4 weeks is the perfect duration! Loads of volunteers return every year and often stay for 2 months or even longer and none of them have ever had any regrets.

If you should encounter any problems while you are there, I assure you that the staff there will do their best to help you! They are amazing people and do not just care about the animals (they absolutely love them!), but they also care about the volunteers and they will make sure that you get the most out of your time in South Africa!

What was your biggest question prior to going on this trip?

One thing that I really wanted to know when choosing a program was what animals were there!

At the moment, there are 3 elephants, about 10 lions, 3 lion cubs, a hyena, 4 tigers, a leopard, a cheetah, 4 giraffes (1 of them a baby), 1 hippo and the multiple zebras, warthogs, antelopes, horses donkeys, wildebeest and ostriches that just freely roam around the farm.

After I left, they started collaborating with another sanctuary that takes up smaller, injured animals, so there will probably be even more animals when you go!

What were the highlights of your time abroad?

We learned how to inject goats, which was an amazing and also really fun experience. Another time, we made a mud-bath for the elephants, which obviously ended in all of us volunteers having a mud-fight. And finally the animal interaction: you can get up close with tigers and lions, you can give Roxy (the super cute hyena) a scratch and we had the possibility to play with the lion cubs and train them on a little jumping parkour.

Those are just a few of the amazing things I have experienced this summer and I find myself thinking about Glen Afric every day!

Staff Interviews

These are in-depth Q&A sessions with program leaders.

Ariella Neumann

Program
Top Volunteer Projects in South Africa
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What position do you hold at GoEco? What inspired you to join their team?

Ariella: I am the volunteer placement coordinator. Basically, I am your first port of call to help you decide exactly which program is the best fit for you and to answer any questions or special requests you may have.

I was inspired by the opportunity to be able to work with an organization that is really having an impact on the global conservation effort.

I was also hugely inspired by the work GoEco is doing in Israel by bringing light to Israel's many advanced ecological projects while also promoting multiculturalism and different communities working side by side. After being here a few months, I was sent on my first volunteer trip to the wildlife sanctuary in South Africa.

After this experience I knew I had to do everything in my power to spread the word and it has made my work all that more meaningful. It is also great to come to an office every day with like-minded people who are all working to give our volunteers the most memorable experience!

What do you most enjoy about your role?

Ariella: I think one of my favorite memories as placement coordinator was when I had two senior volunteers applying separately, both from the United States. And both didn’t want to share a room with 'students.'

Although one had applied for a different project, I suggested that they volunteer together and ended up putting them in touch! It was a great feeling to know I brought them together and they each had a travel partner for their volunteer trip!

I love the response I get when people return with unforgettable memories. I think what I enjoy most about my job is knowing that I helped make that happen.

What is your favorite aspect of GoEco's programs?

Ariella: My favorite aspect of GoEco’s programs is their authenticity. GoEco really works to makes sure all of their projects are not just genuine but beneficial for the volunteers as well as the local community and environment. Most of all, GoEco projects are well organized and fun!

What is your favorite aspect of GoEco's programs?

Ariella: There are so many unique and amazing stories from volunteers. I think by simply participating everyone walks away with an extraordinary story!

One that sticks out in my mind is from volunteer Reanna that joined the Greece Sea Turtle Conversation Project. During her placement she had to run to the rescue of hatchlings that were emerging from a nest in the middle of a beach side restaurant.

Without much time to think she had to quickly put into practice everything she had learned by making sure bystanders put the turtles down on the sand so that they could naturally make their way to the sea while also eliminating surrounding light pollution from the restaurant and road traffic so as not to confuse the hatchlings even more.

It is an amazing story and you can read all about how her and her team of volunteers helped guide the turtles back to sea on our GoEco blog.

What advice do you have for someone considering their first volunteer trip abroad?

Ariella: There are so many unique and amazing stories from volunteers. I think by simply participating everyone walks away with an extraordinary story!

About GoEco

GoEco is a leading eco-tourism company with a varied selection of affordable volunteer projects abroad. We act as a gateway to over 150 extraordinary community, wildlife and environmental initiatives all over the world thanks to our great partnerships. Join one of our rewarding projects and become a part of the global volunteer movement!

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