Travellers Worldwide - Volunteer Projects in South Africa

My sister and I recently completed a two week placement at CROW, and it was absolutely AMAZING!
The CROW team were fantastic and we felt at home right away
One of the best things about the experience was that every day was a new adventure, you never knew what might happen, what rescue you might get called out to help with, what animals might be brought in...
Everything was very hands on and we were able to get involved in a wide range of activities, while at the same time the CROW staff always maintained the approach of keeping the animals wild and ensuring they didnt become 'humanised'
That was one of the best things about CROW - they actually rescue AND release. Everything that can gets release back into its natural habitat
Our experience coudlnt have been better! We are already planning the next trip back!

Working in a township school in South Africa was a life-changing experience where I discovered that hope, determination and laughter can rise out of poverty and adversity. I learnt to look, to notice, to contribute, to let go of my ideas about why I was there and work out what was needed most, moment by moment. It wasn't easy, but I gradually got the measure of how to give child-centred help, support, teaching and fun. I was there three weeks but left feeling I had made links and connections with children and staff that were years deep. I shall never forget them and be eternally grateful for what they taught me.

This was a hands on experience working with animals who are injured and in need of care with the hope of returning them to the wild. I really enjoyed the hands on care I was able to give the animals. It is physical work, but very rewarding. I was able to work with and learn about so many animals. Some highlights were the baby mongooses (they crawl all over you!), two baby baboons, monkeys, a sweet meerkat and numerous birds. I did this program for two weeks and I was happy to have a room mate the second week. We then planned day trips to see the local sites in South Africa. Overall the program was very rewarding and a valuable experience.

My experiences on the Multi Marine Conservation Project in Cape Town, Street Kids Project in Knysna, plus the 7-Day Safari Tour

I embarked on this journey in revolt to my recently turning 40. As a business owner, wife and mother of two teenage boys, a month long journey to Africa seemed like something far reaching and beyond my reality. My vacation experiences prior to this were always family oriented and/or resort style, including room service, umbrella drinks, amusement parks, cruise ships, and guided tours. I wanted to see and do as much as I could and experience as much of South Africa as possible but with family and work obligations, time was an issue.

My journey with Travellers Worldwide gave me the opportunity to see and do all of the things a vacationing tourist would do, while the volunteering gave me the chance to meet many local people, and get to know so more about the culture and the people of SA. I was able to see and do more than I ever imagined possible in one month.

From my very first inquiring email to Travellers, all my questions and concerns were answered with the efficiency and accuracy of a world-class travel agency. I was put in touch with people who worked on the projects I was interested in and other volunteers as well.

My accommodations and work experiences were exactly as described and better than I'd expected. The project managers went above and beyond to ensure the volunteers had everything needed and wanted. Many of my traveling companions were recent high school graduates and, as a mother, I couldn't have imagined sending my 18 year old son on a trip like this before seeing it for myself. Now without a doubt I will be planning a volunteer experience with Travellers for both of my sons after their graduations.

All in all this was the most wonderful, fulfilling, and incredible, month of my life! Before this journey, like many people my age, I was stuck in my regular every day rut of work and routine. But after a month of diving with Great White sharks, working with orphans and street kids, animal safaris, zip-lining through jungles, and sky-diving, I have returned fully invigorated and with a new lease on life! I made friends from all over the world that I’m sure I will stay in touch with for years to come. Travellers is an amazing organization that offers life changing experiences to people of all ages, I will highly recommend it to everyone, and I will be planning another volunteer experience for myself as well as for my sons. Thank you so so much for the experience of a life time!

Knysna, South Africa is where I spent my time teaching English in the townships. Across all levels, there is a strong dichotomy of experiences to be had, which provides for an overall worthy experience. The town itself is wonderful, easily accessible and friendly, with lots of shops and places to go out and entertain yourself. The townships, unfortunately, are the opposite, though not by choice. There is little infrastructure and poverty is rampant. This dynamic is commonly represented across South Africa. The people of the townships however, are inspiring. Teaching the children who, despite their living circumstances, show up everyday to school dressed in uniform and brimming with enthusiasm and curiosity was heartwarming and the mark they leave upon you is genuine and touching. While those economic circumstances can also promote crime, it underlines the necessity and compulsion to help those who desire a better life and community. Knysna to this day remains one of the most meaningful experiences of my life, and I would implore anyone seeking to enrich their lives to go there or anywhere else in South Africa.

After a few years of teaching music in an inner city school I needed a change, so my husband and I decided to do travel with Travellers Worldwide and teach in Knysna. The people I worked with there, the support that we received, the beautiful country, and the memories that we made we priceless. Since then, I have used my experience and have been accepted into graduate school to focus on creating multi-cultural music curriculum. This program changed my career goals, my entire outlook, and ultimately my life. Even if teaching is not something you are considering as a career, the children are precious and they truly appreciate what they learn from you. You have so much to offer to the world, so go out and do it!

Once in a lifetime opportunity for me to experience education in a different culture, and to see how special needs are supported in South Africa. The staff were great, all spoke english and made me feel welcome. The kids were also really fun and used to newcomers. I got to go on several trips with the school, beaches, horses riding and even to a 2 night camp. I got the opportunity to superviser in the boarding school after school hours, which allowed me to get to know the children really well. I learnt a lot and will miss the school dearly.

The downside was it was a long journey to work in the morning about 45 mins and 2 taxi-buses. These don't seem that safe either, you are sat with 6 or 7 people crammed in with the doors wide open and sometimes you are on your own with 1 or 2 male drivers. Then i had a 15 min lone walk.

The social side was amazing. I lived at Nellys Lodge in Observatory and was staying with about 12 other travellers all my age and friendly. I am still friends with a few of them 3 years later :)

I had a fabulous time on this project! I spent 3 weeks at 2 different nearby wildlife parks. The parks are all participants in a program where they collect data for research to gain understanding in animal behavior, ecosystem management, population management, etc.

On the typical day, we would go out in the truck with our own personal guide (there are only 4 volunteers at a time at each of the parks so it is very personal!). We would use radio telemetry (the equipment looks like a TV aerial) to find the wild dogs. Wild ogs are an endangered species that had been wiped out of the parks, but the packs we followed were from a breeding program that had recently released them with radio tracking collars.

Our job was to monitor the dogs and record notable behavior of each individual. After that, we would go in search of several different cheetah, most of whom were also collared. Every day we saw more and more of your typical African animals on our way to another area of the parks, such as elephant, rhino, zebra, giraffe, wildebeest, warthog, and even some hippos when we went near the rivers.

We often found the cheetahs fairly easily from the truck and could get close enough to get some fantastic pictures. There was a set of brothers that stuck together (names Starsky and Hutch) and we often found them lounging over one another. One time, we came up on them in the brush on the side of the road (after passing them several times looking for their radio signal). They were working on a fresh impala kill and it was amazing to see! We were so close that I got the most amazing pictures!

Another notable experience was when a white rhino (the endangered one) got its leg caught in a poachers trap. A vet flew in in a helicopter to dart it and then we went in on foot to assist the vet in removing the trap. We poored water over her to keep her cool and covered her eyes to keep her calm. We got some awesome photos here as well.

Aside from my close encounters with cheetah and rhinos, the best part of my trip was meeting a lifelong friend. Since she is British, we have decided to meet up on a different volunteer project every 2 years to keep in touch. We both had such a good experience through Travellers, that we will definitely use them again to help plan our trip!

I would definitely reccommend this placement to anyone who does not want the typical resort and safari feel. I did this trip along with a lion conservation project in Zimbabwe, and they were both much more personal than your typical tourist safari (and they cost less too)!