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Location
  • Zimbabwe
Length
1 to 8 weeks
Project Types
Conservation Environmental Conservation Wildlife Conservation Elephant Conservation

Program Details

Language
English
Age Min.
13
Timeframe
Year Round
Housing
Lodge Tent
Groups
Small Group (1-15)
Travel Type
Family Older Travelers Solo Women

Pricing

Starting Price
900
Price Details
The programme fee includes accommodation, three meals a day, transfers to and from the project, and all the equipment needed to do your work. The volunteer fee also contributes to the development of new programmes and ensures that all the projects where you work are sustainable long term.
What's Included
Accommodation Activities Airport Transfers Equipment Meals Transportation
What's Not Included
Airfare SIM cards Travel Insurance Visa Wifi
Mar 09, 2021
Sep 11, 2018
Wish List
47 travelers are looking at this program

About Program

An amazing opportunity to get involved with the conservation of endangered species at Imire in Zimbabwe - a world-renowned black rhino breeding centre. Your focus is on the project's 11 rhinos, three elephant and two cheetah. You are based at Imire, a 10,000 acre family-owned conservancy, where you will get hands-on experience with anti-poaching activities, rhino and cheetah research projects, wildlife monitoring and game park management.

Volunteers experience day to day life on an African game reserve and contribute to the long term conservation of endangered African animals. Learn about four of Africa’s Big 5 game - lion, elephants, rhinos and buffalos, plus cheetah and a huge range of plains game including giraffe, zebra, sable, kudu, waterbuck and wildebeest. This project is truly an animal-lovers paradise.

During your spare time you can enjoy horse safaris, hiking, canoeing and fishing, plus camp-outs in the bush under amazing African skies.

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Video and Photos

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Hands-on rhino conservation
Volunteering with rhino
Wildlife conservation Imire
Rhino conservation
Volunteering in Zimbabwe
Cheetah research in Zimbabwe
Volunteering with elephants
Volunteers with rhino in Zimbabwe
Volunteer sitting watching rhino
Volunteer feeding a black rhino
Volunteer using telemetry to track rhino
Volunteer looking out over conservancy from high up
Volunteer feeding rhino through pen

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Program Highlights

  • A unique opportunity to live and work alongside two of Africa's most iconic species - the rhino and elephant
  • Monitor the project's cheetah and study their behaviour, hunting methods and success.
  • Get involved with anti-poaching and the security of the conservancy.
  • Learn to identify the tracks and signs of wild animals, and understand mammal behaviour
  • Experience the local community and culture as you work in the local school and visit rural villages

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Program Reviews

5.00 Rating
based on 13 reviews
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  • Impact 5
  • Support 5
  • Fun 4.85
  • Value 4.85
  • Safety 5
Showing 9 - 13 of 13 reviews
Default avatar
Annmarie
64
Female
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

A moment at Imire

Feb 9, 2015

On one of my first days we were walking Tatenda the rhino home back to his night pen and the elephants came up from behind us. So there we were with a black rhino in front and an elephant in the back.

It felt like we were in a documentary or a movie. It was like a dream come true for me.

29 people found this review helpful.
Helpful
Default avatar
Ann
64
Female
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Meeting extraordinary people

Feb 8, 2015

While I expected to meet extraordinary elephants and rhinos on this project, I did not expect to meet some of the most extraordinary people I've ever met.

Madame Matsika so impressed me with her dedication to the children and their opportunities, to the preservation of the Shona culture and to the encouragement of the principles of sustainability. She is the personification of goodness and wisdom.

Judy Travers' principles of ethical treatment of people and animals are astounding. Once can see her influence throughout Imire - every single animal you meet, whether it is a dog, horse or rhino, clearly expects to be treated with kindness and respect. And the same goes for people.

What would you improve about this program?
I have two minor complaints.
One is wifi access. I should not have been told there was reliable wifi access. I would have not created expectations at home of regular contact.
29 people found this review helpful.
Helpful
Default avatar
Carl
64
Male
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Deeply satisfying

May 18, 2014

You will never have a better, closer experience with the big animals of Africa—every second day I rode an elephant! And I fed rhinos in the morning. Plus zebras, giraffes, warthogs, wildebeests, gazelles, elands, hyenas... Showering in a bamboo stall, with solar heated water, watching the mist rise off the pond (that you can swim and fish in and watch the hippo) outside the house where the volunteers stay. Mending fences, tracking animals, topping up and relocating feeders, building paddocks, cleaning up elephant poop—the fun doesn't stop. All of the staff are fabulous and deeply committed. And the volunteers come from around the world (from three continents when I was there) bringing diverse cultures to a shared commitment.

What would you improve about this program?
I actually wanted to work harder, at the dullest menial jobs. I like to take a job to completion, though that is hard with thousands of hectares of land and hundreds of tasks. But they do keep the work varied and having fun is just part of the work ethic.
32 people found this review helpful.
Helpful
Default avatar
amy
31
Female
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Loved It Loved It Loved It

May 14, 2014

Such a great experience, learned so much and loved loved the interaction with the animals. The people there were all lovely and very welcoming, I got everything I wished for out of the experience and more.

31 people found this review helpful.
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Read my full story
Default avatar
Jenn
39
Female
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Amazing doesn't cover it!

May 14, 2014

I spent 2 weeks at Imire on this project. It was AMAZING to say the least. The animals are amazing, the people are amazing, the house and surroundings are amazing, the project and efficiency of the programme are amazing.
I have done a few projects before and Imire is at the top of the list!! You are part of the family as soon as you arrive. You get straight into the project and the flexibility especially at weekends ensure that the project is tailored exactly to your needs.
AMAZING!!!!!

What would you improve about this program?
maybe some more evening ride outs, or camp outs? We didn't have electricity for a good few days and although you understand that it's Africa, it did mean that the evenings felt very long.
Although I understand this could also depend on the group of vols your with.
33 people found this review helpful.
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Questions & Answers

How old do you have to be?
Answer this question
Is insurance provided?

Hi Lena, All volunteers need to have their own personal travel insurance which covers them for the activities on the project, lost or delayed baggage, flight cancellations, evacuation and repatriation. We recommend World Nomads for this project. Travel insurance is for your own cost. Thank you for your enquiry!

By Conservation Travel Africa on February 15, 2018

Alumni Interviews

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

Amy Douglas

Program
Rhino, Elephant and Cheetah Conservation in Zimbabwe
Amy Douglas is from Perth in Western Australia and works as a travel coordinator. Travel and tourism are huge passions of hers and she is currently studying for a degree in tourism. After her experience with Imire, she is looking to direct her studies to focus on conservation tourism. After traveling across Europe, she feels that people have an opportunity to get so much more out of their time abroad when they become a part of a program with a bigger vision such as Imire’s.
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Why did you decide to volunteer abroad with Conservation Travel Africa in Zimbabwe?

I previously did a day trip to the Imire Farm when I was last in Zimbabwe in January of 2012, and fell in love with the place instantly, so when I learned that they run a volunteer program, I was keen to go back.

The biggest draw card for me was the elephants and the chance to interact with them and the other animals on the farm.

Witnessing them on a day safari is one thing, but you learn so much more when you spend time with them on a daily basis.

Ten years from now, what’s the one thing you think you’ll remember most from the trip?

I hope to remember everything but I think just the thrill of the interaction with the animals is what will really stick with me.

If you could go back and do something differently, what would it be?

I would stay for longer. I have every intention of going back to visit again.

Tell me about one person you met.

I met a bundle of amazing and memorable people on the trip but Judy Travers for me, was a truly amazing person.

Her passion for the farm is unwavering and her way of life is something to be admired. The Imire Farm and the Community as a whole is a credit to her leadership, companionship and huge heart.

Has your worldview changed as a result of your trip?

It’s good to know that there are some teams of people out there raising conservation awareness and making every effort to contribute to the rectification of decreasing population numbers, especially with the rhinos.

When I was there both of the black rhino females were pregnant which was encouraging after the farm had to rebuild their breeding program due to poaching incidents.

About Conservation Travel Africa

Conservation Travel Africa provide meaningful and responsible volunteer programmes, focusing on wildlife conservation and education. From our base in Southern Africa we are ideally placed to coordinate your volunteer experience. We have chosen our project partners carefully and focus on supporting work which is already being done on the ground...

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