Wildlife conservation and community volunteer projects and internships worldwide

Volunteer in Africa

"My time in Watamu was incredible! Couldn’t have been better; The accommodation, the people I was able to work with and all the amazing projects I got to be a part of. I will definitely go back some time to work with them again."

Sofia Gothlin, Sweden

View Our Projects

About conservation volunteering in Africa

It’s difficult to picture Africa without picturing sweeping landscapes of dry grassland and twisting thorn trees or deep red sunsets setting aglow rocky hills and vast plains.  And of course, you cannot picture Africa without picturing the incredible wildlife it has become so well known for; herds of elephant crunching through tall grass, leopards and lions stalking in the shadows around groups of impala and rhinos rolling in mud to temper the heat of the day. But don’t forget that amidst these seemingly unending displays of nature are bustling cities that rival some of the best in the world.  There is also a spirit that runs throughout the heart of the continent and you can find it expressed in the smiles of all the people, across cultures and across countries.

Opportunities to take part in conservation volunteering in Africa range from tracking desert elephants and cheetahs to researching and monitoring lions, to volunteering with sea turtles in a rehabilitation centre in Kenya, to coral reef research programmes in Mauritius, Big Five Game Reserve wildlife monitoring and research in South Africa and to community building programmes in Namibia.  Learn about diverse cultures, live and volunteer in stunning locations and interact with friendly people when you volunteer in Africa.

Our Projects in Africa

Sofia Gothlin, Sweden

"My time in Watamu was incredible! Couldn’t have been better; The accommodation, the people I was able to work with and all the amazing projects I got to be a part of. I will definitely go back some time to work with them again."

Sofia Gothlin, Sweden
Alex, USA

"I personally have been all over the world, and visited many different waters and coral reefs. Therefore, I feel safe saying that Mauritius’s coral reefs are a jewel in the worlds ocean, offering one of the most pristine, and diverse coral reef systems I have ever seen."

Alex, USA
Martha Robinson, UK

"This was the trip of a lifetime! It was my first time travelling solo away from home and it was far better than anything I could’ve hoped for. There wasn’t a moment when I didn’t feel safe and comfortable on this trip when we were with the fantastic project staff. "

Martha Robinson, UK
Interesting Facts

Interesting Facts

  • Africa is the world’s hottest continent, and the world’s second driest continent.
  • Deforestation rates in Africa are twice the average for the rest of the world. Kenya and Zambia only have about 1-5% of the primary forests remaining.
  • Africa has over 25% of the world’s bird species.
  • While Egypt is most well known for its pyramids, the Republic of Sudan actually has 223 of its own pyramids, double the number of pyramids in Egypt.
  • Four of the five fastest land animals reside in Africa: the cheetah, the wildebeest, the lion, and the Thomson’s gazelle.
Wildlife in Africa

Wildlife in Africa

Conservation volunteering in Africa gives you the opportunity to experience what the African continent is famous for: its incredible wildlife – especially the Big Five.  From the smallest bird to the largest mammal, Africa provides a home to some of the world’s most beautiful species.  Across multiple countries, you can discover the elephant, leopard, lion, rhino and buffalo, the big five, who share the terrain with a considerable array of other species from giraffe to hippo and from zebra to the endangered riverine rabbit.  Namibia is famed for being home to the largest free-roaming cheetah and black rhino populations. And, in addition to this, it is one of only two countries where you can find desert elephants, which is where our Desert Elephants Volunteer Project is based too.

Off the coast of the continent, Seychelles and Mauritius offer volunteers the chance to work with the famous giant tortoises, and to research sea turtles and coral reefs.

Conservation Threats

Conservation Threats

There are multiple species across the African continent and off the coast that face considerable threats from a number of sources.  Poaching, illegal trading and trophy hunting has been particularly harmful for many big mammals like the rhino, and elephant.  In addition, growing populations have continually exacerbated conflict between human and animal populations.  By taking part in conservation volunteering in Africa, you can get involved in several of our programmes focusing on human-animal conflict resolution in Namibia in particular with regards to elephants and leopards.

In addition, increasing temperatures and inconsistent rainfall are placing incredible pressure on the availability of natural resources, and along coasts, a number of unsustainable practices threaten marine life and coral reefs.   Our volunteer programmes in Africa aim to address these issues and to conserve and protect the species in question.