Welcome to South Africa! This is your chance to work with and live among some of the world’s most beautiful, thrilling – and vulnerable – wildlife. 

Along with our wide range of wildlife conservation programs run from our research station in Limpopo, we also offer a penguin, dolphin and whale conservation program in Gansbaai, a small coastal town just 2.5 hours from Cape Town.

Wildlife conservation

Joining a wildlife conservation program in South Africa is an extraordinary opportunity for anyone who is passionate about wildlife and protecting the environment. The country is home to approximately 297 mammal species, 858 bird species and over 20,000 plant species. 

Roaming the vast plains of the South African savannah are the famous Big Five – lion, leopard, elephant, buffalo and rhino – as well as many other unique and endangered animals. 

As a volunteer in South Africa, you’ll work with experienced conservationists and researchers, learning about wildlife behaviour, monitoring animals in their natural habitats and participating in key activities that are essential to long-term conservation efforts.

Our Limpopo participants also take part in community development initiatives through our partnerships with local schools and education centres. You’ll assist with education projects as well as promoting community engagement and connections between people and wildlife.

We partner with Karongwe Game Reserve Association to offer wildlife conservation volunteer programs, internships, apprenticeships and research fellowships in South Africa.

Marine conservation

Situated in the quaint fishing town of Gansbaai, near Cape Town, our marine conservation program is your ticket to a world of underwater adventures! You’ll engage in hands-on activities with penguins, dolphins and whales, while contributing to eco-tourism, research and education. This unique opportunity involves initiatives like habitat monitoring, underwater exploration and research projects. 

Why it matters

When you carry out volunteer work in South Africa, you contribute to the preservation of ecosystems vital to the health of the African continent – and the planet – while learning valuable practical research skills and gaining first-hand knowledge of this incredibly diverse and special environment. 

Our wildlife conservation programs aim to protect the unique savannah habitat from the impacts of biodiversity loss, climate change, illegal poaching and animal trafficking. While Our penguin, dolphin and whale conservation program contributes to eco-tourism, research and education efforts. 

Whatever you choose, your impact will be felt for generations!

South Africa volunteer programs

Love nature and adventure? Then you’re the perfect fit for our volunteering experiences! They offer you the opportunity to spend your gap year, safari holiday or career break making a real difference for the environment.

When you volunteer in South Africa you can join a general wildlife conservation expedition or focus on a specific animal program.

• Big cat conservation research in South Africa
• Cheetah conservation and research project in South Africa
• Elephant research in South Africa
• Rhino poaching awareness in South Africa
• Penguin, dolphin and whale conservation in South Africa

Wildlife conservation internships in South Africa 

When you join a conservation internship, you’ll work alongside local and international staff and participants. Here you’ll assist with recording animal species and numbers, protecting the habitat, and conducting environmental education and anti-poaching initiatives. 

Participants will receive guidance from experienced mentors and gain valuable work experience, relevant qualifications and skills in conservation.

If you’re keen to take the first step in your career as a wildlife conservationist or want to become a professional field guide, trained and certified by qualified experts trained from the International Field Guide Association (IFGA) , we recommend joining one of our South Africa wildlife conservation internships: 

• Big cat conservation internship
• Wildlife conservation internship 
• International field guide course
• 60-day safari guide course

This is an opportunity for you to learn from the best and build valuable professional networks! 

Wildlife conservation professional apprenticeship in South Africa 

Kick-start your conservation career with our six-month wildlife conservation apprenticeship in South Africa. On this program, you’ll learn valuable wildlife research techniques and then put them into practice during a three-month work placement at a South African conservation organisation. 

Partnering with local and international conservation organisations, you’ll work with a research team in a private game reserve, just one hour from the Kruger National Park, gaining essential skills while identifying and monitoring predators and megaherbivores such as lions, cheetahs, leopards, elephants and rhinos. 

With four recognised qualifications, a LinkedIn reference and a guaranteed job offer upon successful completion, this program is the perfect way to gain international experience and build a network of industry contacts.

Wildlife research fellowship in South Africa 

If you’re looking to gain hands-on research experience, then our wildlife research fellowship is for you. Located within a private game reserve in the Kruger to Canyons Biosphere in South Africa, you can look forward to experiencing diverse flora and fauna while working on research projects that contribute to maintaining a healthy ecosystem and the species that live there. 

With access to scientific datasets and the guidance of industry experts, you’ll have the chance to collect data on a variety of species, including lion, leopard, rhino, elephant, buffalo, cheetah and spotted hyenas. You’ll learn valuable skills such as species identification, data presentation, project management, teamwork and time management. 

You’ll also have the opportunity to complete three online courses, co-author or publish a scientific paper on a conservation topic or complete your own thesis or dissertation. At the end of the fellowship, you’ll gain international experience, four recognised qualifications and a LinkedIn reference to boost your CV.

Penguin, dolphin and whale conservation in South Africa

In Gansbaai, a quick ride from Cape Town, you can soak up the coastal vibes and jump into marine life protection with our penguin, dolphin and whale conservation program.

Located on the southernmost tip of Africa, South Africa is a country famed for its temperate climate and beautiful coastline that stretches across two oceans – from the tropical Indian to the frosty Atlantic. Its habitats include forest, savannah, desert, sea and the unique Cape fynbos biome, making it one of the most biodiverse countries in the world, and one of the only places where nature’s most elusive and charismatic animals can still be found in the wild. 

GVI operates in two locations in South Africa: Limpopo and Gansbaai.

Limpopo

Limpopo is one of South Africa’s northernmost provinces, and home to the famed Kruger National Park – easily accessible from our research station. 

Our research station is located in a private game reserve, offering the quintessential safari experience – a must-see travel destination for wildlife enthusiasts! Just 45 minutes from the town of Hoedspruit, the reserve is home to a number of species, including elephant, rhino, buffalo, giraffe, zebra, wildebeest, impala, lion, leopard, cheetah, spotted hyena, honey badger, baboon, vervet monkey, mongoose, warthog, bushpig, porcupine, aardvark, civet, hippo, crocodile and terrapins. Many bird species can be spotted here, particularly around the large dams and along the rivers.

As a wildlife conservation volunteer or intern in Limpopo, you will live in the heart of the African savannah, surrounded by big cats, elephants, rhinos, buffalos and more! Fall asleep to the sounds of nature as you cosy up in our secure volunteer and intern accommodation, and wake up to majestic African sunrises!

Gansbaai

Nestled along the Cape Whale Coast, Gansbaai is a short 2.5-hour drive from Cape Town. This popular coastal town is known for its Marine Big 5 – sharks, whales, seals, penguins and dolphins – thriving within the Dyer Island ecosystem!

In neighbouring Walker Bay, there’s an annual whale migration that draws quite a crowd. Plus, if you’re into shark cage diving experiences, this is where you want to be! Gansbaai pulls in around 80,000 global visitors each year, and it’s not just for the marine life, nature lovers are welcome to Explore the Fernkloof Nature Reserve, go on scenic hikes or travel back in time with a visit to the historic De Kelders Caves. Gansbaai has something for everyone!

GVI is committed to adhering to the highest level of ethical best practices throughout all focus areas. We are governed by our ten ethical principles and five human empowerment principles. We also hold a badge of ethics – our dedication to continuously reflect on and improve our policies and practices. 

Every GVI wildlife conservation program is planned and implemented in collaboration with local partner organisations – creating solutions that will have a lasting impact and can eventually be maintained without external support. 

GVI’s wildlife volunteer programs are aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs). Each of our wildlife or animal conservation programs is aligned with at least one UN SDG. 

We also employ both environmental impact and science officers on the ground to ensure that our projects are up to date with the latest conservation best practices and most rigorous scientific standards. 

As part of our efforts to run our programs as ethically and safely as possible, all of our wildlife volunteering programs are governed by both a strict stance on animal interaction and our robust health and safety practices. In this way, our expert staff ensure that animal conservation volunteering activities are safe, ethical and impactful.

You can read about the work we’ve done with the help of volunteers like you in our Impact and Ethics Report. 

GVI is a British Standards 8848 compliant provider.

Who can volunteer in South Africa?

You can! 

Perhaps you’re on your gap year abroad, seeking adventure and self-discovery. Maybe you’re after a holiday where you can make a positive environmental impact. Considering a career break or a summer volunteer internship? 

Are you a passionate conservation student or a wildlife researcher venturing into the field for the first time? Or dreaming of becoming a certified safari field guide?

Whichever category you fall into, we’ve got a wildlife or animal conservation program that can help you live a wilder life.

Who qualifies as a wildlife volunteer or wildlife intern?

You do. We don’t require any pre-existing qualifications or certifications.

Most of our adult volunteering programs require you to be 18 years or older, but we do offer specially curated teen volunteer programs for ages 15 to 17 in both Limpopo and Cape Town. Read more about teen volunteering with GVI here. 

Is it safe to volunteer in South Africa?

Extremely safe. We take every precaution to make sure our participants live and work safely, no matter where they are in the world. We have trained support staff on hand 24 hours a day to ensure that all participants across all our programs are well taken care of.

You can speak directly to one of our enrolment officers or alumni, who can answer any questions you have about life in South Africa, life at our research station or the experience of volunteering with wild animals.

Who will I live with?

You will work alongside GVI volunteers of all ages, from all over the world. This is an opportunity to meet people from a range of backgrounds. Our GVI team will be at every location to help volunteers during their programs. On community-based projects, volunteers work closely with local community members.

Do I need to know any other languages to volunteer in South Africa? 

Most people in South Africa are fluent in English. English is one of South Africa’s official languages, and all public and government communication is conducted in English. 

I’m interested. What are the next steps? 

We’d love to have you! You can enquire or apply here.