A New Side To The Kruger

This is a suggested itinerary. Every experience can be customised to be just right for you.

Moholoholo Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre

Week 1 & 2

Volunteer at one of the biggest wildlife sanctuaries in South Africa - home to lions, leopards, cheetahs, wild dogs, hyenas, vultures, and many other threatened animals. From preparing enrichment activities to helping maintain enclosures, you’ll get involved with every aspect of animal care and rehabilitation. If you’re lucky, you may even get to experience the moment an animal is safely returned to the wild.

The Vikela Kruger Conservation Experience

Week 3

Explore the Greater Kruger Park in a way few others ever do… on foot. Alongside an expert guide, you’ll step into one of the few remaining ecosystems large enough to host a mega population of lions, growing numbers of elephants, plus wild dogs, black and white rhino and other threatened species. Together, you’ll carry out vital practical conservation, monitor iconic species and immerse yourself in the untamed beauty of this UNESCO Biosphere Reserve.

The perfect introduction to wildlife conservation

Provide daily care and enrichment to injured animals, learn to track wildlife on foot, and experience the richness of the Greater Kruger’s biodiversity. This combination gives you the chance to roll up your sleeves and play a vital role in multiple areas of conservation.

Work with and help save the lives of African wildlife

Based near many important wildlife reserves, including the largest and world-famous Kruger National Park, Moholoholo treats high numbers of injured, hurt and orphaned animals every year, who only survive because of the project’s work and support from volunteers.

Explore one of Africa’s largest intact ecosystems

You’ll help preserve one of the few intact ecosystems large enough to support sustainable populations of threatened species like elephants, lions and wild dogs. During guided game drives through the Kruger you’ll see species in the wild and learn anti-poaching techniques, animal tracking skills and bushcraft. All in a spectacular natural environment.

Support rhino anti-poaching efforts

The Kruger is home to the largest wild rhino population in Africa – and plays a vital role in the future of the species. You will actively help protect these giants from poachers by monitoring rhinos and passing on information to the anti-poaching team in the Greater Kruger.

Carry out practical conservation on foot

Walking through the African bush, exploring remote areas that can’t be accessed by vehicles and immersing yourself in the smells and sounds of nature is a life-changing experience. In a time of declining wildlife populations, you’ll be one of the lucky few who can say "I did that".

Help support the Endangered Wildlife Trust (EWT)

Moholoholo works in partnership with the EWT, a world-leading authority in wildlife conservation, and is their preferred poisoned vulture recovery and rehabilitation specialist. By joining the project, you’ll learn about their critically important work and the vital role vultures play in creating a healthy ecosystem.

Learn from conservation experts

Work alongside highly qualified wildlife professionals, from animal care specialists to field ecologists, who bring the bush environment to life, explaining the art and science of conservation during bushwalks, tracking and game drives.

Friendly social atmosphere

Whether you’re sitting around the campfire, enjoying a boat trip excursion, or exploring the surrounding area with the team, these two projects are great places to meet like-minded people from around the world.

You’ll support the project teams in real hands-on wildlife care and monitoring. Depending on the conservation priorities at the time, this will include a range of the following activities.

Rehabilitation, care and husbandry

You’ll work with a variety of animals, some who can be rehabilitated and released back into the wild and others who require life-long care in a sanctuary.

You will get to observe or assist:

• Enriching animals’ lives through physical exercise, mental stimulation and by creating natural environments in captivity.
• Preparing and feeding animal diets tailored to individual species.
• Mucking out enclosures, raking grass for bedding, and keeping living spaces clean and healthy.

You could also observe or assist:

• Preparing and releasing animals onto the wildlife reserve.
• Stabilising and integrating new arrivals at the centre.

Veterinary nursing

Most animals arrive at centres with injury or trauma. Depending on your skills and the needs of the project, you could support a professional vet or veterinary nurse in treating these new arrivals.

You could observe or assist:

• Providing care in a well-equipped on-site clinic.
• Dressing wounds, administering medication, and monitoring recovery.
• Conducting regular health checks and preparing nutritious diets.
• Carrying immobilised animals and monitoring their vital signs.

Caring for young wildlife (Seasonal: peak activity from November to March)

Looking after young animals is one of the most rewarding experiences. These animals require intensive attention, much like human infants.

You could observe or assist:

• Preparing food or formula.
• Bottle-feeding or using other feeding methods, depending on the species.
• Monitoring health and behaviour.
• Helping to integrate juveniles into appropriate enclosures.

Monitor and protect

Ongoing monitoring of wildlife in the Greater Kruger is essential to understanding and protecting iconic African species. Depending on the work taking place at the time, this will include a range of the following activities.

You will get to observe and assist:

• Tracking animals on foot during bush walks.
• Recording population data and movement patterns of key species.
• Documenting age, gender, feeding, breeding and behavioural observations.
• Identifying individual rhinos and sharing data with anti-poaching teams.
• Installing and managing camera traps to monitor elusive or nocturnal species.

You could also observe or assist:

• Analysing data and imagery from camera traps.
• Participating in practical conservation tasks such as invasive species removal, bush clearing, and fence repair.

Research and practical conservation

In addition to rehabilitation and monitoring work, you may also take part in wider conservation initiatives.

You will get to observe or assist with:

• Providing safe feeding zones for wild vultures at risk of poisoning.
• Rescuing, quarantining and releasing species such as honey badgers, caracals, leopards, and mongooses that pose risks to or are endangered by local farming activity.

Get a 360-degree view of conservation

This experience also includes a variety of additional activities. You will get to:

• Boat through the spectacular Blyde River Canyon and spot wildlife from the water.
• Experience night drives in the Greater Kruger to witness the behaviour of nocturnal animals like leopards, hyenas, porcupines and bushbabies.
• Explore the deep impact of rehabilitation work and its partnership with world-leading organisations like the Endangered Wildlife Trust (EWT).

You’ll learn about wildlife behaviour, biology, ecology, and conservation issues. Depending on the projects’ work at the time, this will include a range of the following topics.

Animal husbandry

• Individual dietary requirements for different captive species, including food preparation, water provision and feeding routines.
• Best hygiene practices, such as enclosure cleaning, disinfection of areas and waste removal.
• How to monitor the health and behaviour of different captive species.

Behaviour

• The behaviours of African animals, both in the wild and in captivity.
• The hunting, breeding and social behaviour of key species such as rhinos, wild dogs and leopards.
• The movement and habitat use of elusive species like leopards.
• The methods of enrichment used for different species and how this benefits the animal’s welfare.
• How animals communicate with each other.

Biology

• The physiology and biology of predators including lion, leopard and hyena, as well as other African animals.
• The differences between white and black rhino.
• The natural diets of the Big 5 and other African species.
• Wildlife reproduction and how different species care for their young.
• The optimum captive environments for different species.
• Native African plants, reptiles, amphibians and birds.

Ecology

• The natural habitats of African species and their role in the ecosystem.
• The current threats facing African ecosystems.
• Why large, continuous areas of protected wilderness are more effective than fragmented reserves.

Conservation

• The causes of, and potential solutions to, human-wildlife conflict.
• The rhino poaching crisis, what drives it and how it can be stopped.
• Methods used by poachers such as snares.
• The importance of the Greater Kruger Park.
• Various research techniques, such as camera traps and GPS tracking.
• How to stabilise and integrate new arrivals at wildlife centres.
• How conservation is funded in Africa.
• The roles that animal rehabilitation centres play in protecting species.
• The broader role of animal care centres in the wildlife conservation movement.

Bush skills

• How to track animals on foot.
• How to approach animals safely on foot.
• How to use a spotlight during night drives to minimise disruption to nocturnal animals.
• How to identify insects, reptiles and birds in the area.
• The medicinal uses of various plants and trees.

Educational talks

• The basic astronomy of the southern sky.
• Does hunting have a place in African wildlife conservation.
• Wildlife poisoning and the 'muti' trade in traditional medicine.
• Drought in the Greater Kruger.