Grace Nottle

I was able to do back-to-back projects, starting with the Shimongwe Wildlife Veterinary Experience and then onto the Shimongwe Wildlife Veterinary Expedition.

The whole experience was really well planned out, with transport between each project sorted so smoothly that I never had to worry about the logistics myself.

Learning about the different efforts, approaches, and even opinions of everyone involved in animal welfare and conservation was genuinely interesting and eye-opening. What I enjoyed most was seeing the real impact of the projects first-hand: meeting the people working on the ground day in, day out, and understanding just how much of a genuine difference you can make simply by getting stuck into wildlife veterinary work alongside them.

The people on the projects were welcoming and helpful from day one, and the country itself is beautiful, with experience after experience that I still can't quite believe I got to have. Being able to go to Kruger National Park and see some of the most spectacular animals up close, in a properly protected environment, was something I honestly thought I'd never get to see with my own eyes.

African Conservation Experience (ACE) made the whole trip amazing. Travelling solo for the first time was daunting going in, but thanks to ACE, it ended up being one of the most straightforward things I've ever done.

I am hoping to come back in the future!