Natasha Morris & Kathleen Walsh

Our time with African Conservation Experience (ACE) was quite simply the biggest adventure of a lifetime! 

Volunteering at Care For Wild Africa Rhino Sanctuary was an experience we will treasure forever. From the moment we arrived, we were welcomed by the most amazing, kind, and supportive team, and it genuinely felt like we had become part of a little rhino-loving family.

The staff at Care For Wild deserve a special mention for being the most incredible, patient and knowledgeable team we could’ve hoped for. 

Their patience was endless, even when we probably asked the same question more than once! Our days were filled with purpose, and everything was incredibly organised. 

And the animals! The baby rhinos were absolutely adorable, and seeing them grow stronger was incredibly rewarding. The goats acting as companions to rhinos who were alone was possibly one of the cutest things we have ever seen.

We also have to give a huge shout-out to our fantastic chefs, who cooked up some absolutely amazing food and went above and beyond to cater for our veggie needs. There was always something delicious waiting for us, which definitely helped keep us fuelled for the hard work!

The sanctuary itself is a testament to the incredible work and dedication of the founder of the project. The effort she has poured into conservation and giving these animals a second chance is second to none. She is an absolute force to be reckoned with and clearly will not rest until every animal is thriving.

Of course, there were plenty of laughs too. Shovelling rhino poo on Kath’s birthday was certainly a “treat” none of us will forget anytime soon!

We genuinely miss the entire team tremendously. We have made friendships for life and will definitely be returning as soon as we have saved enough pennies.

After an incredible week at Care for Wild, we then moved on to the Okavango Wilderness Project for the next step in our adventure. This is where we headed out into the permanent ranges of the Moremi/Khwai region to collect vital data for the project, and what followed was seven days of living, breathing, completely unforgettable game drives!

We were lucky enough to be part of an amazing all-female volunteer team. We quickly became very close, but what made the experience even more special was how warmly the team welcomed us. They didn't just look after us, they made us feel like part of their family.

Our brilliant driver and guide worked incredibly hard to make sure we had the best possible sightings while keeping us focused on the research. He somehow always seemed to know exactly where to go, and his dedication to giving us the best possible experience was second to none.

The camp’s chef was also a fantastic part of our ranger team and quickly became a much-loved member of our little camp family. His warmth, humour and caring nature made such a difference to our experience. He was also an excellent cook, somehow producing delicious meals in the middle of the wilderness and making sure our vegetarian needs were always catered for! I personally will miss our chats, his wonderful sense of humour and, of course, his cooking tremendously. 

Then our other guide and master tracker taught us so much about tracking and monitoring footprints in the Kalahari sand. 

I became so obsessed that, honestly, I started thinking I could probably get myself a permanent job there! 

Our days were packed with data collection. We recorded species, gender, whether animals were adults or youngsters, GPS locations, distances using the rangefinder, and the length of each route. We were out almost twice a day, often leaving ridiculously early to catch the sunrise and see the animals at their most active. It was basically a living safari for seven days straight!

The wildlife sightings were absolutely phenomenal. We saw leopards, elephants, buffalo, wild dogs, giraffes, impala, owls, eagles, vultures, and hippos. Some animals came amazingly close to camp. Hearing hippos munching and splashing through the Okavango Delta was magical.

We also had plenty of laughs. We danced around campfires, did yoga to stretch out after our famous “Safari massages”, otherwise known as being bounced around the vehicle for hours! Even washing up became an enjoyable group activity. 

Kath and I bought our own rubber gloves for when doing the dishes and got stuck in on day one. I was absolutely in my element… although I did have to conduct a few spider patrols first for Kath to feel comfortable!

The two other volunteers deserve a huge mention too. They may have been a little older than the rest of us, but my goodness, they were incredible! They threw themselves into everything, camped on the floor, had more energy than the rest of us, and brought so much happiness and laughter to the experience.

Our two-day camp in the Khwai region was another incredible experience. We had excellent safety briefings and were reminded that if we heard anything outside our tents at night, we were absolutely not to get out. Apparently, the animals see the tents as one solid object and generally leave them alone, which meant there was definitely no midnight wandering for us!

We will be forever grateful for the incredible experiences, the wildlife, the learning, the laughter and, most importantly, the friendships. 

Friendships for life. With huge thanks and love,

Natasha & Kath