WILDLIFE VOLUNTEERING: THE RED FLAGS MOST PEOPLE MISS
Get the free guide
Rodrigo Palos
- Phinda Wildlife Research Project
- The Vikela Kruger Conservation Experience
- Okavango Wilderness Project
- Golola Rhino Orphanage And Rehabilitation Centre
- From Famous Kruger To Remote Okavango
- Rhino Conservation Experience
Country
🇲🇽 Mexico
Length of trip
35 Nights
Travel year
2026
This was my first time traveling to Africa, and I was there for five weeks. From the very first call to my last day, I always felt taken care of and supported by the African Conservation Experience (ACE) team. The entire experience exceeded my expectations and gave me memories I will never forget.
I spent my first week in Botswana at the Okavango Wilderness Project, where it just happened that I was the only volunteer there during that week. The project staff there were so friendly, polite, and attentive, and they always made sure I was having a good time. The project's cook at camp was really good, and they were always very caring. They were all flexible, welcoming, and taught me so much about the local wildlife and conservation work.
I stayed in a structured tent, and you could hear wildlife walking around nearby, which made me feel slightly nervous at first, but it ended up being one of the highlights of my whole trip because it made the experience feel so wild and real. We also went camping in a beautiful location in the Okavango Delta, where I did a mokoro trip, a traditional canoe trip through the delta, and got to see hippos from the mokoro. It was incredibly cool!
Every day we did two game drives to complete animal monitoring along transects, and I got to see so many amazing animals, especially baby elephants!
On my last day in Botswana, the project staff even agreed to take me to the airport earlier so I could do a scenic flight over the Okavango Delta, and they helped me arrange and book it. Seeing the Delta from above was absolutely incredible and one of the most unforgettable moments of my trip, and it was the perfect way to end my time there!
Because all the projects were in different locations, I flew a lot of planes and took shuttles, but everything went so smoothly. Even the drive from Johannesburg to next project, the Vikela Kruger Experience was beautiful. Despite all the traveling between places, it never felt stressful, everything was well organised and easy, and it always felt worth it because every project was incredible in its own way. The in-country ACE support team was always checking on me and making sure everything was organised. They really made me feel supported and taken care of throughout the whole experience.
After Botswana, I flew to South Africa and spent a week at Vikela Kruger Conservation Experience. The project is situated in the Greater Kruger National Park, which is connected to the Kruger National Park, one of the largest protected areas in Africa, where animals can roam freely between the areas, which I thought was amazing. The views from our accommodation were beautiful, and the food they cooked was very good. The staff at the project were amazing, our guide was incredibly wise and knowledgeable, and I learned so much from them.
On the weekend, I also got to visit Kruger National Park and Blyde River Canyon.
The project staff taught us how to start a fire from scratch, and we also did a sleepout in the bush, which was such a unique experience.
For my third week, I flew to Durban before heading to Phinda Wildlife Research Project, where I spent the next 2 weeks. Phinda was absolutely beautiful. There are so many different ecosystems, from marshes to sand forests, and the diversity there is incredible. You see rhinos everywhere.
During my time there, I was able to help retag a pangolin in support of the project’s pangolin reintroduction program, assist with the translocation of three rhinos, and participate in two rhino trimmings for anti-poaching support, an unbelievably cool experiences.
We were also invited to a braai (a South African barbecue) by the monitoring team, and it was really special getting to experience that side of South African culture. The ecological monitor we worked with was very fun, kind, and always attentive to the volunteers. One of my favorite parts of Phinda was seeing warthogs, wildebeest, nyala, and impala walking around our yard and outside my window, especially during sunset. It felt unreal.
On my last week, I stayed at Golola Rhino Orphanage and rehabilitation centre. The centre’s location was exactly what you picture when you think of South Africa, absolutely beautiful. The whole team there was so nice, hardworking, knowledgeable, and interesting. The selfless work they do is genuinely admirable and moving. They did not have any bottle-fed rhinos at the time, but there were other orphaned rhinos that we worked with which had graduated to eating hay and grass. Another amazing thing was that many of the orphaned rhinos that the centre raised have been released and had babies of their own, which is a sign of the success of their work.
I felt like I was inside one of the wildlife documentaries I watched growing up!
While I was at Golola, I got to help bottle-feed an orphaned sable antelope and also help feed the rhinos in the bomas. During the winter, they provide supplementary food for the rhinos throughout the reserve. One of my favourite experiences was riding on the tractor through the reserve, watching rhinos come toward us while wildebeest ran alongside us and warthogs tried to steal the rhinos’ food.
I learned so much about wildlife, conservation, and the people who dedicate their lives to protecting these animals. I feel really grateful to have met such amazing people and to have been able to experience a small part of what they do, and to witness the impact of their work in real life. I experienced things I never imagined I would, and made memories that will stay with me forever. I would absolutely recommend this experience to anyone interested in conservation, wildlife, or adventure.
It was really moving to witness the impact of the Rhino Orphanage’s hard work firsthand, and I feel grateful I got to experience that.
Feeling inspired by Rodrigo Palos's experience?
Learn more about our Study & Career Programs or Volunteer Experiences
Stories, tips, recommendations – they’re the glue that binds our community together. So if you’re planning your trip, why not hear what previous travellers have to say?
