Before I arrived in South Africa, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect. It was a completely new experience for me. But from the moment I connected with African Conservation Experience (ACE), everything felt easy and seamless. During my time with ACE, I visited three different projects: Vikela Kruger Conservation Experience, Golola Rhino Orphanage And Rehabilitation Centre and Phinda Wildlife Research Project.
Each one was thoughtfully planned out and built on the last, with every project having something unique to offer, whether it was learning about anti-poaching efforts, hands-on animal care, or the importance of wildlife research. I was constantly learning and growing, gaining a real appreciation of just how complex conservation is in practice.
The whole experience was amazing, everything from the people to the experience itself, to the jobs we were doing. If I had to use one word… it would be life-changing!
Vikela was probably the most impactful part of the experience for me. I had the opportunity to work closely with an expert field guide and his highly trained dog. Watching the way they both worked, completely in sync, was something I had never seen before! Following them together on our foot patrols through the bush gave me a truly new perspective on conservation.
On our first monitoring drive, a huge bull elephant appeared beside our vehicle. I thought, ‘If this is how it starts, it’s going to be one hell of a trip!
Everything from the monitoring drives to witnessing firsthand how serious the threat of poaching still is was truly eye-opening. What stood out most was witnessing everyone's passion and dedication.
On our final day at Vikela, we had the incredible opportunity to observe and assist with a rhino horn trim. This is a procedure used in conjunction with other methods that deters poachers. This experience gave me a mixture of emotions as it was truly unforgettable to see, and it really choked me up when learning how this procedure of darting and removing the horn of a precious animal is necessary due to poaching threats in the region. However, what really was inspiring was seeing a group of people work together in such a serious way, something that I hadn’t seen since leaving the military. It lit a fire in me for this kind of stuff, making it very difficult to leave South Africa.
When starting my second project at Golola, I was again struck by the passion of the people involved. This time round it was how deeply invested the team are in protecting and rehabilitating rhinos. It was incredibly rewarding to go and help with their feeding and welfare checks, playing a small part towards their recovery and rewilding.
I feel like this trip gave me compassion for animals, more so than I ever had. I loved getting to know the individual rhinos and learning about their different behaviours.
One moment that really stuck with me was a walk we took up to a high point near the reserve. When we reached the top, we were met with the most gorgeous view over the African landscape I could’ve ever hoped to see in my life!
After Golola I went to my final project Phinda, where I had some unforgettable wildlife sightings. Just one example was when one morning we set out to check on a cheetah and her two cubs that had made a kill the previous day. We found them resting under a tree when we suddenly heard impalas calling nearby. The cheetahs perked up and before we knew it, the impalas were heading straight towards them, completely unaware. We sat there completely focused. Then one impala got within five feet away of the cheetah before she leapt up and chased it. Within 300 metres, she had caught it.
It felt like watching a scene from National Geographic. Being that close to something so raw and real was the highlight of my time at Phinda!
As a veteran, I feel like this experience helped me work through challenges I’d been facing since leaving the army. If any veterans are reading this and feeling a bit lost or unsure of what’s next, I would 100% recommend joining ACE. It gives you purpose, perspective, and a real sense of connection.
ACE takes care of everything, from the logistics to the people on the ground - so all you have to do is focus on the experience. I’ll be recommending them to anyone who asks me about my trip.
I’ll definitely be back for sure, just being there and seeing this whole side of the world made me want to move there and get involved in conservation. On top of that, you meet so many amazing people, from the passionate guides and staff to fellow volunteers, everyone was so welcoming and supportive.
It was wild, legit and authentic!
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Learn more about Rhino Conservation Experience and Phinda Wildlife Research Project.
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