My volunteer work in a wildlife reserve in South Africa

My journey to the project

My journey took me from Linz in Austria via Munich and Johannesburg to Port Elizabeth, where Kobus picked us up in his bus and took us to the reserve. I met Berti from the UK and Alex and Elenore from Paris at the airport. Four newcomers traveled about two hours to the heart of the reserve, where there is an idyllic farmhouse.

The accommodation

Berti (18 years old, from Manchester) and I shared a simple room. Yes, the accommodation is simple but very comfortable and homely. Everything is there for life. Freshly filtered water, the fridge full of vegetables, butter, eggs, fruit and meat. Locally grown coffee and tea. If we needed anything else, we were able to get everything we needed at the “SPAR” supermarket. Oh yes, the power keeps going out, which means no WiFi. Just by the way.

My time in the project

As Europeans, we are used to keeping to schedules and seem to be very strict, as I discovered. In South Africa we quickly realized that the clocks work differently and patience is a virtue that can be learned (at least for me). Jako, our guide, always informed us in good time about the departure, although it could easily be postponed by a few minutes (hehe). Our tasks included removing non-native plants that disturb the vegetation, collecting rubbish and clearing the paths of bushes and branches. We also visited the soup kitchen once a week to play with the children and help distribute food. Of course, there is plenty of time along the way to enjoy the breathtaking landscape and to experience and document the magnificent wildlife up close. I probably won't visit a zoo again for a long time. Because once you see these animals in the wild, you understand what “life” really is.

In the evening we always divided ourselves into teams of two to cook and wash up. Cooking for nine people is not that easy - here's a good estimate of the quantity. But we always managed it very well and were usually able to take the leftovers with us on the hunt as a “packed lunch” the next day.

Leisure activities in South Africa

There were two absolute highlights on my trip: firstly, spending the night directly in the bush - armed only with a blanket and sleeping bag. We laid around a campfire that we tried to keep burning all night. The noises of animals at night, the incredible starry sky and the good fresh air will remain in my memory forever. Fear - no trace. It was more of a very familiar feeling of being connected to nature. And then make coffee right on the campfire in the morning. Really cool.

The second highlight was swimming directly in the Bushmans River. It was only afterwards that we realized what else was floating around. I just say snake, iguana etc. But I think they are more afraid of us than we are of them.

At the weekend I treated myself to a very relaxing massage. I recommend the 90 minute version and your body will be as light as a feather. Very, very pleasant. We also went directly to the beach - the view is simply amazing and there are plenty of good restaurants at reasonable prices. And as a weekend highlight I can recommend the whale watching tour from Port Elizabeth. Dolphins, whales, penguins and seals – an unforgettable day.

My conclusion

Since I went into this journey with no expectations and actually didn't know what would happen, I can say in conclusion: Life is full of surprises and the more we plunge into the “unknown”, the more intense the experiences are. This adventure will remain unforgettable. A big thank you to Jako and of course to the RGV team for a perfectly organized trip.

Kind regards – Christoph

Experience report from Christoph, volunteer in the wildlife reserve in South Africa, October to November 2023