The following blog was written by Antony, a seasoned traveller and returning volunteer who shares his latest experience on the Amakhala Conservation Project.
I've never written a blog before. I'm not on social media, and this is my first time sharing my experiences like this. However, I'm quite happy to share my experiences here, which were all very, very positive.
This wasn't my first wildlife volunteering experience; last year, I spent time at the Namibia Wildlife Sanctuary. While I was there, I spoke to people who had visited the Amakhala Conservation Project and Shamwari Conservation Experience, and they all raved about the abundance of wildlife. That was exactly what I was looking for: an opportunity to see more of Africa's incredible animals up close. Amakhala did not disappoint! Seeing lions, cheetahs, elephants, rhinos, and various antelopes virtually every day was absolutely incredible.
THE HIGHLIGHTS
I would say there were a few favourite highlights that are very difficult to separate. The first was predator monitoring, which we did twice a week, usually on Tuesdays and Thursdays. We had early starts, setting off around 6am to see the predators in action. Some of the cheetahs and lions had collars, which emitted a signal, so using the tracking equipment, we could identify their whereabouts on the reserve, so you're almost guaranteed a sighting because you were tracking them in real time.
One sighting, in particular, that was so memorable was the cheetahs, who had just made a kill a matter of hours previously. Part of our role was to identify what the cheetahs had preyed upon. We actually walked across to where the abandoned carcass was and identified it as a sub-adult red hartebeest. You could literally see the results of the cheetahs having eaten it, and it was just quite incredible being there, in the bush and witnessing the raw reality of the wild so closely - that was quite incredible.
We also had an organised bush walk. In small groups, we went out with two armed rangers on a walk across the bush, and while we were walking, we were tracking a lion, but interestingly, that wasn't really the highlight! The highlight for me was the incredible knowledge that the rangers had with regard to all the different plant species and information about all the different dungs there were. They could identify the animal from the dung that was left behind, and they were talking us through it while walking across the bush, with antelopes looking at us in the distance, and us walking towards a lion.
We probably got a hundred metres of the lion and could see him, so we obviously didn't go any closer, but it was an incredible experience to do something completely out of the ordinary like that. The guides were absolutely incredible; they were both armed with large rifles, but neither of them had ever fired them on the reserve. They were just there to keep us safe, so you know you're not really putting yourself in any great danger, but the slight degree of risk makes the whole thing more exciting just being out in the open, leaving the cruiser behind and walking into the wilderness.
We also got the opportunity to go out on a night drive. We were provided with powerful torches, and I took one of my favourite photos, capturing the silhouette of giraffes. They're very well suited to a night drive because you can see the silhouette beautifully. What you're doing on the night drive is essentially identifying the eyes looking back at you and working out the shape of the animal. With any game drive, you just don't know what's around the corner, and at night time, that's even more so - you're never really quite sure what you're going to see!
MAKING A DIFFERENCE
Volunteering at Amakhala involved two main aspects: conservation and community work. On the community side, we worked with Sidbury Primary School through the BuddingQ project. We helped young children with reading, homework, and even trained with them for an upcoming regional sports day. Many had never seen a 100-metre race before. We also cleared an area for the long jump, and seeing the children improve over the weeks was good fun.
The conservation aspect was equally fulfilling. Predator monitoring helped ensure the health and well-being of the animals. For instance, we discovered one of the cheetahs had a limp, so for a period of time, we monitored the cheetah to see if it would need darting and examining, but thankfully, the cheetah recovered.
As far as the physical side was concerned, we helped to cut back and clear alien plant species. We removed lots of these spiny shrubs in the middle of the reserve, and while we were doing it, we could see animals in the distance. It's nice because you know you're actively taking part in maintaining the reserve. It was hard work but well worth it.
ADVICE
Amakhala is an ideal project for first-time solo travellers because you are so well supported by the on-site team led by Nicky. First-time solo volunteers should be heavily reassured by the accommodation, which is very well equipped and has a really good team atmosphere, so everybody is welcomed aboard and becomes part of the team very quickly.
Packing wisely is essential. Even in summer, nights can get cold, so layering is key. On a night drive, we were provided with blankets, but a fleece or hoodie was a definite advantage. Daytime, on the other hand, is scorching, so sun protection is a must.
FREE TIME ACTIVITIES
Weekends are free, and there's an awful lot you can do and arrange yourself; I would recommend just getting out there and doing as much as you can! You have to pay for the additional activities, but the reserve has a range of contacts, and they can help arrange a whole host of different weekend trips. For example, one weekend, I went whale and dolphin watching in Port Elizabeth with Raggy Charters. Seeing pods of dolphins greater than a hundred in number, whales, and penguins was great.
On another weekend, we went to Tsitsikamma National Park and went kayaking, ziplining, and sea fishing. I really did pack it in and went to Addo National Park, where there is a really nice restaurant right next to an animal hide overlooking a watering hole. You can go in the evening and spend some time in the hide, watching the animals before or after dinner. We also went surfing at Jeffrey's Bay, which was great fun. There was so much to do!
For anyone considering wildlife volunteering, I can't recommend it enough. My journey through Africa isn't over yet. After a holiday in Australia, I'll be back to volunteering, but this time at the Victoria Falls Conservation Experience. I'm really looking forward to going to Zimbabwe in July, and next year, I'm hoping to switch Africa for South America, heading to Peru on the Amazon Conservation Project.
