Overview
Wildlife Research, Marine Mammal Studies and Community Development Expedition in Kenya

This expedition takes its volunteers to Kenya to combine marine, primate and forest research, and become involved in local community development projects, including teaching English and sustainable tourism programmes. Living and working in the beautiful Shimoni Archipelago, off the coast of the Indian Ocean on the border with Tanzania, expedition members can experience the amazing white sand beaches and biodiversity of the area. You will conduct humpback whale and dolphin research from a surface vessel, snorkel to observe turtles, and help vital wildlife conservation with Angolan Black and White Colobus monkeys in the coastal forest. Expedition members will also have the opportunity to journey in-land to the heart of East Africa’s savannas, working alongside rural communities to develop livelihood alternatives to wildlife poaching and so protect Kenya’s big game. This expedition is run in partnership with the world renowned Kenyan Wildlife Service and other local partners.

View Film Footage, images, blogs, volunteer stories from the field, volunteer video diaries and more at the programs media centre

I had an incredible time in Kenya and learned so much in my ten weeks – the work was hard but so rewarding.

Shelley Pope, 2008 expedition member

What Difference Does This Expedition Make?

The GVI Kenya Expedition is making a difference by supporting our partners, including Kenyan Wildlife Services, in three focus areas; cetacean research, community development and Terrestrial ecology studies. Through education, environmental awareness and current wildlife monitoring studies, our collaborative work has been building capacity within the communities, assisting them in developing sustainable tourism practises and protecting cetacean and primate species within the area. Volunteers choosing to join this project will focus on the community development side of the program but will ultimately aid all aspects of this long term multi focused program

Highlights

Assisting local and international researchers to monitor wildlife; camping out under the African stars; living on an African island; developing your knowledge of marine studies, including about dolphins and whales; experiencing the amazing mega-fauna of the island that includes whale sharks and manta rays; studying primates; gaining some bush and tracking skills; exploring beautiful national parks that are filled with a variety of spectacular flora and fauna; spending a week with the Kenya Wildlife Service having some amazing, close-up big game encounters; integrating with the local community and learning some Swahili.

Location

If you are looking to go on an adventurous expedition that takes you to a truly exotic location, this is the one for you! Shimoni is a peninsula located next to the Kisite-Mpunguti Marine Protected Area, which lies at the tip of the Pemba Channel, 76km south of Mombasa, as part of a large bay area which makes up the Shimoni Archipelago. With long stretches of white sand beaches fringed coral reefs and scattered with islands, Shimoni is a tropical haven and divers’ paradise. The expedition’s main base is located on Wasini Island, which is situated alongside the famous Kisite National Marine Park. A satellite camp is held at Shimoni Village where expedition members can study primates in the rainforest. Every five weeks expedition members spend a week camping and working on the borders of an inland national park (normally Tsavo) to work with anti-poaching community groups, in conjunction with the local partners.

See Life on the expedition page for more information

Field Conditions

Accommodation is in shared housing that has a large communal banda where expedition members can eat and have lectures. The communal area has a beautiful view of the channel and Mkwiro beach. The base camp will have limited electricity, powered by solar panel and backed up by a generator. Expedition members can wash either in the ocean or using bucket-style showers on the base. Wholesome and varied meals will be cooked on a rotational basis.

See Life on the expedition page for more information