Track desert elephants and work on a community building program in Damaraland

Previous Pause Next

Program Overview
Life on the Program
Program Details
Volunteer Testimonials

Program Overview

This project takes you to the north-western regions of the Namib Desert, traditionally known as ‘Damaraland’. Here in this harsh and spectacular wilderness a small population of desert-adapted elephants have come into conflict with the local human population, and the aim of this volunteer project is to manage the conflict and assist in its resolution.

You will help local farmers build protective walls around their water points and teach them the skills they need to manage the conflict with the resident elephant populations. You will also assist the project staff with research by following and monitoring the movements of these elephants.

During your time in the desert you will escape the tourist trail, cook over an open fire and sleep out under the African stars.

Life on the Program

The project works on 2 week rotations. The first week is spent at a remote desert camp building protective walls around vitally important water sources for Damaraland homesteads. Evenings are spent around the camp fire cooking, eating and talking about the day’s events.

At the weekend you relax at base camp in the Ugab River before heading out on patrol in the second week. On patrol you camp wild and follow and observe the elephants, sometimes for hours, under the desert sun. As well as the desert elephant, expect to find black rhino, ostrich, springbok, giraffe, kudu and you may even hear the roar of desert lions!

Every 2 week rotation ends with a trip to Swakopmund to drop off/collect volunteers.

Program Details

Depletion of the natural water table due to increasing human use has reduced available surface water and elephants have targeted local farmers man-made water points which get damaged. As farmers’ homesteads are normally located nearby the lives of humans and livestock are also threatened.

This project is part of a long-term initiative to help facilitate the peaceful co-habitation between the subsistence farmers and the desert adapted elephants through research, education and development.

This project’s emphasis is on the building of protective structures around communal water points and the creation of additional water points for elephants. In addition research work is carried out on elephant movements, distribution and data is also collected on herds and individuals.

Volunteer Testimonials

Many past volunteers have had amazing experiences traveling with GVI. Read what they have to say here.

Latest from the Base...

Wherever you travel, our bases are places of profound discovery, awe-inspiring observations, and once-in-a-lifetime experiences. Find yourself at home in some of the most remote and pristine environments in the world.

To learn more about the latest from this base, please feel free to contact us today.