Project Life
Volunteer Work with Desert Elephants in Namibia

To cheat the heat, we wake up early for our first cup of coffee around the campfire. After the team member on duty has served breakfast, we head out to our project site for the day. Activities will include; building a wall around a local farmer’s windmill, doing work on our base camp, or helping some community members in building a tourist camp or fixing a rural school. Each volunteer group’s projects will be dependent on where the greatest need is at that time.

Then we head to our camp for lunch and a bit of a siesta. You could be tasked to update data forms, or be on kitchen and camp duty for the day. The evenings are spent around the camp fire eating and talking about the day’s events. We live closely in our desert camp.

Then we head off on a patrol for a few days at a time. We pack some basic camping equipment in the 4x4 and set off looking for the elusive elephants. On patrol, we camp wild and sleep under the stars. We follow elephants on foot, sometimes for hours, under the desert sun, and sit patiently observing from some rocky outcrop whilst they laze away in the shade! In general, the project is split so that in a two week period you would do one week of building / community work, and one week of elephant patrol. However, volunteers will be working where they are most needed, so be aware that you should be flexible as this schedule is subject to change.

This is the life few ever have the privilege to live.