How it works

The volunteer project is structured in 2 week rotations and you can sign up for a maximum of 12 weeks. Volunteer group size is maximum 14 and people of all ages and from all walks of life participate, as part of travel plans during a gap year, working holiday or career break through Namibia and Africa.

Meeting point

The meeting point is Swakopmund and we will give you help and advise on getting here.  We organise your travel arrangements from the airport in Namibia's capital Windhoek, and transfer through to Villa Wiese, the guest house we use in Swakopmund.  On Sunday evening there is a short briefing for all volunteers at Villa Wiese for you to meet our staff and be told what will happen the following day. For more information please download the volunteer info pack. We leave Swakopmund, which is the meeting point, on Monday at 12.00.  We then drive out to the EHRA Base camp on the Ugab River where you will spend the night and be fully briefed about the following week.

 Above: Road to EHRA Base Camp

Week One - Building Week

Tuesday morning we travel to the local Namibian farm or homestead where you will spend building week, building protection walls around water sources or building alternative water points for the elephants and even the areas newly released black rhinos. Volunteer teams will be living in mobile base camps in the vicinity of the homesteads and elephants.  Tents are provided this week and soon you will make the camp home!  All cooking is done over the fire and you work in pairs taking it in turn to be on kitchen duty, which includes providing the first cup of coffee to everyone in bed, to breakfast, lunch and dinner.  We have great recipes and we can also cater for vegetarians. 

Above: Campsite during building week

You rise early to beat the Namibian heat and then stop around 12 to travel back to camp for a traditional African siesta and lunch.  In the afternoons you start work after 2.30pm and work for a couple of hours, before the time comes to head back to camp in time for the obligatory sundowner. Evenings are spent talking and relaxing around the camp fire, listening to the sounds of Africa. 

Building walls is sweaty, hard work but each volunteer does what they are capable of, and you work as a team to complete the project.  

Left: Volunteers building a wall

Below: Volunteers at a wall protecting a windmill

Base Camp

Saturday morning you pack up the camp and travel back to the EHRA Base Camp for a much deserved shower and relaxation.  

The next two days are yours to explore, read, relax, take a swim in the elephant drinking dam and enjoy yourselves!

Photos clockwise from upper left:

Treehouse at Base Camp, Volunteer on rock at Base Camp, Breakfast time at Base Camp, Elephant Pool at Base Camp

Week 2 - Elephant Patrol

On Monday morning volunteer teams pack the Landcruisers and leave on Elephant Patrol. This is an amazing week where you join the EHRA trackers on a (mostly) vehicle based patrol where you travel through the area to track the local herds of desert elephants.  This week is your reward for all the hard work on building week. Meet the elephants here

The aim of this week is to track the elephants, record data on births, deaths and new elephants, GPS their positions and take ID shots and notes about each and every elephant. 

EHRA believes effect conservation management is only possible through knowing each elephant personally, through its physical features and its personality traits, as well as having accurate and up to date information on numbers and movements. This is particularly important when 'problem' elephants are declared.  The information gathered on patrol is entered onto our online database which maps each herds movements to Google Earth.  From this we can ascertain which farms and homesteads are visited and therefore may require protection walls. The database also holds all ID shots of each and every elephant.

During patrol you sleep at a new place every evening, depending on where the days tracking has taken you.  You sleep out, under the stars and for many volunteers this is one of the most magical experiences of the project and indeed their gap year or career break!

It is likely that you will see no other humans the entire week, your only company will be the areas wildlife.

Above: Coffee around the fire at sunrise

Left: Two Agamas at Base Camp

Below: Black Rhino

Aside from elephants, you can expect to see giraffe, oryx, ostrich, kudu, zebra, springbok and if you are very lucky, black rhino, as well as the hundreds of different birds.

On Thursday afternoon after spending 4 days and 3 nights out, you travel back to base camp to spend what could be your last night in the desert. 

Friday morning you say your goodbyes and climb in the Landcruiser for the journey back to Swakopmund.  Friday nights are always a fun night out where we all eat together in one of the local restaurants.

Swakopmund

Swakopmund is a great little town, safe, by the sea, surrounded by sand dunes and with lots of activities to keep you entertained, from skydiving, kayaking, dolphin watching, sand boarding to name a few. There are lots of cafes,interesting shops, restaurants, a few bars and even a cinema! For anyone traveling onwards through Namibia we can also help you to plan your trip and recommend the best agents, car hire, places to stay and see.

For any queries or questions please email Rachel and Victro, who are online every day Monday - Friday 8am - 5.30pm. Click here for the enquiry page. 

If you would like to be put in touch with a past volunteer to hear first hand about their experience please do let us know.

For more information on the volunteer project please download the information pack here