After the ongoing stress of BA air strikes and volcanic ash clouds we left from Heathrow to Joburg without any problems or delays. The flight was brilliant and I fell asleep after our meal, only to awake to my husband telling me we’d arrived.

We collected our cases at Joberg and re-booked them in (we were told to do this because luggage can go astray otherwise). On arrival at Vic Falls, Zimbabwe, we queued for our visas. I would get a multi-entry visa if I go again because if you cross the border to Zambia or Botswana it is 55 US dollars to re-enter and it makes trips very expensive.

We were picked up by 3 chaps from lion encounter who were very friendly and helpful, and taken to out lodge. The accommodation is basic but clean and it suited the type of holiday it was.

Vic Falls was very small but at no time did we ever feel threatened even if we were out walking at night. People do approach you in the street to buy curios but they are harmless and there is no need for concern.

Sundays are days off and usually volunteers group together to do activities (there is something for everyone). My husband and I did a flying fox and a zip wire across Victoria Falls gorge. This was enough for us but there are much more daredevil type things for those who are inclined.

If you do want an afternoon off at any time to go on a sunset cruise down the mighty Zambezi or go for high tea at Victoria Falls hotel the staff on the project will usually be happy to oblige.

The lion encounter itself was truly amazing. We spend hours each day with the lions cubs, walking with them, playing with them, feeding them and going out on client walks (these are ‘Joe Public’ who pay 115 US dollars for a 45 minute walk with the lions). We take photos of them and make sure they don’t do anything silly or put themselves at risk.

You do have lion training, learning how to read their body language, how to approach the lions and all the other do’s and dont’s. We built a platform for one of the lion enclosures. We also learnt a great deal about the African bush including tracking skills, survival skills and medicines from the bush.

As a volunteer the project aims to please and throw in a lot of extras for you at no extra cost. We spent a morning with elephants, mucking out, filling in holes etc but then we had a wonderful elephant ride through the bush back to Masuwe where the lion project is based. These elephants are wonderful and to get up close was just fantastic. We hand fed them and spent some time stroking and fussing them.

We were taken on a night game drive in the bush where we set up a camp fire and had a BBQ. It was very cold by the end of the night and those who took blankets were very wise! The day game drive was also fantastic and all these extras were free! There were other free activities but the problem was fitting them all into a very busy working holiday.

We ate out most evenings although there were 3 meals a day included in the price. The food was plain and I just felt the need to try the local delights. Lots of curios and things to buy but we started off paying a lot more for them and ended up getting them for next to nothing – you must learn to barter!

It was a holiday to be reckoned with and jolly hard to beat. It was excellent value for money. The people were kind, courteous and friendly. I am saving up for our next trip.

Mrs M, UK

If you would like to make the same trip as these satisfied volunteers you can check full details here.

For reasons of privacy we have not published the names of these African volunteers. However, we do have the original letter at our office if anyone wants to check its authenticity.

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I could give you a lot of “advertising-speak” to try to convince you, but what it boils down to is the personal touches. We’re a small family firm and we rely on our reputation. We do our very best to make sure your trip is even better than you expect.

It’s a particularly nice feeling when we get letters and emails from people we have helped to volunteer in Africa. Here are a couple of examples:

“Hi Frances & Paul,
I am sending you an email to let you know that our time at the Vic Falls Lion rehabilitation project was absolutely amazing.  It exceeded all our expectations.  We were looked after exceedingly well by the project team. We learnt such a lot during our stay and enjoyed some tremendous new experiences eg, surviving in the African bush, about the decline of lions and the reason that we desparetly need to support this project and about african life.

As volunteers we were treated with the utmost respect and our safety was paramount.  We enjoyed close contact with two pairs of lion cubs who were truly adorable.  We enjoyed free game drives, entry to Vic Falls, elephant rides plus more.  The project is run by a really good team always happy to help.

We would like to thank you again for you help in organising this wonderful trip for us.”
Mr & Mrs P, UK

One of our volunteers had concerns over a medical condition. Fortunately not a serious one, but if you’re volunteering in Africa it’s a long way from home and you need to be sure. Our Frances made sure she had all the facts.

“Dearest Frances,
Thank you for getting back to me so quickly! Yes, I do feel reassured. Thank you too for being so caring.”
Mrs M, USA

If you have any questions about any of our African volunteer projects, Frances is who you deal with. She knows the projects and the people in great detail so she can always give you informed advice. She’ll also help you every step of the way if you choose to volunteer with us.

Some of the African volunteering placements are offered not just by us, but by several different companies. We like to think we do a better job than our competitors, but you do usually have a choice of who you go with.

We had one email asking why our African volunteer opportunities were cheaper than everyone else. Why did we want less money than other people for the same trip?

The answer is simple. Although we have expenses like any business, we believe that as many people as possible should have to chance to volunteer in Africa. As a result, we always keep our prices as low as we can. In fact we guarantee you won’t find better prices anywhere else.

The truth is that while African volunteer organizations would love to have you help them, there is so much that has to be paid for!

Whether it’s African lions or other wildlife, medical assistance for HIV sufferers or education for orphan children, supplies cost money. When they are trying to make the most of every penny, you can’t really expect it to be going to volunteers, can you?

Here’s another view. If you volunteer to help teach African children in Cape Town, for example, you will pay around 1800.00 US dollars for a whole month. It would cost you more than that to stay in a half-decent motel in Seattle, Philadelphia or Dallas – and they wouldn’t feed you!

You can do the same sums from UK sterling, Euros or Australia dollars and London, Paris or Sydney (Yes I know Canberra is the capital but everyone knows Sydney!). Whatever way you look at it, volunteering in Africa is not expensive and, quite frankly, you just cannot make a comparison.

And yes, you have flights to add to that cost – like you’ve got flights to add if you live in London and want to visit New York

The other important thing is what happens to your money. Well for a start, you get fed three meals a day. Then there’s your accommodation which, on several volunteer projects, is practically on the beach!

After that, any left over goes to those valuable supplies. Not just day-to-day necessities but long term projects that will change the futures of some of the poorest people in the world. This isn’t a question of hand-outs, it’s about building infrastructure so they can help themselves.

Unfortunately we have heard some horror stories. People left at the airport, people asked to pay for food or even building supplies. No responsible volunteer organization in Africa would ever treat you like this – you are too valubale to us as a person… and as an ambassador for what we are doing.

If you have questions, ask. If you don’t receive an answer that satisfies you the first time, or you don’t have all the detail you want, ask some more – that’s what we are here for.

We wish we could offer free volunteer work placements but we think you can see that it just isn’t practical. For most people who volunteer in Africa it’s not a money thing anyway. You could just make a donation but we would rather have you here, hands on, enjoying the experience and making a huge and very positive impact on other people’s lives. Apart from that, the memories and life-long friendships you make can’t be bought at any price.

Hosted by conservationist David Youlden the projects shown are the very ones you could help with!

Transmission times may vary depending on your area and which ITV channel you can receive but the series starts tonight, 6th January at 7.30 pm and runs for the next 6 weeks. Full details can be found here.

The series is set at Antelope Park and follows the vital African lion rehabilitation and release programme run by our friends at ALERT. If you have ever thought of working with these magnificent creatures here’s your chance to get a preview of the important work that goes on.

In fact these are the very lions that you could be working with later this year!

The series will show our lion conservation programme from working with young lion cubs through building confidence in adolescent lions using various methods, including the thrilling lion walk. The eventual aim being to release fit and fully prepared animals back into their natural habitat.

If working with African lions is something which appeals to you, you won’t want to miss it. In addition to the Antelope Park in Zimbabwe you can also choose to help with this important conservation work at Victoria Falls or Livingstone.

If you have any questions, please do get in touch here.

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