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Ecological Reserve uMkhanyakude District Municipality, South Africa
Help save the last hippos on Lake Sibaya!
What you offer
20h
- Hours per week
- Help out and collaborate with your host only a few hours per week.
- Gardening
- Help grow plants and cultivate gardens
- Painting & Decorating
- Help with painting or decorating the property facilities.
- Building & Repairing
- Help with a wide range of repairs or building.
- Animal Care
- Help look after and take care of animals.
- Additional Fee
- This host charges a fee in addition to the cost of the Worldpackers annual plan.
Additional fee required
This host charges an additional fee to the cost of the Worldpackers annual plan for the sustainability of the project and the quality of the experience for volunteers. Learn more.
Amount
- US$ 85
Per week
Fee pays for
- Benefits for travelers
- Materials for volunteer activities
Description
Contribution is for daily living cost such as meals, accommodation, transport
What you get
3
- Days off per week
- Have some time off for yourself, go explore the city or rest for a while.
- Private Room
- You will have a bed in a private room. In other words, a room just for you.
- Breakfast
- You are entitled to a free breakfast, every day of your stay.
- Lunch
- You are entitled to a free lunch, every day of your stay.
- Dinner
- You are entitled to a free dinner, every day of your stay.
- Fast Internet Access
- High-speed internet for you to work remotely
- Use our equipped kitchen
- Feel free to use our kitchen and make your own delicious food.
- Discounts on Parties
- Get discounts at nearby parties and clubs.
- Discounts on Drinks
- Get discounts for drinks and beverages from our bar.
- Discounts on Tours
- Get discounts for tours and excursions around town.
- Discounts on Accommodation
- Get discounts for your stay in other hostels.
- Free Tours
- We’ll take you on tours and rides around town. For free!
- Free Hiking Tours
- We’ll take you on excursions and hikes around town. For free!
- Get free drinks or beverages.
- Drink up! Get free and tasty drinks for yourself.
- Free Parties
- Get free entrance for the best parties in town.
- Free Events
- Get free entrance for the best events in town.
- Pub Crawls
- Be a part of our pub crawls at local bars!
- Certificate
- Get a certificate of completion after you finish your experience.
- Support
- Get help from the Worldpackers support team in case you need it, at any point of your trip.
- Verified Host
- This host has been verified by our team before joining the community.
- WP Safeguard
- Did something not go as planned? Contact our team.
- Learn more
Availability
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Jan
Feb
- Stay at least
- 2 weeks
- Stay up to
- 12 weeks
The Experience
Our project is located in a remote part of South Africa on the Elephant Coast , bordering the Isimangaliso Wetlands Park, an UNESCO World Heritage site for biodiversity and natural beauty. Our camp is next to Lake Sibaya, South Africa's biggest fresh water lake, filled with hippo and crocodile. At the moment we are updating the species list, this is a continuous project with the aim to compile detailed species list .Training is provided.
Learn moreRequirements
- Beginner English or Beginner French
- Between 20 and 35 years old
- Welcomes solo volunteers, couples, and partners of volunteers
- Be from outside South Africa
What's not included
Flights, Travel Insurance, Internal Transportation and Visa
Talk to those who have lived the experience
In our community, you can talk to worldpackers who have already collaborated with this host and get your questions answered directly.
You can ask things like:
- a) How was your experience with this host?
- b) How was your day-to-day routine?
- c) How much did you spend on this trip?
Exclusive for members
Connect with those who will also be there
Become a Verified Member and exchange ideas before your trip with other worldpackers who will be volunteering in the same place as you.
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UN Sustainable Development Goals
Join the host in pursuit of these goals and contribute to building a better and more sustainable future for all.
19 Reviews
Host & Team
Hours & Tasks
Ecological Reserve
Learning & Fun
How this experience will transform you
- 19 Get in touch with nature
- 17 Developing environmental awareness
- 14 Learning about sustainability
- 13 Meeting international travelers
- 13 Meeting locals
- 11 Immersing in the local culture
This host contributes to Sustainable Development Goals
- 15 15. Life on land
- 6 13. Climate action
- 5 14. Life below water
- 1 7. Affordable and clean energy
Vinicius
Brazil
Getting the opportunity to volunteer with Pieter and Cam was truly a great experience! I learned a lot with them about the region and its thousands of different species. Pieter really loves to share all his knowledge about wildlife, nature and Africa as a whole. The work for the project is interesting and I felt comfortable taking my time to learn and do it at my own pace. Their place in nature is very unique, from the vast green area around it to the accomodations (and even the showers). Also, they really know their way around the kitchen, so dinner was always a nice moment to enjoy together.
6 days ago
Nicolas
Switzerland
I can only recommend taking part in the Lake the reserve. The nature around the Lodge is stunning and incredibly diverse. When working there you can really dive into a new world of nature and take an active part in the reserve. The Hosts Pieter and Cam were both very welcoming and nice(and their cooking is amazing).
about 2 months ago
Miranda
United States
I've had an amazing time here at the reserve!! The host, Pieter, is by far one of the most interesting people I've ever met!! He is so knowledgeable about everything South Africa and has amazing stories. He's very fun to be around! The co-host Cam is awesome as well! She is very kind and is an excellent hostess! She also is a great cook and makes so many delicious comfort meals 😮💨 I can't say enough about the property - absolutely beautiful 😍 the sunsets here are my favorite thing ever and the stars that follow are spectacular. On less breezy days, I fell asleep to the sound of the ocean.
3 months ago
Danique
Netherlands
Lake the reserve became like a second home for me. Pieter and Cam are amazing hosts and the place is beautiful!!! The task of identifying species is very chill and easy, which makes the experience really enjoyable. I discovered a lot of plants and animals that I did not know existed, so that was really cool. The location is an experience. The rooms scattered around the property, the beautiful outdoor shower and the endless amount of fruit and nut trees you keep discovering are great. Besides that, the occasional gamedrive and beach trip complete te experience. I woul definitely come again!!!
4 months ago
Adriana
Brazil
I spent four weeks in this real immersion in nature, with wonderful people and learning about the ecosystem of the place. Thank you for the experience ✨️
5 months ago
About the host
- • Recently Online
Hosted by Pieter
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Top Host
- This host receives a lot of worldpackers and has a high average rating.
- Response Rate
- This host usually answers to 100% of the messages
- Response Time
- This host usually writes back in Less than a day
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Academy
Eco Certificate for Volunteers: Basic Concepts
Learn about ecological projects and travel with purpose. Receive a certificate of completion for this course, increase your chances of acceptance by hosts, and expand your volunteering opportunities, contributing to a positive impact on the world during your travels.
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