It has been my dream to visit Africa for the last 50 years (so this trip has been a long time in the making) and African Conservation Experience (ACE) helped this dream come true!
ACE surpassed our expectations with the support they provided. The UK team worked with me countless times, preparing and planning for this trip, which turned out to be the best experience I could have dreamed of!
From the first time I got in contact with them, to the time our party arrived in Johannesburg, ACE went above and beyond to support us.
We were met at the airport by the in-country team on our arrival and they escorted us to our transfer to the project. We spent two weeks at the Vikela Kruger Conservation Experience.
This experience was everything I wanted to do with conservation and more!
From wildlife monitoring to invasive species removal, all the work we were doing was having a positive impact on the ecosystem. I am a retired wildlife biologist so the tasks we carried out at this project were very familiar to me, just in a brand new location with different animals! It was very rewarding to be working in the African bush.
Our group ranged in age from 65 to 86 so we had some concerns that we wouldn’t fit in, but those concerns soon faded away. Our age didn’t matter as we were all given jobs that we were comfortable doing.
The project staff were outstanding hosts. They took the time to teach us about what we were seeing and doing and happily shared their knowledge on subjects like wildlife tracking, animal behaviour, monitoring species and recording data.
We did and saw so much that it’s hard to choose one stand-out moment. If I had to choose one thing it would be the fact that we were able to track and find a mother and baby rhino. With the guide's knowledge and instruction, I was able to do the tracking predominantly myself, so that was definitely a highlight. However, the day we spotted a leopard, a pride of lions, and even a black rhino (very rare nowadays!) was an incredible experience. Then again... the highlight may have been the time we were all sat in the research vehicle sounded by a herd of buffalo! It's tough to pick just one!
The adventure was nothing but perfect!
Besides the great memories, I’m also taking back the new friendships I gained with other volunteers from around the world.
On our return to Johannesburg, we were again met by the in-country team who wanted to hear all about our experience. They even organised a shuttle for us to our hotel!
To sum it up, ACE are an outstanding organisation to volunteer with. They care about the projects and their clients equally. I can’t recommend them enough!
Feeling inspired by Patrick Brandon's experience?
Learn more about The Vikela Kruger Conservation Experience.
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