Environmental Conservation & Birding

location
1 - 4 semaines  ·  Âge 18 - 50+

rating  Excellent 4.8  · 
  Vérifié par Volunteer World
  Taux de réponse excellent

Clou

  • Contribute to a brand new conservation initiative combining wildlife, community and bird conservation.
  • A unique opportunity to conserve and protect Malawi's Elephant Marsh and it's birdlife.
  • Have incredible a Big 5 experience when you camp in Majete Wildlife Reserve.
  • Help empower local communities through income-generating community initiatives.
  • Preserve not just wildlife, but also diverse habitats and ecosystems in one of Malawi’s richest conservation areas.


Particulièrement approprié pour

Âge 18+
Seul voyageur
Couples
Familles
Groupes
50+

À propos du programme

Help the conservation of a whole ecosystem. Manage a conservation area, protect a wetland of international importance teeming with birdlife & uplift local communities.

About the program


Where is the program located?

You will be based in the Thangadzi River Conservancy in Malawi’s Lower Shire Valley. The area is one of Malawi’s last remaining riparian forest habitats, a critical habitat for endangered plant, bird and animal species. It is a huge privilege to help ...

À propos du programme

About the program


Where is the program located?

You will be based in the Thangadzi River Conservancy in Malawi’s Lower Shire Valley. The area is one of Malawi’s last remaining riparian forest habitats, a critical habitat for endangered plant, bird and animal species. It is a huge privilege to help with conserving this last remaining unique ecosystem.


The Elephant Marsh

The Thangadzi River Conservancy is located next to the world-famous Elephant Marsh, a designated Wetland of International Importance. In addition to Hippos, it is also home to more than 20,000 waterbirds, including many endangered and migratory species. Poaching and habitat degradation threaten the remaining wildlife and action is needed now to protect the Marsh for future generations.


Program Highlights

Your conservation work will take place in and around the Thangadzi River Conservancy and in the nearby communities and wetland areas. Volunteer support makes a big difference in preserving the Elephant Marsh and the surrounding Riparian forests for future generations of wildlife and people.


Conservation & Wildlife Activities

  • As the project is newly established, you will be responsible for the setting up of research projects, data capture and surveys.
  • Bird and animal monitoring including game counts, health checks, bird mapping and population studies;
  • Anti-poaching work’
  • Conservancy management such as tree planting, removal of invasive species and building projects;
  • Maintenance work within the conservancy.


Exploring the Elephant Marsh

  • Much of your work in the Marsh will be in canoe and boat and could include:
  • Identification and data capture of bird species;
  • Building new walkways and hides
  • Boat and canoe trips to map the marshland;
  • Research projects to understand the marsh ecosystem.


Big 5 Experience

  • Explore and camp in Majete Wildlife Reserve, home to Africa’s Big 5 game. 


Community Outreach

There are huge opportunities to empower Malawi’s rural communities. You may get involved with:

  • Charcoal production to combat deforestation;
  • Bamboo initiatives to build sustainable incomes;
  • Community conservation education projects.


Journée typique

There’s no such thing as a typical day when you’re working in Africa, but you can be sure that the work you are doing will always be useful, meaningful and necessary.

Your working days are usually split into two or three parts, depending on the length of the activity and how far you need to ...

Journée typique

There’s no such thing as a typical day when you’re working in Africa, but you can be sure that the work you are doing will always be useful, meaningful and necessary.

Your working days are usually split into two or three parts, depending on the length of the activity and how far you need to travel.


Get up between 0600 and 0630 depending on the time of year (later in winter!)


Before breakfast; while the temperatures are cool, get down to some hard work in the conservancy. This could be exploring the conservancy on foot, spending time with the Anti- Poaching Unit, setting camera traps or creating walkways through the conservancy. Once a fortnight volunteers spend the entire morning in the community, either at the school or doing another community project outside of the conservancy.


At around 0830 you will head back to the lodge for breakfast. The next activity could be a game count or bird identification exercise in the Marsh, basing yourself in a hide and seeing what wildlife you can spot. Record the numbers and locations of wildlife as you go.


After lunch at around 1400, you may spend time in the conservancy or the Marsh, tracking animals, studying birdlife or working on conservancy projects such as removing invasive plant species for the charcoal project.


As the day cools down, go for sundowners and enjoy the noises of the evening bush as the daytime animals bed down.


Activités de loisirs

In your free time you can spend time around the beautiful infinity pool, which looks out into the bush; or you can relax at the lodge or around camp. It is possible to organise a weekend visit to Blantyre, which is a lovely small city, with lots of restaurants, local markets, museums and shops.

Activités de loisirs

In your free time you can spend time around the beautiful infinity pool, which looks out into the bush; or you can relax at the lodge or around camp. It is possible to organise a weekend visit to Blantyre, which is a lovely small city, with lots of restaurants, local markets, museums and shops.


Conditions

Conditions

Âge minimum: 18 ans

Pour participer à ce programme tu dois avoir au moins 18 ans quand le programme commence. Il peut y avoir des exceptions si tu peux montrer la permission de ton tuteur légal ou si tu es accompagné(e) par l'un de tes parents.

Compétences linguistiques

Tu dois parler Anglais (niveau moyen)

Restrictions de Nationalité

Aucune restriction. De l'aide venant de tous les coins du monde est bienvenu.

Engagement horaire

Nous avons besoin de ton aide pour lundi, mardi, mercredi, jeudi, vendredi et samedi

Services inclus

Services inclus

Services de Conservation Travel Africa

Airport transfers on any days other than specified Mondays: $100.
We recommend bringing around $100 per week to cover expenses such as drinks, meals out and souvenirs.

All prices are in USD.

What’s included in the cost?

  • Project contribution: this goes directly to our project partner, and provides funding to ensure the programme can continue to meet its goals. For this project it will cover things like staff costs, equipment purchases, maintenance of buildings, equipment and vehicles, and fuel.
  • Accommodation and three meals per day.
  • Return airport transfers (Mondays).
  • Laundry service and housekeeping
  • Camping trip to Majete (2 and 4-week stays)
  • Comprehensive orientation and supervision.
  • Practical instruction by experienced staff members.
  • Equipment and materials required to do your work.

What’s not included?

  • Flights to Malawi (Blantyre International).
  • Visa fees (if applicable).
  • Travel insurance (compulsory).
  • Personal expenses such as souvenirs, drinks, snacks.
  • Additional excursions outside of project trips.
  • Local SIM card and data / airtime.
  • Administration fee ($40).

Transfert de l'aéroport Chileka Airport

The inclusive transfer is as follows:


Arrivals - Mondays: there is one airport collection from Blantyre International Airport every other Monday. A team member will be at the airport from 0900 to collect all the volunteers arriving that day. You will depart from the airport no later than 1530.


The latest your flight should arrive for a same-day transfer is 1500. Should your preferred flight arrive later than this, please arrange to arrive the night before and overnight in Blantyre.


Departures - Mondays: there is one transfer every other Monday, which arrives at the airport at 0700 on Monday morning.


Flights should depart later than 0900 to allow plenty of time to check-in. Please do not book flights departing before 0900.

Logement

The Thangadzi Lodge will be your home away from home on the project. The lodge is nestled in the heart of the conservancy, in amongst the riparian forest on the banks of the river. The lodge area is unfenced, so wildlife roaming through the camp is to be expected.


The lodge is made up of 4 thatched chalets which can sleep up to 8 people sharing (same gender and similar age sharing). Each chalet has a private verandah with stunning views into the bush and onto a tributary of the Thangadzi River. Each chalet has two comfortable single beds with bedding and linen provided, shelved storage area, and an open-air attached en-suite bathroom.


Bathrooms have a toilet, basin and an outdoor shower with hot and cold water. The rooms are fully equipped with lights and electrical sockets (UK plug type).


The camp has a large central communal area with a fully equipped kitchen, dining area and lounge laid out in an open space with various seating areas. To add to your comfort, it overlooks an incredible eco-pool and the Thangadzi Lodge water hole.


Bedrooms and communal areas are cleaned every day. A laundry service is available every other day. Washing powder is provided if there are items you would like to wash yourself.


Facilities

The lodge is completely off the grid and powered by solar energy. Please bear this in mind when bringing items that require charging. A power bank is a useful extra. No heat-generating items are allowed (hair dryers, straighteners etc).

There is a small communal safe where you can put cash, passports or valuables you may have with you.


There is no cellphone signal but the lodge has WiFi which is charged at $10 a week per device. You are welcome to buy a Malawian SIM card at the airport if you wish to use 3G when on activities away from the lodge or on your way to the conservancy.

Aliments & Boissons

Meals

You will receive three home-cooked meals a day. Clean, safe drinking water is available from a water dispenser in the main lodge and tea and coffee are available all day. Vegetarian and vegan options are available. Should you have any dietary requirements or food allergies, it is important you let us know before you arrive. If you have specific dietary needs such as gluten or dairy intolerance the project may ask that you bring specialist food items such as gluten-free flour and pasta with you. The chefs will be able to prepare these for you alongside other volunteer’s meals.

Accès à Internet

Bon accès sur le site du projet

NE SONT inclus dans le prix:

NE SONT inclus dans le prix:

Billets d'avion

L'aéroport le plus proche est Chileka Airport (BLZ) à Blantyre. Nous t'aidons à trouver des vols pas chers pour aller en Malawi. TROUVER DES VOLS PAS CHERS

Assurance Voyage

Partir à l'étranger est une aventure et c'est toujours mieux d'être bien préparé. Que ce soit une maladie soudaine, une blessure ou du vol - une assurance voyage pour Malawi te protège en cas de situation imprévue. OBTENIR UN DEVIS

Vaccins

Si tu envisages de faire du bénévolat en Malawi, nous te conseillons de consulter un médecin avant le début de ton voyage. Renseigne-toi sur les vaccins nécessaires pour Malawi. INFOS VACCINS

Informations sur l'arrivée

General information

  • Volunteers can join from 1-4 weeks (2 weeks is recommended)
  • Program starts every other Monday
  • The project is closed from mid December to mid January
  • Small volunteer groups of no more than 8 people
  • Monday - Saturday lunchtime: conservation activities
  • Saturday lunchtime - Sunday: leisure time


Arrivals and departures (Mondays)

Book your flight to arrive and depart from Blantyre International Airport (BLZ), Malawi


You will be collected from the airport inside the terminal building. The transfer will depart no later than 3.30pm. Please book your flights accordingly. The transfer time to the Lower Shire Valley is 2.5 hours.


For departures, the shuttle will arrive into Blantyre at 7.30am. Please do not book flights departing before 9.30am.


Visas

Most nationalities can enter Malawi for tourism without the need for a visa. Please check your eligibility well in advance of travel. You should ensure you have at least 6 months passport validity after your departure date and we recommend having at least three blank pages.


Disponibilité
janv. févr. mars avril mai juin juil. août sept. oct. nov. déc.

Frais de Programme

1 semaine (durée min.) 795€
2 semaines 1 491€
4 semaines (durée max.) 2 784€
Prix moyen 746€/semaine

Frais de Programme

746€ par semaine 1 - 4 semaines Âge 18 - 50+

Méthodes de payement

Visa Master Card Maestro American Express PayPal

PAS DE FRAIS DE CARTE DE CRÉDIT


Durée

1 - 4 semaines

Acompte

L'acompte sert à réserver ta place avec l'organisation. Les paiements sont effectués par Paypal, notre partenaire de confiance pour les solutions de paiements internationales. Si tu n'as pas Paypal, tu peux également utiliser ta carte de crédit.


Paiement final

Le paiement du montant restant doit être organisé avec Conservation Travel Africa durant le processus de candidature. Très souvent ce paiement est effectué par virement bancaire ou en espèces.


Rencontrez votre hôte

Conservation Travel Africa

Excellent 4.8 rating (6 avis)

Agence - fondée en 2012

Vérifié par Volunteer World

  Taux de réponse excellent

Hébergé par

Jane

Sur le projet

Conservation Travel Africa provide meaningful and responsible volunteer programmes throughout Southern Africa, working with dedicated local organisations and individuals.

Rencontrez votre hôte

Who we are:

Conservation Travel Africa is dedicated to bridging the gap between wildlife conservation and community development. We use responsible tourism and unique volunteer experiences to raise awareness and support for the long term preservation of Africa’s wildlife and the well-being of local communities.
Our company was founded by four friends who shared a vision to restore Africa’s wildlife and wilderness areas to their previous abundance, and to establish safe areas where communities and wildlife can thrive together.


Our goals:
We believe that wildlife-based tourism, and in particular volunteer tourism, has a huge part to play in the delivery of solutions to the human-wildlife conflict and can help slow or reverse the critical decline of many of our iconic animal species. Volunteer tourism enables local communities to share the financial and cultural benefits which come from overseas visitors, and exposes volunteers to real life situations. We believe that responsible tourism can ensure the protection of wildlife areas for future generations.
The projects our volunteers are involved with existed prior to the rise of voluntourism, and were not set up simply to entertain travellers. As projects have developed and volunteers have joined, their input has enabled them to become more effective. All our projects have long term environmental or community principles.

Our team:
We are based in Southern Africa, giving us first-hand knowledge of local opportunities and enabling us to keep on top of the work which our programmes are performing.
Our dedicated team, based across Southern Africa, work hard to ensure that all our projects are sustainable, meaningful and fun for volunteers. Our partners are reputable, internationally renowned individuals, charities and conservation organisations. Through our network for programme partners, we have access to some of Africa’s most incredible wildlife areas and most experienced conservation professionals.
We do not work with programmes who do not have their own strict animal welfare standards and are proud of our wildlife credentials. We do not work with projects which exploit animals for tourism, and work with international organisations to fight against this practice. Specifically, we do not offer programmes which support captive lion breeding, lions walks or cub petting.

What projects do we offer?
We have a rigorous vetting criteria for our programmes, and only send volunteers to projects which really need their help. We are mindful that volunteering is a two-way street, so, in return for your input, you will get to experience some of Africa’s most breathtaking scenery, witness amazing animal interactions and have a truly life-changing experience.

Where do we work?
We offer projects across Southern Africa; in Zimbabwe, Namibia, Botswana, South Africa and Mozambique. Our specialism is Zimbabwe, as this is where our founders were born, but we are very proud of all our project partners.

6 avis · rating4.8

I loved the enrichment walks with the babies and could really see the genuine benefit of what we were doing for the animals. They were learning invaluable skills, while we had an incredible experience. The babies were going to be a part of a larger troop once they were strong enough and then all ...
This project gave me the opportunity to understand primates in a way I had never had the opportunity to before. We were able to get close to them, enjoy their behaviour, nurture their instincts and appreciate their intelligence. The whole team at this project wear their hearts on their sleeves, the ...
Vincent Ten Brink rating5

2023 at Primate Rescue and Rehabilitation

This was one of the greatest trips I have undertaken and I will be choosing volunteering for my future travels. My stay in Zimbabwe far exceeded my expectations. The accommodation, the staff, the activities: it all contributed to some of the most touching weeks in my life. My favourite activity was ...
KC Rautiainen rating5

2022 at Primate Rescue and Rehabilitation

This is a rehabilitation centre for primates and other wildlife. Their goal is to rescue, rehabilitate and release wildlife whenever possible. It's is the first rehabilitation centre orientated specifically to the rehab and release of African Primates. I have volunteered at many projects around the ...
Anthony Gaudioso rating5

2022 at Primate Rescue and Rehabilitation

The interactions and bonds we formed with the animals at the sanctuary made this experience magical! Where else could I ever have slept in the same room as an infant baboon, have a huge male baboon show me his affection by putting his hand in my mouth 😳, go on daily walks with a troop of baboon ...
Was the most important thing I 've ever done! Being in touch with the nature 24hs a day...having the opportunity to live so close with the animals...listening to the birds every morning while I wake up...watching animal freedom....for me was the best thing I decided to do in my hole life! I will ...

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