View ProjectsBUSH SCHOOL
– Provide a close and engaging learning experience that motivates Grade 8 students to care for their environment, while teaching them important life skills
The Grade 8 students visiting DAKTARI are from the local secondary schools in the villages. The teaching program is a mix of environmental education, life skills training, animal interactions, and discussions on social issues. International and local volunteers teach all of the lessons. Class sizes are kept small and each child is given individual attention during the week. The children learn about anti-poaching, politeness, job opportunities in game reserves, and discuss social issues like substance abuse and safe sex.
WILDLIFE ORPHANAGE
– Provide a home for unreleasable or orphaned animals that inspire passion for the environment in the children that visit DAKTARI.
The wildlife orphanage houses more than thirty species of animals. From cheetahs to crocodiles to meerkats, eighty animals call DAKTARI home. These animal ambassadors are unable to survive in their natural habitat so they live at DAKTARI and help to educate the children. The students are actively involved in animal care during their time at DAKTARI. They see many of these animals for the first time. This unique experience inspires them to protect their local wildlife and environment.
COMMUNITY WORK
– Increase the impact of the Teaching Program at DAKTARI through Eco Clubs and community projects
DAKTARI's outreach program consists of three parts: ECO CLUBs at secondary schools, community development projects and outreach campaigning. The ECO CLUBs are an extension of the teaching program at DAKTARI and are completely voluntary. They are given to groups of around 30 children who attend 12 lessons in 6 weeks. During these 6 weeks the kids learn more about the environment and wildlife. In weeks where there's no school or when the kids are writing exams, there are no kids at the camp and our outreach team goes on outreach campaigning instead. This is when our volunteers go to different schools that we normally can't work with to teach for a morning or afternoon. There we educate grade 7 students on the environment through playing educational games. It's a fun way to reach more children and tell them about the importance of the environment!
From Monday to Friday, you will be teaching a group of eight children. Your day starts at 7am and classes start at 9am. Classes will end at 4:30 p.m. and then we will talk to the children about social issues. Also has plenty of time for fun!
You will play with the kids, join them in the pool and dance around the campfire your favorite tunes. With animals, each day you will help with the different tasks that need to be done to keep the animals happy and healthy, like cleaning each cabinet and feeding them.
On Saturdays you can take a trip to Hoedspruit with the local staff. In town you can shop and there are also several excellent restaurants in town for lunch. Sundays are free so you can plan a day trip if you wish or just relax at the campsite. The project team will assist you in planning and below have some suggestions of what you can do over the weekend. All activities below are extra cost and must be arranged and paid locally.
Why DAKTARI offers a unique opportunity to inspire and teach the next generation about the importance of the natural world
Read more…Girls chalet, boys chalet, families/couple chalet
We are located in the middle of the bush and so the camp is rustic, although we do our very best to make sure everyone is kept clean, comfortable, and well fed. You will enjoy hot showers, running water, and solar-powered lights in your traditional chalets. You may be sharing your chalet with up to 3 other volunteers but everyone has their own bed and space to store closes and personal items.
Laundry is done for everyone each day, with the exception of Sunday, and the rooms are cleaned every day.
Living and working at DAKTARI is very safe. Our camp is fenced in and the farm is in a protected area. You won’t need to worry about crime while staying with us and we take precautions to make sure that our staff and children are safe from the predatory animals around DAKTARI.
Common camp rules:
Kitchen (4) ; Housekeeping (3) ; Maintenance (4); 1 Office manager + 1 assistant;1 Outreach manager + 1 assistant; 1 Marketing manager; 1 Fundraising manager; 2 Volunteers coordinators; 2 Animal manager; 2 Co-founders
Breakfast, lunch and diner are included in the price, extra drinks are not.
Possibility to have access to internet except in the chalet As we are in the bush, the connexion can be slow sometimes.
No phone signal
You can either take a place or go via a shuttle from Johannesburg to Hoedspruit where we will meet you. Pick up locations: Hoedspruit Airport or RockFig Center, Hoedspruit
English
Visa, flights, travel insurance or vaccinations are NOT included in the program fees.
28/11/18
Hi everyone,
The day I heard about Daktari, I knew that was what I wanted to do for my gap year after graduation !
South Africa is a country I always wanted to experience, for the culture, the animals and the exotic landscapes…
I think volunteering is something very important in our actual world situation. It is an incredible experience to work with children and animals, to feel helpful, to live in community in the bush and bee out of the society !
I love the camp life, everybody knows and helps each other and it is really difficult to feel unhappy in this beautiful environment ! I feed my whole person with the beauty and the good energy that you can feel in here ! I feel that all this made me evolve in my human being, my mind and my soul!
It is a perfect occasion to meet awesome people around the world and that can also give you clues for your futur !!!
For the kids that we welcome here, the teaching program is very interesting and it is a pleasure to teach all these important values to them !
The staff members are always lovely and I love conversing with them… They do there best in their work and I am really thankful for everything they do for me, for example cooking me special vegetarian meals every-time, knowing that the kitchen we have here is not easy to work in.
I just want to thank everybody who helped me to come here and to be able to make this inedible experience, because I will always remember it and use it in my whole life !!!
Thank you so much
Léa TREMSAL
Review by:
Léa Tremsal
15/9/19
I spent 3 unbelievable weeks working with animals; teaching some amazing kids everything from why animals are important to the economy to valuable and practical environmental lessons; and hanging out with the exceptional staff and volunteers. The time flew and I left wishing I could stay. The people and animals of Daktari will always hold a special place in my heart.
The accommodation was great, the food was fantastic and the company was phenomenal.
This trip refreshed my mind, body and soul in ways that I couldn’t imagine.
Worth every penny!
Review by:
Jaki Ellenby
11/3/21
I highly recommend this volunteering program : the perfect mix between animal care and children teaching!
Review by:
Carole
I was the only volunteer and sometimes i was left out and alone, everyone went to bed at 19:30 which is too early for me so i was just left alone for a few hours, i thought the children would get more experience with animals especially all the facilities that are literally right on there front door.
Review by:
alexandra deeming
I loved working with the animals and to teach them was such a fun experience to do. Everyone around was respectful to each other. I liked the fact that the daisies are around you, it was unbelievable to see that Thank you DAKTARI for the greatest week ever Charlize
Review by:
Charlize Van Wyk
I want to apply to…
