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Wildlife Experience with the Big 5
by: Oyster Worldwide
Live the life of a game ranger and groundskeeper on a huge, private game reserve in South Africa. Gain the opportunity to get hands-on experience working with a multitude of different animals. Home to the Big 5 - elephants, rhinos, buffalo, leopards, and lions - you will get the chance to see animals in their natural habitat. It is so much more than a safari! You can get involved with programme...
Live the life of a game ranger and groundskeeper on a huge, private game reserve in South Africa. Gain the opportunity to get hands-on experience working with a multitude of different animals. Home to the Big 5 - elephants, rhinos, buffalo, leopards, and lions - you will get the chance to see animals in their natural habitat. It is so much more than a safari! You can get involved with programmes and make genuine contributions to the welfare and conservation of animals as well as the lives of people from local communities. Volunteers who make a real difference are those willing to get stuck in and show initiative. If you want to see the Big 5 and other iconic African animals, but also want to contribute to the reserve they live in, this would be the ideal programme for you.
Program Highlights
Experience full immersion into life on a beautiful game reserve.
Make a genuine contribution to land and wildlife conservation.
Work with local guides to gain amazing insight into game reserve life.
Become part of inspiring community programmes, helping provide kids with enough food to be able to concentrate at school and enjoy education.
Live in a beautiful setting close to the sea and the excitement of Port Elizabeth.
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Quick Details
- Port Elizabeth, South Africa
- 2-4 Weeks
- 5-8 Weeks
- 9-12 Weeks
- Animal Welfare
- Community Development
- Conservation
- Eco-Tourism
- Environment
- See more
- American
- European
- Canadian
- Australian
- South African
Awards




Program Reviews
Hear what past participants have to say about the programs
Overall Rating
Total Reviews
I am so grateful to her for helping make my trip as magical as it was.
January 18, 2025by: Hayley SpicerProgram: Wildlife Experience with the Big 5I went to South Africa for a little over two weeks and in those two weeks I participated in two of Oyster Worldwide trips (one week per trip plus a couple days between flights for transport purposes) and I had an amazing time. The main reasons I went on this trip is for work experience however I also had my birthday during my time there and it was important to me that there would be no complications. I had a very kind and informative member of the admin team, her name is Kate, who helped my sister and I during the entire process, from the booking of flights, to the arrangements of mid-trip transport (my experience was unique due to taking part in two different excursions which were located in different areas of South Africa- Kate helped us arrange overnight accommodation due to flight times, transport to and from the airports and so much more when it came to moving from one excursion to the other). Kate also was extremely helpful when I had some technical difficulties when trying to access my personal oyster worldwide portal and she very efficiently got it sorted for me. This was my first time flying long haul as a young person and my first time flying without my parents and naturally I was nervous about the many things that are entailed in the planning of a trip like the one i was on, Kate made my experience a lot more comfortable and explained everything clearly and concisely and overall much more manageable process. I am so grateful to her for helping make my trip as magical as it was and it has definitely convinced me to user Oyster Worldwide again in the future.
What an amazing time he had at the reserve
August 15, 2024by: Diane PettProgram: Wildlife Experience with the Big 5My son was 17 when we booked his trip to South Africa as part of his Gold Duke of Edinburgh award. I just wanted to let you know what an amazing time he had at the reserve. He loved everything about the trip, had some fantastic experiences and met some lovely people. Thank you so much for helping us along the way. You were able to put our minds at rest and answer our questions. I will definitely be recommending your company.
The Wildlife conservation experience was amazing
August 06, 2024by: Tobey PettProgram: Wildlife Experience with the Big 5The Wildlife conservation experience was amazing thank you Oyster Worldwide, I loved every second and had the best experience ever, I wanted to say thank you for being able to help with everything and allowing me to do this.
Program Details
Learn all the nitty gritty details you need to know
Locations
- Port Elizabeth, South Africa
Types and Subjects
- Causes
- Animal Welfare
- Community Development
- Conservation
Availability
Years Offered: Year Round
- 2-4 Weeks
- 5-8 Weeks
- 9-12 Weeks
Age Requirement
Age Requirement Varies
Guidelines
- American
- European
- Canadian
- Australian
Cost per week
Accommodation Options
- Dormitory
- Group living
Qualifications & Experience
- Any/All Education Levels Accepted
Accepted Education Levels
Application Procedures
- Phone/Video Interview
- In-Person Interview when Feasible
- Online Application
Ready to Learn More?
Live the life of a game ranger and groundskeeper on a huge, private game reserve in South Africa. Gain the opportunity to get hands-on experience working with a multitude of different animals. Home to the Big 5 - elephants, rhinos, buffalo, leopards, and lions - you will get the chance to see animals in their natural habitat. It is so much more than a safari! You can get involved with programmes and make genuine contributions to the welfare and conservation of animals as well as the lives of people from local communities. Volunteers who make a real difference are those willing to get stuck in and show initiative. If you want to see the Big 5 and other iconic African animals, but also want to contribute to the reserve they live in, this would be the ideal programme for you.

Oyster Worldwide

Oyster Worldwide
Ready to Learn More?
Live the life of a game ranger and groundskeeper on a huge, private game reserve in South Africa. Gain the opportunity to get hands-on experience working with a multitude of different animals. Home to the Big 5 - elephants, rhinos, buffalo, leopards, and lions - you will get the chance to see animals in their natural habitat. It is so much more than a safari! You can get involved with programmes and make genuine contributions to the welfare and conservation of animals as well as the lives of people from local communities. Volunteers who make a real difference are those willing to get stuck in and show initiative. If you want to see the Big 5 and other iconic African animals, but also want to contribute to the reserve they live in, this would be the ideal programme for you.
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