Wildlife Conservation in the Greater Kruger National Park

It’s pitch black. You’re zipped into your sleeping bag, safe but alert. Out there, in the silence, something stirs. You don’t know what it is—or what’s curious enough to wander past a small pack of humans daring to camp in the wild. That thrill, that raw vulnerability, is something I’ll never forget at the Vikela Kruger Conservation Experience. Truly, a trip of a lifetime! For me, tracking has always been an interest, so having the opportunity to track wildlife in the bush through this project was amazing! With my military background, I understood the basics—I’d practised it. But with my veterinary career now underway, I wanted to learn how to track wildlife. And I wasn’t disappointed. Watching a true professional at work was humbling. In tracking, time is everything. A delay can mean injury—or worse. That pressure, that precision—it was extraordinary to witness and invaluable to learn from. When people ask me what my favourite sighting was, I hesitate. Was it the slow, silent grace of an elephant herd moving through the bush? The hyena sneaking a drink between a lazy lion and a defiant bull elephant? Or the leopard that melted so perfectly into the landscape, it was as if it had never existed at all? Each moment was unforgettable in its own way. But this experience wasn’t just about the thrill of sightings or the theory of conservation. It was about the reality—the complexity of people, agendas, and challenges on the ground. Not everyone is in it for the right reasons. Not everyone shares the same vision. You’re constantly navigating a system that’s messy, political, and demanding. But seeing this project in action—seeing the dedication of the team—I knew it was worth supporting. They care deeply about their impact, about the volunteers, about what we take away. They want us to truly understand, to see the value in every moment! The African Conservation Experience team made the entire journey seamless. From the first call to the travel logistics, they handled it all. I boarded that plane feeling unprepared, unsure—but from the second I landed, everything was taken care of. So here’s my advice: don’t let fear stop you. Book the ticket. Get on the plane. Let it change your life!

Vikela, is ideal if you want to see animals in the wild and feel the adrenaline of tracking and observing them in their natural habitat. Both places offer unique and unforgettable experiences. If you’re thinking about it, don’t hesitate, it’s worth it! I visited the Vikela project first and everything about that place was incredible! Some people might imagine that coming to South Africa is all about going on a safari, however, the Vikela project offers you something so much deeper than that. We were driving around a national park whilst being actively involved in conservation. We tracked animals, monitored key species like rhinos, lions, elephants, and wild dogs, and recorded important details about their behaviour! One of the highlights of this project for me was seeing lions feeding on my birthday - what an unforgettable experience! We also saw baboons, wild dogs, rhinos grazing, and even lions on a hunt. It was incredible! Our days started early, at around 5:30am, with some breakfast and a meeting to discuss the day's tasks. Most mornings would begin with a game drive, to track and monitor rhinos and other wildlife. We would note down important details about them, such as whether they were male or female, adults or juveniles, their distance from us, and their behaviour. After returning to camp for some lunch, we would get involved in some more physical activities such as clearing invasive plants, fixing water points, or assisting other sections of the reserve. In the evenings we would often go on night drives to see nocturnal species. Another unforgettable experience was our bush sleepout! The project staff guided us to our location and I was expecting to feel a little uneasy as we were camping in the wild, but I didn’t feel this at all. They have so much knowledge and made the camp so safe. And all night long we listened to the sounds of lions, hyenas, and buffalo in the bush!

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!