African Conservation Experience

I have done this project twice now and both times it was nothing short of perfect! ACE organised all my flights and transport for me so I knew I would always be in the right place at the right time and it would always be supervised and safe. The family I stayed with were the most lovely, friendly and accommodating people I have ever met. I got my own bedroom and all dietary requirements are catered for, and the food was always delicious! We were taken out at the weekends if there was no work with the vet, and got to do activities like meeting Jessica the hippo and elephant rides so we got the most out of every second. We got taken to the vets every morning at what ever time we had to be there and picked up in the evenings ready for dinner. Dr Rogers is the most incredible vet I have ever had the pleasure of working with, his commitment and drive is just inspiring, he takes the time to explain everything he is doing so I learned so much about the different treatments and drugs and he let us get as hands on and as involved as possible. There was nothing I would change about my trip and I would go again in an instant if I had the chance! Couldn't rate it better! 5* would definitely recommend it

I went there for the whole month of September 2015, without any previous experience in animal conservation and felt right at home. The location is stunning, with the housing located in the reserve itself. The daily activity consisted mainly in tracking down and recording information on various animals, as well as sometimes assisting in animal capture and care. Despite the work being sometimes quite heavy and tiring, I never felt like giving up or wanting to go home. The flora and fauna are of course spectacular, with all the Big 5 occuring in the reserve. The only problem with Phinda is that it will hurt to leave it behind. For me it really was a life changing experience. After coming back I decided to enroll in a Field Guide Training program, and will be going back to South Africa next year, hopefully permanently. All in all, if you love the outdoors, don't mind getting wet, dirty and smelling of antilope guts and are not afraid of hard work, then Phinda is the place to be.

The day I came back I started saving to go again, I have now been back 6 months and I travel out again in 8 weeks! This was my second trip with ACE because they are very organised and I felt safe travelling with the company and knew where my money was going for each organisation. khulula is very challenging and not for the weak hearted. Everyday is a mission to care for the animals throughout the day (and night) No where else in the world can I ever gain the experiences I was given here. Truly magical