#1Buffelsdrift Eco Ambassador Program | South Africa

Volunteering was an incredible experience! I was able to learn a lot about conservation and what it takes to keep everything running smoothly. I learned a lot about the local species and got to see them quite often. Everyone on the project is super friendly and welcoming,I felt right at home, and they were always looking out for our well-being! I definitely recommend this project to anyone who’s interested.

An incredible and deeply enriching experience. I learned so much about South Africa as a whole and about Buffelsdrift’s commitment and work. I felt useful every single moment. This experience has changed me for the better. I am leaving with countless memories and a new perspective on the world. I spent three weeks here, and the time flew by. I am sad to have to leave. A special thank you to Tiaan for his kindness, care, patience, teaching, and for taking the time to ensure that our stay was as enjoyable as possible. Thank you to the entire Buffelsdrift team for their warm welcome and kindness. I will never forget this incredible experience.

I had the opportunity to spend a week volunteering at Buffelsdrift Game Lodge, and I absolutely loved the experience. It was simply incredible! Everyone on the team was extremely kind, welcoming, and always willing to help. They made sure that we had a great time by varying the tasks and activities, which kept the experience interesting and rewarding throughout the week. As a huge animal lover, this volunteer program was truly a dream come true. I got to see all the animals I had hoped to see, including cheetahs, lions, elephants, and many more. Being able to get so close to these magnificent animals and experience nature in such an authentic way was unforgettable. A special mention goes to Tiaan, the coordinator, who is an amazing person. He is always approachable, attentive, and genuinely cares about making sure everyone has the best possible experience. He is happy to answer any questions and shares his knowledge with great enthusiasm. His dedication and positive attitude played a huge part in making this experience so memorable. I would highly recommend this program to anyone who loves nature and animals. It is an experience I will never forget and a memory I will cherish for the rest of my life.

It was an amazing experience, the reserve and the animals are beautiful, and the people were so kind and receptive. I had a lot of fun during the work days and in the activities during the days off...

The Buffelsdrift Volunteer program was an incredible experience, with wonderful people and so many new experiences. I learned a lot in my time there and had so much fun working with the team and helping with all the conservation work.

We loved it to be at Buffelsdrift. We especially liked the work around the lions, it is special to get the opportunity to come that close to wild animals. It was also wonderful to be part of the Buffelsdrift family for a while. One of us was here for the thirth time, that gives an idea about how nice it is to do the volunteer program.

Ein wirklich grosses Abenteuer. Jeden Tag hat man etwas neues erlebt. Sei es den Kindern an der Schule zu helfen, sei es den Tieren zu helfen oder zu schauen, dass es dem Reserve gut geht. Tiaan und die anderen sind einfach richtige Herzensmenschen, sie halfen Tag und Nacht, sodass es mir und den anderen an nichts fehlte. Eins sollte aber im vorhinein klar sein, die Arbeit die man macht ist koerperlich nicht zu unterschaetzen. Man muss richtig mit anpacken.Wenn man damit kein Problem hat, kann man hier sehr wertvolle Erfahrungen sammeln. Mein Highlight war es all die Tiere zu sehen und diesen zu helfen.Man erlebt alles viel naeher als wenn nur zu Gast bei der Buffelsdrift Lodge ist. All in All ich wuerde es immer wieder und wuensche dem Team, den Tieren und der gesamten Lodge nur das Beste. :)

🌿 Eco Ambassadors Review for Buffelsdrift Lodge 🌿 Buffelsdrift Lodge has truly been a home away from home for us. From the moment we arrived, we were made to feel so welcome and cared for. ✨ Special shout out to Tiaan, who looked after us like we were his own — his humour, kindness, and “Tiaan-isms” are unforgettable. ✨ To Sinna, our mum away from home, thank you for cooking, cleaning, and making sure we were always comfortable. ✨ And to the wonderful guides Monique, Henry, Juan, Kayla, and Tiaan’s dad Chris — your knowledge, warmth, and passion made every experience so meaningful. Every interaction felt personal and heartfelt. It wasn’t just about seeing wildlife, but about learning and appreciating Africa’s beauty on a deeper level. Visiting the local school and meeting the little ones was also such a highlight — memories we’ll carry forever. This is an intimate, authentic experience where you don’t just pass through Africa, you connect with it. The only negative? That we couldn’t stay longer. Highly recommend. Thank you Buffelsdrift Lodge for everything. 💚 From, Sammie

Coming to Buffesldrift Game Lodge, I wasn't sure what to expect as I had never done a volunteering program before. However, my expectations were soon surpassed as I had the best month of my life. From Siena's delicious meals and hospitality (she became like a second mum to us), to Tiaan's guidance and friendliness who made every activity fun and engaging for us, I truly felt part of the Buffelsdrift family. Getting to know more about all the guides and staff (including Tiaan, Juan, Kyla, Claudia, Mossie, Henry, Sonya, and Katherine) and joining them on the weekends for festivals, bowls tournaments, movie nights and other fun activities was truly a highlight for me as I have now expanded my friend group to incude an amazing group of people who have an unparalled passion for wildlife and conservation. Feeding the animals (rhinos, buffalos, zebra, hippos, elephants, lions etc.), preparing their meals, helping out in all the different projects Tiaan allowed us to take part in, visiting the local schools and meeting the sweetest kids; I truly cannot pick a favourite moment but if I had to choose, interacting with the elephants and watching them play every afternoon after work takes the crown. Thankyou Buffelsdrift for the best month of my life and I look forward to coming back soon. PRECISELY!

i loved the experience, having daily contact with the animals as a veterinary doctor was incredible! Making firends from different nations, all united for the comon good - humanity, animals, and nature - is something i will carry with me forever. The support was fantastic, and the volunteer cordinator is truly a remarkable person with a kind heart! I will definitely take only good memorien from here.

It was great to work with the animals, doing the food preperation and all the other things to do. Also the whole staff was super. I think I will come back some time. Thank you very much for this experiance!

I really feel privileged to have been part of the volunteering project here at Buffelsdrift. I was not expecting such a rich and amazing wildlife. Every day was different and rewarding. With the animals. With the beautiful scenery. With the staff and all the people of the reserve. You were so helpful and kind, and so passionate about conservation, it was striking and humbling to see the dedication of everyone and I felt honored to be at the team's side and assist as much as a volunteer can. From feeding the animals to planting spekbooms, from attending the fences to cleaning the meat area, I was so happy to work hard, embrace each of the volunteer's daily tasks. Not withstanding exceptional tasks like helping out relocate cheetahs ! And in addition, getting to help also the community schools, bring some fun to the kids, I never thought I would like this much, and I am going to miss those adorable little children. It was more than I could have imagined. It was a wild and beautiful dream. Thank you all. Your are too many to be all named here, but as I will not forget all the wildlife here, I will remember each and everyone of you dearly.

I enjoyed my stay at Buffelsdrift very much! We had a lovely tent and I felt very home in our chilling area. Your motto in the kitchen "feel home far away from your home" is really authentic and true :) In general, I would really recommend a Volunteer Program at Buffelsdrift because besides the work during the day you have a lot of opportunities to join all the activities/bush drives at the reserve. I did several night drives and have been very many hours in the cheetah area to look for them xD The tasks that our guides delegated to us were very different and fun. We produced a lot of Speckboom buckets (indigenous plants for the guest to plant next to the road), we cleaned the water hole from the elephants, we prepared the day snack for the elephants, checked the electricity daily at the lions enclosure, fed the wild life animals (springbok, zebras, buffalos etc.) and many other tasks. We basically have seen every day a lot of wild life animals because we always drove through the reserve. Our guid Tiaan is blessed with a lot of patience and interesting knowledge about the animals and the environment. I really appreciated this because I had a lot of questions and it was for sure that he always could give an answer :) Thank you for that!

Since I was young, my biggest dream was to become a veterinarian and work with wild animals. This volunteer program was the entrance to the beginning of this dream, because I was face to face with the animals and could help to take care of them.

When I decided to do a volunteer job with animals was by my brother influence, but I didn't imagine that would be such a unique experience. I spent 2 weeks and I never felt more closed with animals, I would definitely stay more if I knew how much I would love the experience!

I had a really good experience here at Buffelsdrift. I can say that all the 15 days I spent were busy and memorable. Although we really had some hard work, spending the days close to the animals, and also learning new things about them was really good. I can not forget to mention how nice and helpful were both Tiaan and Tanica.

If you want to do an amazing volunteer experience do not hesitate. I shared this adventure with my dad and it was perfect for both of us. Everybody here is really nice, they make you feel like you're part of the family. We learned a lot about animals, how to take care of them and how to protect the south African wildlife. Just go there and enjoy the best time of your life !

I had the chance to do this volunteer stay with my daughter. It was exactly what we were expecting : wildlife, great activities, beautiful moments helped with a great team of dedicated guides and employees ! This place is giving wonderful environment to animals and observing and serving them is a unique chance. Thanks to all !

Participating in the Eco-Ambassador program at Buffelsdrift was an absolutely incredible experience. Getting up close to different wild animals, spending time with the children at the local school and being part of conservation projects was always adventurous and fulfilling. Tanica, the guides and all staff members are amazing, they made us feel very welcome and took great care of the volunteers. If you are in love with nature and wildlife and are looking for an unforgettable experience, I highly recommend this program. I am very grateful for the people I have met and the memories I have collected and will treasure them forever.

I really enjoyed the time here. We did a variety of tasks so that it never became boring. It was great to do something completely different from the daily life. For me, it was super interesting to get so close to the animals and learn a lot of new facts about them. It is something totally different to see what is behind the things you get to know as a normal tourist. All in all, I would say that it was a once in a lifetime opportunity and a fantastic experience that I will never forget.

I really enjoyed my time here, the working days are sometimes hard but always fun. What makes it fun is that you really become part of Buffelsdrift so they want to show you everything they do. That is so interesting, you get a good view from behind the scenes. This one time a baby zebra got kicked and broke her leg so the vet had to come and fix it and we could be part of it, and we were not only watching but we could also help. There were a couple more experiences like these, and I think that is what makes this program so amazing. From the moment you arrive here you immediatly feel like your at home, all the guides and people who work here are so welcoming and kind and want to learn you a lot of things. If there is space on a bush safari, night drive etc. you can always join and the guides love it and you really feel part of Buffelsdrift because you help them spot animals, shine the light and many more things, I will never forget that. Also my specials thanks to Tanica, she is the best volunteer coordinator you can ask for, she is fun, kind, carring and (sometimes strict), she really want you to have the best experience as possible in your time here and that is something I really appriciate, Thanks for everything, my 3 weeks were one of the best of my life!

Volunteering at Buffelsdrift Game Lodge was a very fulfilling experience. Upon arrival, I felt very welcome because everyone greeted me warmly. The opportunity to participate in game drives, assist with animal care and engage in conservation efforts was unique and enriching. Additionally, the chance to observe a wide variety of wildlife during my work was impressive. The accommodation was very nice, and I enjoyed staying in a comfortable and safe environment. Tanica, the Volunteer Coordinator, was amazing. Her friendliness and enthusiasm made working with her a pleasure and it was never boring. I also learned a lot about nature and wildlife from her and the guides. Overall, my time here was unforgettable. I made many new friends and would love to come back again.

As someone who was born and raised in a city in the middle of Europe, this experience has been extremely insightful and eye-opening in different ways: connecting with nature, seeing animals never seen/heard of before, helping the community (including children and dogs), other than collaborating with farmers and supporting all of the wildlife in a very respectful way. As I was driven by strong ethics and sense of purpose, I was highly impressed with the way the staff here is respectful of the wildlife, letting it be natural, and interfering with its natural state as little as possible. Our coordinator, Tanica, along with the guides and the overall staff, made our experience incredible, involving us in all sorts of activites, even the most sensitive ones, as saving a baby zebra with a broken leg. 100% recommended!

My second time in heaven! If you are looking for a place of peace and happiness, BD is where it is at! The guides have always been so kind and there is no better place to visit to spend time with the elephants.

i came here to learn new things, to discover a new culture and to be as close as possible to wild animals. it was beyond my expectations, between the diversity of animals and the vegetation, i was dazzled. in addition to that, the people and guides are great, welcoming and benevolent. i will remember this experience all my life, she taught me to surpass myself, the protection, patience and beauty of the present moment. thanks to everyone. lilou

I recently had the pleasure of participating in the African Wildlife Experience volunteer project in Outshoorn, South Africa, and it was truly incredible. From close encounters with majestic lions to hands-on conservation activities, every moment was unforgettable. I highly recommend this experience to anyone interested in wildlife conservation and adventure. The program not only provided valuable insights into conservation practices but also fostered personal growth and meaningful connections with both fellow volunteers and the remarkable wildlife of Africa. Overall, it was an enriching and fulfilling experience that I wholeheartedly recommend to others.

I really enjoyed my stay at Buffelsdrift the past four weeks. The difference between South-Africa and my hometown (the Netherlads) is very big, and Buffelsdrift showed me how daily life around here works. I've learned a lot and had amazing experiences with the wildlife around here. I also enjoyed learning about the 'behind the scenes' of animal conservation.

I had one of the best times volunteering at Buffelsdrift! I was supposed to stay for only two weeks, but that wasn't enough and I ended up staying for almost 6 weeks. The people you meet while working here make you feel at home and make the work not feel like work, and the opportunity to stay so close to wild animals and help protect them and create a conservation environment for them and the rest of the community is a once in a lifetime experience.

With this program, I did a lot of activities, wich I didn't do in my european life, I learn a lot of things about flaura, fauna, and myself. During this program, I feed animals, clean enclosure, cut plants, and even if it's sometimes very physical, I really like to do this and go outside of my confort zone. Also, I met a lot of people, with the girls who was with me during one month, and with who I really like past this time with her, with the eco-ambassador coordinator, all the guides, and also with the guests. I really recomand this experience for everyone.

Buffelsdrifts Eco-Ambassador Programme was an incredibly fun and inspiring experience. I spent a total of eighteen weeks with this programme over two separate trips and would definitely do it again. The rangers at Buffelsdrift work to a very high standard and most importantly ensure that the animals are worked with ethically. Tanica's extensive knowledge on wildlife along with her bubbly attitude and enthusiasm was an absolute pleasure to work with. The camp is very comfortable and the food is incredible. I'd recommend this programme to anyone searching for a hands-on fun experience with wildlife and I cannot thank the Buffelsdrift team enough for their work!

I volunteered at buffelsdrift drift game lodge for a month in September, it was the best experience of my life. The whole program is amazingly run, tanica who is the eco embassador co-ordinator is the most bubbly enthusiast entertaining young woman. She clearly has the upmost interest for her job and has so much knowledge. In fact all the workers where lovely, I got on so well with the guide they took me in like I was apart of their family. Doing this program you are around all the animals 24/7 you wake up to the sound of elephants and the only traffic you get are animals! You participate in a handful of jobs including, enclosure cleaning, feeding, fence checking, as well as a variety of other things. Every day is different with animals, you might have a plan for the day but anything can change in a heart beat. Although you do so much at the lodge you are also able to do activities outside of buffelsdrift drift in the local town. You are fed like kings and queens and the volunteer camp where you stay is like glamping it’s incredible. I have not a bad thing to say about this program it was the best experience of my life and I will be coming back again!

For me it was an extraordinary experience to work as an eco ambassador here at the Buffelsdrift Foundation. I spent four weeks here and was integrated into the team. I learned a lot about the animals of Africa and their behavior as well as about nature. The highlight was chipping a cheetah after hours of searching. I got very close to a wild animal and was allowed to assist with the work. What an experience. The nice thing is that the Foundation supports a local school with donations and I was able to make the children very happy by playing with them. It is an experience of a lifetime that I will never forget.

I'm Franzi and I decided to join the Buffelsdrift foundation as an ecoambassador to make a small contribution and to learn something about wildlife in beautiful south africa. My expectations were more than fulfilled. I am totally excited about the many opportunities here with the buffelsdrift team. Starting with the daily tasks such as checking fences and bush cameras, looking after the animals, cleaning elephant enclosures and planting little trees, I had the opportunity to join a very special experience: I helped out with cheetah collaring. It was impressive for me after searching the animals for days patiently, learn about their behavior an being part of the whole process. In addition I really enjoyed the visit to a children's house where we played with the kids and brought them vegetables for healthy meals. Furthermore I enjoyed the close contact with the cute elephants and was able to join some day and night safaris with different focuses. This was framed by the incredibly open, dedicated and warm team here on site. We laughed a lot, I learned a lot and we had a super delicious barbecue around the campfire at sunset. All in all, this was an incredibly enriching life experience for me. If you want to make a difference too, don't hesitate and sigh up for the Buffelsdrift ecoambassador program. You will love it- I promise!

Incredible experience. The way to be nearby animals is very special and we can sometimes feel very lucky ( lions testing fences…). It could be so much interesting to make more mission with kids and population because It’s a special way to discover the population. If one day I’ve got the chance to came back, I will do not hesitate à second.