Cawston Encounters

Cawston Encounters is a family-run conservation and land management operation based on a private wildlife reserve in Zimbabwe. We work at the intersection of wildlife conservation, sustainable agriculture, and community coexistence, managing a diverse landscape that supports wildlife, livestock, and people within a rapidly changing rural environment. Our focus is on practical, hands-on conservation. We manage and protect habitat, run active anti-poaching operations, support wildlife research, and maintain working livestock and horse operations that contribute to the long-term sustainability of the reserve. Our approach reflects the realities of conservation in southern Africa, where limited resources require adaptable, on-the-ground solutions. Cawston Encounters offers immersive volunteer programs that prioritise learning by doing. Volunteers work alongside experienced local staff and land managers, gaining insight into real-world conservation, wildlife protection, and livestock management in a rural African context. Our programs are designed for small groups and emphasise meaningful contribution, skills development, and responsible, ethical engagement with both wildlife and local communities.