Wildlife Conservation with IVHQ in Victoria Falls

This was my first trip to Africa. I travelled solo and am over 60. The pre trip communication was excellent with everything covered from travel, visa’s, health and safety, dietary requirements, e sims, insurance, nothing was left out. The accommodation was made up of comfortable single rooms with shared bathrooms and hot showers. The kitchen facilities provided plenty of fridge storage and wonderful accommodating chefs. The pool area overlooks the reserve where you can watch wildlife wander past every day. In the park we got to see Black Rhinos close up without feeling invasive. They gave us permission to photograph them! As did the Giraffe, Zebra, buffalo, Kudo, Crocodiles, Hippos, and even a leopard and painted dogs, and hyena. The bush babies are a bit harder to spot. The work is short and fun but can be strenuous, removing invasive plants (lantana) clearing tracks and scrub for a football pitch at the local school but all very rewarding. Weekends are free time to explore. The gorge at Victoria falls offers zip wires, and swings, horse riding safari in Zambia, and Chobe national park in Botswana to name a few. The Nakavango project is an amazing experience!

l loved my time at the Nakavango Private Game Reserve. The wildlife was incredible; I saw a leopard on my last day. It was a joy to participate in meaningful activities that contribute to long term conservation efforts while also supporting the local population. The work was physically hard sometimes but our safety was a top priority for the staff. The staff, what can I say, "gracious, fun, informative." I met wonderful volunteers of all ages from around the world and look forward to seeing many of them again. I highly recommend this program. It was my first time in Africa, but it will not be my last.

This was one of the best experiences of my life! IVHQ helped me all the way through, providing me with all the information I needed before I left and ensuring everything was going well while I was there. All the staff were super kind and accommodating from the moment I got there. The work was really rewarding and the local community was also wonderful. I felt super safe and taken care of all the way through my stay, not once did I feel unsafe. Anyone who has the opportunity to do this should do it and I would recommend this experience with IVHQ to anyone!

I volunteered with the Nakavango Conservation Project near Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe for 10 weeks. I cannot say enough how wonderful an experience it was. All the staff were truly welcoming and made you feel as if you were part of the family—whether you were young or old, male or female, no matter which country you came from. They were also willing to share their knowledge and experience, and you certainly learnt about the ecology and felt as if you were making a contribution towards the conservation of the nature reserve. There are also opportunities for ‘adrenalin activities’ such as white water rafting and socialising. And, of course, the wildlife was wonderful! There are a couple of areas for improvement: • The documentation needs to state that volunteers need to be somewhat fit as there is a certain amount of physical labour. • The staff could put together tour packages for volunteers to see other parts of Zimbabwe (Bulawayo, Matopos National Park, and the Great Zimbabwe are within reasonabl travelling distance of Victoria Falls).

I didn't realize when I started this program, what an impact it would have on me. From seeing wild animals in their natural habitat to volunteering at the community school, I felt that I made a difference. The other volunteers and the staff were amazing to work with.

Volunteering at the Victoria Falls program was the best experience of my life! I was so hesitant to go but as soon as I arrived I immediately felt at ease and continued to have an amazing 4 weeks in Zimbabwe! It is a once in a life time experience I was grateful to have and I'll never forget it!

My 12 year old daughter and I volunteered in Kenya 2023 and had a great volunteer experience. I have been volunteering with IVHQ since 2017 in 5 different countries. The program is extremely organized and allows you to have true cultural experience. I highly recommend IVHQ program.

I used IVHQ when I was searching for opportunities to volunteer abroad this past year. For starters, IVHQ offers more destinations and projects than any other organization I could find. Their website is very comprehensive and provides all the information you need to decide where you want to volunteer. There are also various Facebook groups for individual projects where you can discuss with people who have been on the project before or who are planning for the future. IVHQ is also great with communication. They assign different people to organize each project, so you can be confident that the person you are contacting is both very knowledgable about the destination and committed to helping you. For example, I was supposed to travel to Sri Lanka last year about a week after the horrible terrorist attacks occurred. I expressed to them my discomfort in traveling there at that time and within a day they were able to switch me to a different project that I had requested in Victoria Falls. I really enjoyed my time at the Nakavango Conservation Program in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe. The staff is incredibly knowledgable and helpful. I am an avid wildlife photographer, and I was blown away by the opportunities I had to photograph the ample wildlife in Victoria Falls. The accommodation was far beyond what I expected. Each volunteer had their own room with a fan, closet, desk, side table, and bed. Bathrooms were shared between three or four other volunteers of the same gender. The common areas were a great place for the volunteers to hang out, relax, and enjoy the area (There is also a pool to cool off in!) The food was delicious and plentiful, and the chef emphasized that dietary restrictions could be accommodated. On weekdays, we would wake up early to go out on the reserve to repair roads, remove invasive plant species, and survey wildlife, among other tasks. A lot of the work would be difficult or impossible for somebody in poor physical condition, but most able-bodied people should be perfectly fine. We were given weekends to spend however we liked. There were so many options for the weekends, I wish I had more time to fit them all in. One of my favorite weekend excursions was bungee jumping over Vic Falls! Overall, my volunteering experience was incredible. The time I spent there and the experiences I had are something I will never forget. I would highly recommend both IVHQ and the Nakavango Conservation Project to anybody considering volunteering abroad.

I spent a total of 3 weeks at the Nakavango Conservation Program in Victoria Falls. After 3 weeks I was still not ready to leave. The experience of seeing the wildlife everyday and doing work that felt like I was actually contributing was so rewarding. The guides were so knowledgeable and any question I had they were ready with an answer. What made leaving the hardest however was saying goodbye to the staff and volunteers I met while I was there. The staff greet you with a smile and a hello each day and make you feel like you belong to this great big family. The other volunteers I spent my time with had like minded views and made me feel I was with a group of people I will stay friends with in years to come. I hope to someday be back to Nakavango, so I can see the progress on the reserve, but especially so I can reunite with the people I met there. I highly recommend this program to anyone. This was my first major trip as a solo traveler, but I can tell you that once you land all of those anxious feelings disappear immediately.

I volunteered on this programme for a three week period in November 2018 and would certainly visit again. The highlight is, of course, seeing the magnificent wildlife in their natural habitat, and the staff are exceptionally knowledgeable and willing to provide all sorts of insights into both the animals and the environment. I was pleasantly surprised with how much time was given to game drives, where the focus is enabling the volunteers to see the wildlife; there was a perfect balance between this and work (much of which was hands-on physical labour, which can be tough but is certainly worthwhile). During my time I saw far more than I expected: on my first day, sitting in the swimming pool after my flights I saw zebra casually walking by! And the experiences just kept coming, from seeing a painted dog simply lying by the road to a lion dragging away a kill from a horde of vultures to having 7 elephants walk around our vehicle and head on their way. The accommodation is fantastic and surpassed what I had expected, with chefs providing meals to cater to all dietary requirements (I am vegan and the staff were always thoughtful and creative in what they made - not just salad!), our rooms (which are private and lockable) being cleaned on a daily basis, and a weekly (free!) laundry service. The pool is a delightful way to cool off and Victoria Falls is close enough to be visited of an evening or at the weekend. The staff will even help arrange activities for your free time at the weekend with the provider Wild Horizons, making it even easier to enjoy your time and experience everything you want (I can recommend white water rafting!). We had a wonderful mix of volunteers from across the world and a variety of ages (from 18 to 60s), and the staff were brilliant in making us all feel at home. Bring an open mind and a willingness to work and prepare to be amazed!

The whole vic falls program is too amazing to be real. I spent one month in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe with IVHQ, doing wildlife conservation program in Stanley and Livingstone private game reserve. I got in contact my lovely program manager Claire before my trip. She is patient and answered all my emails and questions with everything she knows. After I got there I met the local respondent Justin, pro guides Griff and Dean and Game manager Ian and other staff. They are all so friendly, knowledgeable and hardworking. As the work part of my program I do game drives early in the morning and sometimes walk to track animals. I also build roads, help school and remove bad plants. While working I get to see and know the life and current situation of many animals. It’s a great way to learn and grow. As the fun part I do all kind of activities and entertainments such as gorge swing and white water rafting on weekends. I got to see the Vic Falls several times but the shock is every time the same. It’s a wonder.During one month I’ve made friend with other volunteers. They’re open minded, friendly and willing to share and communicate. Everyone has become a indispensable part or the team that we’ve decided we will visit each other’s country and have reunions one day. During my stay I enjoyed the accommodation and food so much. They are the best of all the volunteer programs. And surly no worries about the political problems and health and security. I learned and grew so much from this program.This is definitely the one I’m going back again.

Big bang for your buck AND you get to make a small difference. The people are amazing. The support and the checklist to prepare for the experience get you there with everything you need. Once at Nakavango the life changing experience begins. Lifetime friendships are made. The food is fantastic and the chefs are very accommodating to special needs diets. I highly recommend this program to anyone wanting to help make a difference. the game drives are done everyday and the men that guide them are brilliant. Ask lots of questions and you will not be disappointed! Go in with an open mind and a good work ethic.

Truly and honestly this is a best trip I ever had. The programme is designed so well that You will enjoy every moment of it. Staff was fantastic, starting from the chef and finishing guides that took us to game drives/walks. Coordinator Justine is a piece of gold, she will help you on any query you have. IVHQ staff, who helped me to make this happen, is really great people. I really felt that I am cares about. All queries I had, had been answered so promptly that I could not ask for more. its a 100% recommend both IVHQ and Wildlife conservation in Zim!

My time in Victoria Falls, volunteering at Nakavango, was just too short! It is on my list to return as this trip was one of the best! Every time we left our lodge to go to work was a game drive/safari - you never knew what you would see on your way to road building, clearing laterna, or the local school. Our guides were extremely knowledgeable and the staff were kind! Would go back in a heartbeat!

I had one of the best experiences of my life at Nakavango Conservation Programme on The Stanley and Livingstone Private Game Reserve! I loved every second of it and would definitely recommend it to other people who are looking to do conservation volunteering. I made friends from all over the World and after 3 amazing weeks I did not want to leave. The staff and the other volunteers were so friendly I felt like I was home.

Volunteering with IVHQ in Victoria Falls was the best decision I have ever made. I cannot even begin to explain how extraordinary of an experience it was and the incredible people I met along the way. I participated in the Wildlife Conservation project (the only project offered in Victoria Falls), and I learned more about the native plants and animals than I ever imagined I would. The vast knowledge of the staff is truly incredible and they do an extraordinary job of making it feel like home. It is definitely worth every penny, I would highly recommend this program to anyone.

I spent 4 weeks at IVHQ Victoria Falls. The accommodations were beyond expectations and the food was fabulous. The staff was knowledgeable and helpful. It was a safe and caring environment. We worked hard, played more than I thought and learned something new every day. We learned about the culture, conservation and animal care. At 73, I was everyone’s grandmother but was treated as an equal always. The younger people are amazing. If you are healthy and able-bodied age does not matter. Go for it.

A little bit of paradise This was my second trip to Victoria Falls in the past 6-7 months and once again it was one of the best experiences of my life. From the moment you arrive at Nakavango it really feels like you come home for 4 weeks. Everyone is just so welcoming and friendly and soon you create new friendships that will last a lifetime (the only difficult part is having to say goodbye!!). If you come with an open mind, some enthusiasm and a willingness to learn then you will definitely get the most out of your experience. Everyday is a chance to learn from going out game drives to helping out at a local school to even removing lantana – you don’t realise how much you grow as a person until you step out of your comfort zone and try something completely new. Come with an open mind and get stuck in and you will not regret your decision.

This was an Incredible experience, well organized with different range of activities to do that have a positive impact in the community you are working in. Go with an open mind, energy, and a positive attitude and it will be an extremely rewarding and enriching experience. You will change in a positive way. The program guide IVHQ provides answers almost all of the questions you have about the program, if you need anything else, they have amazing support via Email or in their Facebook group, where you can ask hundreds of volunteers (including myself) about the program.

The Nakavango Conservation Programme in Zimbabwe is a beautiful piece of paradise. And there's not better way to experience it than to live and work on site for a few weeks! Where else would you find yourself camping under the stars surrounded by Africa's Big 5?! This programme is for you if: 1) You want to experience the African wilderness You'll get to take game drives through the reserve (almost) every day, and are sure to see to a variety of African wildlife such as buffalo, elephants, giraffe, black rhino, and kudu (and *maybe* a lion or leopard if you're lucky). You'll also get to spend one night a week camping on the reserve, and nothing says 'wilderness' like cooking over a fire and sleeping under the stars (or peeing in the bush!) Notice, I said *wildlife*! Nakavango is not a zoo. You are never guaranteed to see an animal, and you will not pet them. This is an authentic wilderness experience. 2) You enjoy a work/life balance You can expect to put in some sweat equity wielding a shovel or hoe (duties include clearing roads, removing alien vegetation, working in the garden, and watering trees in the orchard), but that will take up just a few hours a day. The rest of your week days will be spent getting to know the other volunteers while you eat, relax, play games, and enjoy the pool. On the weekends you will have more free time to go into town and enjoy Victoria Falls, including local restaurants (I recommend the Three Monkeys), souvenir shopping, and all the adrenalin tourism you could ask for (white water rafting and the gorge swing are a must)! 3) You want to make friends The volunteers at Nakavango include individuals of all ages and nationalities. Have an open mind and invest in developing relationships in order to make the most of your time at Nakavango. Remember, you'll be eating, working, driving, talking, and exploring with these people!