Safari Stables Working Holiday, Antelope Park

Had the time of my life at Antelope Park! Such nice people there, very warm and welcoming and so fun! Found friends for a lifetime from all over the world. The horses are so sweet and it was the perfect combo of work and fun - whereas the work was as fun as the activities in the afternoon. All in all I'd wish for everyone to experience this once in their life, it is truly unreal!

I had the most amazing week ever and wish I could have stayed longer! The staff are all lovely and couldn’t be anymore helpful and the other volunteers were all lovely to. The animals are so well cared for and it was great to learn so much about them and be hands on. Highly recommend if you are thinking about it, book it! You will have the best experience.

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I had such an incredible time at antelope park on the stables project (with a couple days on wildlife). Everyone was so friendly, it felt like one big family and have definitely made friends for life. The project was run so well, with Martha as the Vol coordinator she was so organised and very very lovely!! Skye and Ted who ran the stables project were just so great. I learnt so much from them and they are the kindest people. The food that we had was so good! I will definitely be returning.

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My stay with Volunteer Encounter in Zimbabwe Antelope Park this summer was honestly one of the best experiences of my life. I joined the wildlife conservation program, which was already incredible, but there was so much more to the experience than I expected. Seeing wildlife almost every day was surreal. It’s not an exaggeration! You regularly see rhinos, elephants, lions, zebras, and wildebeest. I even saw a kudu, which was really special. One of the absolute highlights for me were the sunrise rides with Ted. Those mornings were unforgettable. Ted is genuinely one of the nicest, most wonderful people I’ve ever met. Sky, one of the interns, was also fantastic, and honestly all the interns were amazing such fun, kind people who really make the whole experience even better. Massima is amazing and Marta is fantastic as well. There are also many opportunities to get involved with the local community. You can teach at the school, help with the soup kitchen, or join other community activities. Dancing with Sue and Tana during the community moments was such a fun experience. Tana is basically the community queen! Another huge highlight for me were the friendships I made there. In just the first few weeks I met people who became friends for life. We all live in different parts of the world now, but we still see each other and stay in touch, which makes the experience even more special. I would recommend Volunteer Encounter to anyone. It’s an unforgettable experience! Incredible wildlife, amazing people, and a community that welcomes you with open arms.

I had a fantastic 3 weeks at Antelope Park on Stables and Wildlife in Sept 2025. I thoroughly enjoyed all activities, especially sunrise and safari rides. I also enjoyed the optional activities on offer, e.g. Matopos. Antelope Park is a very special place, and all the people are amazing.

So everyday I tell my mum about my day and everyday I say the same thing “I’ve had the most amazing day” because everyday here is so magical I don’t think there has ever been a day where there’s not a smile on my face. Every single intern, member of staff and volunteer has been so welcoming and I’ve gotten on so well with every single person it feels like a family. I am volunteering on the stables and not only are all the horses so patient and so talented at what they can do from doing safari rides to polocross and cross country but all the stable staff like Skye and Ted are incredible too they’ve helped me grow as a person an become such a better rider teaching me so many things and growing my confidence. My highlight is the morning rides waking up in the morning and schooling the horses and going for a ride in the park whilst the sun is rising and all the animals are waking up the world feels quiet and so peaceful. I have learnt polo cross here which I never thought I would love as much it’s so much fun and so nice to get a bit competitive. I also really enjoy the parties we have on the weekends everyone getting together and having a few drinks and playing games together. I have loved every minute here and never want to leave it has truly been the best 4 weeks of my life and I wish I could never leave

The horses were great, the work was fun and meaningful. The accommodations were very good, the food was nice and the housing perfect. The people who were in charge were great. Il loved doing soup kitchen for the homeless and going to the orphanage was very sad but it made so much sense. Overall I felt like I was on another planet than mine, completely overwhelmed by Zimbabwe and it’s reality. I definitely recommend this trip.

I’ve been to AntelopePark for two weeks and they have been life changing. Truly one of the best experiences of my life. The staff is amazing, you have 24h assistance and they will make sure everything is fine. The horses are angels, you will fall in love with all of them

My week in Zimbabwe on the horse project was nothing short of incredible… short but so, so sweet. One week honestly wasn’t long enough; I’d recommend at least 2–3 weeks to truly soak it all in. Working alongside such amazing people made it even more special. Skye and Ted were the dream team - a wonderful duo who made sure every volunteer was involved in the care, the daily jobs, and the full experience. The variety of activities each day kept things exciting, and my confidence grew, whilst doing XC, more than I expected. I even got to try PoloX, which I absolutely loved. Seeing the safari animals up close was surreal such a special experience and I’ll never forget everyone going out of their way to make sure I saw a giraffe before I left. The evenings were just as memorable, especially the scavenger hunt and spontaneously jumping into the pool fully clothed (maybe not the wisest choice the night before a flight!). Missing the horses, the people, and the feeling of being there. I’ll cherish that time forever. I truly hope one day I’ll be back to make even more memories.

I truly had the time of my life at Antelope Park. From the beginning I knew this would be an experience I would never forget, and it turned out to be even better than I imagined. The staff were an absolute delight to work with, the volunteers were the most vibrant group of people I’ve ever been around, and the wildlife and horses were breathtaking. I don’t know any other place quite like Antelope Park. I would recommend it to anyone looking for adventure and one hell of a time :))

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Great place run by a team of amazing people passionate about what they do. Overall definitely recommend! Fantastic experience! While the horse programme does not include active daily engagement with the local community or focus on the wildlife, one is frequently given opportunity to participate in community projects and wildlife observation should this be one’s preference! I would certainly recommend this part as it is highly rewarding.

I loved this trip so much I was so gutted to go home I wish I could have stayed longer. From the activities, people, wildlife everything was amazing I had so much fun. The AP team were so good at looking after us and putting in effort to ensure we had the best time possible. I had to pinch myself on a daily basis ! I couldn’t recommend this trip more, I’m already planning to come back. If you’re someone looking for new experiences, loves horses, loves adventures and meeting some incredible people this is the place for you x

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If you're considering the trip just do it. Don't overthink it, it was the best trip I've been on and I'm already planning to save and go back. I'm still in contact with some of the best people I met on the trip and the interns really helped the place feel like home. Riding everyday was such a gift and all the activities varied day to day, (show-jumping, safari rides, Polocrosse, cross country, horse swim, drop off ride, boundary patrol, carriage ride etc. ) I was never bored. I thought I'd be ready to go home after a month but I definitely wasn't, there was still so much to experience there. The atmosphere at AP is incomparable and the pool is such a luxury after stable chores. The cafe also saved me so many times when I needed a coffee or sugar fix and I spent way too much as the gift shop is so so lovely. The optional wildlife and community activities were a bonus I wasn't expecting - I did the lion encounter which was so fun and a day at the orphanage. The horses at AP also suit everyone from beginners to very advanced riders and I learnt so much from being able to ride different horses (I rode about 12 different horses whilst there). You can go into town and see the flee markets and I'm craving the bubble tea shop there, it was just a complete all round experience, it has culture, adventure (Vic falls trip), relaxation, so much laughter and beautiful sights to wake up to every morning. I cannot recommend this trip enough!

I had an amazing two weeks at Antelope Park. Everyone there is incredible and I wish I could have extended my stay!!! Met the most amazing people and the horses and hospitality was incredible! After not riding properly for a few years I felt so much more confident after two weeks here😊

I had a great time on stables and wild life. The staff were nice and I learned lots of new skills. Went on lots of safari rides and was caught in a thunderstorm once and Martha was amazing at guiding the group back to camp. Ted gave valuable riding lessons. Sky was great at organizing things.

Welcoming people and an amazing place! definitely more focused on having a fun experience then actual hands on volunteering work. The animals around the park are all so beautiful and well taken care of! Every day was exciting and gave me a memory that lasts forever

Wauw! The only word I can use, wauw wauw wauw! I had a lovely experience for 2 weeks at the antelope park. I was surprised about this country. The people were so lovely! Always hey how are you, you can ask whatever you want and they will help you! I have meet so many people and made a lot of new friends?? the horses they have are so lovely and living there best life. You will do a lot of activities. You go on safari rides, you jump, dressage, sunrise rides, swims, I loved it. This is a once in a life time experience! The staff is amazing and so lovely. I loved them all. It feels like home. The house where you sleep is good! The food is good and the animals around the park are stunning. I’m still in shock about my last to weeks in a good way. I loved It and definitely will go back one day! Thanx team!

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My time at Antelope Park was nothing short of amazing and a once in a life-time experience. The stables are run to a T by Ted and his girls, the horses so well behaved and not a day is the same. You get the chance to see some of the most popular wildlife so up close. Having the ability to connect with locals and community and see the real Zimbabwe is en eye opener on how lucky we are. The park location is absolutely beautiful and the people very accommodating and lovely. Can definitely recommend for those wanting to experience wildlife, get a taste of Zimbabwe and have a great time.

I had the absolute best time ever and absolutely loved the experience. I have met the most amazing people and I will never forget it. Everyone was so friendly and I had such a laugh the whole time. I couldn’t have asked for a better experience and I will definitely be back!!!

I am 21 from England, and having just graduated university I was looking for something to bridge the gap between finishing and starting my career. I wanted to do something which would be making a difference and allow me to give back, while experiencing something new and out of my comfort zone. I came across Antelope Park and was immediately amazed at what the projects entailed. I decided to come as a volunteer with my mum in August and it was the best decision ever. From the moment I got there we felt at home as everyone was super helpful and accommodating. I mainly did the stables project which was incredible, all the horses were such a high standard and all were able to do every activity, from polo cross to horse swimming, so I could ride as many difference horses as I wanted. I loved how every single day was different and it was so easy to adapt to everything due to the staff and other volunteers being so helpful and friendly the whole time. The safari rides were beautiful seeing all the animals up close while on horse back in the bush, including giraffes, zebras and wildebeest. I learnt so much during the wildlife program as well, with every question being answered, so I came away feeling like I had a deep understanding of both the wildlife and the conservation of animals in Africa. I enjoyed getting up close and personal to incredible animals like the elephants and rhinos, which was truly breathtaking. I felt like every activity we did , we were making a difference in some way, which is so rewarding. I did some activities in the communities as well, for example going to the orphanage, which was so rewarding again and really shifted my mindset for the better. The evening and weekend activities were fun, with just the right balance of being busy enough but also enough time to relax and recharge, in such a beautiful location. I will definitely be returning to AP in the future and I recommend it to everyone, whatever age or stage of life you are in!

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