Volunteer Programs in Mahe, Seychelles

The information provided prior the volunteering experience were accurate and of good quality as well as the support and the communication with the local team at base. The staff members at base were awesome and we were very well prepared to each of the conducted surveys and field work. To conclude, it was an amazing and unforgettable experience. Thank you!!

Our six-week adventure on the Seychelles started on 27th March 2017: We took part at a species conservation project on North Island. We could get a first glimpse of the island from the boat and it just looked beautiful! Our group leaders and the other volunteers gave us a warm welcome when we arrived. After our luggage was checked in the “ratroom” we had a look at our accommodation. It was very basic, but offered everything we needed. Afterwards one of our team leaders gave us a short introduction on the different tasks we would do within the following weeks. Marking the location of turtle nests during our daily beach patrols was one, so we were showen how to mark the nests correctly. Our team leader explained to us how we could tell the difference between an actual turtle nest, or if the turtle just dug a hole without laying any eggs. This was quite tricky in the beginning. This became one of our daily activities right from the start. There was a weekly timetable with different activities which had to be done including: Snorkeling, taking photos of different fish and shark species, rays etc., entering the collected data into a database. Relocating the original vegetation on the island, planting new seedling (we planted over 500 ones during our time in the project!) Insect control (allows to find out which nutritional value the ground can offer to the animals) Aldabra Turtle GPS: markin their location, sex and behaviour. Night patrols are another part of the weekly schedule. Night patrols involve looking for turtles on the beach. The green sea turtle only lays its eggs at night on the beach. We were lucky and could watch it a couple of times. When a turtle visits the beach at night to lay its eggs, the data of the turtle is collected. It is measured, and we had to check if the turtle already had an ID. The ID is a number for registration purposes to check where the individual turtle has been seen and if it had been to this beach before to lay its eggs. We always had a lot of fun while working and learned a lot about the island and nature conservation in general. During our free time we had the chance to explore the island. A hike to the top of Spa Hill and Bernica - unforgettable. The view was amazing! Another highlight was a BBQ and pizza on the beach at sunset. We can say that the time we spent in the project was the best time we ever had. We learned so much about North Island and nature conservation, met so many wonderful people and experienced warmth and kindness, which led to many new friendships. We do not want to miss the time in the Seychelles! (Katja and Andreas, 32 and 34 years, 6 weeks)

I absolutely loved going on the Seychelles conservation project. Being able to be away from the aspects of our everyday life like wifi,electricity, air conditioning etc was so refreshing, as well as getting to know other volunteers and staff members from all over the world. The best part was being able to go on a lot of different surveys and doing the research along side the staff members, that pertain directly to my current studies and my future career path. It wasn't all work either! We had so much fun going snorkeling and playing cards and volleyball too! The staff was fantastic! They were all so knowledgable about so many different things and they were very willing to help us learn! It was awesome being able to do surveys that have exactly what to do with my future career path. And being around the staff that had so much knowledge and they were very willing to share all of it with us.

The learning experiences, from the knowledge you learn from the staff to the experience of living in a completely different world! From the moment you are greeted by the project staff you can tell that everyone that works on these projects are very passionate about their jobs. When I arrived on the base it was a definite change to what I am used to but I don't think it was hard to adjust at all. The staff are very friendly and welcoming and the fellow volunteers are all very excited to start their journey. I love to learn and the staff did a good job at making sure we knew what and why we were doing certain surveys and made sure we were all educated on the surveys before we set out on our first day. The surveys were awesome and you learned a lot from each and every one of them. The island is full of unique species of plants and animals and has very unique ecosystems so there is definitely a lot that can be done. Life on base was great, the staff were relaxed and the volunteers had the freedom to work on our own little projects and just have fun around the camp. The food wasn't as bad as I though it'd be and through hard work we had some pretty great meals. Overall the project was a great learning experience and there were a lot of priceless memories and friendships made along the way.

I absolutely loved going on the Seychelles conservation project. Being able to be away from the aspects of our everyday life like wifi, electricity, air conditioning etc was so refreshing, as well as getting to know other volunteers and staff members from all over the world. The best part was being able to go on a lot of different surveys and doing the research along side the staff members, that pertain directly to my current studies and my future career path. It wasn't all work either! We had so much fun going snorkeling and playing cards and volleyball too! The staff was fantastic! They were all so knowledgable about so many different things and they were very willing to help us learn! The best part of the program for me was being able to do surveys that have exactly what to do with my future career path. And being around the staff that had so much knowledge and they were very willing to share all of it with us.

The best part of the program was the learning experiences, from the knowledge you learn from the staff to the experience of living in a completely different world! From the moment you are greeted by the project staff you can tell that everyone that works on these projects are very passionate about their jobs. When I arrived on the base it was a definite change to what I am used to but I don't think it was hard to adjust at all. The staff are very friendly and welcoming and the fellow volunteers are all very excited to start their journey. I love to learn and the staff did a good job at making sure we knew what and why we were doing certain surveys and made sure we were all educated on the surveys before we set out on our first day. The surveys were awesome and you learned a lot from each and every one of them. The island is full of unique species of plants and animals and has very unique ecosystems so there is definitely a lot that can be done. Life on base was great, the staff were relaxed and the volunteers had the freedom to work on our own little projects and just have fun around the camp. The food wasn't as bad as I though it'd be and through hard work we had some pretty great meals. Overall the project was a great learning experience and there were a lot of priceless memories and friendships made along the way.

It was an amazing trip. I stayed on Curieuse, an island designated a national park by the Seychelles. It was incredible to live for a month on an island that tourists could only visit for a few hours during the day. That made it apparent how much deeper ... I mostly enjoyed the sea turtles and being able to get so up close and personal with them. I can't imagine any other situation where I'd be able to do that.

Deciding to go on the Wildlife Conservation Expedition for me was an easy decision to make. Getting to help collect data in the Seychelles while getting to live in a National Park sounded like a worthwhile experience, and it was. From the minute I finally arrived on Curieuse Island I knew this experience wouldn’t be one I soon forget. After arriving on the island we were immediately began our training in which we learned what the project was, what they did on the island, and why. From Sea Turtle nest surveys to mangrove population census there was so much to learn but in no time we were out on the island collecting data! On our fist day we had the chance to see not only a Hawksbill nesting for the first time, but we also saw hatchlings making their way to the ocean! It was incredible to see rare creatures like that so abundant on the island! Living in the Seychelles for two months was not only a great experience for the knowledge and conservation efforts you get to be a part of, but for the unique experience of living in an old leper colony in a national park! The base is unlike any other place around where even the place that you sleep in has hundreds of years of history! On the island you also get to take part in surveys such as Lemon Shark Pup Census, Mangrove salinity tests, Tortoise Census, Coco De Mer growth surveys, and tweets or bird observation surveys! The experiences gained from this trip are invaluable and all of the priceless memories and friendships will last forever. Overall my time on Curieuse in the Seychelles was a trip I wont soon forget and someday I hope to return. Nowhere else in the world can you find a place similar to the Seychelles and to be a part of the conservation efforts on such an amazing island is an opportunity not many people get to have!