Marine Conservation Volunteering in Zanzibar

I can’t. Any individual component of the trip would have fully exceeded my expectations. If I had to pick one it would be the team and Africanimpact and the care and real difference they make. It’s intoxicating.

I signed up for this program thinking that I would be swimming with dolphins every day. Out of 12 excursions to monitor the dolphins, we were able to swim after the tourist boats left only 4 times, but it was amazing!

The Zanzibar Dolphin & Marine Conservation Project exceeded my expectations. We interacted with the Community at the Fish Market, teaching at the Conservation Club, working at Zala Park Community Garden, going to the local Football Finals and having a weekly dinner in the Village.

The Zanzibar African Impact Dolphin & Marine Conservation Project was an opportunity to not only monitor dolphins, boat drivers and tourist, but to interact with the local people. We also monitor the local Fish Market, worked at the Zala Park Community Garden, monitored the coral reefs and had a weekly dinner in the Community.

This has been an amazing experience. Everyday was filled with amazing experiences, everyone I have met on the project has been so friendly and welcoming. Nellie, Abbas, Alberto and Ani are amazing. I honestly wish I could stay longer, but I definitely want to come back.

The African Impact team in Zanzibar is top-notch. Everyone is passionate about the work they are doing, extremely well-organized and engaged with the local community in Jambiani and Kizimkazi. The volunteers are involved and busy with a variety of activities during the week and it’s been great to have weekends off to explore other parts of the island. Highly recommend!

The day to day activity’s were amazing. Dolphins just never got boring however some stuff did get repetitive. The food was very nice and cultural however the same after a week. Base camp was nice and homely with a pool, but the rooms itself being different to my expectations

i had the possibility to spend three amazing weeks in Zanzibar with African Impact. I participated in the marine conservation program and i was really satisfied with the activities proposed, even if at the end of the three weeks a i could start to feel the tiredness growing. Our coordinator Nellie is super competent in her work and is an excellent point of reference. The time spent at the base was completely satisfied, the food was tasty and the accommodation are modest but completely fine. The coordinators are always friendly and helpful.

Traveling to Stone, Zanzibar was a life-changing experience. Go Volunteer Africa gave me the opportunity to take a career break. I worked on a vulnerable children caring project in Zanzibar to help an Educate centre (an early childhood school) with its daily activities. I got to do what I love and the experience was amazing. The opportunity was simply what I was looking for! Not only did my work help young children in need but I forged lasting relationships with the school staff, Go Volunteer Africa staff, other volunteers, and my host family. I definitely recommend this project.

I loved my stay in Zanzibar! I had done a volunteering project in the past and it wasn’t really ethical, but this time I could see how useful I was and how big of a difference our stay was for the project. Seeing the dolphins, getting to know them, was just amazing! the locals are incredibly nice and welcoming as was the team! I will never forget my stay in Zanzibar ?

I had the best month in Zanzibar doing the Marine volunteering, Monday to Friday doing dolphin monitoring and also the after school club we teach is interesting. The food is good but just repetitive each week, it would be nice with a more varied menu. Very relaxed and lots of freedom on the weekends to explore and do trips. Need a good amount of spending money on top.

For me it was several things that will forever be with me even after my participation with program. It was the guidance and teaching of kids from another school abroad while doing a survey underwater that really stuck with me. I am beyond confident and reliable on my skills in the water and guiding others too and even though I was the youngest volunteer in the marine program, I felt like I was truly recognised not only as an authority figure but also as someone who has good talent in their passion even though the kids I taught were only 1-2 yrs younger than me from the UK. Besides that experience, being able to be with the dolphins, swim with them, study them and see them for who they truly are in their natural habitat is something I will never forget. I have always been a huge admirer and lover for animals and being able to help and study the dolphins to their benefit while still being able to interact with them is something that was precious and amazing to me. Thank you so much for this experience.

GoEco - Top Volunteer Organization responded to this reviewSeptember 26, 2024

Hey Ian / Allyson Thanks so much for sharing! It’s awesome to hear how much your confidence grew, especially guiding others underwater. Being recognized for your talents at such a young age is a huge accomplishment, and it sounds like you truly made an impact. And swimming with dolphins in their natural habitat? That’s the dream! We’re so happy you got to live out your passion for animals while doing something that matters. What an experience to remember! - GoEco Team

I had just an amazing time with lots of nice and unforgettable experiences. It was my first trip to a country in the global South. I volunteered in two projects. For one month, I assisted two primary schools and one school for adults to teach them in English and German. The other month I volunteered in a dolphin protection project, where i have learned a lot about the ocean. Espacially for people, who didn't travel in the global south yet, it is a good start because the team try to feel you as comfy as possible and are always there to help or give you tips and advice.

I worked on the marine conservation project (Dolphin research) for two weeks. I think the project was well managed, and it really feels like all the activities are connected to the same overall goal. The program gives a good variety; observing dolphin tourism and teaching of local boat drivers and children at a nearby school, etc. It never felt like we did the same tasks over and over again. One downside was that we regularly had 45 - 60 minute breaks between tasks. This might be difficult to avoid, since some activities are determined by when the fishermen return, or when tourists are on tours. Still, those breaks felt like wasted time unless there were other tasks that needed preparation. The introduction to my project was really good! I fully understood why all the activities were important, and I never felt confused why we did what we did. I found the living conditions to not be as good as my impression from the pictures online. African Impact was in a moving process when I signed up, and it seems like the location in Jambiani was better. From the pictures I was expecting to share a room with one person, and not 4-5 as was the case. I also wish the bathroom had a lock, since there were several unnecessary awkward situations caused by walking in on other volunteers. I'm glad there was drinkable water available at all times! We were also served enough food every meal. I did find it strange that we had to pay for dinners on Wednesdays, since the website says three meals per day will be included. The cost of programs at African Impact is already quite high, so I don't think it would be unreasonable to include meals outside the house as well. The security at the house was good! There was a guard within the compound 24/7, and I never felt unsafe. One evening two of the volunteers arranged a quiz, which is a great way of socializing with all the others. I would recommend to make this a regular (weekly?) activity! In total I would say that I got a good impression of the dolphin research project, and I really hope it continues to help the local community and the dolphins in the area. The living conditions were more difficult for me. Sharing bedroom with as many as 4-5 others can be challenging (noise, snoring, different sleep schedules, etc.), and even more so without being able to lock the bathroom door.

Volunteering here in Zanzibar was an amazing experience and it was so much fun. Idi was always a very reliable driver. I do hope that the team would warn them of the things they have to bring. I unfortunately wasn’t aware that we had to cover our knees and shoulders.

The work I was able to do on this project is so important and I was able to learn so much more about research and conservation. The team I worked with was far better than what I expected, and the community we created as a team was phenomenal. Knowing that the research we are doing is so important and that we are the only ones doing it made the experience that much better, highly recommend for people who want to make a difference while meeting fantastic people and having a good time.

I have had a wonderful experience and everything exceeded my expectations. Beautiful surroundings, good food, interesting and worthwhile projects to be part of and a lot of new acquaintances. Can absolutely recommend this.

After experiencing both projects in Zanzibar I can comfortably say that the last two months here has been one of the greatest experiences of my life. Everything from the house you stay at, the food, the managers, the projects and all the beautiful people in between I really cannot fault anything. The key to having such an amazing experience is to simply have an open mind about everything and to always remember - pole pole. Island time does exists and time really does seem to slow down but this was also something beautiful on its own and really gives you the opportunity to immerse yourself in every aspect of the project and day to day activities. The amount of work that goes on behind the scenes of each project and everything to do with the house is quiet phenomenal. The food each day was delicious, the house was always clean and the people who worked within the house were some of the most beautiful people you can meet who were always willing to go out of their way to help. Even though our weekends off were for us to do what we want the managers within the house always guided, helped and went well and truly out of their way to accomodate everyone’s needs. I cannot wait to come back!

As a first volunteering experience (and first time travelling alone) I was a bit hesitant, but African Impact couldn’t have made it any easier for me. I had constant communication with the team before arrival and everything from landing in Zanzibar was organised for me. The project itself exceeded all expectations. From day one we were out with the dolphins, mixing with the community, learning Swahili and getting stuck in with community and education projects. It’s such a good opportunity to meet new people and there’s a really good mix of volunteering and free time so you are able to explore the beautiful island at the same time. My time in Zanzibar has flown by and I’m really sad to be leaving. Would 100% recommend this project to anyone and everyone and can’t wait to see the impact of the great work these guys are doing in the future.

Loved my time here, wished I could have stayed for longer. I met some really amazing people and there was always a great atmosphere around the house. During the week we were out on the boats 4/5 days meaning we had plenty of opportunities to see the dolphins. Such a rewarding experience and I can see that the project is going to ensure positive changes within the community in the coming years. On the weekend we were free to explore the rest of the island so all in all some amazing memories were made.