Tour Details
At a glance
- Work alongside people your age to protect local ecosystems and endangered wildlife whilst learning from conservation experts.
- Help us protect threatened species like the Rothschild’s Giraffe, remove alien plants, build waterholes, and more.
- You’ll live at the conservancy, surrounded by the beautiful African savannah every day.
- Volunteer Service Hours: 40 to 80
Start Dates: Summer/Winter Break
Minimum Duration: Two Weeks
Ages: 15-18
What are the aims of this project?
The main aim for this project is to preserve the well-being of the area and ensure the survival of precious wildlife species.
Kenya is a safari haven and wild animals can be seen roaming from the roadsides. However, the human population continues to expand. Poaching, pollution, and damage caused by residential and commercial development are major threats. Reserves like Soysambu act as sanctuaries for wildlife and allow species to flourish.
With such a wide range of research and practical work being done at Soysambu, you will learn a new range of skills. You’ll also gain an increased awareness of this sprawling African landscape, its animals, and their ecology.
Join us as a teenage volunteer today, and become part of our long-term efforts to protect wildlife in Kenya
Programme Goals
Conservation of savannah biodiversity: Actively contribute to the conservation of Kenya’s biodiversity through research and monitoring. Special emphasis will be on the research of the Rothschild's giraffe and its entire ecosystem, including other fauna such as lions and other predators, birds etc. The work is part of a link up with other reserves. This is pioneering research that could determine the fate of this subspecies of giraffe. Community Engagement and Social Impact
Another element of the programme consists of installing eco-stoves for the community neighbouring the reserve, thus contributing to more sustainable livelihoods and a coexistence between human habitats and the wild environment. We will also engage in light building or renovation activities at local schools or community centres. And don’t forget your competitive spirit as there will be some intense volleyball matches with your peers in the evenings at the conservancy
Cultural Immersion: Immerse yourself in the rich culture of the country. After your volunteer work, delve into the vibrant Kenyan culture by learning traditional crafts, engaging in conversations with locals, and indulging in the diverse flavors of traditional Kenyan cuisine. Explore the country's history and heritage with fellow volunteers, forging lifelong friendships and creating memories as you visit iconic landmarks, and marvel at the awe-inspiring beauty of Kenya, including its stunning wildlife and majestic landscapes.
Student Learning Outcomes
Intercultural Competence
Students will be immersed in different cultures, gaining an understanding of their role within our global community and developing a deeper cultural awareness
Leadership Development
Students will be pushed out of their comfort zones, experiencing new challenges each day. They will build their confidence and resilience through team activities and new life experiences.
Healthy Active Living
Students will be encouraged to prioritise their self-care, enhancing their physical and mental well-being
Empowerment
Students will be empowered to think for themselves, challenging the “status-quo” and cultivating transformative decision-making mindsets.
Global Citizenship
Students will be exposed to new perspectives, engage with real-world challenges and contribute to sustainable development initiatives.
Detailed Itinerary
Day 1 :Sunday All Day Arrival in Kenya: Once you have landed and grabbed your bags, you will be met by one of our Guide/driver who will take you to the coach. From here it is a very scenic 2.5 hour drive north-west to Nakuru and the Soysambu Conservancy. This will be the perfect time to either catch up on sleep or get your first views of Africa.
Day 2 :Monday Morning Your true adventure begins with a drive around the conservancy for a glimpse of the beautiful African Savannah and an introduction to the local flora and fauna. Afternoon We will take you on a guided tour of Nakuru town to familiarize you with the local area. The tour will include withdrawing or exchanging cash, getting local SIM cards, visiting supermarkets and the food market. Evening You’ll attend a presentation about the Soysambu Conservation project, and become familiar with the issues the project is seeking to address, its objectives and your role within it.
Day 3 Tuesday Morning Rothschild's Giraffe Survey With only 1600 individuals of this sub species left in the wild, it is more endangered than the rhino! Regular surveys are essential for its survival. Survey work is a great introduction to the tools and practices used by conservationists. Afternoon Lion / Carnivore Monitoring This monitoring program is designed to document information on population dynamics of lions (Panthera Leo) and other carnivores. We track their movements and levels/patterns of livestock interaction in the conservancy, in an effort to manage the lions in an environment characterized by the presence of livestock. Evening Enjoy dinner and fun activities back at the compound.
Day 4 :Wednesday Morning Wetland Bird Monitoring Soysambu Conservancy and Lake Elementaita are home to over 400 bird species, of which 69 are wetland birds and 29 are Palearctic migrants. Given the alarming, large-scale declines of bird populations and the loss, fragmentation and degradation of native habitats, the need for rigorous bird monitoring programs is greater than ever. Afternoon Participate in an introductory Swahili language lesson, covering basic greetings and common phrases. Afterwards, attend a fascinating presentation on Kenyan culture. Evening Join an evening presentation about the mammals of Kenya, as well as the current status of conservation efforts in the country.
Day 5 :Thursday All day Community Day: Installing Eco-stoves in the Local Community We will install energy saving eco-stoves in the homes of local community members neighboring the conservancy. This cooking unit will enable them to use 25% less firewood. This minimizes the impact on trees and is therefore good for the environment. It also translates directly into less pollution from firewood and fewer respiratory infections for the inhabitants.
Day 6 :Friday Morning De-snaring For half a day, we will find and remove snares that are set by poachers in the conservancy as they pose great harm to local wildlife. Warthogs, buffalos, antelopes and zebras are the main species targeted by these illegal poachers. Afternoon Giraffe Surveys We will continue our work in the afternoon with the primary focus of our conservation efforts in Soysambu - monitoring the giraffe population.
Day 9: Monday Morning Back at the conservancy we will continue to monitor lions and other predators in the area. Afternoon The afternoon (as well as the evening) is dedicated again to the giraffe, this most graceful of African animals. Time to perform another survey, thus perfecting your monitoring skills. Evening Bring out the popcorn, as it’s movie time! Not some drama or romantic comedy, but a documentary about giraffes. The learning goes on!
Day 10 :Tuesday Morning Community Day: Building or Renovation Work Time to get dirty! Spend the morning doing light renovation or building work at a local school and interacting with the children. You can talk to the kids about environmental preservation too. Afternoon The Kariandusi Museum Travel back in time a million years or so at the Kariandusi archaeological site, one of the first Paleolithic discoveries in Africa. Discover and learn about the great hand-axe culture. Evening Night Game Drive Experience a once in a lifetime opportunity to glimpse Soysambu’s nocturnal life under the stars.
Day 11 :Wednesday Morning Birds of Prey Monitoring Begin today by continuing to improve your conservation monitoring skills, this time with terrestrial birds, of which eagles, vultures, falcons, goshawks and many others have significant populations. Afternoon Take a break from all the hard work and enjoy an afternoon of swimming at the Mbweha Camp, a luxury safari camp with a swimming pool. Evening Movie night again: watch the classic ‘Lion King’ movie right where its location is based upon. Spot the Swahili words used in the film
Day 12 :Thursday All day Community Day: Tree Planting Join this all-day initiative to plant indigenous tree species in the Lake Elementaita catchment area. This helps preserve and restore the ecosystem. It mitigates the effects of climate change through water conservation and erosion control. Evening Upon return to the conservancy, relax and socialize with your fellow volunteer. Share stories and enjoy a barbecue around the campfire
Day 13: Friday Morning Lake Clean-up Not all park visitors are as considerate as your group. You will spend your morning cleaning the trash around the conservancy, as well as removing invasive species of plants which degrade the local ecosystem. Afternoon Colobus Monkey Monitoring You will be responsible for monitoring yet another species of animal. The Colobus monkey population is greatly reduced compared to its former range; slowing biodiversity loss requires urgent conservation initiatives. Habitat loss is widely accepted as the single greatest threat to continued survival of virtually all threatened primate species. Afterwards, enjoy a final farewell meal with your group.. Don’t forget to express your gratitude to our hard-working conservation staff and to provide useful feedback for improvements with our project
Day 14:Departure
