Program Reviews

I'll say this right off the bat - what you will see and experience in South Africa will be unlike anything you've ever seen. The cost for this program, just to witness the incredible majesty and life of the bush, is worth it alone. If you're looking for adventure, if you're looking for true exploration that goes past trite tourism and surface level traveling, you've found your place. Contributing to research was such a simple addition to the trip, yet made all the difference - never once did I doubt that I was genuinely helping a cause. We did a spot of anti-poaching that further cemented that belief, and at that moment I knew the volunteering was concrete. I can't say any more than the staff of African Impact - guides, house staff, project managers - being absolutely perfect and hugely a reason why I look back on the adventure so fondly. It's hard not to love South Africa. It's a country of the world, offering so much; the Rainbow Nation is too apt of a name. Bring a camera.

I was pretty hesitant at first to volunteer in South Africa again, my first time with another company wasn't the best experience. However, volunteering with African Impact was one of the best decisions I have made.

I have been wanting to take the next step with my photography for a long time now, and finally biting the bullet and taking the African Impact Photography course was an awesome idea!

We got to do so many amazing things, and learnt so much about conservation photography.

I was stoked with the amount of opportunity we had to be out in the field and practising our skills. It really felt like we were true wildlife photographers and my photography developed so quickly over the 4 weeks, I was veeeeeeeery impressed!

My favourite thing was heading out for the over night camping trips to Klaserie and spending 24 hours in the bush looking at incredible animals - everything from elephant to leopards to wild dogs. We were very lucky to see the big 5, wild dogs, and a hyena kill all in the one day!

I also really love just chilling out at Dumela Lodge and kicking back with the other volunteers by the pool or to watch a movie together - Something that you really look forward to after the action packed weeks!

It was a very sad moment when my 4 weeks was up and I had to fly back home to Australia. I would have loved to have stayed to do it all again, but I have promised myself I will come back in the future!

I loved this experience so much! Met some incredible people and wish I could do it all over again. Sander and everyone else who helped run the program were extremely welcoming and we couldn’t have asked for better co-ordinators. I’d recommend doing at least 2 weeks, which is what I did, however I wish I had gone for longer! Not only was the volunteering amazing, we were also exposed to the culture of a local village and the people there. There was also time to explore Livingstone on the weekends and even go to safari at Chobe which was just one of the amazing things we were able to do there. The accommodation was nice and clean, we had no issues with it, and it was also very sociable. This program has impacted my friends and I significantly, we share our experience in Africa with everyone we meet and all hope to return at some point in the future!

We chose to join the Big 5 research project in South Africa as a couple because we wanted to spend our money consciously on our vacation, hoping to be immersed in the region much more than we would as regular tourists. Our compassion for animals extends into our everyday life, so we also wanted to visit the game reserves with conservation in mind, learning as much as we could about different species, endangered or otherwise. What the project turned out to be was much more of a glorified summer camp that approaches research and conservation in an uneven and juvenile fashion. And if you choose to stay for the shortest minimum placement of two-weeks, you'll find yourself at a significant disadvantage.

From day one, within the communal space there was an atmosphere of exclusion from the younger solo travelers as well as little direction from staff when it came to building a community at the lodge. The same can be said about project work. The activities that were assigned on our second day of arrival should have been managed by those that were long-term interns, but the groups we worked with wanted nothing to do with any task they knew was difficult. If you can believe it, there were times when those long-term interns "called front row" of the safari vehicles when we went on game drives. It's crazy for an organization like this one where you are grounded in one place for an extended period of time to casually operate in a way that never addressed the clear segregation of people staying on property. To that point, and even worse, is that we had a mid-stay feedback session after our first week where the business manager heard our concerns, said they would do something to improve our second week, and then disappeared from view. We weren't even introduced to them until that session; though he had been on leave the first week, it was still many days after he returned before we knew who they were. My husband commented in the first few days that we literally didn't know who was in charge.

It wasn't just the business manager that was an issue, other staff and guides came and went, because this time of year is apparently when everyone goes back home on leave for various reasons. Holidays are necessary and good, but when a volunteer is only here for two weeks and you never have the same manager or coordinator, and eventually are left with two assistants who are piecing together what they can as they go along, it leaves the short time we are here devoid of any connection or lasting impact, specifically for how we feel we helped with African Impact's conservation work.

Truthfully, when booking this trip, we thought it would be an eclectic group from all around the world, some younger, some older, but all ultimately interested in the same goals and interested in getting to know one another. This was so the opposite of what we experienced that I just don't know what we missed in our preliminary research of African Impact. There's really nothing wrong if parents want to send their kids here for gap years, or internship work, but when that group of travelers turns the lodge into a toxic environment of people constantly talking negatively about other volunteers or about how much they hate a guide or other staff member at African Impact, it corrodes the mission of the organization from the inside. We eventually stopped joining the group whenever we could because we just couldn't listen to the negative conversations anymore.

Even funnier and more poignant about the non-inclusive environment is that they had an event called Sundowner towards the end of our trip which we knew nothing about beforehand. Once we showed up, they asked each of us to pay 50 Rand to be in pictures shot by the photography volunteers, which you can then buy for more Rand afterward. To simply join the group or have some laughs in a photo, they wanted you to donate 50 Rand to a project called Farmers of the Future which we also knew nothing about and felt uncomfortable donating to. At this point we were so done with African Impact and the way the volunteers interacted with each other that we opted out. That left us by ourselves hanging out, while everyone else went out in a field to take photos. It was like we weren't even a part of the team.

Lastly, there are only two weekends to explore other parts of the country when you stay for the short placement time. I had asked many months in advance of our arrival if I should book tours on my own and was told that everything would be sorted on-site. What we discovered is that there have to be a certain number of people interested in a tour for it to run, the weather has to be perfect, and their tour operator has to be in town. As it turned out, literally 3 days before our scheduled tour the first weekend, the lodge manager performed so poorly at his job booking tours for us that he told us what we wanted to do was unavailable and that we had to go it alone and figure out tours for ourselves. The second week, another tour was cancelled less than 24 hours beforehand and many people had nothing to do on their last Saturday here. No other options are provided if your selected tour is cancelled.

Ultimately, the real winner here is South Africa because simply by the country being the country that it is, we were able to see the entire Big 5 and other stunning animals. I have to give major kudos to some guides from Africa on Foot in Klaserie for their passion and dedication; they allowed us to experience each animal and see their natural behaviors. I just wish there were more consistently good experiences during our time with African Impact and that the business manager had taken our feedback to heart with obvious action.

We loved South Africa and all of our experiences with the animals; it's a place not to be missed. But I would highly recommend that any young professional couples stay far away from African Impact and definitely this program in particular. Book a lodge in Kruger, rent a car for yourself, drive around the dirt roads to spend time with animals, or join one of Kruger National Park's many activities. You'll fly home with cherished memories minus the drama.

African Impact and the staff at Lion House (the house location in Cape Town) provided the unforgettable experience everyone should desire to achieve. The program helps support multiple sectors from a sports program, to foster homes, after school problems, etc;.
My time in Cape Town saw me in a Academy Volunteer role, which allowed the opportunity to experience each program and there ability to help the surrounding communities of the mother city. Creating memories that support the notion that the experience does more for you, then you could ever do to help the community.
You will be given the opportunity to leave your mark in what ever sector you chose to provide help for. From Monday to Friday you get to go on project and make a connection and a difference in the community. After 5, and on your weekends the freedom to experience and see the cape are endless. The staff is accommodating in helping you cross of your checklist so that you can live the entire volunteer-traveler experience. A must do experience all should invest in.

My time in Zambia was amazing, I wish my time there didn't have to come to an end. I want to go back already! I think the price could be a bit cheaper since we are coming on our own will to volunteer and intern and out in a lot of work, but still that would not stop me from coming back. Excursions were pricey as well, but worth it!! All of the staff wanted you to succeed and were always open to helping you with anything needed. Livingstone Backpackers is an amazing place to stay as well.

I volunteered with African Impact in the summer of 2017. It was my first time ever leaving the country and I was going alone. As soon as I landed I was greeted with a smile and a huge hug, exactly what I needed after 23 hours of traveling. My time in Cape Town was the best 2 weeks of my life. The other volunteers became my family and the Team is exceptional with organization and made me feel completely safe at all times. I got to spend each day in an orphanage, foster home and after school program called GAPA. I still hold onto those memories and think about the kids and people I met all the time. I can't wait to get back there someday! I recommended this program to anyone who wants to have a life changing experience and have the time of their life in the most beautiful country I have ever seen!

I volunteered for 4 weeks on the Sports and Community Development project with AI in Cape Town and any expectations that I had going into it were infinitely surpassed within the first 3 days! The staff, volunteers and everyone we worked with from the teachers, coaches and of course the kids were so friendly, supportive and every positive adjective that I can think of. The social side was amazing and I made some amazing friends in my time there. It definitely helps that Cape Town is one of the most amazing cities in the world as you can literally do anything you can think of in the free time at the weekend. The culture , food, shops and scenery are all beyond words, but all of that is surpassed by the work that I was able to do with AI. There is a clear goal and a clear progression of what they want to do and it is such a special thing to be a part of that I can't recommend enough to take part. The experience is such a unique one, made so much more special by the people that you meet and work with. It's a once in a lifetime experience that I want to do again and again.

Going to Kenya was a dream come true. I had always wanted to engage with the local culture and African Impact was the one organisation that offered everything that I wanted all at once - true conservation, deep cultural involvement and fun moments.

I got to experience the most amazing things that the wildlife of Africa has to offer - I got the chance to watch football with Maasai warriors, I got the chance to play volleyball in the afternoon breaks with them every single day. I got to meet people whose kindness levels go beyond my imagination.

But this was only a fragment of the experience. In my time in Kenya, I got to finally see what real conservation looks like. Getting up early in the morning was so satisfying and rewarding and all the animals that we got to monitor were just breath-taking to watch. In the end of the day, as a volunteer, you really know that you have done something valuable.

In my time with African Impact, we also got to visit local schools and teach children about the importance of conservation and saving the different animals. At this point I realized that if not this generation, then maybe the next one will be the game-changer and be the difference that we all so desperately need in Africa right now.

As a result of my experience, importantly, one of my photos also made it to the BBC Wildlife Magazine (see attached) and I could have never imagined that happening as a result of my volunteer experience.

In any case, I only have good memories from my stay and I encourage anyone to go and dive into this crazy adventure that I will always remember!

I've been in Tanzania for five weeks (Kilimanjaro). Before I came, I didn't have a lot of expectations. It sounds a bit cliché, but I had the time of my life. You should be curious why I had the time of my life. First it is because of the different types of projects so I saw the African life trough different eyes (older people, children, adults). I had a lot of freedom which projects I wanted to do and also during the lessons you have a lot of freedom how to full in the lesson. For example: I had for 5 weeks the same classes and saw the progression of the students, what gave me a lot of motivation! Also, it was amazing because I had a lot of contact with the locals and learned a lot of them. I recommend Tanzania, Kilimanjaro also because of the possibilities to do during the weekend and discover the rest of the country. My highlights were: I've been on safari to the Seregeti and Ngrorogoro crater, did a homestay during the weekend at someone's house around Moshi, had diner with the locals and last but not least I climbed the highest mountain in Africa, Kilimajaro (...still have to do it next week;)). All together, I had a real African experience and enough reasons to come back!