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Volunteering in South Africa with Amakhala Volunteers

ByZara Aitken

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As we become more conscious of our impacts on the planet, ecotourism is increasing in popularity. Rather than hopping from city to city, leaving a trail of CO2 emissions behind us, many people are opting for more sustainable methods of travel while ensuring their impact on culture, community, and the planet is greener and more positive.

One way to improve the sustainability of your trips is to opt for a volunteer programme. Not only do you get to help organisations that need it, but you also get to meet incredible, like-minded people, step out of your comfort zone, and enjoy once-in-a-lifetime experiences.

Having never volunteered before, I started researching the best places to volunteer in Africa and stumbled across the Amakhala Volunteers programme. After reading what a typical workday involved, I was hooked on the idea and booked my trip within a matter of weeks through The Mighty Roar.

I’ve now visited Amakhala twice and spent a total of 4 weeks with Amakhala Volunteers. I loved my experience so much in 2023 that I returned exactly one year later.

Since I returned from volunteering in South Africa at Amakhala Game Reserve, I wanted to write a blog post detailing everything you need to know about how to volunteer in Africa for 2 weeks with Amakhala Volunteers, so you are prepared for your own volunteering experience.

A large African elephant with long, curved tusks stands on a dirt path in Addo Elephant Park, South Africa, surrounded by lush green bushes. Its wrinkled skin is covered in a layer of dust, and its ears are slightly fanned out.

Volunteering with Amakhala Volunteers at Amakhala Game Reserve

In this guide to volunteering with Amakhala Volunteers, I will run through everything you need to know, including:

  • How to get from Port Elizabeth Airport to the Volunteer House in Paterson, Eastern Cape
  • What the accommodation is like
  • What the average workday looks like with Amakhala Volunteers
  • What the food is like at the volunteer house
  • What you should pack for your South Africa volunteering trip
  • What to do in the evening and on weekends

Let’s dive in!

Young children smile while queueing at a gate in South Africa. They are holding plastic bottles while waiting for food from Amakhala Volunteers community food scheme.

Airport Transfers – Getting from Port Elizabeth Airport to the Volunteer House

Let’s start at the beginning! You’ll need to fly into Port Elizabeth Airport on the Eastern Cape. A representative of Amakhala will meet you at the airport and take you to the Amakhala Volunteers’ house in the town of Paterson, which is around a 1-hour drive from the airport.

When landing at the airport, I was a bit confused about where to wait as I hadn’t been given any instructions. We ended up sitting down inside the terminal and saw someone walk past wearing an Amakhala t-shirt and cap. You can also stand outside the main terminal building. Just look out for someone wearing the Amakhala-branded uniform.

Shared or Private Transfers Provided by Amakhala

When booking your transfers, you have a couple of options. If you book through The Mighty Roar, you can choose from a shared or private transfer. A shared transfer is £90 return, while a private transfer is £100 return.

The shared transfer will collect you from the airport in a white minibus at 2 pm on the day of your arrival and will drop you off at 9 am on the day of departure. However, our flight left at 2 pm on the day of departure, and our driver was happy to take us to the airport a bit later as no other volunteers were leaving that day.

As a general rule, if you opt for the shared transfer, it seems they will take you to the airport two hours before whoever’s flight leaves the earliest.

If you have a very early arrival time and don’t want to wait in the airport for hours, a private transfer would be the best option for an extra £10.

Young female traveller looking out minibus window travelling to Amakhala Volunteers house while volunteering in South Africa
Minibus shared transfer from the airport to Paterson

Uber or Taxi

Another option is to book an Uber on arrival at Port Elizabeth Airport. One of the other volunteers did this, and it worked out a lot cheaper. The lowest price is currently listed at 555 ZAR one way, which is approximately £25.

However, while it will be easy to find an Uber in the city of Port Elizabeth, they are not so easy to come by in Paterson, which is a fairly remote area and a very small village. This may mean you won’t be able to find an Uber to take you back to the airport when you leave.

If this is the case, you can book a local taxi (they tend to be expensive) or ask Amakhala Volunteers if you can pay for the trip back to the airport in the minibus.

The Amakhala Volunteers House and Garden, featuring a charming house with a covered patio, surrounded by lush greenery. A small swimming pool sits in the backyard, bordered by a well-maintained lawn and vibrant flowering plants. White plastic lounge chairs are stacked on the dry grass, while sunlight filters through the surrounding trees.
Amakhala Volunteer house and garden – when I returned in 2024, parts of the garden around the pool had been paved.

Arriving at Amakhala Volunteers’ House

Arriving at the volunteer house, I was greeted by the Volunteer Coordinators and the rest of the volunteers. Everyone was super friendly and welcoming and made me feel at home.

One of the Volunteer Coordinators gave the new volunteers an induction, showed us around the house and ran us through how the week would work and all the important things we needed to know.

We were then taken to our rooms and left to settle in. We spent the first evening getting to know the other volunteers, eating together around the table and went to bed early, ready for the 6 am start the next morning.

A cozy bedroom at the Amakhala Volunteers House, featuring a single bed with striped bedding against a cream-colored wall. A wooden wardrobe with lattice-patterned doors leans slightly against the wall beside a small wooden table. A window with sheer curtains lets in soft natural light, while a few personal belongings, including a backpack and clothing, are scattered on the bed.
My room in the Amakhala Volunteers house

Accommodation

You’ll be staying at the volunteer house for the duration of your time volunteering in South Africa. The house was converted from an old railway station and is situated on the outskirts of Paterson. The house is around a 15-30 minute drive to Amakhala Game Reserve, depending on which entrance you use to access the reserve.

The accommodation is simple and very communal, with a large, well-equipped kitchen and a large communal lounge. The lounge has a TV with some streaming services.

The house has good WiFi, but the signal was weak in my bedroom, which was quite far away from the lounge. The bedrooms are clean and comfortable, but if you’re travelling alone, you will likely have to share a bedroom with one or two other people and will definitely need to share a bathroom.

I found the house and bathrooms to be clean, albeit a little run-down, but this didn’t bother me at all. You don’t expect 5-star luxury when volunteering in Africa, so I think it’s important to manage expectations.

The Amakhala Volunteers House and Garden, featuring a small swimming pool in the backyard, surrounded by a lawn and greenery. The house has a modern rustic design with gray walls, large windows, and French doors leading to the patio.

There is a large, beautiful garden with a firepit, a braai area and a small swimming pool, although the pool was unusable for the duration of our trip and didn’t look great, as I think the filters were broken. We spent most evenings sitting around a fire in the garden, laughing, drinking, playing music and chilling with the rest of the volunteers, or playing cards at the kitchen table.

Food and Drink

When booking through The Mighty Roar, we were led to believe, due to unclear wording on their website, that our evening meal would be cooked for us every night. However, this is not the case.

Reading back over the information now, The Mighty Roar uses slightly misleading wording. It’s important to note that you will be responsible for making all of your own meals, except on a Monday when your evening meal will be made for you.

A chef dressed in black grills meat over an open fire at an outdoor braai in South Africa. Smoke rises from the sizzling food as the chef uses tongs to turn the meat, with a pot placed nearby. The setting is a relaxed patio with white metal chairs, a stone fire pit, and lush greenery surrounding the space, creating a cozy outdoor dining atmosphere.

The house is well stocked with breakfast, lunch and dinner items, which you can use free of charge. A supermarket order is placed every week, and if you want a specific food item for the following week, you’ll need to request it before the shopping is ordered or purchase it yourself from a local shop.

Available breakfast items include cereals, bread, eggs and fruit. Lunch can be made from leftovers from dinner the night before, sandwiches, pasta, salads – but you must prepare this yourself and take it with you when you leave for the day, as lunch will often be eaten on the go while working or sitting in the car. Tea, coffee and hot chocolate are freely available in the cupboards.

With the exception of Monday night, I cooked my own food. Sometimes, I cooked together with the other volunteers; at other times, we ate leftovers or just cooked for ourselves individually.

A group of Amakhala Volunteers enjoying lunch together at Addo Elephant Park, seated at a colorful table under a thatched-roof shelter. They raise yellow enamel mugs in a cheerful toast, smiling and dressed in warm outdoor clothing.

You can purchase your own food from local shops, although the choice in local shops in Paterson is limited. If you do buy your own food, there is a separate fridge you can use to store it, so everyone knows the food belongs to one of the volunteers.

You will be responsible for buying all your own alcohol, and there is a liquor store a 1-minute walk away, although the opening times were sporadic. There is also another liquor store in Paterson, which is about a 10-15 minute walk away from the house. The volunteer coordinators were usually happy to stop at the liquor store on our way back from the reserve when we asked.

A black-and-white photograph of Amakhala Volunteers serving food to young children at the Paterson soup kitchen. A woman in a light-colored shirt hands a meal to a child, while others assist at a wooden table filled with food containers.

Amakhala Volunteer Programme and Activities

If there’s one thing I can say for sure, it’s that no two weeks are the same when volunteering at Amakhala Game Reserve. Volunteer activities range from taking part in the annual game count, erosion and alien vegetation control, working with the vet (if you’re lucky), fence patrols, predator tracking using telemetry equipment, as well as working in the local community to deliver soup kitchens and working with children in nearby schools.

You will receive your schedule for the week on either a Sunday or Monday, but you should be prepared to go with the flow, as the schedule changes frequently and sometimes at the last minute. My advice is to embrace whatever it is you end up doing!

An Amakhala Volunteer sits in an open safari vehicle, scanning the landscape with binoculars at Amakhala Game Reserve. Dressed in a denim jacket and a red patterned scarf, her braided hair falls over her shoulder as she looks out over rolling hills covered in green vegetation. The covered safari vehicle provides shade as she searches for wildlife in the distance.

What Does a Typical Week Look Like with Amakhala Volunteers?

We were super lucky to arrive at Amakhala at the start of the Annual Game Count, so most of our first week revolved around this. I spent two weeks volunteering at Amakhala and have provided our planned schedule below, along with what we actually ended up doing.

The second time I visited, the activities were fairly similar but scheduled across the week slightly differently.

Planned Activities – Week 1

Monday
Arrival Day

Tuesday – 06:00 Start
Annual Game Count – Main Reserve
Erosion Control – Bush Packing (didn’t do – game count took too long)

Wednesday – 06:30 Start
Annual Game Count – Northern Territory
Alien Vegetation Control (didn’t do – had a flat tyre during game count)

Thursday – 07:30 Start
Volunteering with kids at Sidbury School
Food Scheme / Soup Kitchen for Paterson community
Reading Club with local kids

Friday – 07:30 Start
Fence Patrol
Canoeing on Sundays River – every Friday, you usually do a fun activity
Vehicle Maintenance – washing cars

Lone male lion standing on a vast plain at Amakhala Game Reserve, Easten Cape, South Africa. It is a sunny and partly-cloudy day.

Planned Activities – Week 2

Monday – 08:00 Start
Volunteering with kids at Sidbury School
Food Scheme / Soup Kitchen with local community
Beading Club (making bracelets) with local community

Tuesday – 08:30 Start
Erosion Control
Aquaponics

Wednesday – 06:00 Start
Predator Monitoring – (didn’t do – flat tyre on the way)
Veg Rehab (didn’t do – another flat tyre on the way)
Free Night Stay at Safari Lodge

Thursday – 07:00 Start
Annual Game Count – Canarvon Dale
Aquaponics

Friday – 07:30 Start
Main Reserve Bush Walk
BIRPS (identifying and recording birds)

Group of Amakhala Volunteers stand around the carcas of a male kudu on Amakhala Game Reserve while volunteering in South Africa. One of the volunteers stands with a smartphone photographing the skull and horns.

Staying at Amakhala Safari Lodge

All volunteers staying for 2 weeks or more qualify for a free stay in Amkhala’s luxury Safari Lodge. Safari Lodge is situated on the Northern Territory Reserve in a beautiful valley. The lodges are stunning and definitely deliver a luxury experience, with a beautiful private verandah and private plunge pool, overlooking the small valley, which is often filled with incredible wildlife.

On arrival, the staff took our orders for dinner and served up some afternoon snacks of delicious cakes and fruit. We treated ourselves to some drinks before heading back to our individual rooms to relax and soak in the large luxury bathtub. The bathroom opens out into the reserve, and I was able to soak in the tub while watching giraffes and zebras just a few feet away from me! It was a magical experience.

Luxury outdoor seating area at Amakhala Safari Lodge in South Africa overlooking a luscious green valley on a sunny day.

We enjoyed an incredible 3-course meal served in the main dining room around 8:30 pm and then headed back to our rooms to get an early night and relax. Before going to sleep, I couldn’t resist taking the duvet out onto the verandah to look at the stars.

With so little light pollution, the stars were absolutely mesmerising – you could even see the band of the Milky Way Galaxy with the naked eye. Before long, sitting outside alone in the silence, I heard rustling in the bushes below and over the next hour was treated to a private audience with zebra, eland, kudu, giraffes and wildebeest, walking right past my verandah to drink from the watering hole. This turned out to be one of the most amazing nights of the trip for me.

The second time I visited Amakhala as a volunteer, my room at Safari Lodge didn’t have a view at all, as it had tall bushes directly in front of the room, which was disappointing.

Breakfast was served early for us as we had to be ready for the day’s volunteer work at 7 am.

You can also book an independent stay at one of Amakhala’s Safari Lodges, depending on availability during your stay. Book your stay at Amakhala Safari Lodge.

A beautiful lounge area at Amakhala Sfari Lodge decorated in traditional wooden safari lodge style. There is a large fireplace in the centre of the room, with three leather sofas placed facing it in a square. There is a large coffee table in the centre of the room.

Evening and Weekend Activities

As a volunteer, you’ll work Monday to Friday and have the weekends off to relax, explore and enjoy time to yourself. There are a huge number of things you can do at the weekend, with a lot of flyers and leaflets for local attractions pinned on the volunteer information board in the lounge.

On our first Saturday, we booked a surf lesson in Port Elizabeth and spent some time exploring the area. On Sunday, we booked a one-night stay at Quater Mains Tented Safari Camp. On our second Saturday, we booked a day trip to Addo Elephant Park, and on the Sunday, we went to the Daniell Cheetah Project.

Two adult elephants stand with a small baby elephant in the road at Addo Elephant Park in South Africa. It's an overcast day and the elephants' skin looks wet, indicating it has been raining.

Other activities you can choose from include:

Some activities are weather-dependent and only available in certain seasons.

A spacious safari tent at Quatermain's Tented Safari Camp, set on a wooden platform with an extended canopy providing shade. The beige canvas tent is secured with sturdy ropes and features an inviting outdoor seating area with two camping chairs and a small table.
Quatermains Safari Camp

It’s important to note that if you’re on a budget, many of these activities aren’t cheap, and you’ll have to arrange your own transport. We used a local taxi driver called Rodwin, a lovely guy, but the prices for taxis are fairly high and work on a per-person basis, rather than a standard trip fare.

A man wearing an apron prepares a meal over an open fire at an outdoor cooking station in Addo Elephant Park. He holds a container of sliced onions while a pan heats up on a metal grill supported by bricks over the flames. Two men in casual outdoor clothing stand nearby, one holding a beer, as they chat and watch the cooking process against a backdrop of lush greenery.

Throughout the week, you’ll also have most of the evenings to yourself. Most of our work days were finished by mid-afternoon, so from 3 pm you are usually free to do whatever you like. There is a small bar just a 1-minute walk from the house, but it’s not always open. If you want to go, you’ll need to contact the owner to ask them to open it for you.

Aside from this, there is very little to do in Paterson. Once a week, the rangers from Amakhala meet at Sidbury Social Club on a Wednesday evening. So you can arrange a taxi to take you to the social club where you can play pool, chat and have some drinks.

Zara sits on the edge of a scenic view overlooking Amakhala Game Reserve. She is gazing out at the vast, rolling landscape of grasslands and hills stretching into the distance. Dressed in a blue jacket and a wide-brimmed hat, she enjoys a peaceful moment in nature.

Top Tips for Amakhala Volunteers

Drinking Water

Tap water is not drinkable. You can access drinking water from a huge rainwater butt in the garden. If this doesn’t sound appealing, you’ll need to buy bottled water from a local shop. I drank from the rainwater butt every day and had an upset stomach for a few days, but other than that, I was fine.

Zara's friend, Saira crouches beside large green water storage tanks, collecting water from the tap. She wears a black jacket and pink sandals.

Loadshedding

Loadshedding is a huge part of life in South Africa. The South African energy crisis, or Loadshedding is an ongoing issue of widespread national blackouts of electricity supply. Loadshedding times can be found online for the day ahead, so you can prepare and arrange your schedule around it.

During loadshedding, all electricity and water supply is unavailable, meaning you can’t cook, shower or even flush a toilet. While loadshedding can be disruptive, we learnt to love it. It was the perfect opportunity to sit outside under the stars and talk, without devices to distract us. It was a scheduled break from the constant pace of life. A typical loadshedding schedule could look something like this:

05:00-07:30

11:00-13:00

17:00-19:00

22:00-01:30

The times change every day, so it’s important to check the loadshedding times the day before so you know when you can shower and cook. For example, if you know you need to leave the house at 6 am the next morning, but loadshedding starts at 5 am, you’ll either need to shower the night before or be up at 4:30 am to shower before loadshedding starts.

The house has a small generator which powers the TV and WiFi during blackouts.

Update: When I visited Amakhala again in 2024, there was no loadshedding, and this continues to be the case in 2026.

A safari guide wearing a green beanie points toward a giraffe in the distance while driving an open-top safari vehicle through a lush, hilly landscape. A passenger in a wide-brimmed hat leans forward, focusing on the towering animal surrounded by green bushes and trees.

What’s in Paterson?

Paterson is a small town in the Sarah Baartman District Municipality in the Eastern Cape province. In Paterson, you’ll find a handful of amenities, including two coffee shops, a few grocery stores (although the choice of products is fairly limited), a fuel station, a liquor store and a couple of other local shops.

If you’re a coffee snob like me and need good coffee, I can recommend Addo Brauhaus, which is only a 10-minute walk from the volunteer house.

We also had a bad experience where we were charged way too much for some food we brought from a local shop and didn’t realise until it was too late to haggle. So it’s best to stick to the grocery store that the volunteer coordinators take you to, as they are really friendly and charge fair prices.

A young child leans back on a wire attached to a telegraph pole in a rural neighborhood. The black-and-white photograph captures the child’s relaxed posture and confident gaze. Behind them, houses, fences, and a large tree frame the scene.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much spending money should I take to Amakhala Volunteers?

The Mighty Roar recommends you take £100 per week, but I recommend you take a lot more than this. If you’re happy to stay at the house all weekend and chill, £100 will probably be OK, but if you want to use your free time to explore, you’ll need a lot more spending money.

Public transport is non-existent in Paterson, so if you want to get anywhere at the weekends, you’ll need to book a private taxi, which gets expensive. Add weekend activities and food and drink to that, and you’ll probably be looking at £200-300 per week. If you want to enjoy activities like skydiving and whale-watching tours, you’ll need even more.

If you run out of money, there are some ATMs in Paterson, but they charge a fee to withdraw money.

A cheetah sits attentively in the grassy plains of Amakhala Game Reserve, its sleek, spotted coat blending into the landscape. Behind it, two other cheetahs rest on the ground, their heads turned in the same direction. The field is dotted with small yellow wildflowers, creating a serene and natural setting for these majestic big cats.

Is it safe to volunteer in South Africa?

It’s true that South Africa is known to be a dangerous country and has its fair share of problems. However, speaking from personal experience, we had no problems while we were there. Both in Cape Town and Paterson, we were careful not to show our valuables, only took the cash we needed that day and we also didn’t walk around the streets at night.

We took an Uber everywhere and kept our bags in front of us. Like a lot of countries around the world, anything could happen at any time, so it’s important to keep your wits about you and be sensible.

While at the volunteer house, you are well looked after by the volunteer coordinator and the team, so you’re in good, safe hands.

Amakhala Volunteers interacting with children at Sidbury School in South Africa. The volunteers, dressed in casual outdoor clothing, hold hands and play games with the children, who are wearing navy blue school uniforms. The scene takes place in a sunny schoolyard with a green-roofed building, water tanks, and a fenced playground in the background.

Will I get to see the Big Five with Amakhala Volunteers?

Amakhala is a Big Five reserve, so there is a chance you will see the Big Five. However, nothing is ever guaranteed as these wild animals roam freely and are not always easy to find, as they can be anywhere in the 85km sq reserve.

Other animals you may see include giraffes, warthogs, cheetahs, hippos, elephants, zebras and many other different kinds of antelope such as eland, kudu, springbuck and more. If you’re interested in birds, you’re also in for a treat as we spotted many unusual and incredible types of birds, my favourite being a white-fronted bee-eater.

The rangers will do their very best to find the animals for you, but it’s also important to remember that you are volunteering to work and not a paying safari guest. If you want to see a specific animal, it’s best to book a night in one of the safari lodges or tented camps at the weekend, as these usually come with a game drive or two.

We stayed at Quatermains Tented Camp at £120 per night, per person. This came with an evening game drive and an early morning game drive. Prices may depend on the time of year and the day you book, so it’s best to check the prices directly with the lodge or camp when you arrive at Amakhala.

Giraffe standing on horizon in front of an epic sunrise in Amakhala Game Reserve. The giraffe is silhouetted against a golden sunrise.
A male nyala grazes in the bushveld of Amakhala Game Reserve, its dark brown coat marked with white stripes and long, curved horns. Another nyala is partially visible in the background, blending into the dense green vegetation.

How long is an average workday at Amakhala Volunteers?

You can expect to be up very early most days, although the start of the workday depends on which activity you are doing. The work schedule will tell you what time your workday will start. On average, workdays start between 6 and 7:30 am and finish by mid-afternoon. The finish time depends on the start time and the activity you are doing that day. On average, our workday ended between 2 and 3 pm.

A group of people on a safari stop at a scenic overlook in Amakhala Game Reserve, standing beside an open-top green safari vehicle with the reserve’s logo on the side. One person, dressed in a warm jacket and beanie, takes a photo of the vast grassland and rolling hills under a clear blue sky. Another leans against the vehicle, while two others stand nearby, taking in the breathtaking view.

Is it safe to travel solo with Amakhala Volunteers?

The majority of Amakhala volunteers are solo travellers, so you won’t be alone. You will spend most of the week with the volunteers and will make friends very quickly. You will be collected from the airport and dropped back off at the airport by the volunteer crew, and the volunteer coordinators really look after everyone, so you won’t feel alone on this trip, even if you’re a solo traveller.

A group of Amakhala Volunteers in South Africa gathered around a wooden table, laughing and enjoying a moment together. One person stirs a large blue bucket while others chat, smile, and gesture playfully.

How many other volunteers are there at Amakhala Volunteers?

The number of volunteers varies from week to week. During our first week, there were only 6 of us. During the second week, the number rose to 13. The house is large and can accommodate 14 volunteers.

A group of Amakhala Volunteers poses together at a scenic viewpoint overlooking the vast landscape of Amakhala Game Reserve. They are dressed in warm outdoor clothing, standing close together and smiling, with one person playfully holding a pair of binoculars over a ‘Beware of Lions’ sign. Rolling green hills, winding dirt roads, and open plains stretch into the distance under an overcast sky.

What clothing should I take to Amakhala Volunteers?

The clothing you take depends a little on the time of year you go. I went to Amkhala in May, which is autumn in South Africa. The mornings and evenings were quite chilly at times, especially when travelling to the day’s activities in the open-top Jeep at 6 am.

Don’t underestimate how cold it gets in that Jeep! You will need a hat, a scarf wrapped around your face, several layers and a blanket, which you can get from the volunteer house.

During the day, the temperature was warm and shorts and t-shirt were absolutely fine. A light fleece was needed in the evening and on cloudier days.

For work days, you’ll need light hiking trousers. I bought lightweight hiking trousers that also turn into shorts from Amazon and two fleeces. I recommend cheap clothing that you don’t mind getting dirty or torn, as working out in the bush can be messy and dusty.

You’ll also want to take some clothes for the evenings and weekends. I took one pair of jeans, a few casual tops, a dress and a skirt and a pair of shorts. Don’t forget your swimsuit or swimming trunks too!

A good sturdy pair of hiking boots is advisable for work days on the reserve, as well as a comfortable pair of trainers and sandals or flip flops for the evenings and weekends.

It’s also a good idea to take a good-quality waterproof coat. Driving in the pouring rain in an open-top Jeep is no fun without waterproofs!

A green Amakhala Game Reserve safari vehicle parked on a dirt road with a sweeping view of rolling hills and open plains in the background. A woman in a camouflage jacket glances back with a smile, while another passenger in a hat looks out over the landscape.
Zara stands in the middle of a vast, open grassland, gazing at the rolling hills and scattered trees in the distance. Dressed in a white shirt, khaki shorts, and a cap, she appears immersed in the natural beauty of the landscape.

Are there clothes washing facilities at the house?

Yes! The volunteer house has a washing machine, and the team of people who work at the house will wash your clothes for you from Monday to Friday. You need to leave your dirty clothes in a wash bag in the washroom and check back a day or two later to collect your clean clothes.

The washing ladies don’t keep your items separate from everyone else’s clothes, so it can be difficult to keep track of your clothes, as they will likely get muddled in with everyone else’s. I lost my jeans for a few days and found them in another wardrobe with someone else’s washing purely by accident. You can also do your own washing at the weekends.

A cheetah lies stretched out on a dusty red dirt road, blocking the path of a safari vehicle in Amakhala Game Reserve. The scene is viewed from inside the vehicle, with a person wearing a dark cap observing the wild cat. Rolling hills, scattered trees, and a wire fence line the background, creating a classic African safari landscape.

Do I need malaria tablets to volunteer in South Africa?

South Africa’s Eastern Cape is malaria-free, so you shouldn’t need malaria tablets. It’s best to check with a medical professional before you travel to enquire about any other vaccinations you may require, especially if you’re travelling elsewhere in Africa.

Would I recommend volunteering in South Africa at Amakhala Game Reserve?

100% yes! The two weeks I spent volunteering in South Africa at Amakhala Game Reserve gave me some of the best life experiences of my life. I made friends for life, laughed more than I have in years and learnt so much about the wildlife and life in South Africa!

I will absolutely be planning another trip. The only negative from my trip was having to leave after 2 weeks! Don’t hesitate to book your volunteering trip to Amakhala. It will literally be the trip of a lifetime!

Travel Insurance

I highly recommend having travel insurance for your South Africa trip. I highly recommend SafetyWing, which provides global health insurance and travel insurance for nomads. Here are some reasons why I love SafetyWing:

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My Travel Essentials for Safe and Affordable Travel

After spending the last 10 years travelling solo, I have picked up a few trusted tools and tips along the way to ensure my solo trips are safe and affordable. Here are the tools that I recommend for safe, budget-friendly solo female travel.

Travel Insurance – I recommend Safety Wing Travel Insurance. More info on that above.

Car Rental – I use Discover Cars to compare prices across multiple car rental companies in one go. I’ve always found they offer the best prices and deals.

eSIM – It’s important to be connected when travelling solo to ensure you can access help if needed and stay in touch with family and friends. I recommend Sim Local as they offer eSIMs for over 200 countries at very competitive rates. I always use Sim Local and have found their coverage and customer service to be excellent. You can purchase your eSIM on Sim Local’s website. Use the code PASSPORTLIVING for 5% off your purchase.

VPN – I have recently purchased a VPN for my devices to keep my data secure when using public WiFi in hotels, cafes, and other public spaces. I recommend Nord VPN as they have great offers for the first two years when you subscribe.

You can read about other tools I swear by on my Travel Essentials page.

Two young woman sitting cross-legged on the grass while volunteering in South Africa. They are wearing sunglasses on a sunny day and are sitting in the shade of a tree.
Young children laughing and smiling at the camera. They are dressed in school uniforms at a school in South Africa.
Volunteers in South Africa smiling while travelling in open top Jeep. The black and white photograph captures a candid moment in the day of a volunteer at Amakhala Game Reserve.
A ranger wearing khaki green clothing looks through a bird identification book while volunteers in South Africa relax in an open top Jeep.
A large male lion with large mane bears his teeth. The photograph is taken from a side-on angle highlighting the side profile of the lion against a grassy background.
Herd of zebra grazing on wide open plains in Amakhala Game Reserve in South Africa on a sunny day.
Group of young children laughing and posing for camera after collecting food from group of people volunteering in South Africa
A male volunteer sits at the edge of an epic view overlooking the plains and hills of Amakhala Game Reserve. He is wearing a white t-shirt and a beige safari style hat while holding a cup of coffee.
Large male lion yawning and showing his teeth at Daniell Cheetah Project in South Africa
Seating area and fire pit at the luxury Amakhala Safari Lodge set against a background of beautiful trees and bushes on a sunny day in South Africa.
A female volunteer wearing a beige baseball cap uses her mobile phone to photograph a male Nyala in the South Africa bush.
Group of smiling volunteers in South Africa standing behind a wooden table posing for a photo
Group of people in Paterson in South Africa stand around a room making beaded bracelets while volunteering in South Africa
Giraffe standing in front of a large open plain in Amakhala Game Reserve in South Africa. It's an overcast day but the photograph has a warm glow.
Two people sitting in the front of an open top safari vehicle look on towards two majestic giraffes in front of them. It's a bright sunny day and one of the two people is leaning forward to take a photograph using a smartphone.
A man wearing a grey hoodie and blue cap leans out of a vehicle window to photograph a huge elephant as it walks in front of their car.
A collage of four images promoting a guide to volunteering in South Africa. The top left image shows a safari vehicle with volunteers in the bush, while the top right features a giraffe standing in a grassy landscape. The bottom left showcases a large elephant with long tusks walking through a nature reserve, and the bottom right captures smiling children playing near a fence in a rural community. Overlaid text reads 'Guide to Volunteering in South Africa' with a website link at the bottom: passport-for-living.com.
A promotional Pinterest image for a guide to volunteering in South Africa with Amakhala Volunteers. The background features a close-up of a cheetah sitting in a grassy field, with another cheetah resting nearby. White text overlay reads 'Full Guide to Volunteering in South Africa with Amakhala Volunteers,' and a green banner at the bottom displays the website 'passport-for-living.com.
A promotional Pinterest image for a two-week animal volunteering experience in South Africa. The top half features a close-up of an elephant standing among green bushes under a cloudy sky, while the bottom half showcases three cheetahs resting in a grassy field. A blue text overlay in the center reads '2-Weeks Volunteering with Animals in South Africa,' with 'passport-for-living.com' displayed at the bottom.

Are you planning on volunteering in South Africa? If you have any questions about volunteering in South Africa with Amakhala Volunteers, please contact me via the contact form, and I’ll do my best to answer your questions.

Zara Aitken is a UK-based travel blogger and the founder of Passport for Living. While sharing her travel stories, hiking guides and travel inspiration online since 2015, she has travelled to over 25 countries and is still counting. She's on a mission to help others travel solo on a budget, promoting adventure travel and authentic cultural experiences along the way.

9 Comments

  1. “Volunteering with Amakhala Volunteers in South Africa sounds like an amazing experience! I love how you highlighted both the rewarding wildlife conservation work and the chance to immerse in the local culture. The hands-on approach to conservation is such a meaningful way to contribute while exploring the beauty of South Africa. This post has definitely inspired me to look into similar volunteer opportunities. Thanks for sharing such a thoughtful and inspiring guide!”

  2. I loved reading your volunteer info. I saw a lot of young faces. Do they accept highly fit people over 60?

    1. Glad you enjoyed the article. Yes! Absolutely, very open to all ages. I recently returned to Amakhala in May this year for the second time, and there was a much broader age range of people there this time. Please let me know if you have any other questions. Happy to help!

  6. This looks such a wonderful experience and contributing to something rather than just travelling for fun.
    I hope to be able to do this once my youngest finishes school in a few years.

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