Organised by Wild At Tuli, volunteering is an experience of a lifetime!

The ‘Wild At Tuli’ conservation project is facilitated by two unique ladies who share a spirit of adventure and undying passion for the magic of the African Wilderness and its wildlife. They are in partnership with a number of organisations who facilitate all who wish to volunteer on this conservation project.

The two Founders of Wild At Tuli spent decades of their lives saving wildlife and both are Trustees of one of the biggest Wildlife Rehabilitation Centres in South Africa. They realised that the only way to really make a difference is to preserve habitat.  In 2007 they purchased a large tract of wilderness in Botswana’s ‘Big Five’ Tuli Block. They have dedicated this land to wildlife and it has become a safe haven for all wildlife that passes through - the legacy they will leave to conservation.

Main aim of the project

The main aim is to provide a safe, habitable area for wildlife.  Their land is virgin bush, which has never been inhabited by people, there is much work to be done; provide infrastructure - roads and water holes - carry out accurate game counts, draw up species lists, and conduct anti-poaching patrols with the aim of removing snares.  Game viewing hides need to be built, and if you are interested in birds, there are nearly 400 species to be counted.  We would like to start an indigenous tree nursery with the aim of one day being able to re-establish areas in need of trees.

But we don’t only want you to work, we also want you to learn.  We’ll give each volunteer valuable insight into working with wildlife, part of your visit will be spent attending courses on bird Identification, and an Introduction to wildlife rehabilitation. You will leave us with a lot more knowledge than when you arrived, and you will be able to call on this in years to come.  

What work you will do

On this project you will get involved in whatever is needed, but we want you to have fun and learn along the way. You will attend lectures in our ‘bush classroom’, and will be given practical exercises to carry out to re-enforce what we teach you. Part of your stay will include attending two courses which are included in the price. Your ‘working hours’ will vary but usually be about 4 – 6 hours a day, after which you then get to freshen up and join us for some sort of activity – take a walk on our beautiful islands, go on game drives, or sit quietly at one of our hides and enjoy seeing the animals and watch the sunset.

Courses

COURSE 1 - Bird Identification

This course will teach the beginner how to start to identify birds without having to page right through the entire bird book each time.   It will teach you how to identify using beaks,  feet,  location,  colours,  behaviour, etc. It will also include details on the habits of some of the birds in our area as well as breeding and nesting. There will be a lot of practical aspects to this course where you will have the opportunity to observe various birds in different habitats and record what you have seen. The Tuli Block is very rich in bird life and there are nearly 400 species of birds here so we would like to start to build up a list of what we have seen. This course will also equip you to identify birds in other areas of the world, simply by using the same technique.

COURSE 2 - Conservation Debate

This discussion-based class is very interactive and encourages all who visit us to think about their daily lives at home and how they could make a difference. There is much discussion around wildlife and the welfare of all creatures as well as the habitat they live in and you will gain many insights into how we can help improve the plight of all who inhabit the planet.

Qualifications required

No specific qualifications are needed but volunteers must have completed their schooling and be at least 18 years of age.  The language of the project is English so a reasonable understanding is required.

Getting to us

Location of the Project

This project is in a remote area of South Eastern Botswana, there are no shopping facilities in the immediate area. The closest village is 25km away and has a couple of small general dealer stores.  Supplies are basic but you are able to get things like toiletries, cold drinks, basic tinned food etc. The next town, Bobonong, is about 80km away and has many more shops available however they are still quite basic. There is a proper grocery store, post office, Barclays bank and internet café available. We have a Post Box there and could collect on a weekly basis should you receive post from home.

The closest International Airport is OR Thambo in Johannesburg, South Africa.

Option 1

We have a Tour Operator in Johannesburg who (if there are at least 6 volunteers) collects you and drives you to the Platjan Border Post, where we pick you up.  The drive will take approximately 6 hours from Johannesburg.

Option 2

You can fly to from OR Thambo airport to Polokwane (formerly Pietersburg). We have an arrangement with a company who will transport you to the Platjan Border Post where we pick up.

Accommodation 

• Accommodation is in a fully equipped tented camp in a magnificent setting in the middle of the reserve

• Walk-In  tents are shared by 2 – 6 people and are equipped with beds and all linen. Volunteers need to bring along their own towels and a sleeping bag for occasions when we sleep out for the night.

• The ablutions include hot and cold showers, flushing toilets and basins, and are shared.

• You do your own laundry in the camp.

• The camp has a kitchen with gas fridge, freezer and stove and is fully equipped with crockery, cutlery and glassware. There is no electricity in the camp but we do run solar-powered lights.

• All meals are provided for you whilst on the project and this is participative. We have a roster and all volunteers are expected to take their turn preparing meals, etc.   Much of the cooking can be done over a fire and we will teach you to bake breads and rolls.   

• Meals are simple and wholesome and we are able to cater for vegetarians if we are notified in advance.  

After-hours entertainment

There are books and magazines and a number of puzzles and games which you can use.  There is a plunge pool in the camp where volunteers can cool off . Evenings will be spent either around the camp fire in the boma, sleeping out at one of the hides or going out on a night game drive.  We do NOT allow any alcohol on the Reserve.

Internet

There are no internet facilities in the camp itself, however there are areas on the farm where cellular signal is available, so if volunteers have cell phones which can access mail, they will be able to. Should family need to get hold of a volunteer they are able to email or call us, and we will pass on the message.  There is intermittent cellular signal on parts of the farm but it is not guaranteed.  Should we travel to Bobonong or Alldays, internet cafés are available there.

Free time and activities available

There will be free time on weekends where you can catch up on sleep or relax in the camp. We can take you on walks/game drives and can arrange to go to other places in the area such as Solomon’s Wall which is a very interesting day out.   

Pricing

Contact judi@wildattuli.com or helena@wildattuli.com for all pricing and booking information. for this project