The following blog article was written by Ryan, who joined the Namibia Wildlife Sanctuary as a volunteer in April this year.
1. Unforgettable Wildlife Encounters
Located just outside Namibia’s capital city, Windhoek, the Namibia Wildlife Sanctuary and its neighbouring reserve serve as the heart of the project. This is where baboons sat on my shoulders, I rode horses, prepared food for meerkats, and fed lions, leopards, and wild dogs. Under the expertise of the research and anti-poaching teams, I tracked elephants, rhinos, and lions on foot!
Venturing to the other project sites will allow you to see even more incredible wildlife. At the desert sites of Neuras and Kanaan, I saw hundreds of oryx and springbok. Ostriches were also a common sight in this arid environment. TimBila is an absolute gem of a nature reserve. Elephants, lions, rhinos, wildebeest, zebras, giraffes, and even a few hippos call this large reserve home. Among the highlights of my time at TimBila were a six-month-old baby elephant and a few two-month-old lion cubs!
2. Exquisite Landscapes
If you want to experience stunning dry savannas, mountains, sand dunes, desert, and some of the most beautiful sunrises and sunsets on this planet, then this project is for you. Nothing encapsulates the stunning landscapes of Namibia better than Sossusvlei and Deadvlei. The sand dunes and dried clay flats are otherworldly, and the stark contrast in colours looks fake even in person.
Nights in Namibia start with incredible sunsets - vivid blends of orange, purple, and pink paint the sky. Next, the stars, sometimes accompanied by the Milky Way herself, light up the night sky. All of this takes place in a beautiful and relaxing silence. Sometimes the silence is broken by the call of a black-backed jackal or the roar of a lion, but it won’t be broken by those all-too-familiar man-made sounds of cars, trains, and aeroplanes.
Namibia also offers a vast openness that will teach you what solitude actually feels like. The country is one of the most sparsely populated in Africa and the world. I was amazed at driving hours through the desert without seeing another person. Upon returning to city life, I immediately miss the vast and tranquil wilderness.
3. A Global Community of Volunteers
The sanctuary operates like its own village, home to anywhere from 40 to 60 volunteers at a time, staff, and their children. It can feel overwhelming at first, but it quickly becomes home. Within two days, I evolved from the lost, new person to the veteran helping the newer people find their way around camp. The friendships I formed were fast, deep, and meaningful, stronger than some relationships I’ve had for years. I met inspiring people from all over the world, and I’m already planning visits to see them again.
At the other project sites like Kanaan, TimBila, and Neuras, the groups are smaller, anywhere from 4 to 11 volunteers. These smaller settings are ripe for getting to know people a little more and forming special, shared memories.
4. Conservation
Volunteering at the Namibia Wildlife Sanctuary isn’t just about the experience; it’s about impact. By volunteering, you’re supporting an organisation that is committed to helping animals, the local community, and long-term conservation initiatives.
Working alongside the staff at the sanctuary, reserve, and various projects was perhaps the most rewarding aspect of my trip. The research staff are full of knowledge, and always willing to teach the volunteers about any one of the hundreds of species that call the area home. The volunteer coordinators somehow juggle dozens of volunteers and an ever-changing schedule, and yet are still able and willing to help you at a moment's notice.
And incredibly refreshing is the presence of the founders of the program - something that is certainly not guaranteed at other projects. Their vision has created something special in the southwest corner of Africa, and seeing them actively involved and interacting with countless volunteers was refreshing.
5. There’s no Better Time than Now
Life is short. Are you really going to look back and regret volunteering in Namibia, surrounded by animals, nature, and inspiring people from across the globe? I’ll bet no.
If you’re still contemplating volunteering at the Namibia Wildlife Sanctuary, let this be another nudge to just do it! Book the trip, enjoy the sunsets, and say hi to the lion cubs for me.
