Recently, Butch accompanied by his family, experienced life as volunteers in South Africa at the SanWild Sanctuary & Reserve. The following blog was written by Butch about their time there.
During the first week of April 2025, my girlfriend and our two adult daughters travelled from the USA to SanWild to stay for two weeks. We had high hopes for seeing and working with some of the larger animals known to live at the sanctuary and on the reserve. This trip far exceeded our expectations!
While it was a long travel distance, the two weeks we spent here at the SanWild Sanctuary & Reserve made that all worthwhile. Upon arrival, we were welcomed like family, checked in, and immediately shown to our tents. The accommodations were rustic, but fit the experience nicely. The food was tasty and varied. A bar held anything you might like, and rooms and clothes were cleaned regularly. All the staff were very friendly, but the real stars of our experience were the animals.
A mature rescued cheetah, the five lions who liked to roar at us, each other, and the two nearby hyenas - as well as all the giraffes, kudus, impalas, elephants, rhinos, zebras, monkeys, and more, we observed as we drove around the sanctuary in our safari vehicle. I think the highlight of my stay was working alongside the vet and sanctuary rangers to dart the hyenas and two lions. We then carried them out of their fenced areas and moved them to new enclosures that allowed them more space to roam and live authentically. The opportunity to see up close their teeth, paws, claws, and bodies was an incredible experience.
We took part in numerous game drives, checked security fences, fed animals, cleaned out water holes, cleared a tree that had fallen overnight, monitored security cameras, and built a shelter for the lions. These were all experiences that made us feel part of things. The sanctuary rangers were very patient and took time to answer questions, identified what tracks we saw belonged to which animal, and talked about their lives in South Africa.
We also enjoyed a couple of bush braais, explored an old gold mine, and took a walk with Zyla, the rescued cheetah, as she went out searching for food. It was definitely an experience of a lifetime! Later in the afternoon, when our day was over and the sun was going down, we sat out on the lodge’s expansive deck overlooking a water hole with a cocktail in hand, and we watched elephants, zebras, impalas, and more come to the nearby water hole to drink.
On weekends, it was our time, and the SanWild team set it up for us to visit an animal rehab facility, an elephant sanctuary, and Kruger National Park. I like more adventurous experiences, and this lived up to that. We could get as involved as we wanted, but if you go, wear old clothes and expect to get dirty. It will all be worth it!
Looking to volunteer at a reserve or sanctuary in Africa? Head over to the SanWild Sanctuary & Reserve or the Volunteer in Africa page today and begin your adventure!
