
Volunteer at Chimp Eden - The Jane Goodall Institute and help care for our closest living relatives, chimpanzees!
Below is an example of a 12-night itinerary, though please note some activities may be subject to change depending on the needs of the sanctuary. For those looking for a shorter stay, we have a 7-night option available for select start dates: Chimp Eden - 7-Night Itinerary.
You will stay in the newly renovated volunteer village within the sanctuary. Rooms are offered on a twin-share same-sex basis (except for couples), or you can pay a single supplement of £100 per week to have your own room. Each room features a private ensuite bathroom with hot water and a Western-style toilet. The rooms are equipped with essential amenities, including plug sockets, a fan, fresh bed linen, and a towel, ensuring a comfortable stay. The volunteer village also has a cosy lounge area and a boma area with a fire pit for relaxing and socialising. Laundry facilities and Wi-Fi are also available free of charge.
Three meals a day are included and eaten in a unique setting, as the dining area overlooks one of the chimpanzee enclosures! Dining with a view, you'll observe the chimps and watch them interact while you enjoy your meal. Lunch and dinner will be freshly prepared for you (dietary requirements can be catered for), while breakfast will include a selection of cereals, bread with spreads, yoghurt, and fresh fruit. You'll also have a chance to experience a traditional African Braai (BBQ) and visit local shops to pick up extra drinks and snacks, which you can store in the convenient kitchenette within the volunteer village.
As this project is based at a sanctuary, the chimps are here year-round, so the only thing that may impact when you choose to volunteer is the weather:
November – February: This is the hottest time of year, with average temperatures reaching highs of around 33°C (91°F) and lows of roughly 19°C (66°F), but it is also the wettest time of year, although mostly with quick bursts of rain in the afternoons.
March – October: There is varying weather throughout this period, with March to May and September to October being perhaps the most comfortable times of year to volunteer, with daytime temperatures averaging around 29°C (84°F) before dropping to roughly 13°C (55°F) in the evening, and minimal rainfall during this period. June - August is considered winter and sees daytime temperatures range between 26-28°C (78-82°F) with lows of around 11°C (52°F). This is the driest time of year and is great for wildlife viewing and other excursions.
You will need to book a flight arriving into Kruger Mpumalanga International Airport (MQP) on your project start date. You will then be met in the arrivals hall and take a private transfer to the sanctuary, which takes approximately 40 minutes.
Most countries, including the UK, USA, Canada, Australia, and the majority of EU nations, do not require a visa to enter South Africa and are granted entry for up to 90 days upon arrival. To be allowed entry, you must have a passport with at least 2 blank pages for the immigration officials to use, and it must be valid for at least 6 months from the date of entry into the country.
If you're unsure about your specific visa requirements, we recommend contacting the South African embassy in your home country at least two months before your trip. It's important to note that obtaining a visa, should one be required, is your own responsibility.
No specific skills or prior experience are required, but the activities involve some construction and maintenance work; therefore, a moderate level of fitness is recommended. The most important thing is to arrive with a positive attitude and a willingness to work as a team.
To volunteer on this project, you must provide negative test results to show you do not have Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C or HIV. (There is an at-home test that provides the results for all three in one test.) You must also either be vaccinated against Tuberculosis or have a negative test result showing you do not have it prior to arrival. These are ESSENTIAL, as without them, you will be unable to join the project, and all test results must be dated within 12 months of your start date.
We are often asked if volunteers will have the opportunity to touch or interact directly with the chimpanzees during this project. The answer is no, and there are important reasons behind this policy.
Chimpanzees share 98.8% of their DNA with humans, making them highly vulnerable to human-borne illnesses, many of which can be far more severe for chimps than for us. Protecting their health is a top priority. Additionally, frequent changes in personnel - due to volunteers rotating every one to four weeks - would create an unstable environment for the chimps, potentially causing stress and harming their well-being.
Finally, it’s important to remember that chimpanzees are incredibly strong, far surpassing the physical strength of an adult human. A no-contact policy ensures the chimps’ safety and your own. This approach prioritises their health, emotional stability, and the safety of everyone involved.
Discover how you can make a difference in a sanctuary of second chances! From daily feeding and enrichment activities to a game drive in Kruger National Park, the Chimp Eden experience is a whirlwind of wildlife, culture, and memory-making moments.
Join Phil and Angie as they explore what it means to be a volunteer at Chimp Eden. From learning the ins and outs of chimp behaviour and rehabilitation to experiencing the South African classics, including braais and safaris, enjoy a window into life at Chimp Eden!
UPDATE | Aug 2025
At 81 years old, earning him the title of the world's oldest chimpanzee, Joao shows no signs of slowing down. Here he is climbing the tallest tree in the camp! Staff and volunteers were amazed to see that he is still strong and confident in his abilities to outmanoeuvre his younger troop mates.
UPDATE | Jul 2025
Volunteers have been extra generous, not only giving their time and hard work but also bringing with them some extra treats for the chimps, along with PPE for staff. We can't wait to see the chimps given these great donation items as part of their enrichment!
NEWS | Jul 2025
On World Chimpanzee Day 2025, we honour the species that taught us so much about ourselves. Learn how you can support their future before it’s too late!
I was doing 2 weeks volunteering in Chimp Eden in august 2025. My days was filled with preparing nutritious meals, creating enrichment activities that reignite natural instincts, assisting with enclosure improvements, or observing Chimp behaviour and much more. Evenings were free time.. I had great game drive in Kruger national park, see so much animals and had fun day. Chimps❤️, especially Cozy group 2 and Mowgli group 1 steal my attention and heart. But of course everyone had own personality and great to watch... Staff were so friendly, nice, helping and it was good to work with them volunteers all were so nice, friendly, great and we had so good time there Our guide Niamh was so great teaching, guiding and helping... I had so great 2 weeks. I had the most amazing time ever…Best volunteering place I have ever been. Missing that already… What amazing memories i got that i will remember the rest of my life❤️
It was an awesome life changing experience! The chimps had a rough life before being rescued and now living their best life at Chimp Eden. All the Chimp Eden staff were wonderful to work along side with. It is very evident that they really care about giving the Chimps the best life possible. Our volunteer coordinator Niamh was excellent. We accomplished a lot of projects to enrich the Chimps lives. We added more swings and hammocks to their habitats as well as lots of fun daily enrichment. We had a wonderful cook, Promise, who also took care of our rooms. I learned a lot about Chimps. It was an awesome experience. I would highly recommend this project.
The most amazing 2 weeks!! I could not recommend this volunteer project more! Each day was so much fun, and we got to see the chimps everyday. It was so rewarding to see enrichment that we made in previous days be used and enjoyed by the chimps. All the staff were amazing, especially Promise, who made us brilliant food. I was lucky enough to have Niamh run my project for a second time, and she was fantastic once again. She always made sure we knew what we were doing and kept us organised. You also get the amazing experience of doing a sunrise safari on the weekend which really topped off the whole experience, it was so lovely to see the big 5 in the wild. If you have the opportunity to volunteer here I would definitely do it!!