|  The Location
Located in the southern reaches of Kenya, near the Tanzanian border, Amboseli National Reserve is the country’s second most popular wildlife park (Masai Mara is the first). Travelers and safari-goers are drawn to Amboseli for its wide range of wildlife and spectacular vistas of Africa’s largest peak, 19,563-foot Mt. Killimanjaro. The 151-square-mile reserve is relatively small, but packs a punch when it comes to fauna, including buffaloes, lions, gazelles, cheetahs, wildebeests, hyenas, jackals, warthogs, zebras, giraffes, baboons, and of course, elephants. But like most of Africa’s wildlife parks, Amboseli faces challenges.
The Situation
In 2005, Amboseli came into the conservation limelight when it was downgraded from a national park to a national reserve, which transferred control of the park from the Kenya Wildlife Society to the local Maasai community. This decision has been uplifting for the Maasai, enabling them to prosper from tourism, but it could also prove ecologically detrimental if the wildlife and tourism surrounding it go unmonitored.
Losing over half of its population to poachers in the 1970s and 80s, Africa’s elephant population continues to be threatened by habitat loss, food shortage and liberal hunting practices. The animals often resort to foraging through farmland that surrounds protected wildlife areas, especially during periods of drought. In doing so, they can destroy a farmer’s livelihood overnight, and local farmers often hunt elephants to preserve their crops.
 What's Being Done
Our partner organization believes the best way to preserve the threatened elephant population in the area surrounding Amboseli is to not only closely monitor animal behavior, but also focus on community development and conservation education. They believe it’s essential to spread awareness and knowledge of how wildlife preservation leads to sustainable tourism, and therefore local economic growth.
Volunteers on the Amboseli Elephant Conservation Project will be based at the Maasai community campsite and will spend their time between elephant/wildlife research and community development. Through hard work and field-staff guidance, you will gain an intimate understanding of the successes and challenges confronting the Amboseli area and the local Maasai who live in wildlife territory.
Airport Pickup and Orientation:
After arrival at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Nairobi, you will be picked up by a representative from the Kenya Comfort Hotel and transferred to your lodging. Upon arrival at the hotel, you will take part in a basic orientation that will familiarize you with Kenyan culture and customary behavior in Nairobi, and give you a brief introduction to the volunteer project.
The next morning your project coordinator will pick you up and transport you to the project base camp (a 155-mile, nine-hour journey). Upon your arrival at the base camp, volunteers will receive a more comprehensive orientation session that will provide you with detailed information about the project and what the work will entail, data collection protocol, do’s and don’ts of camp life, safety precautions, and cultural assimilation.
 Transportation:
Volunteer Adventures will arrange transportation for the following:
 Airport pickup and drop-off at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Nairobi
Transportation to the volunteer base camp just outside Amboseli National Reserve
Local transportation between the camp and the nearby town of Loitoktok for weekly supply runs
Accommodations:
Volunteers will stay at a rustic, yet scenic camp in one of the canvas A-frame tents (two people per tent). The camp is equipped with bucket showers and latrine-style toilets, a dining and kitchen area, and shaded spots to escape the mid-day sun. There is no electricity at the camp, but there is cell phone service.
In-Country Support:
We work directly with our partner organization to provide support during your time in Kenya. You can expect help from project coordinators, field guides, fellow volunteers, and the staff of both Volunteer Adventures and our partner organization. We also provide a 24-hour cell phone number for emergencies.
Additional Activities and Excursions:
If you have free time during or after your volunteer stay, you will have the opportunity to take part in the following excursions to some of the other spectacular spots in Kenya at your own cost:
Climb Mt. Kilimanjaro (minimum 7 days)
Wildlife
safari in renowned Masai Mara (4 days/3 nights)
Please inquire for excursion pricing and any additional Information. |
