The Location
Located in the southeastern reaches of Kenya near the Tanzanian border, Tsavo National Park spans more than 5.5 million acres, making it the Kenya’s largest and, some say, wildest preserve. Our predator project is located just outside the western portion of the park, considered the more scenic half due to its dramatic landscape ranging from swamps and natural springs to volcanic hills and wide-open savannas.

The Situation
Along with breathtaking scenery, Tsavo West and the surrounding region is home to one of the world’s most important remaining lion populations—and one of the most threatened. The deterioration of predators in Africa is due to a variety of factors, but the principal one is human encroachment. As humans have spread across the African landscape, so have their livestock. The livestock then overgraze, causing the number of wild grazers such as zebra and wildebeest to plummet. Less wild prey forces predators to hunt cattle and other livestock, which causes livestock owners to resort to spearing or poisoning these predators to protect their livelihoods. According to researchers, if these practices continue at the current rate, lions and other predators in this area could face extinction.

What's Being Done
This goal of the Wild Predator Project is to help preserve a viable predator population in Kenya by fostering a coexistence of people, livestock and predators in the areas surrounding national parks. The project works with communities to spread awareness of how wildlife preservation leads to sustainable tourism, and therefore local economic growth.

Volunteers on this project will spend their time on both predator research and community development. Through hands-on work and field-staff guidance, volunteers will gain an intimate understanding of the successes and challenges confronting both the lions and other predators around Tsavo West and the local Maasai who inhabit the area.

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 be given a basic introduction to Kenyan culture and the volunteer project.

The next morning your project coordinator will pick you up and transport you to the project base camp, a journey totaling 155 miles and nine hours. Upon arrival at the base camp, you will receive a more comprehensive orientation with detailed information about the project including data collection protocol, do’s and don’ts of camp life, safety precautions, and cultural assimilation.

Transportation:
Volunteer Adventures will arrange the following transportation:

Airport pickup and drop-off at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Nairobi
Transportation to the volunteer base camp just outside Tsavo West National Park
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 a canvas A-frame tent (two people per tent). The camp is equipped with bucket showers and no-flush toilets, a dining and kitchen area, and shaded spots to escape the midday sun. It’s also surrounded by wild African savanna—elephants, hyenas and sometimes lions are known to pass through. There is no electricity at the camp, but there is a small generator for charging cell phones, cameras, etc. 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.