The Location
The African Savanna Project is situated in the pristine 150,000-acre Lubombo Conservancy of northeastern Swaziland. Considered Swaziland’s big-game capital, it contains lions, rhinos, elephants, leopards, giraffes and other large game, as well as various species of birds. Much of the area’s plant life is unique to Swaziland. The conservancy is part of a distinctive consortium of protected areas along the borders of Swaziland, South Africa and Mozambique that includes two elephant reserves.

The Situation
Savanna is the most widespread African ecosystems and supports much of the continent’s wildlife. But land management and climate change are causing drastic changes within these ecosystems. There is a pressing need to better understand the ecology of African savannas and their threatened species in order to be able to manage and conserve them. The African Savanna Project is an attempt to meet this need in a sustainable way while offering life-changing experiences for volunteers.

What's Being Done
Our partner organization in Swaziland manages a team of researchers whose mission is to better understand the changing wildlife patterns in the conservancy, and come up with plans to preserve its unique habitat.

What You Can Do
Volunteers will work in a national park containing big African game, camping in tents at night and cooking on open fires. You will learn hands-on wildlife research and conservation management techniques and also help forge new ground in understanding the ecology of African savannas and their threatened species.

Airport Pickup and Orientation:
You should fly into Johannesburg, South Africa, and from there either take a bus to Swaziland or catch a connecting flight to Manzini International Airport in Swaziland. A staff member will pick you up and drive you to the project. The bus leaves Johannesburg for Swaziland on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays. It will pick you up from almost any backpacker hostel in Johannesburg and drop you at our partner organization’s doorstep. You will receive an in-depth orientation that will last several days. During this time, you will meet the staff and learn about Swaziland and your responsibilities as a volunteer.

Transportation:
Volunteer Adventures will provide transportation for the following:
Airport pickup at Manzini International Airport
Transportation to project site in Lubombo Conservancy
Local transportation at project locations

Accommodations:
As a volunteer at the reserve, you will be staying primarily in canvass dome tents at the bush camp. You will have access to a same-sex bathroom and shower with hot running water. There is a central barbeque pit with a shelter where volunteers can socialize.

Meals:
Cooking responsibilities alternate between volunteers.

In-Country Support:
We work directly with our partner organization to provide support during your time in Swaziland. A 24-hour support team will be there to assist and instruct volunteers during their stay. There are also trained field guides at the camp that can help you with any problems or concerns.

Additional Activities and Excursions:
Swaziland is ideal for walking, mountain biking, horseback riding and kayaking. There are also organized trips volunteers can enjoy, such as hiking around Drakensberg and trips to Kruger Park and the beaches of Mozambique. Other places of interest include: Sibebe rock (the world’s largest exposed granite dome), the Gap (where the entire Komati River disappears underground in a natural rock fissure), the Craft Route (various rural crafts markets in the Ezulwini-Malkerns area), Ngwempisi Gorge, and Rosecraft House on Fire (open air amphitheatre and nightclub).