The park was created as a result of the emergency situation of elephants in the surrounding forests. More than 100 years ago there were 400-500 wild animals in the area, in 1994 it was only a single elephant. Recent research has shown that there are about 6 elephants in the forests today.

The park covers about 100 hectares of forest and farmland and is home to the herd of African elephants, ranging in age from 2-21 years old. Care is one of the best in the country. The facilities are world-class and the park follows the concept of ‘free-ranged controlled environment’ as a controlled, yet free and natural environment for the elephants. The herd can move freely on the site. If they are hungry, they can go to their known feeding stations.

Important Information:

• Duration: 1 – 12 Weeks
• Region: Garden Route, South Africa
• Price per person: From 735€ – 3589€
• Included: Transfers, Accommodation, and Volunteer Activities. 

Role of the volunteer

The park does not have the same concept as many parks in Asia: you can not touch the elephants constantly, they wash, feed, etc. Of course, there are these opportunities, but the focus is on the free movement of animals and not on the “standing by” for tourists. Volunteers help with all daily tasks in the elephant park. This includes research, marketing, maintenance of the site, workshops and information events for visitors, education project in a neighboring school, etc.

You support the elephant guides at work, help with medical care (if necessary), clean the elephant beds, prepare the food, and bottle the baby elephants (if a baby is in the park). You can also help with the research, observe the elephant’s behavior, collect data, evaluate it, etc. It can also include night observations and collecting manure and other samples for physiological analysis. Some tasks can involve very long observation periods. So you should be physically fit.

In the park, you have a unique opportunity to get close to the elephants and make personal contact with them. An experience that you will surely never forget! If you are interested in elephants and want to work with them and their protection, this is the project for you.

The working hours

There are no fixed working hours because it always depends on the chosen tasks. An “elephant day” usually begins at 6:30am and ends at 5:30pm. You usually work Monday-Friday, but you may also need to help out on the weekend. If you still want to travel during your time in South Africa, you should do that after working in the park.

Please note that the tasks always depend on the current needs of the park and can vary. So you should be flexible and get involved in different work. The best reward is certainly when the elephants recognize each other after a while and start trusting you!

Starting dates:

2021:

1-Week Program:

3-Week+ Program: 

2022:

1-Week Program:

3-Week Program:

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