Volunteer Abroad Zambia: Lusaka Elephant Conser­va­tion

To participate in this volunteer project, you must be at least 18 years old and have solid English skills to be able to communicate with your team and team leaders. Being interested in species conservation, eager to learn, open-minded and flexible are very important. It is also important that you are physically fit due to the physical work and sometimes unusual climatic conditions. Therefore, we ask you to submit a medical certificate of your state of health. It is also obligatory to take out an international health insurance before the start of your journey. Last but not least, you will need to obtain a visa and submit various documents, including your passport and curriculum vitae.

If you want to volunteer in Zambia, you need a 30-day business visa. A simple tourist visa is not sufficient. You can apply for a business visa for a fee of $US50 at a Zambian embassy prior to your trip. Otherwise, it is possible to obtain a business visa upon arrival at Kenneth Kaunda International Airport and upon presentation of a letter of introduction from our partner. Our partner organisation in Zambia will create the necessary documents for you which you must present at the embassy or at the airport.
The Natucate team will be happy to provide you with detailed information.

We at Natucate will secure you a spot in the project and provide you with comprehensive support during your travel preparations. We can advise you on the choice of travel insurance, help you book your flight, assist you in obtaining your visa (including the necessary documents) and are always available to answer any questions you may have. In addition, you will receive sufficient information material before your departure and can reach us 24/7 during your project stay.

On site, the programme fee covers all project-related transfers (incl. airport transfer), meals (incl. water, tea, coffee) and accommodation during the project period. You will receive project-specific equipment, two work shirts and will be instructed and supervised by experienced staff. Entrance to Lusaka National Park is also included. Excluded from the price are the return flight, fees for a visa, costs for travel insurance, additional drinks and snacks as well as other personal expenses (e.g. souvenirs, personal travel etc.).

If you travel directly from Germany to Zambia, no special vaccinations have to be carried out in advance. However, it is always advisable to be vaccinated against measles mumps rubella, tetanus, diphtheria, whooping cough, polio, hepatitis A and B, typhoid fever, rabies and perhaps even Yellow Fever. You should also pack a sufficient amount of medication that you have to take daily (if necessary). Another important issue is malaria and appropriate medication – as Zambia is a malaria country. Various prophylactic measures exist to prevent malaria.

Before starting your journey, be sure to seek advice from your doctor about possible dangers, vaccinations and protection options for Zambia. Institutions such as your country’s foreign office or the CDC can also provide you with comprehensive travel and safety information. Should you be chronically affected (e.g. diabetes, asthma, epilepsy), we ask you to inform us and our partner in advance. You should also take your own small first-aid kit with you which includes plasters, electrolytes, antihistamines as well as medication against diarrhoea, (head) pain and travel sickness. Before participating in the project, it is mandatory to obtain travel health insurance for the duration of your stay.

Pack sturdy shoes, layered clothing and light (long) trousers for the day. You should also bring along a daypack, a 1-litre drinking bottle, head lamp, mosquito repellent and sufficient sunscreen with you. For colder seasons, it is advisable to bring longer clothing, a hat/cap and gloves as well as rainproof clothing (especially in April/May and October/November). Your clothes should be in “bush colours” like beige, khaki, brown etc. Don't forget to pack a small personal first aid kit including personal medication, a torch, binoculars, towels, toiletries, an alarm clock, ziplocks, sunglasses and an adapter. For your leisure time it is advisable to pack a laptop, books, a camera as well as pen and paper. Before your departure you will receive a detailed packing list from us.

Out of respect for the Zambian culture, we ask you to make sure that your clothing is not too revealing. Knees (and shoulders) should always be covered.

Participating in the project is possible for three weeks (22 days).

On the day the project starts you should arrive at Lusaka International Airport between 09:00 AM and 03:30 PM. You will be picked up by an employee and driven to the Elephant Nursery which is around an hour out of town. If you arrive one day (or more days) in advance, you must stay in a guest accommodation booked by you in the city (booked by you) which you need to reach independently from the airport. Our partner’s transfer service will pick you up from your accommodation on the day the project starts.

After a staff member has picked you up from the airport and brought you to the Elephant Nursery, you will have time to settle in, get to know the team and staff, become familiar with the work of our partner and receive important safety and camp rules. On the following day, the actual project work begins for you.

As a volunteer you will be involved in a number of tasks. In advance, we or our partner will try to assign you the tasks in which you are most interested. However, we cannot guarantee that this will work out in each case. The tasks of volunteers usually include preparing the elephants’ milk bottles, boma maintenance, elephant observation studies, community work and carrying out smaller research projects in Lilayi Private Game Reserve and/or Lusaka National Park.

Important: As an ethical species protection project, volunteers are not allowed to have direct contact to the elephants and other wild animals. Only veterinarians and professional animal keepers may touch the animals.

The project can accommodate two volunteer helpers each month. Together with all employees, a maximum of 15 to 20 people will be in camp during the day; at night around 7 people are staying in camp.

During your assignment, you will live directly on the grounds of the Elephant Nursery near Lusaka. You will be accommodated in your own safari tent with a single bed, which is arranged together with the other tents around a central, grassy area. Here you will find a cosy fireplace and a braai area for cooking in the open air - a gas cooker is also available.

Shared sanitary facilities with hot water ensure daily hygiene, particularly beneficial after a long, eventful day on the project.

The camp is simply but functionally equipped. There is a separate lounge and cooking area for the volunteers, where everyone can play an active role. The meals - three per day - are prepared together and ensure a sociable atmosphere.

Electricity is available to a limited extent via a solar system. It is sufficient to provide light and charge small electronic devices such as mobile phones or laptops. As the energy is primarily used for project-related tasks and communication, shortages can occur, especially in bad weather.

With a local SIM card, you can contact family and friends directly from the camp during the day.

Food items will be provided so you and your team can prepare your daily meals together. These items are purchased by your supervisor as part of a so-called "ration run" that takes place each week. You will either accompany this ration run, or you can let your team leader about your food requests. Water, coffee, tea and selected fruit juices will be provided for you in camp.

Yes, considering a vegetarian, vegan or gluten-free diet is possible. Please let us know about it as soon as possible so that our partner has enough time for appropriate arrangements.

The project duration is 22 days, which means that you’ll have two off days. You can also use the evening hours of each working day for your own activities.

On their weekly day off, volunteers typically go to the nearby lodge just down the road within the Lilayi Game Reserve. Here you can have a swim in the pool or enjoy a meal in the restaurant. You can also take walks in the game reserve and, with a bit of luck, spot some animals! You may also have the opportunity to go into Lusaka to watch a movie, go to the cultural village, or do some sightseeing. This is dependent on transportation and typically works out on the day the ration run is done; or when taking a taxi into town.
In the camp itself you can spend the evenings playing card/board games, reading, doing handicrafts etc. So don’t forget to take some leisure items like books, a Kindle, board games etc. with you.

Yes, there are always staff members on site who can help you with questions or problems. You can also reach the Natucate team 24/7.

The programme fee does not only cover accommodation and meals but also the costs for programme-related transfers and park fees. However, those who arrive earlier, would like to have additional snacks or are planning further personal expenses (for souvenirs, travel, etc.) should be prepared financially accordingly. It is advisable to carry a larger amount of US dollars (not older than from 2000), British pounds or euros. These can be exchanged into the local currency Kwacha (ZMW) at the airport (or in the city of Lusaka). It is also advisable to bring a credit card so you can withdraw money in Kwacha from an ATM. It can also be used to pay in most (larger) shops in the city. Furthermore, you should carry an extra sum of about $US100 with you for emergencies.

The best way to be in contact with home while at Lilayi is to get a Zambian SIM card upon arrival. This can be done at the airport or in Lusaka. You will need to purchase a data bundle and can then contact friends and family via WhatsApp, Facebook, e-mail etc. The volunteer supervisor may assist you in setting up your phones. Make sure that your phone is unlocked before coming to Zambia so it can work with a different SIM card.

The weather in Zambia can fluctuate but is usually pleasant. In general, there is a humid-hot season (October until December), a humid-cool season (January until April), a dry-cool season (April until July) and a dry-hot season (August until September). With temperatures of up to 40°C, October is the hottest month. It is characterised by occasional rain showers which occur more and more frequently until December.

Most of the rain falls at the beginning of the year, but by March/April it is steadily decreasing. During a rainfall it can noticeably cool down, but quickly warm up again later on. If you are in Zambia during this time you should be prepared for all temperatures.

From June to August, the Zambian winter months, temperatures can drop to 0°C at night, but climb back up to around 30°C during the day. Warm clothes for the evening/night should therefore not be missing in your luggage.

The consumption of alcohol and other addictive substances is strictly prohibited. Non-compliance with this rule will result in immediate termination of programme participation, with no refund of costs.

At all times there is at least one trained first aider in camp. A first aid and trauma kit is also available on site. As the project location is close to Zambia's capital Lusaka, it takes about 30 minutes to get to the nearest doctor or hospital. Emergency numbers are clearly displayed in the camp for all to see.

In case that friends or family need to reach you due to an emergency situation, Natucate should be contacted first. We will then contact our partner in Zambia immediately.

Yes, the Lusaka Elephant Nursery stay can be combined with the other project location in the Kafue National Park. You can find more information here.