$1,415 pp (USD)
2 travelers on Start dateArrival
Arrival
Day 1
Swakopmund
Swakopmund
You will need to arrive at the Skeleton Coast town of Swakopmund by the Sunday before your Volunteer Project begins, at the latest. This will ensure you are in Swakopmund in time for the early evening briefing at A la Mer Guesthouse. This briefing is an important opportunity for you to meet the volunteer program staff and learn about the plans for the following day when the program begins.
Getting to Swakopmund from the airport of your choice is very easy and Naturecrazi can organize a door-to-door service from the airport to your accommodation for you through a reputable transfer company. Airport transfers are at your own cost and should be paid to the driver in cash.
- Main Destination:
- Swakopmund (City)
- Accommodation:
- Hotel Pension A la Mer
- Meals & Drinks:
Day 2
Swakopmund to Base Camp
Swakopmund to Base Camp
We depart Swakopmund at approximately 12 noon and drive to Damaraland. The drive to the desert Base Camp, located in an incredibly beautiful spot on the edge of the Ugab River, takes approximately four hours. Once at camp, we unpack, make dinner, and have a briefing on what to expect over the next two weeks.
- Main Destination:
- Damaraland
- Accommodation:
- Elephant Human Relations Aid Eco Camp
Wildlife in Damaraland
- Meals & Drinks:
Day 3-6
Build Week
Build Week
On Tuesday morning, you pack up what you need for four days, leaving the rest of your belongings safely locked away at Base Camp until you return for the weekend. The volunteer group then heads to the build project site, sets up camp nearby, and begins building the protection wall. Tasks involve laying foundations, collecting sand, rocks and water, mixing cement and building the wall. The build week is sweaty, hard work but the aim is to work as a team so that everyone can make a contribution and do what they are capable of.
You rise early to beat the desert heat and break around midday to enjoy lunch at the camp. After the hottest part of the day, the group heads back to the build site. Then, before you know it, it's time to head back to camp for dinner and a sundowner! Evenings are spent cooking and relaxing around the campfire before heading to bed. Tents are provided, or you can choose to soak up the African night sky by sleeping under the stars.
- Main Destination:
- Damaraland
- Accommodation:
- Budget camping
- Meals & Drinks:
Day 7
Base Camp
Base Camp
On Saturday morning, we pack up our build camp, leaving no trace that we were there, and head back to the Base Camp. Here, you can enjoy a well-deserved shower with an impressive view and a night sleeping in the tree house!
Base Camp is a popular attraction for the local Ugab elephants, with "Mama Afrika" being the biggest herd of twelve elephants. A man-made waterpoint has been built close to the camp, which is regularly frequented by the various Ugab elephant herds. With some luck, the elephants may roam through or past Base Camp during your stay or take a refreshing “shower” in the water. Although usually dry, the Ugab River flowed several times this year, bringing elephant herds and other wildlife species to bask in the water and mud.
- Main Destination:
- Damaraland
- Accommodation:
- Elephant Human Relations Aid Eco Camp
- Meals & Drinks:
Day 8
Brandberg, Uis
Brandberg, Uis
Today, we head to an old mining town in the middle of the desert called Uis. Here, the program staff will stock up on food for patrol week whilst volunteers spend the day relaxing at Basil’s Brandberg Rest Camp, enjoying some food in the restaurant, swimming in the pool and contacting the outside world using the Wi-Fi! After a restful day in Uis, you will head back to Base Camp for the night, and we will have a briefing in the evening to discuss patrol week.
- Main Destination:
- Damaraland
- Accommodation:
- Budget camping
- Meals & Drinks:
Day 9-12
Patrol Week
Patrol Week
On Monday morning, you'll pack the Land Cruisers with only what you need for the week and head off to begin your adventure! This is an incredible experience where you join the program trackers on a (mostly) vehicle-based patrol. During the week, you'll see elephants and record data on births, deaths and new elephants who have arrived in the area. You will record GPS data, update ID shots, and notes about each elephant. You may also be asked to collect elephant dung for data about breeding bulls in the area.
This unique experience is a wonderful reward following all your hard work on Build Week. During patrol, you'll sleep under the stars at a new place every evening. For many volunteers, this is one of the most magical experiences of the project! Aside from your fellow volunteers, it is unlikely that you will see many other people during your patrol week, your only other company being the wildlife! On Thursday afternoon, you return to Base Camp to spend your final night in the desert.
- Main Destination:
- Damaraland
- Accommodation:
- Budget camping
- Meals & Drinks:
Day 13
Return to Swakopmund
Return to Swakopmund
We say our goodbyes to Base Camp and head back to Swakopmund. If you are volunteering for a subsequent two weeks, you also head back to Swakopmund for the weekend and come back out to the desert the following Monday with the new group.
Swakopmund is a quaint, safe town on the coast, surrounded by large sand dunes, and is a great place to spend a few days. There are lots of activities for you to do, including dolphin watching, sky diving, sand boarding and kayaking. There are lots of cafes, interesting shops, restaurants, a few bars and even a cinema! For anyone traveling onward through Namibia, we can help you to plan your trip and recommend the best agents, car hire, and places to stay and see.
- Main Destination:
- Swakopmund (City)
- Accommodation:
- No accommodation (End of tour)
- Meals & Drinks:
