Jennifer S
Kirtleigh was very easy to talk to, was very patient with our thousands of questions. Planning April 2022 to volunteer with the elephants on the West Coast of Africa!!
90 others looking at this too. Next opening is Aug 2023, with limited spots.
Namibia – an arid country in south western Africa – is a land of extremes.
The coastal desert hugging the coastline is the oldest in the world, littered with shipwrecks, abandoned diamond mines, and rugged animals that have adapted to the harsh climate. The sand dunes here are the highest in the world, giving adrenaline junkies the chance to swap out your snowboard for a sandboard as you send it down the dunes in this novel extreme sport.
On this trip, you’ll be helping wild, roaming herds of elephants and local farmers set up the necessary infrastructure so that farmers and elephants can live in peace together.
Break out of your day-to-day routine and embark on an adventure that will make the world a better place and help you grow as a person.
On this all-inclusive volunteer trip, not only do you get to live and volunteer with a trusted partner organisation in Namibia. When you go with Global, you get:
Can you picture it? You’ve spent the last few days roaming the Namibian bush, patrolling for elusive elephants in the process. You now understand how camouflage in nature works. You’ve seen a fully grown bull elephant melt into the bush and disappear mere metres away.
You’re camping wild, sleeping under the stars. Namibia’s remote location and minimal light pollution means the stargazing is the best you’ve ever seen. You fall asleep every night under the soft glow of the Milky Way, with an endless stream of shooting stars putting on a bed time show.
For most people, being this immersed in the African bush is a bucket-list experience.
Although most people don’t get the chance to experience something like this. Helping the local community live peacefully with herds of wild elephants is a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
And when you book with Global, you book with the best. You get the full experience for a fraction of the hassle. Your volunteer placement and accommodation is sorted before you leave, so you know exactly what you’re getting into.
Get your visa approved as cheap and easy as possible with advice and assistance from your Trip Coordinator.
Gain access to an ever-growing range of skills & languages to learn before & whilst you travel.
To qualify for this trip you must meet the following requirements:
Chat with us online now, or we can call you back for free, 24 hours Mon-Fri.
Our Elephant Conservation & Helping Local Farmers in Africa trip is designed to get you volunteering overseas in a safe and fun environment and with a genuine and rewarding purpose. Our expert team and local partners take care of everything you need to start making a positive impact, from volunteer placement, accommodation, meals and ongoing support throughout your entire journey.
Whether you’re doing gap year volunteering or taking a volunteering holiday from work, you’ll arrive in Africa with the confidence that absolutely everything has been pre-arranged for you. You’ll be able to jump straight into your volunteer duties and start making new friends with all the logistical details sorted, from airport transfers to project site accommodation.
Channel all your energy into immersing yourself in your volunteer placement, as well as taking time to get to know the local area on your days off. Experience desert living, sandboard through the million-year-old sand dunes and get the chance to see Africa's unique wildlife in their natural habitat instead of sweating the logistical stuff - that’s exactly why we’re here. Feel confident and proud you are contributing much-needed help to a meaningful cause and save yourself the time, money and even the risk of being stranded in a foreign country by having us on your side. Make your time count on this life-changing opportunity to volunteer in Africa and arrive home knowing you've made a lasting and positive impact on the lives of desert elephants and local farmers.
To qualify for this trip, you must be able to undertake laborious duties.
Flights, travel insurance, airport transfer, initial & last night accommodation, visa, vaccinations, criminal background check, souvenirs & spending money.
Elephants are a so-called ‘keystone’ species. Basically, this means they are a critical component to the health of all other plants and animals – and the ecosystem as a whole – in the area they live.
They’re also big and destructive. Something local farmers in Namibia know all too well.
The good news is that the farmers in Namibia are determined to find a compromise. Where they can farm in peace while the elephants roam without destroying crops and farm infrastructure.
This can be a delicate balance, which is why they need your help.
Your first week is construction week. You could find yourself building new water points for elephants, building protective walls around farm windmills, or repairing schools or tourist camps.
This helps the elephants find water without having to go through farm fences or farmhouse walls.
Your second week is generally spent on elephant patrol. You’ll head out in a 4WD in search of elusive elephants. You may have to follow them on foot or sit quietly and observe while they laze about.
This data collection is vital in monitoring the movement of the elephants and preventing any problems well before they occur.
Once you touch down at Walvis Bay or Hosea Kutako International Airport, you’ll be taken straight to your initial accommodation at a hostel in Swakopmund.
Your first week is construction week. During this week you’ll stay in a shared tent at a mobile base camp.
Your second week is all about patrol. So you’ll be camping wild under the impressive Namibian night sky during the portion of your trip.
With your accommodation in Namibia sorted and your volunteer placement organised, what will you do about food?
You’ll be given 3 regular meals every day. The food is cooked over an open fire and will be prepared on a rotation basis.
When you travel with the best we take care of pretty much everything so you don’t have to. You’ll arrive in Costa Rica totally prepared with a plan of action and trusted people helping you along the way.
Our volunteer trips are designed to help you make a real change in critical causes around the world. All while experiencing off-the-beaten-path locations with passionate locals. Our goal is to save you time, money, and stress while eliminating the risk of returning home early. Here’s how we do it:
We’re on your side from the moment you get started.
You’ll be assigned a dedicated Trip Coordinator. They’ll guide you through the next steps and answer all your questions. They’ll also help you with the pesky visa. No guesswork – only the right paperwork, approved the first time, in your hands before you leave.
Your Personal Travel Concierge will help with flights, insurance, and any add-ons you’d like for your trip. These are real humans too – no robots here.
We maintain relationships with a huge network of screened and vetted partner organisations all over the world. We know they’re trustworthy and that you’re in good hands because of all the successful trips Global Travellers keep having with our partners.
Our team is well travelled so you can rely on our experience. We’re with you every step of the way.
Join 75,000+ travellers – giving us 10,000+ 4 & 5 star reviews – by choosing Global to make your travel dreams come true.
Most travellers book their trip 6-12 months in advance. Dates are flexible, but spaces are limited. So if you’re serious about volunteering in Costa Rica, don’t delay.
With our Book Now, Decide Later feature, you can get started with a small deposit today, and take a full year to choose your dates.
We’ll take over from there, helping you with visas, flights, accommodation, and setting you up with our partner in Costa Rica.
This is the trip for you if you’re after the ultimate volunteering experience in Costa Rica, complete with everything you need and 24/7 support.
Click the red button to check dates & prices.
As the world’s leading gap-year and “work & travel” company, we offer you the ability to not only choose from a number of awesome experiences all over the world but, we'll be your support system from the very first moment you become a Global Traveller! We provide a premium service that allows you to pick the destination of your dreams, get our visa & pre-departure assistance, book great flights and organise the perfect travel insurance or tours for when you arrive. Plus, we’ll back it all up with some cool and exclusive tech features that are with you the entire time.
As a Global Traveller, you’ll get exclusive access to gWorld, our personalised app where you can keep all of your important documents and trip details in one spot and gain insider access to everything Global. This is where you will find exclusive Marketplace deals for discounts with our brand partners, a unique social network to connect you with other Global Travellers when you’re overseas, access to our Academy with an ever-growing range of skills & languages to learn as you travel, invites to bucket-list side trips with other travellers, local meet-ups and so much more. Think all of your favourite apps merged into one, but like, better?
And it doesn't even stop there. We continue to be there from the moment you land with a dedicated 24/7 emergency team, over 90 staff and ongoing support ensuring that you have the tools you need to feel like a local. That’s why 65,000+ Global Travellers from all over the world have chosen to turn their travel dream into reality with us and we can proudly brag that we’ve got the most & best reviews in the biz!
Covid-19 threw us a curve ball and pretty much halted all travel. This means that we have a backlog of travellers, just like you, who are desperate to get out and explore the world! Global Work & Travel works on a first-in-best-dressed basis. Booking earlier ensures that you don’t miss out on the best intake, season, placements and more! We recommend our travellers take 6-12 months to plan their trip for a reason - to make sure you’ve got everything organised perfectly, stress-free.
As a Global Traveller you’ll get exclusive access to gWorld, our personalised app where you can keep all of your important documents and trip details in one spot and gain insider access to everything Global. This is where you will find exclusive Marketplace Deals, a unique social network to connect you with other like-minded Global Travellers, access to our Academy with an ever-growing range of skills & languages, and so much more. Think all of your favourite apps merged into one, but like, better?
Why not give yourself something to look forward to by booking that trip!
Yes you can! Simply tell your Trip Coordinator after booking that your friend is also going and they can link your profiles. For most of our trips we should be able to have you and your friends placed together or nearby. Meaning that you can live, work, play & travel together!
But wait there's more! Not only can you travel the world with your besties at your side, you can also earn some extra cash towards your own trip just by referring your friends to Global Work & Travel. You can learn more about the great referral rewards program inside your gWorld account once you join.
And for those who decide to go-it-solo, we’ve made it easier to meet other Global Travellers in the same region as you. Just like any other social platform, you’ll be able to interact, share, chat and meet with some really cool people who are doing trips just like you!
If you have to make any changes to your departure date, you’re protected with our Lifetime Deposit Guarantee and our Ultimate Corona Booking Flexibility. With this, we will change your trip dates for free. If this doesn’t fit around you and you can’t go on your trip anymore, we will give you a 100% refund in the form of a Trip Credit with us (See terms). If you’re unable to use it, you can also transfer that credit to someone else for them to put towards any trip too.
If you’re affected by Covid-19 while you’re overseas, you will have all the support you need from our team or partners in-country as well as have access to our 24/7 Global Emergency Line. We recommend travellers purchase Global Travel Cover travel insurance that provides Covid-19 medical protection too.
As border restrictions for countries begin to ease, being fully vaccinated will maximise the number of locations you can visit. So while you are not legally required to be vaccinated, and it’s also not a requirement to travel with us, it will limit some of the countries that you can visit and may make it harder to travel through over the next 12-18 months. We highly recommend our travellers look at the current travel restrictions of their destination, speak with a medical professional or get in touch with our team for travel advice.
Our Ultimate Corona Booking Flexibility means you can change your trip’s start date up to 84* days before departure without incurring any charges when you rebook it for any time (or even any other trip) in the next 2 years from your original start date.
In the event that you want to cancel your booking altogether, if you give us over 84* days notice you can do so with only a 50% cancellation fee. Your refund of the balance will come in the form of a Store Credit which you can put towards booking absolutely anything travel related with your Travel Concierge within the next 2 years!
*Some select trips excluded, including Teach (Spain, Italy & Czech Republic) and USA (Summer Camp, Working Holiday and Hotel Professional), and others as listed in Booking Conditions.
Find your dream experience & destination, then secure your spot with a flexible & low deposit. Activate your gWorld to unlock some cool perks. Well done! The hardest part’s over!
Book a time to meet your dedicated Trip Coordinator who knows all the ins & outs of your trip. They’ll be by your side and working behind-the-scenes to pull everything together.
We’ll get your tickets, accommodation & transfers ready. Our in-country team or partner will have everything prepared & waiting for your arrival. Get on the plane with no worries!
Never stress, knowing we’re there with you when you need us with ongoing & unlimited local team support and check-ins. And just in case, we’ve got an emergency team on stand-by, 24/7.
Find your dream experience & destination, then secure your spot with a flexible & low deposit. Activate your gWorld to unlock some cool perks. Well done! The hardest part’s over!
Book a time to meet your dedicated Trip Coordinator who knows all the ins & outs of your trip. They’ll be by your side and working behind-the-scenes to pull everything together.
We’ll get your tickets, accommodation & transfers ready. Our in-country team or partner will have everything prepared & waiting for your arrival. Get on the plane with no worries!
Never stress, knowing we’re there with you when you need us with ongoing & unlimited local team support and check-ins. And just in case, we’ve got an emergency team on stand-by, 24/7.
The unexpected can happen sometimes. Can't travel right now? Swap your trip, gift it or save it for later with our Lifetime Deposit Guarantee.
Know that someone is always ready to assist throughout the journey & they’re only a call, tweet, comment, text or double tap away, 24/7.
With over 10 years in the industry and a team of over 90 passionate pros, you can bet we know our stuff better than anyone else.
We have over 1,200 partners around the globe, so we have access to plenty of exclusive opportunities to make your trip the best it can be.
The unexpected can happen sometimes. Can't travel right now? Swap your trip, gift it or save it for later with our Lifetime Deposit Guarantee.
Know that someone is always ready to assist throughout the journey & they’re only a call, tweet, comment, text or double tap away, 24/7.
With over 10 years in the industry and a team of over 90 passionate pros, you can bet we know our stuff better than anyone else.
We have over 1,200 partners around the globe, so we have access to plenty of exclusive opportunities to make your trip the best it can be.