Enhance your resume and gain experience working with wildlife as you complete an internship on a South African ranch that si home to over 90 species of animals! Learn to take care of animals, both big and small, on a wild adventure of a lifetime.
Your Schedule at a Glance (Minimum two-week commitment):
Arrival Day, Monday: Arrive at George Airport (GRJ). You will be picked up at the airport and taken to your accommodation in Oudtshoorn. Spend the day settling into your new home and getting to know the Oudtshoorn area.
Days 1-4, Tuesday-Friday: Interns spend three days a week shadowing staff and learning about the animals at the ranch from onsite professionals. The other two days interns join the volunteers as they feed, care for, maintain enclosures and participate in the training of the animals. All five days can be counted towards your total hours of internship.
Days 5-6, Saturday-Sunday: Your weekends are free to rest and enjoy your life in Africa. Take a trip through the Swartberg pass and experience the magnificent views from the Swartberg Mountains or visit some Ostrich farms in the Ostrich capital of the world!
Remaining Weeks: The remaining weeks will follow a similar schedule of doing your internship Monday-Friday and having Saturday-Sunday off. Use your weekends to visit the Cango Caves or take a scenic trip down the Garden Route on your weekends. Hiking, canoe trips and safari’s are also on the list of opportunities that you have to enjoy during your time off in South Africa. Departures are on a Mon
Click to see the regular volunteer program option.
- Tailor-made internship crafted to your needs and university requirements
- Work in an area of research that is most appropriate for you
- Shadow and work one-on-one with a staff member
- Ethical wildlife volunteer tasks and interactions
- Be included in veterinary procedures that may be performed during your stay
- Gain new skills as you participate in tasks such as training and enrichment programs
Your Schedule at a Glance (Minimum two-week commitment):
Arrival Day, Monday: Arrive at George Airport (GRJ). You will be picked up at the airport and taken to your accommodation in Oudtshoorn. Spend the day settling into your new home and getting to know the Oudtshoorn area.
Days 1-4, Tuesday-Friday: Interns spend three days a week shadowing staff and learning about the animals at the ranch from onsite professionals. The other two days interns join the volunteers as they feed, care for, maintain enclosures and participate in the training of the animals. All five days can be counted towards your total hours of internship.
Days 5-6, Saturday-Sunday: Your weekends are free to rest and enjoy your life in Africa. Take a trip through the Swartberg pass and experience the magnificent views from the Swartberg Mountains or visit some Ostrich farms in the Ostrich capital of the world!
Remaining Weeks: The remaining weeks will follow a similar schedule of doing your internship Monday-Friday and having Saturday-Sunday off. Use your weekends to visit the Cango Caves or take a scenic trip down the Garden Route on your weekends. Hiking, canoe trips and safari’s are also on the list of opportunities that you have to enjoy during your time off in South Africa. Departures are on a Mon
Click to see the regular volunteer program option.
Location of the Project:
Oudtshoorn, Western Cape, South Africa
Project length:
Min 2 weeks - Max 12 weeks
Arrival Airport:
George Airport (GRJ)
Volunteer Work:
Wildlife Care, Research and Maintenance
Age:
Minimum age of 18
Number of Volunteers:
Up to 3 international interns
Important Note:
To receive the maximum benefit from your internship, a minimum stay of six weeks is highly recommended.
What's Included
Accommodations:
Shared rooms in a luxurious volunteer lodge
Food:
Self-serve breakfast and lunch and dinners are provided on weekdays.
Airport Transfers:
Airport transfers are provided on both arrival and departure days.
Orientation:
Orientation is provided upon arrival and includes a tour of the area and time for shopping
Support:
Comprehensive and professional pre-departure travel guidance, 24/7 GoEco emergency hotline, experienced local field team.
What's not Included
Flights, visas (if required), travel health insurance, weekend meals, personal expenses
The Western Cape is home to South Africa’s most popular tourist destinations, including Cape Town and the scenic wonder that is Table Mountain. The historically-significant Robben Island is also a part of the Western Cape.
This project is located in the town of Oudtshoorn in the Western Cape, located at the base of the Swartberg Mountains. In addition to a beautiful view, Oudtshoorn has a fun atmosphere, with its large tourist population and its ostrich farms.
This project is located in the town of Oudtshoorn in the Western Cape, located at the base of the Swartberg Mountains. In addition to a beautiful view, Oudtshoorn has a fun atmosphere, with its large tourist population and its ostrich farms.
This ranch is home to over 90 endangered animal species, from reptiles to large carnivores and everything in between. The ranch’s staff work diligently to care for a number of endangered ambassador animals. In doing so, they have created a platform for conservation through education, to encourage public awareness of the plights of various species as well as environmental issues. This has earned them a WAZA (World Association of Zoos & Aquaria) institutional membership. The Ranch is one of only six institutions in Africa to become a member of this esteemed association.
This program is open to all types of interns, with or without previous veterinary experience, who are looking for a broad experience in animal husbandry, training, caretaking and an introduction to veterinary work. You will have the opportunity to be up close and personal with the resident wild animals while ensuring their wellbeing through the Ranch’s conservation efforts.
This internship is flexible and can be shaped to fit each interns’ specific requirements. Depending on your university’s specific internship requirements, additional tasks can be performed.
There are two options for interns:
Please note: The Ranch does not have an on-site veterinarian; however, our on-call veterinarian has enabled past university students to shadow him during surgery and procedures. Should there be medical procedures, our on-call vet will be sure to teach you all you can think to ask!
The majority of your work on this internship revolves around caring for resident animals. When any medical procedures are required on-site, interns are always included. Kindly note that this is reliant on safety and space requirements.
Daily tasks include:
Sample Schedule:
Interns typically work from 08:00- 16:30, with breaks for meals.
An intern will shadow our animal curators for three days of the week, being exposed to the dedicated care of each species-specific professional. The other two days they will partake in the daily volunteer program to assist us in accomplishing the best possible care and environments for our animals. Schedules can vary depending on the hours required by your degree program – but requirements must be communicated ahead of arrival.
Kindly note: Interns working towards accumulating specific hours should note that all 5 days of work will count towards your total.
This program is open to all types of interns, with or without previous veterinary experience, who are looking for a broad experience in animal husbandry, training, caretaking and an introduction to veterinary work. You will have the opportunity to be up close and personal with the resident wild animals while ensuring their wellbeing through the Ranch’s conservation efforts.
This internship is flexible and can be shaped to fit each interns’ specific requirements. Depending on your university’s specific internship requirements, additional tasks can be performed.
There are two options for interns:
- Those who simply want to shadow and work with our curators on a day to day basis with the various animals
- Those who require specific research topics and/or specific assignments. Should this be you, please communicate your assignment requests to us in advance for approval.
Please note: The Ranch does not have an on-site veterinarian; however, our on-call veterinarian has enabled past university students to shadow him during surgery and procedures. Should there be medical procedures, our on-call vet will be sure to teach you all you can think to ask!
The majority of your work on this internship revolves around caring for resident animals. When any medical procedures are required on-site, interns are always included. Kindly note that this is reliant on safety and space requirements.
Daily tasks include:
- Preparing food for the animals
- Feeding animals
- Enclosure maintenance and cleaning
- Animal training
- Partaking in animal enrichment activities
- Some evenings interns assist in helping our animals to their night quarters
Sample Schedule:
Interns typically work from 08:00- 16:30, with breaks for meals.
An intern will shadow our animal curators for three days of the week, being exposed to the dedicated care of each species-specific professional. The other two days they will partake in the daily volunteer program to assist us in accomplishing the best possible care and environments for our animals. Schedules can vary depending on the hours required by your degree program – but requirements must be communicated ahead of arrival.
Kindly note: Interns working towards accumulating specific hours should note that all 5 days of work will count towards your total.
Internet:
WiFi is available for use at the lodge.
Laundry:
There is a washing machine, ironing board and iron available for you to use free of charge.
Accommodations:
Interns will stay in shared rooms in a luxurious lodge that contains a garden, pool and barbeque area, luxury en suite accommodation, under floor heating in winter, entertainment area, DSTV and Wifi access.
Food:
Basic breakfast ingredients are supplied at the lodge, as well as daily items such as tea, coffee, sugar, herbs & spices, fruit, cereal, milk and bread, spreads, sauces etc. Lunch is provided during your placement from the Ranch restaurant and dinner is prepared for you by the lodge manager, who also runs both lodges. When you are not working (Saturday and Sunday) meals are not included. Please note upon registration if you have allergies or special dietary needs.
Please take note of this project's minimum requirements:
- Basic level of English
- Love for animals
There are a number of restaurants and bars in Oudtshoorn; however, for the more adventurous traveler, a few must-visit sights are listed below:
Cango Caves
Located in Oudtshoorn are the magnificent Cango Caves. These caves were formed from Precambrian limestone and contain paintings and artifacts that date back to the Stone ages. These are the most popular caves in all of South Africa and are certainly worth a visit!
Rust-en-Vrede Waterfall
For the volunteers who love hiking and experiencing the beauty of nature, a hike to this waterfall should be on the “To-Do” list.
Table Mountain National Park
Also located in the Western Cape is the famous Table Mountain National Park that consists of the iconic rock formation as well as various hiking trails. Indigenous African penguins can also be spotted here. Table Mountain is approximately five hours from Oudtshoorn by car.
Add on our eight-day Garden Route Road Trip to enhance your South Africa experience!
Cango Caves
Located in Oudtshoorn are the magnificent Cango Caves. These caves were formed from Precambrian limestone and contain paintings and artifacts that date back to the Stone ages. These are the most popular caves in all of South Africa and are certainly worth a visit!
Rust-en-Vrede Waterfall
For the volunteers who love hiking and experiencing the beauty of nature, a hike to this waterfall should be on the “To-Do” list.
Table Mountain National Park
Also located in the Western Cape is the famous Table Mountain National Park that consists of the iconic rock formation as well as various hiking trails. Indigenous African penguins can also be spotted here. Table Mountain is approximately five hours from Oudtshoorn by car.
Add on our eight-day Garden Route Road Trip to enhance your South Africa experience!
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