Every day was amazing and full of incredible experiences and new people. The days flew by as we were so busy working on the farm, hanging out and making new friends, and learning about the wildlife in a very hands on manner.

Being on the sanctuary was definitely one of the most amazing things I have ever experienced...I was so excited for so long about this opportunity to bring a dream of mine to fruition, that when the moment finally arrived it didn’t even feel real!

This experience helped me see that I want to relocate to Cape Town, South Africa permanently to teach primary school. I can't wait to go back one day to work with the school again because this was the most amazing experience of my life.

Volunteering for the Diverse Wildlife Sanctuary Project was life-changing! Learning about all the different animals and then getting to work with them was such an enriching experience.

I can honestly say it was a life-changing experience. To work in such close proximity with such glorious animals was a breathtaking experience and changed my life forever.

Over the course of the week I came to see the volunteer house as a home away from home and made tons of new friends, in addition to having a great introduction to Thai culture and tourist attractions.

The night shifts were absolutely magical; if there were turtles to release we would take them to the ocean. This was a very special and beautiful moment, showing the hatchlings their way back home.

The melting pot of different perspectives and personalities that came with so many people from different places being together not only kept my stay in Goa interesting, but it was one of my favorite aspects of my entire trip. I now have friends in eight countries!

Gnarly Troop > Blog

Volunteer Abroad Blog - Experiences and Articles

Recent Volunteer Experiences

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Lisa's Wildlife Rescue Center Experience in Ecuador

Posted By: Lisa F.

Volunteer in Ecuador - Wild Animal Rescue Center

#Wildlife and Animal Conservation,#Ecuador,#South America

If this is not the most rewarding feeling in your life and also the reason to pack your backpack now and move into the Amazon to have the TIME OF YOUR LIFE, I don’t know what is. Okay okay…being able to take care of a baby sloth and other incredibly cute animals you could die for is a great bonus and definitely worth visiting the center too...

Niklas' Experience Teaching in Kenya

Posted By: Niklas

#Africa,#Kenya,#Teach English Abroad,#Volunteer with Children

I really enjoyed the time I had in Kenya, playing with the kids (their favorite game was that I lifted them as high as I can) as well as teaching them the letters of the alphabet or numbers...All in all, I had three of the best weeks ever. I met amazing people and enjoyed every day in kindergarten a lot!

Road Trip China: From Chengdu to Hainan

Posted By: Alissa L.

#Asia,#China,#Volunteer Vacations and Tours

I liked the bamboo raft, and the guy who runs it was very nice and he was very willing to help people take pictures...I really enjoy staying at the oyster farm. I got to go out at night and walk around by the ocean floor at low tide...

Inne's Experience Volunteering in Zanzibar

Posted By: Inne M.

Volunteer in Tanzania - Zanzibar Community Outreach

#Africa,#Tanzania,#Community Aid and Development,#Volunteer with Children

I’m halfway into my second volunteer abroad adventure, this time as a Community Outreach volunteer on the island of Zanzibar, Tanzania. So far it has been an amazing experience! Beautiful. Crazy. Exhausting. Heartwarming. Paradise.

Popular Volunteer Experiences

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Dave's Volunteer Experience in South Africa - Two Weeks in Africa

Posted By: Dave P.

#South Africa,#Wildlife,#Conservation,#Africa,#Wildlife and Animal Conservation

Volunteering in South Africa – Encounters with Great White Sharks

Posted By: Giselle M.

#South Africa,#Marine Conservation,#Africa,#Marine and Coral Reef Conservation

Hard work pays off, and this doesn’t go unnoticed by the amazing crew. I managed to go onto an exclusive boat trip which had less clients on board, giving me more opportunities to capture some great footage of the sharks who displayed incredible activity, breaching around six times in the space of two hours.

Volunteering in Zimbabwe – Gnarly Troop Experience

Posted By: Michele

Leopards Live In Large, Humane, Natural Environments

#Zimbabwe,#Wildlife,#Africa,#Wildlife and Animal Conservation

The African Wildlife Orphanage’s main goal is to care for orphaned or injured animals until they are able to be released back into the wild. If that’s not a viable option, they’re lovingly cared for the rest of their lives. These animals are also used for educating young local children about the creatures that share their environment. Bulawayo is the second largest city in Zimbabwe, so many of the children living there have never had the opportunity to see or touch wild animals.

Volunteering in South Africa – T.I.A. (This is Africa)

Posted By: Margaret-Amelia

#South Africa,#Wildlife,#Conservation,#Africa,#Wildlife and Animal Conservation

The biggest shock for me was when one volunteer mentioned that we had the opportunity to spend the night with a cheetah—Zena was rescued from a family who kept her as a pet and therefore she is unable to regulate her own body temperature. At night, she either sleeps with the project leaders or two volunteers. Sleeping with Zena was like sleeping with a dog-sized cat; she purred, cuddled, and gave kisses.

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Top 8 Volunteer Destinations For Spiritual Volunteers

Posted By: Alisa N.

Take your volunteer experience to the next level by living in spiritual places or within religious communities. By adding in the extra element of spirituality, you can elevate your volunteering as you learn about and participate in rituals and lifestyles that are often very different to your own or perhaps are in line with your beliefs:

Best Alternative Spring Breaks for Students

Posted By: Daniella T.

Volunteer in Mexico - Diving for Marine Conservation

#Volunteer Vacations and Tours,#Mexico,#Belize,#Israel

Alternative spring breaks are for students who are looking to do more than simply relax or party during their block of free time from their college and university studies. Students who seek alternative spring breaks are searching for a meaningful experience, usually abroad. This doesn’t mean that they can’t enjoy the beaches of Mexico along with traditional spring breakers, it simply means that they can split their beach time with giving back to the local community.

Corporate Volunteering

Posted By: Alisa N.

Did you know that corporate volunteering can also contribute to your business by not only saving it money but also by increasing profits? Here’s a look at why a company getaway should be a part of every successful business model and why a trip to a cacao farm in Belize might just be what the mentor ordered to help your company reach its peak.

How to Volunteer Abroad and have all Expenses Paid

Posted By: Alisa N.

Volunteer in Peru - Amazon Conservation and Machu Picchu Expedition

So you want to be the change and offer your skills, time and comforts, but find that this can be a costly experience. Why? Google searches of ‘volunteer abroad for free’ turn up with thin results and you are left with a big heart and an even bigger decision to make: is your mere presence more beneficial than a monetary contribution?

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