Overview
Your time will be split between our tented camps at the coast, in the Shimba Hills and in the bush close to Tsavo National Park. Between them you’ll get stuck into a series of sustainable conservation and community projects making a considerable difference to the people and their environments.
Coast - Diani Beach
This camp at Makongeni is a short distance from Diani Beach on the South Kenya Coast, famous for its shallow, warm, reef protected water. A variety of restaurants, water sport centres, internet, shopping and other facilities are close by. 10 minutes away is Ukunda town, home to the indigenous Digo people providing local culture and colourful market stalls.
Shimba Hills - Mwaluganje Elephant Sanctuary
We are extremely lucky to have a mobile camp in this sanctuary with a 360-degree view over the herds of elephant. It has the densest population of elephants per square mile for anywhere worldwide.
The Sanctuary is community owned and here you'll play an instrumental role in developing initiatives aimed at reducing the human-wildlife conflict. The journey to Mwaluganje is a 45-minute drive from the beach that winds through stunning landscape. You'll work alongside the Wildlife Rangers, local communities and of course, the elephants!
The Bush - Rukinga Ranch, Tsavo
The third is at Ruknga Ranch a tented camp about 4 hours from the coast, bordering Tsavo National Parks. It is a permanent bush camp in the centre of Rukinga Sanctuary, set out like an African village, surrounded by endless views of the African Bush. There is one large mess area with a large campfire where you'll all hang out after a hard day's work.
How you help
Helping Who
Children in Makongeni school, the wildlife at Mwaluganie Elephant Sanctuary and Rukinga Ranch, the Imani community.
Helping How
You will start at Mwaluganje followed by Makongeni, or the other way round, depending on the communities needs.
The Coast - Makongeni Village (4 weeks)
- Teach children English and Sport at Makongeni School during term time
- Help in other nurseries/child care centres
- Help construct classrooms
- Work alongside local children to construct organic charcoal briquettes
- Improve access to clean drinking water
- Tree planting with primary school kids to teach about forest conservation
- Help with landscaping, cultivating native tree species and planting seedlings
- The possibility to assist with an orphan outreach programme - helping orphans and other vulnerable people
Rafiki Kenya
We help this small Foundation ‘Rafiki Kenya’ to provide valuable support to the community in a number of ways: medical, ‘a bed for a child’, improving infrastructure – classrooms, medical centre, ablution (sanitation) blocks and empowering women’s groups with income generating schemes.
Marine Mangrove Conservation
Helping women's groups develop their fish culture business by constructing fishponds in the mangroves.
Shimba Hills - Mwaluganje Elephant Sanctuary (2 weeks)
- Monitoring of elephants and identification on game drives
- Maintain/improve visitor facilities e.g. campsites, roads and fences
- Help develop schools surrounding the Wildlife Sanctuary
- Improving the gift shop and produce a range of quality elephant dung paper products that can be sold to increase revenue for the sanctuary!
- Plant indigenous tree species in the sanctuary
- Develop wildlife education programmes for the surrounding communities.
Note: If you are booked on the 6 week programme you will depart at this stage after a final weekend near the beach. 10 week programmes continue their itinerary as follows:
The coast - Makongeni Village (1 week)
- Finish off your projects at Makongeni, say farewell to your friends in the community and prepare for the journey to Tsavo.
The Bush - Rukinga Ranch, Tsavo (3 weeks)
Community projects
- Improve the rural primary school
- Construct sports and play facilities
- Provide teaching assistance and environmental education
- Promoting local micro-enterprise initiatives
- Make traditional African crafts, such as beadwork, jewellery and furniture
- Live with the Imani community getting to know what it’s like to survive in a rural community and gain a greater understanding of rural issues - NB living at Imani is dependent on there being 6 people doing the 10 week programme
Conservation projects
- Help to manage habitats, excavating waterholes and planting trees
- Learn animal survey techniques, collect zoological samples and help to improving educational displays for the conservation centre
- Monitor the usage of waterholes by wildlife
- Wildlife viewing and recording
- Elephant identification (up to 10,000 elephants pass through Tsavo!)
- Brush up your bush skills
Your base
Your Team
Maximum of 40 volunteers per departure, minimum of 6. During the day you’ll be split up into project groups of about 10-14 with one appointed leader. Anyone between 18 and 27 years.
Accommodation
The Coast - Makongeni Camp at Diani Beach
This camp at Makongeni is a short distance from Diani Beach on the South Kenya Coast, famous for its shallow, warm, reef protected water and tropical beaches. The camp has large walk-in safari tents that can usually accommodate 4 people. The camp has showers and believe it or not, a sit down flushing loo!
Shimba Hills - Mwaluganje Elephant Sanctuary
We are extremely lucky to have a mobile camp in this sanctuary with a 360-degree view over the herds of elephant. The journey to Mwaluganje is a 45-minute drive from the beach that winds through stunning landscape. Here you’ll camp in sturdy frame tents (normally 3 to a tent). Expect bush showers and pit latrines!
The Bush - Rukinga Ranch, Tsavo
The third is at Rukinga Ranch about 4 hours from the coast, bordering Tsavo National Parks. It is a permanent Wildlife Centre in Rukinga Sanctuary. You will live in thatched bandas that usually sleep 4-8 and is set out like an African village, surrounded by endless views of the African Bush. There is one large mess area with large campfire where you can relax after a hard day's work. It has showers and flushing loos. Accommodation at Imani is in dome style tents as per Camp Mwaluganje (bedding included) with a clean lavatory, shower area and dining area.
Food
Food is enjoyed around the camp fire after evenings spent at the pool table or playing football against the school kids. Three meals a day, clean drinking water is provided and vegetarians can be catered for. Food is basic but tasty with a variety of Western and local food on offer.
Wildlife
Elephants, Buffalos, Antelopes, Giraffes, Zebras, primates, Warthogs, Dik Diks, Impalas, Lions, hyenas, Eagles, Kites, Owls, Hornbills, Starlings, Hoopoe, Sunbirds, Swallows, Storks
Weather and Seasons
It is warm and dry 25 - 40 degrees with sunny days and cool nights. The long rains in Kenya are from April – June and short rains (if they arrive) in November. At this time of year you are likely to get the traditional African thunderstorm lasting about an hour or two, clearing the air, then it's hot again.
The coast however is always hot and humid and usually gets the rain between July and August when you'll get a down pour for a few hours early morning.
Time In/Out
Time In
Those choosing a 6-week placement will fly out with the others who have chosen the 10-week option, rotating through the projects described.
Generally activities on the projects will take place 5 days per week for 6 - 8 hours. Saturday and Sunday are free with the exception of the Elephant Sanctuary: here you will work for the middle weekend of your 2 weeks stay.
Time Out
Weekends are yours to chill out and enjoy all the sights and sensations the Kenyan Coast and bush have to offer! Relax on incredible beaches, try your hand at windsurfing or kitesurfing, deep sea fishing, dhow safaris, snorkelling over the coral reefs or learning to scuba-dive amongst whales and dolphins. In the bush, spend your weekends on safari, bungee jumping or white water rafting.
Top Trips
Safari to Tsavo East and the Maasai Mara, PADI Open Water Scuba Course, white water raft the source of the Nile, climb Mt Kenya or head over the border to Tanzania and have a crack at Kilimanjaro. Visit the island paradise of Zanzibar where you can snorkel in the Indian Ocean and search for wild dolphins, take a Spice Tour or party on the beach at a full moon party!
Costs/Dates
Dates
2010 for 6 or 10 weeks
January 4th, March 30th, July 5th (6 weeks only) September 2nd
2011 for 6 or 10 weeks
January 4th, March 31st, July 4th (6 weeks only), 1st September
Once on the placement it is possible to switch from 6 to 12-weeks.
Costs
Up until 31st August 2010 Up until 31st August 2011
6 weeks £1704 6 weeks £1704
10 weeks £2580 10 weeks £2580
Includes:
Donation to the project trust – currently £80 per person
Selection and briefing on all aspects of the scheme
Management and support by UK team and in-country Placement Manager
24 hour emergency back-up both in-country and the UK
Safety and induction course on arrival
Airport pick up and transfer to and from the placement locations
Full board/food and accommodation including water throughout
All park fees – whilst working
Not included:
International flights, internal flight, visas, travel insurance, medical expenses (reclaimable through travel insurance), soft drinks/beer etc. Volunteers will be responsible for any independent/weekend travel expenses e.g. food and accommodation whilst away from the placement location and any excursions not listed above. We are happy to arrange flights through STA Travel (ABTA 99209 and IATA 9122411) who are well known for offering good value.
Donation To The Community
Included in the cost of the scheme is a donation set at the level indicated above. A one off volunteer donation of £80 is made to the Camp International Trust and dedicated to community-based conservation throughout Kenya Company & Trust work towards assisting communities to live in harmony with wildlife and to appreciate and preserve their natural environment. Trust funds are divided amongst the projects you assist ensuring that your contribution benefits everyone where they need it most. Given the average monthly wage is approximately £35 per month the donations go far and in the past Leapers have paid for a child’s school fees, bought materials to build medical clinics etc or playground equipment.
Exchange Rates:
Please note that as the project hosts are converting the pound sterling we pay them into Kenya shillings/US Dollars to cover all in-country costs, and the cost of the placement is set so far ahead, if there is a big change in the exchange rate or fuel increase then we reserve the right to increase the cost of the scheme, as per our Booking Conditions, but will absorb any minor fluctuations, and will give plenty of warning if we have to raise prices slightly.
