Daktari Bush School & Wildlife Orphanage

Not Verified What's this?

10 / 10 after 10 Reviews Based on overall, support & value average ratings

Program website: http://www.daktaribushschool.org/

Staying at Daktari was such a great experience for me. I was impressed of the amazing people who made me feel welcome. I didn’t need previous knowlege to teach the chiledren and to take care about the animals I could easily handle it, because of the good introduction of the Daktari team.

Ian and Michelle are just like caring parents for the children, animals, the staff and volunteers.
I had the feeling to really make something useful for the the children and the animals.
I enjoed showing them the real world and the real south africa.

Reflecting the time in africa I really miss the beatiful landscape of Daktari, the morning Dogwalk, the colourful sunset, the run to „Leopard Rock“, singing and sitting around the ,,Bonfire’’ and last but not least the people from Daktari.

A big thank you to all the people who made my visit at Daktari unforgettable.

Best wishes

Sabrina from Germany

Program:

Volunteer Abroad

Location:

Africa

Posted: December 30, 2015

Overall:

Support:

Value:

By: sabrinarichter33@googlemail.com

Age:

Reply
Flag

I found this helpful 0

Ever since I first visited Daktari (over 9 years ago, not as a volunteer but as a friend) I made a promise to myself that I will come back but as a volunteer.
I finally did and it was even better than I imagined. I spent three weeks at Daktari teaching children, looking after the animals living there and mostly laughing and having fun with the other volunteers. The whole team at Daktari are great, they made me feel at home even before putting down my bags.
The work that is done at daktari is amazing, what Ian & Michele have created is really something worth taking your hat off to. Having lived and worked there for a couple of weeks, you really appreciated the amount of hard work that is put into it, they are literally changing most of these children's lives with the knowledge they give them during their week at Daktari.
It may sound exaggerated (I promis it isn’t) but the time I spent at Daktari was one of the best experiences of my life, just participating a tiny bit in what they are doing is a great honor and I was very proud to be part of it.

Program:

Volunteer Abroad

Location:

South Africa

Posted: December 3, 2015

Overall:

Support:

Value:

By: Matscarne

Age:

Reply
Flag

I found this helpful 0

I could only spend a few weeks at Daktari because I had to go back to school, but I really enjoyed the time there. It's no problem if you don't have any experience teaching or taking care of animals. You'll get used to everything very quickly! You'll never get bored, there is always work to do! The lessons are interesting as they aren't just the usual subjects you normally have at school. You teach the kids about things that are more important for life than math or history. The accommodation was good and the pancakes on sundays were awesome! I especially loved the animals! The marmosets and squirels jumping around everywhere, the porcupines that visit the Lapa every evening and all the other animals that walk around freely, but also the meerkats, the mongooses and all the others that are in the enclosures.

You meet a lot of people from all over the world and even though I was sad when they left you always meet new volunteers with whom you have fun and it's like one big family.

The work with the kids was inspiring. It was great to see how some of them changed in only five days. At first they were shy and with some of them it wasn't easy in the first few days, but when they opened up, talked to you and asked you for help instead of hiding and refusing to communicate in any way it's very rewarding.

You are also very close to Kruger Park and spend your weekend there on safari. We even managed to see the Big Five and a baby hyena!
It's a unique experience and you learn a lot. I wish I could have stayed longer! I miss living in the bush surrounded by all kinds of animals, playing cards in the evening, riding in the back of the Bakkie to Leopard Rock and spending time there at sunset. The dog walks just aren't the same in Switzerland. You'll never see any giraffes here and you don't expect to see any leopards. I'll never forget it! The weeks I spent at Daktari were probably the best of my life.

Program:

Volunteer Abroad

Location:

Switzerland

Posted: December 2, 2015

Overall:

Support:

Value:

By: Mara

Age:

Reply
Flag

I found this helpful 0

Fabrice and Cécile (Dad and Mum)
We lived an unforgettable experience at DAKTARI Bush School ! Our amazing hosts, Ian and Michele, and great volunteers were so kind with us ! Our entire family has been wonderfully well received (welcomed). Parents as children were immediately involved in all activities. To help with the education of great children and to take care for wild animals was an amazing and rewarding experience. We will never forget our hosts, all other volunteers, children and animals of DAKTARI Bush School. Thanks to all of you!

Marianne (Bobo), 14 years old
I spent only one week at DAKTARI, but it was so wonderful that I left in tears. Everything was perfect. We met very nice people who I will never forget. DAKTARI is just like South Africa: a beautiful place, unique in the world. That is why I want to thank all who were there and made this adventure amazing, especially Michele, Ian, Marta, Nathalie, Erica, Ernest, Manu, Toine, and also all the volunteers, Wellington, Thijs, Amy, Jodie, Julie, even Mirabelle and Nikita !
You can be sure that I will come back!

Baptiste (Baba), 12 years old
I had a brilliant time at DAKTARI : to take care of animals, meet other young people, walk in the bush, play cards and participate in daily tasks !
I feared not being authorised to participate in activities. But instead, I was busy all day with some great people and great animals. Thank you all !

Perrine (Bibi), 15 years old
I only spent one week at DAKTARI but if I could had made this experience last longer, I would have gladly done it ! We had a lot of fun with the other volunteers and children. The animals were just as amazing as the people. I really do hope I will come back one day !

Program:

Volunteer Abroad

Location:

South Africa

Posted: September 20, 2015

Overall:

Support:

Value:

By: MAUREL

Age:

Reply
Flag

I found this helpful 0

I have spent 5 weeks in Daktari Bush School and Wildlife Orphanage, an amazing program that allows volunteers to work with local children as much as with wild animals. The perfect mix! Not only you teach the children about saving environment, animals and other matters, but you also learn about them and their way of life which is quite different from ours. It's very enriching, and I would say that you learn from them as much as they learn from you. You also work and live among the animals, and the arrival of a new one is always very exciting!
Volunteers also have the possibility to meet local people from the near village, by spending a night within a family. A unique experience I highly recommend...
Daktari is a family size program, on the day you arrive you immediately meet all the people that work here, including the foundators, and you quickly feel like at home. The relationship with other volunteers is great because everybody is very willing, and you can meet people of every ages and from every places of the world.
Finally, when volunteering at Daktari, I would say that you feel very useful and it is an experience you will never forget.

Program:

Volunteer Abroad

Location:

South Africa

Posted: November 20, 2014

Overall:

Support:

Value:

By: Laura31

Age: