Kruger | Antelope Park Wildlife
Expedition
Experience the best of two projects and countries in Southern Africa.
The Kruger & Antelope Park Wildlife Expedition
Your Call to Africa Starts here!
If you’re looking for the ultimate African wildlife adventure, this four-week conservation journey combines two of Southern Africa’s most iconic wildlife destinations into one unforgettable experience. Spend two weeks immersed in conservation and wildlife management at Kruger Conservation project in South Africa before heading north for two weeks on the renowned Antelope Park Lodge in Zimbabwe.
From tracking the Big Five species and contributing to conservation research in the Greater Kruger ecosystem to walking amongst elephants and participating in wildlife monitoring in Zimbabwe, this unique program offers an unrivalled opportunity to experience conservation across two countries, two ecosystems, and countless incredible wildlife encounters.
Whether you’re taking a gap year, looking to gain practical conservation experience, or simply seeking a meaningful adventure, this program provides the perfect combination of hands-on conservation work, personal development, and unforgettable African experiences.
Overview
of The Kruger & Antelope Park Wildlife Expedition
This four-week conservation program is split equally between two of Volunteer Encounter’s most popular wildlife projects.
You will begin your journey at the Kruger Conservation Project, located within the Greater Kruger ecosystem. Here, you’ll gain insight into large-scale wildlife management and participate in activities that support the conservation of Africa’s iconic Big Five species.
Following your time in South Africa, our team will assist with your transfer between projects. An overnight stay in Bulawayo at the Bulawayo Club will be organised before you continue your journey to Antelope Park.
Your final two weeks are at Antelope Park in Zimbabwe, where you’ll spend your time contributing to wildlife conservation initiatives whilst living on a private game reserve surrounded by elephants, lions, giraffe, zebra, and a variety of African wildlife.
This carefully designed itinerary allows travellers to experience different conservation approaches, landscapes, wildlife species, and cultures whilst maximising their impact across two exceptional conservation destinations.
Example of your Kruger Weekly Schedule
Monday
Orientation & Wildlife Monitoring
08:00 – Breakfast & weekly briefing
09:00 – Introduction to the conservation program and safety briefing
10:30 – Fieldwork: Wildlife monitoring and tracking on the reserve
13:00 – 14:00 – Lunch break at the lodge
14:30 – Continued monitoring activities or reserve work
16:30 onwards – Free time at Ndzalama Lodge (pool, relaxation, social time)
19:00 – Dinner with the team
Tuesday
Veterinary Work & Reserve Management
08:00 – Breakfast & daily briefing
09:00 – Participation in veterinary-related conservation work (when scheduled) or habitat management tasks on the reserve
13:00 – 14:00 – Lunch break
14:30 – Farm and reserve work supporting conservation operations
16:30 onwards – Free time at the lodge
19:00 – Dinner
Wednesday
Kruger National Park Safari
04:00 – Early departure for a full-day safari in Kruger National Park
09:00 – Breakfast stop inside the park
Morning – Guided safari and wildlife observation
13:00 – Lunch at a rest camp in the park
Afternoon – Continued game drive and conservation discussions
18:30 – Return to the lodge
19:00 – Dinner
Thursday
Anti-Poaching & Conservation Technology
08:00 – Breakfast & briefing
09:00 – Visit or activities with anti-poaching initiatives
11:30 – Introduction to conservation technology, including thermal drone operations
13:00 – 14:00 – Lunch break
14:30 – Field activities or wildlife monitoring
16:30 onwards – Free time
19:00 – Dinner
Friday
06:30 – Breakfast
07:30 – Departure for the Panorama Route tour
Morning – Explore scenic highlights such as viewpoints, waterfalls, and natural landmarks
13:00 – Lunch stop along the route
Afternoon – Continue exploring the Panorama area
18:30 – Return to the lodge
19:00 – Dinner
Saturday
08:00 – Breakfast
09:00 – Hoedspruit town visit or local cultural experiences
13:00 – 14:00 – Lunch at the lodge
Afternoon – Game drive or bush activities
Evening – Traditional bush braai and optional sleepover experience in the wild
Sunday
08:30 – Breakfast
Morning – Light conservation work, wildlife tracking, or optional activities
13:00 – Lunch
Afternoon – Free time to relax at the lodge, enjoy the pool, or explore the surroundings
19:00 – Farewell-style dinner with the group
Please note: This schedule is provided as a guideline to give an idea of a typical week. Activities, times, and locations may vary depending on weather, community needs, and other factors. Participants should remain flexible, and the project team will provide updates as needed.
Example of your AP Weekly Schedule
Monday
Arrival & Welcome
16:00 – Participants arrive at camp and are met by the Volunteer Coordinator, who helps them check into their rooms and settle in.
16:30 – Guided tour of camp, helping new arrivals get their bearings and learn where everything is, from the accommodation to the pool, bar, and ALERT tent.
17:30 – Free time to unpack, relax, and unwind after the journey.
18:30 – Communal welcome dinner. Meet fellow participants and experience your first evening of the Antelope Park community.
Tuesday
Induction Day
08:00 – Breakfast
08:45 – Morning meeting and welcome for new participants
09:00 – 12:30 – Induction programme including:
● Camp rules and etiquette presentation
● Overview of community projects
● History of Antelope Park
● Videos on lion conservation with the ALERT programme
● Introduction to the elephant and rhino projects
12:30 – 13:00 – Snake room introduction and snake handling (including the African rock
python)
13:00 – Lunch
14:00 – 15:00 – Free time
15:00 – 17:30 – Horseback safari and introduction to the stables
18:30 – Dinner
Wednesday
Elephant Boma Cleaning & Lion Enrichment
07:00 – 08:00 – Elephant boma cleaning
Participants meet at the ALERT tent and are driven to the elephants’ secure overnight enclosures. The team helps muck out, resurface, and tidy the bomas.
08:00 – Breakfast
08:45 – Morning meeting
09:00 – 10:00 – Feed mice and rats (snake food) and feed the tortoises
10:00 – 12:30 – Snare sweep with scouts, searching the park for illegal wire traps.
13:00 – Lunch
14:00 – 15:00 – Free time
15:00 – 17:30 – Lion enclosure cleaning and enrichment building
Participants create enrichments such as hanging tyres, hiding meat in trees, or building platforms to stimulate the lions physically and mentally.
18:30 – Dinner
20:00 – Optional evening activity (such as the stalk game)
Thursday
07:30 – Feed rats and tortoises
08:00 – Breakfast
08:45 – Morning meeting
09:00 – 11:30 – Wildlife management activities:
● Elephant deworming (preparing and mixing medication with orange juice)
● Lion tick-dipping to help protect the lions from parasites
13:00 – Lunch
14:00 – 15:00 – Free time
15:00 – 17:00 – Birdwatching boat cruise on the camp dam
Volunteers use binoculars and bird checklists to record species spotted, from kingfishers to fish eagles.
18:30 – Dinner
20:00 – Movie night or group activity
Friday
Snakes, Elephants & Game Feeding
07:30 – Snake enclosure cleaning and feeding
08:00 – Breakfast
08:45 – Morning meeting
09:30 – 11:30 – Elephant food preparation
Participants chop and collect branches to provide elephants with overnight food in their bomas.
13:00 – Lunch
14:00 – 15:00 – Free time
15:00 – 16:30 – Elephant walk through the park with the rescued elephants
16:30 – 17:30 – Game feeding
Participants load pellets, hay, and molasses onto a truck and distribute them at feeding posts to support wildlife and help deter poaching.
18:30 – Dinner
20:00 – Friday social evening activity
Saturday
8:00am – Breakfast
9:15am – Town trip to Gweru for shopping, markets, and cafés.
10:30am (Optional) – Lion feeding preparation for those remaining in camp.
1:00pm – Lunch
3:30pm – Group games such as rounders or baseball, followed by sundowners.
6:30pm – Dinner
Evening – Social time at the bar.
Sunday
8:00am – Breakfast
10:30am – Release lion feeding with the Ngamo Pride.
Afternoon – Free time to relax by the pool, enjoy coffee, or unwind.
3:00pm (Optional) – Social horse ride.
6:30pm – Dinner
Evening – Farewells and reflections on the week.
Please note: This schedule is provided as a guideline to give an idea of a typical week. Activities, times, and locations (particularly on weekends, which are considered rest days) may vary depending on weather, community needs, and other factors. Participants should remain flexible, and the project team will provide updates as needed.
About the Locations
Greater Kruger, South Africa
The first stage of your journey takes place within the Greater Kruger ecosystem, one of Africa’s most celebrated wildlife destinations. This vast conservation landscape is home to the Big Five and provides participants with an authentic insight into large-scale wildlife conservation and reserve management.
Greater Kruger is made up of private reserves that share unfenced boundaries with Kruger National Park, allowing wildlife to move freely across one of the largest protected areas on the continent. It’s a working conservation environment, not a tourist circuit — the daily rhythm here is shaped by research, monitoring, and the practical realities of protecting wild spaces.
Your time in Greater Kruger sets the foundation for everything that follows, immersing you in the landscape, the wildlife, and the conservation work at the heart of this experience.
Antelope Park, Zimbabwe
Located in the heart of Zimbabwe, Antelope Park is situated within a private game reserve surrounded by open savannah, riverine habitats, and diverse wildlife populations. The reserve offers a unique opportunity to experience conservation in a hands-on environment whilst enjoying close encounters with a variety of iconic African species.
Spanning 3,000 acres of open grassland, the reserve is home to more than 20 mammal species and over 190 species of birds, and has been recognised multiple times by the World Travel Awards as Zimbabwe’s Leading Private Game Reserve.
Between projects, participants will travel to Bulawayo, Zimbabwe, where an overnight stay will be arranged by our team to ensure a smooth transition between destinations.
Accommodation
Throughout your four-week adventure, accommodation is provided at both project locations.
At the Kruger Conservation Project, travellers are accommodated within the reserve and surrounded by the wildlife and landscapes that make the Greater Kruger region world-famous.
At Antelope Park, travellers stay within the reserve, allowing them to fully immerse themselves in daily conservation activities and enjoy the unique atmosphere of life in the African bush.
Accommodation at both projects is comfortable, sociable, and designed to provide an authentic conservation experience. Shared rooms, communal facilities, and meals are included, creating a welcoming environment where participants from around the world can connect, learn, and share their experiences.
Pricing & Start Dates
Starts at GBP £4095
Starts on Set Dates
4 weeks
Focus: Wildlife
Information
Pricing & Duration
GBP £4095 – 4 Weeks
Project Starting Times
2026
Monday 7 September – Monday 5 October
Monday 21 September – Monday 19 October
2027
Monday 12 April – Monday 10 May
Monday 10 May – Monday 7 June
Monday 14 June – Monday 12 July
Monday 12 July – Monday 9 August
Monday 16 August – Monday 13 September
Monday 13 September – Monday 11 October
Monday 11 October – Monday 8 November
Project Includes
The project includes accommodation and full meals provided 7 days a week.
Airport transfers are included (with the exception of Bulawayo airport to the Bulawayo Club).
All project-related transport, equipment, WIFI, laundry and resources are included, along with support from our experienced 24-hour team.
Project Excludes
The project package does not cover the following items: flights to the designated locations, transfer from Bulawayo airport to the Bulawayo Club (we will arrange this for you), expenses related to obtaining a visa, insurance costs, optional additional excursions, and any personal expenses you may incur during your participation.
Why Choose this Project?
This is more than just a trip—it’s the ultimate wildlife experience. By combining two exceptional conservation projects into one seamless itinerary, you’ll gain a broader understanding of African wildlife conservation while experiencing the incredible diversity of South Africa and Zimbabwe.
One journey. Two countries. Four unforgettable weeks. Countless wildlife encounters.