Volunteer in South Africa

Wildlife Volunteering and Teaching Projects

Choose from several fascinating and affordable programs to volunteer in South Africa! We offer both exciting wildlife volunteering opportunities in the African Bush, and educational and social projects in Cape Town. Enjoy your stay in South Africa at the Volunteer House on the Southern Peninsula, at a highly affordable price.

Wildlife Volunteering & Animal Welfare

Marine Biology Internship


Get immersed in a fascinating underwater world during your marine biology internship at the Aquarium in Cape Town, South Africa! You will fall in love with the underwater life full of colour, beauty, tranquility and magic.


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Wildlife Rehabilitation


If you decide to volunteer for wildlife rehabilitation in Port Elizabeth, you will be able to nurse orphaned and injured African bush animals. During your entire stay you will live close to these magnificent anmials.


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Animal Rescue


Make a difference for the lives of abandoned township dogs and cats in need as a volunteer at the animal rescue centre in Cape Town. The animal centres mission is to rescue, rehabilitate and re-home domestic animals.


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Vervet Monkeys






Rescue orphaned Vervet Monkeys: Make part of the vervet monkeys animal conservation volunteer program in South Africa. Therefore, we need help with the integration of the foster moms of 23 little orphans back into the troops.






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Great White Shark

Go for a trip in South Africa and work with Great White Shark Volunteering, in our marine conservation project. The project is located in Kleinbaai, 180 km south east of Cape Town.

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Big Five

Join our Big Five game reserve project as an animal conservation volunteer in South Africa. During your stay, you will make part of a team of volunteers working together in order to carry out a spectrum of important tasks across the reserve. 

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Veterinary Science Internship

Join the wildlife veterinary internship in South Africa in order to gain veterinary medicine experience of wild animals in their natural habitat. The veterinary internship is located in an amazing five star game reserve on the Eastern Cape of South Africa.

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Big Cat Conservation

Join our big cat conservation project in South Africa and work for a non-profit organization fueled by passion and love for these exploited animals. 

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Educational Volunteer Projects

Teaching at Doreen

As a child care volunteer you will be teaching and caring for beautiful children at Doreen’s Crèche.   at Masiphumelele Township on the Southern Peninsula of Cape Town.

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Assistant Teacher

Work as an assistant teacher at a public school in order to improve education for the children and teenies from a pour community.

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Surfing in Muizenberg

Volunteer in South Africa, learn to surf at Muizenberg and help underprivileged children. Situated in Muizenberg, Cape Town, a place renowned for its gentle rolling waves just calling out to be ridden, you will be learning to surf in one of the best places in the world. 

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Volunteer Sports Teacher

In this project you will be teaching and helping with sports activities at a primary school situated on the South Peninsula of Cape Town, part of a disadvantaged community.

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Social Projects in South Africa

Social Worker in Cape Town

You can volunteer as a social worker in South Africa, in order to support the local staff helping homeless people to participate in everyday activities. Since homelessness can impact people from all races and ages, it is crucial helping these people for a better life.

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Occupational Therapy

If you choose to volunteer on occupational therapy, you join the therapists offorts to help children with special needs to participate in everyday activities. The occupational therapy can even help the disabled children and adolescents to function independently.

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Your Stay in South Africa

During your volunteer trip to South Africa, you’ll get to know charming Cape Town, a gem rich in culture. You will see the Table Mountain already on the ride to the volunteer house from the airport. In Cape Town you may choose from two fascinating wildlife volunteer projects, namely the marine biology internship at the aquarium, and a rescue project for abandoned township dogs and cats.

The large volunteer house in Fish Hoek will be your happy home for this trip. It features a garden and a pool. Rooms are shared dormitory style. There are three bathrooms with hot, running water, showers and regular flush loos.

During your free time, you can relax in the lounge area, balcony, lush garden and barbeque.

You’ll be only a short distance from the shops and beach.

Project Details

  • The program fee is paid directly to the host organization.
  • All of the programs incur a registration fee of U$ 149,00 on top of the program fee.
What is included in the program fee?
Airport Pickup
Orientation
Accommodation for all projects
Meals are included in most programs (please check the description of your chosen project)
Support from local staff & Program supervision
In-country 24/7 support throughout your stay
Local administration costs
Donation to support the local project
There are no hidden costs. Most of these projects are the most affordable to volunteer in South Africa.

Iko Poran is an NGO based in a developing country. We are dedicated to helping you help others, at the cheapest possible prices. One of our goals is to offer cheap volunteer programs in South Africa so that more people can help to do really important work.

Participants in our cheap volunteer programs in South Africa normally find U$100 to be sufficient for weekly expenses in the country.

The program fee should be paid to the host country and it is due 30 days before the project start date.
Location of the Projects
Find all the programs to volunteer in South Africa on our detail pages for each project. You will find in detail, where the volunteer programs for a specific cause are located in South Africa.
Accommodation & Meals
As the details of these services vary according to the project, please check the specifics of your chosen program to volunteer in South Africa.
Start & Duration
Programs start every Mondays of each month. Volunteers should plan to arrive before 4:15 pm to attend orientation.

If you can’t make it, we suggest you fly in a day early. We can arrange airport pickup & extra night of accommodation.

Program length varies according to the project.
Orientation for Volunteers in South Africa
Orientation takes place at 5 pm on Mondays.
Requirements to Volunteer in South Africa
You must be at least 18 years old at the start of your placement.

All participants in our programs to volunteer in South Africa must have adequate travel insurance and are required to provide a criminal background check to local staff on arrival in South Africa or during orientation,

In the Animal preservation programs, all volunteers must treat animals and humans with respect.

Most importantly, pack in energy, a positive attitude, love in your heart and a spring in your step!

Some projects also have specific requirements, therefore please check the description of your chosen program.
Language requirements to volunteer in South Africa
Fluency in English is required in all the projects.
Safety
During your stay, you will have a competent support and advice from the local team and project leaders.

Someone will always be available in the case of an emergency.

Please keep in mind that you are in a different country and should take some precautions to avoid exposing yourself to certain risks.

The local coordinators will give you all the information to have a safe and unforgettable experience as a volunteer in South Africa.

Go for a unique volunteer trip to South Africa

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