The Great Projects Avaliações 116

As this was my first volunteering experience, I was a little apprehensive as to what to expect. I didn't need to worry. The Great Projects team from the moment of booking to the weeks before travelling were excellent. They provided all the relevant information and support that I required. When I called with any queries they were all eager to help and offer reassurance and guidance. I volunteered for 2 weeks at Shamwari . This project exceeded all my expectations and has left me with an experience that will remain with me for life. I arrived in the evening and while being driven to the the reserve , I saw 2 lions walking along the track. Wow what an incredible welcome to Shamwari. The staff were all friendly and professional intent on making your stay special. The accommodation was fabulous certainly a 4/5 star rating . The reserve is incredible and the landscape diverse. Shamwari's commitment to conservation is admirable . This project is well organised combining both work experience with animal monitoring. The knowledge of the rangers and their expertise was absolutely amazing .There were so many wonderful aspects of this project from clearing trees, animal monitoring and helping in the community. It made you feel that you were contributing to conservation , by creating a safe environment for these wonderful creatures to survive and thrive. The most memorable moments for me, was seeing 2 cheetah brothers relaxing under a tree, visiting the Born Free sanctuary and seeing the multitude of animals living in the wild . I have met some wonderful people both rangers and volunteers who will remain special friends. Thank you The Great Projects and Shamwari for allowing me to be part of this incredible experience . I feel very privileged to have been part of this project. I highly recommend Shamwari particularly if you are animal lover and believe in conservation.

My wife and I volunteered for 2 weeks in Samboja Lestari Orangutan & Sun Bear sanctuary with The Great Projects in Balikpapan and it was as one of the best experiences we have ever had. We are in our 60’s and have travelled extensively and have been attracted to projects involving animals and this has been one of the best.

Volunteers are taken care of very well by Kate who is the volunteer co ordinater on-site. She is passionate about what she does and this translates into how she involves the volunteers with the orangutans and Sun Bears. Our group bonded and we became friends, this was an extremely satisfying part of our experience.

The lodge was ambient, the food was great and the lodgings were comfortable. I could continue with my accolades but I think you get the gist. If you are considering this kind of experience, want to connect with the Orangutans, the other volunteers and your own desire to contribute to our planet, consider this programme seriously.

As you can tell, we highly recommend it. We leave our time with Kate, the other volunteers and the Orangutans & Sun Bears not the same people.

What a brilliant experience! Samboja Lestari 2-week volunteering experience (Borneo) was one of the most rewarding experiences of my life! The staff were fantastic and supportive all the way. The engagement with the sun bears and orangutans was brilliant! The volunteer group was warm open to these new experiences. A huge thank you to Kate (our coordinator) who made the experience so memorable and taught us so much! Thank you to the Great Projects. I am already planning my next Great Projects trip. Cheers Nina

In brief an incredible eye opening experience... heart wrenching yet so rewarding.. highlights: giving the Orangs their enrichments, the boat trips.. jungle school of course.. and having the privilege of watching some Orangs start their journey to be released into the wild..

The group was great.. we all bonded do well and have already planned our first reunion.

Matt was incredible-so driven and passionate and made us want to go the extra mile even in the extreme heat and humidity.. what an asset.

Overall, just life-changing... I'll be back!!

Amazing experience at the Namibia Wildlife Sanctuary, I loved every minute. Everyone was lovely , it was so interesting getting to meet fellow volunteers from all over the world. I was a bit worried that at age 56 everyone would be younger than me and most of them were but there were several other volunteers around my age which was nice and age didn't really matter. The staff couldn't have been more helpful, more accommodating or more welcoming. The accommodation is basic and I had no hot water for my 2 week stay and some of the nights were very cold (I went in May), I needed my sleeping bag plus the 2 blankets, that I brought with me to donate, as well as the duvet that was provided. I was also alone which suited me but may not suit everyone especially as it was a 10 to 15 minute walk away from the volunteer area and at times was a bit daunting to have to walk back alone in the dark. In order to make the most of this experience you do need to be prepared to get stuck in. I found the program a perfect mix of work, education and fun. 2 weeks was just enough time to experience most things and I did manage to have a weekend at the coast which was brilliant. I would have liked to have had time to experience some of the other projects so if possible I would recommend going for at least 4 weeks if you can. This was my first volunteering holiday and I am already looking into another for my next adventure. I highly recommend this holiday but also The Great Projects whose staff were also brilliant, giving me all the necessary info and answering my endless questions. If you are considering this holiday I'd say just go for it. You won't regret it!

Everyone´s friendliness once there.
The efficiency during the booking process.
The animals: being so close up,an amazing
experience! preparing their food,making toys for them,observing them and writing it down.
Can be used for university credits as a veterinary practical experience.
Communication is in English but volunteer leaders are bilingual Spanish/English.

Last April my two daughters and I spent 12 days volunteering at Samboja Lestari.
All three of us enjoyed it very much. It was a lovely combination of being on holiday, whilst at the same time doing something meaningful.
The BOS Foundation does an amazing job for the orangutans, most of whom have had a rather unfortunate start in life. By volunteering through The Great Projects Programme we could temporarily lend a hand.
Furthermore we had a nice group, comfy rooms and lovely food. In short: recommend!

I completed two weeks at Nyaru Menteng Orangutan Sanctuary. This has been a lifelong dream of mine, a bucket list item, which was finally getting ticked off. My travel consultant was amazing, always available to answer any questions no matter how large or small. My team leaders at the sanctuary were welcoming and guided us every step of the way. Staff at the sanctuary itself were so grateful for the help and resources we provided on a daily basis. There were so many highlights from my two weeks it's hard to pinpoint. Seeing orangutan on the pre release islands was definitely a highlight, I could have went home after that 🦧

I organised this trip for my mom (75 years old) and my son (16 years old). I think she was the oldest person there, and my son, the youngest. They have both said it was such an amazing experience for them. I cannot recommend this experience enough. My son learned so much about the wildlife and really enjoyed helping out feeding the animals. Even my mom found this hands on experience amazing even at her age. They found the staff incredibly friendly and helpful. It was very well organised. This experience will forever remain in their memories. Thank you!

OMG, where to start with my time in the orangutan sanctuary, and Mulu. Matang was wonderful. Dom and the team are so passionate about the work they do in rehabilitation supporting all the animals, and sharing the challenges they face with us by giving us an honest insight was incredibly humbling as well as informative. The orangutans have always been a fascination of mine especially on a mental plane as their DNA is so similar to humans. Watching these incredible great apes communicate, and learning more about their habitat was so interesting, as well as all the other wildlife looked after at Matang and I came to develop a special affection for the sunbears too. And then there was Mulu, a mystical magical place that totally captivated me. The caves are spectacular and need to be seen to be believed so awe inspiring is the landscape. Nelson, my guide was patient and generous with his time and knowledge, and the bat exodus was the icing on the cake, the bats were dancing for us for almost 15 minutes. Memories to be shared and never forgotten, this has been a truly special experience.

Had an amazing experience at the Kosgoda Sea Turtles Conservation Project in Sri Lanka. The team, led by Dudley Perrera, do an outstanding job in conserving sea turtles for future generations, but also go to great lengths to ensure that the volunteers have an amazing experience. Hot work in the sun is rewarding by daily sunset releases of one-day old hatchlings 😄

I spended one month in Africa volunteering with whale sharks and I had an amazing time! Would definitely recommend anyone to join some of projects if you get the chance too! I had some questions before booking my stay there and I got really good answers and service all the way through! The team from the great projects were so kind and fast at answering and I got a lot of useful help. My stay in Africa was also amazing! It was even more amazing than I could had imagined before arriving! We swam with the whale sharks and learned so much about them. The people at the place were so nice and kind. Everything was really good quality and we enjoyed our stay so much! I’m already interested in joining more of the great projects and I would definitely recommend to others!

My two weeks stay as a volunteer at Shamwari was absolutely fantastic and hands down one of the best experiences I have ever had in my life. Not my first trip to South Africa, but my first ever safari adventure and as a passionate lover of wildlife, seeing close up the big cats, rhino, elephant and the many wonderful species found there was truly amazing. The rangers at Shamwari were so friendly, great fun and knowledgeable. We learned a huge amount about the reserve and the animals which live there, we saw the vets in action and were lucky to have so many opportunities to watch and learn. Highlights for me were coming upon two male lions and watching at close range as they sauntered off in front our jeep, finding the cheetahs after searching fir a while, and watching the vets at work with elephant and black rhino. I also loved working with the rangers, clearing vegetation and participating in the vulture health clinic, quite something! This trip was an immersion in the beauty of South Africa and its wildlife and I will be back.
Our lodge was very comfortable and food delicious. Everyone so friendly and kind. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend this to anyone, young or old. You will have an experience that you will cherish all your life.

Seeing the wildlife up close was amazing. Interesting people of all ages and nationalities. You are put in mixed age teams for getting jobs done, which helps with mixing and socialising. A different holiday- I haven’t done a volunteer holiday before- but I definitely would again.

My wife and I spent 3 weeks on SanWild and had an amazing experience. From the word go we were immersed in the day to day running of the sanctuary, and were literally hands on with food preparation and distribution, cleaning and repair/maintenance tasks on the reserve. On top of that we assisted with the treatment of an injured rhino and on three occasions with the moving of lions into enclosures and associated medical treatment. Before we came we didn't necessarily expect to be cleaning wounds on a rhino's back or rubbing ointment into a (tranquillised!) lion's eyes, but that's what we did! Our other work was varied - we assisted with the release of one serval into the wild, cut back fallen trees that were blocking paths and repaired damage to enclosures, water pumps etc caused by elephant damage. And there was always time for informal game drives to witness the amazing wildlife on site. It was clear that the sanctuary staff have to react on a day to day basis to the urgent tasks that need addressed. That meant that concrete plans for the following day weren't always possible and some days felt like we could have done more than we did - for example lower priority work on the reserve such as clearing paths or repairing fence damage etc. We found this to be a little frustrating, but we understood the pressures that drove this. The staff were all very knowledgeable and supportive and gave us experiences that we'll never forget. I'd recommend SanWild for anyone who wants to experience first hand how a wild animal sanctuary runs and is prepared to get their hands dirty and get involved. You will see and contribute to the incredible work that is done to give these poor animals a new home, and with luck, experience some of them being released back into the wild.

I have had the most amazing time away. Dudley, family and staff were really accommodating and helpful. They wanted any volunteers to be kept safe and feel like they are part of the family. Certain things where good to know for example the safety at night time. As it’s a remote area to be sensible and also that the waves are strong so no swimming at the kosgoda beach. Bentota is like 15 mins on a Tuk Tuk and Dudley can provide with a number of his friend a sensible driver for good prices. There is also a supermarket like 10 mins the opposite direction by Tuk Tuk as it’s not safe to walk on ur own on the main road. Bentota has an incredible river safari and local beach where you can swim, surf and get food. Dudley / his family can offer u tours with there driver to elephant safaris, whale watching, train ride to Ella or anything if u ask patmier in the office. She can help you. With me being fussy with food the family were really helpful to cook foods I will eat and even offered us cooking classes after request! Kande the worker there patromdi there daughter, Dudley and his wife prastasta made every moment special and helped me make the very most of every day of my experience. Whether that be baby releasing, burying eggs, tank cleaning, feeding or watching mother turtles on the beach. I got to teach the cutest children English and climb little Adam’s peak There are friendly stray dogs everywhere that the local restaurants generally feed. So head to the shops and feed these lovely wild dogs if they are friendly to do so. What a fab time x

Such an incredible place - from the moment you arrive, you’re treated like family. The team is incredibly welcoming, making you feel at home straight away. There’s a light-hearted, positive energy that you feel every day. Between the staff, volunteers, and guests, there’s always a laugh or story being shared, making the experience really special.

One of the best aspects of SanWild is the hands-on experience. You don’t just observe; you actually get involved in meaningful ways. Whether it’s assisting with feeding the animals or their rehabilitation processes, you feel like you’re making a small but real contribution. You come here for the animals, and everything is for the animals and that’s exactly as the volunteering should be.

The game drives are incredible—so many opportunities to see all the wildlife and each drive felt unique, not just because of the animals - which, again, were incredible - but also because of how genuinely kind and knowledgeable Junel and Lukas are.

Sanwild is place that stays with you long after you leave. Highly recommend it for anyone who loves nature, animals, and good company.

This is truly an experience of a lifetime. If you have a love for animals and volunteering, this is the perfect match.
This is a quality organization who really cares about their employees, their volunteers and the animals. I encourage you to go, experience, learn and love. You will have no regrets.

Just getting our breath back from having had this amazing experience. Thanks to The Great Projects for affording us this opportunity and for making the whole process and experience easy throughout. Spending time in the company of these amazing animals is a privilege not to be taken lightly and for which will always be grateful. The project is a raw, emotional and physical challenge but worth it for every minute. Contributing to the care and development, preparing food and providing enrichment to the Orangutan and working on infrastructure projects is so rewarding when you get to see what a difference it can make to both the ones who will ultimately reach release to the wild through the hard work of the BOSF, its workers and the volunteers, but also to the unfortunate ones who will not make it that far but are ad will be looked after and loved at Nyaru Menteng. The bond with each Orangutan grows quickly when you spend time around them and particularly when you get to know their back stories, some of which are very sad indeed. Their personalities are incredible to witness. The people around you can make such a difference to any experience. We went as a couple and were so fortunate to have been paired for this experience with a wonderful multi national team of 6 other volunteers who worked hard for each other, laughed together, ate together and grew close over the weeks. I think that it is fair to say that we had a blast and have all made new life friends. Lastly, but certainly not least, throughout our time we were looked after and led by Cess, our project leader and Melda our BOSf team member who made the experience what it was for us all and made Orangutan Warriors of us all! Thanks so much to you both and to Borneo, its chaos and its lovely people x

Oh my goodness! What a trip! Keep pinching myself thinking I dreamt it! From the amazing hosting from Justin and Monica to the experiences on the reserve (cheetah sporting, zebra relocation, bush walk, working with school children ) and then to be able to go and discover more of the area on the weekend. The accommodation was lovely and the ladies who work there true rays of sunshine! Cannot stop recommending it to friends and family! Will defo be doing another experience with these guys!