Against the backdrop of Kenya’s equatorial sun and its most stunning landscapes, our volunteers work alongside top wildlife conservation teams to address the country’s most pressing environmental concerns. Thanks to our ongoing collaboration with the Kenya Wildlife Service, one of Africa’s oldest and most prestigious wildlife conservancies, Tembeza Kenya volunteers participate in pioneering research and help to develop innovative conservation strategies across the country. We are proud to offer people from around the world the chance to not only live and work in Kenya’s most famous national parks and reserves, but also to be at the forefront of the ongoing struggle to preserve them.

The quest to develop a sustainable future for Kenya’s magnificent ecosystems and biodiversity takes many shapes and forms, and each of our projects has been carefully chosen to maximize volunteers’ exposure to vital aspects of wildlife and habitat conservation. Whether it’s monitoring cheetah behavior in the Masai Mara, fighting against illegal bushmeat trading in Tsavo, or working to build a community-run elephant sanctuary on the Kenyan coast, volunteers can be assured of a meaningful, educational and unforgettable experience.

To volunteer you do not need to have any specialized training, but a background in sciences can be beneficial for some of the research-based work. Enthusiasm and a willingness to learn, however, are essential. And be warned, conservation isn't always glamorous. If you sign up for this, you better be ready to get your hands dirty. And one final word of warning; given Kenya’s spectacular landscapes and dizzying array of wildlife, you shouldn’t be surprised to learn that our conservation placements are among our most popular, so apply sooner rather than later—spaces are limited!

Location: Masai Mara Duration: 1-6 months Costs: from $1,495 Requirements: Reasonable level of fitness; past experience working with animals strongly preferred. Project Brief: The Masai Mara cheetah, one of the park’s flagship species, has been steadily declining in numbers over the last few decades, for reasons still largely unknown. Live and work in one of the world’s most famous national reserves, and be a part of the vital research that will help stabilize and eventually restore its cheetah population.

Location: Tsavo Duration: 1-6 months Costs: from $1,495 Requirements: Reasonable level of fitness, preferably with past experience with working with animals Project Brief: Considered “the last great African wilderness,” Tsavo is the third biggest national park in the world. Join the research team that is tracking and identifying the park’s thousands of elephants, as well as developing initiatives to reduce poaching and the illegal bushmeat trade.

Location: Lake Nakuru Duration: 1-6 months Costs: from $1,495 Requirements: Reasonable level of fitness, preferably with past experience with working with animals Project Brief: Lake Nakuru is home to hundreds of species of bird as well as the largest concentration of highly endangered black rhinos in the country. Come join the effort to help understand this incredibly complex freshwater ecosystem, and the quest to preserve it.

Location: Shimba Hills Duration: 1-6 months Costs: from $1,495 Requirements: Reasonable level of fitness, preferably with past experience with working with animals Project Brief: Shimba Hills is one of the 25 Global Biodiversity Hotspots. With dozens of endemic species of plants and animals that can’t be found anywhere else in the world, volunteering here means you will live and work one of the world’s richest, yet most threatened ecosystems.

Location: Shimoni Duration: 1-6 months Costs: from $1,495 Requirements: Reasonable level of fitness, preferably with past experience with working with animals. A PADI certificate will also be extremely beneficial. Project Brief: Kisite is widely considered one of the most beautiful spots not only in Kenya, but along Africa’s eastern coast. Volunteers will work with both research teams, who monitor the hundreds of species of marine life, and with the KWS rangers, who patrol the parks for illegal fishing.