Volunteer at the cheetah conservation project and become an extension of the dedicated animal staff. South Africa has a conservation culture and this is at the core of the Ashia Cheetah Sanctuary just 45 minutes outside Cape Town. By volunteering at the sanctuary you will be involved in not only the care for the non-releasable cheetahs, but also for those destined for a wild and free life. 

About the project

Due to the species’ dramatic decline, researchers are calling for the cheetah to be up-listed from ‘Vulnerable’ to ‘Endangered’ on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. This was the motivation for the establishment of the Ashia cheetah center in 2016 as the base for the project’s substantial cheetah conservation and animal welfare operations which take place in coordination with the relevant local and international conservation authorities. Ashia started its Release & Reintroduction Program in 2017 meeting with conservation and special cheetah experts, drafting first designs and initiating discussions with suitable game reserves. It finally went live August 2018. Three pre-release sections between 300-600ha were fenced off within a private game reserve, each section containing holding bomas for the cheetah to acclimatize for a short while to their new wild environment after translocation from Ashia. Since then, this pre-release model has been successfully replicated by Ashia through cooperation with several Private Game Reserves in southern Africa.

Your role as volunteer 

You will play an important part in supporting the work of the center and given wonderful opportunities to learn and experience these incredible creatures. Be prepared to get really stuck in and get your hands dirty, where your varied role will mean no two days are the same. 

From preparing game meat and feeding all animals, monitoring, collecting data and participating in long term animal behavioural study in connection with feeding times, the interaction between different animals, animals in heat, enrichment, etc. You could also be included planning and helping with animal enrichment and assist the experienced guides with Educational Tours as a “shadowing guide” There will be plenty to do and lots to learn!

Age 18+

Once you have paid the registration fee (£185 per person) your application will be submitted. You will receive an automated email that provisionally confirm your place on your chosen programme. We advise at least 12 weeks to prepare yourself for volunteering abroad. 

It is important to answer as many of the questions in the Participant Info on this platform. This will ensure us to get everything processed and sent over to you within a timely manner. 

Once all of the information have been processed and your application is successful, the registration fee will be credited to your overall project fee. In the unlikely event that we are unable to offer you a place on the programme then any monies paid will be refunded in full.

As we incur costs when we confirm your arrangements, the following cancellation charges will be payable. Cancellation notification date (number of days prior to departure date) Cancellation Fee (percentage of total cost of holiday)

61-90 days before departure - 10%

31-60 days before departure - 30% 

15-30 days before departure - 50%

0-14 days before departure -  80%

In respect of the cancellation of part of your booking, the cancellation charge payable by you will comprise any direct cancellation costs and charges we incur as a result of such cancellation, our reasonable administration costs of dealing with the cancellation arrangements, plus any payments we are contractually required to make to third parties in connection with the cancelled part of the holiday to the extent not already paid. However, we shall endeavour to mitigate these to the extent we can reasonably do so. 

The arrival date of the volunteer program is on a Sunday and departure on a Sunday. 

The conservation centre is located in the beautiful Cape Winelands, less than 60 minutes from Cape Town International Airport. You will be collected by 12 midday and taken to the centre to attend Orientation upon arrival, to settle you in comfortably. The volunteer house is situated on the sanctuary with a view onto leopard and cheetah camps, orchards and the impressive Drakenstein Mountains. 

A volunteer's day starts early! 

Daily routine

7:00 – 9:00 Daily cleaning of all enclosures, depending on day – animal feeding

9:00 – 9:30 Breakfast at Volunteer House

9:30 – 10:00 Volunteer meeting for daily planning

10:00 – 12:30 Group activities such as maintenance, gardening, food prep, enrichment, animal monitoring, data capturing, tours

12:30 – 13:30 Lunch with staff and volunteers

13:30 – 16:00 Continuing on projects started in the morning, food prep, enrichment,  animal monitoring, data capturing or tours

16:00 – 17:00 Feeding of animals and end of day cleaning task 

Daily duties might also include: 

• Planning and helping with animal enrichment
• Assist our experienced guides with Educational Tours as a “shadowing guide”
• Guiding tours once you have completed a mock tour with a staff member (applies to long-term volunteers only)
• Maintenance in all areas of the Sanctuary
• Assist with farming activities such as harvesting various fruit produce as well as working in our garden
• If the length of stay and opportunity allows, assist in the relocation or translocation of cheetahs within our Release and Reintroduction Program 

You will have every weekend off from volunteering and this is the perfect time to explore everything this beautiful country has to offer. You are more than welcome to simply relax around the accommodation but most volunteers will use this time to travel and see the country. We are happy to assist with tours/trips. 

Alternatively, if you are looking to head further afield, then you may be interested in one or more of the activities in the area. In and around the area of the cheetah sanctuary, there are restaurants, wine farms, etc where you can socialise.  

Thank you for being a cheetah conservation champion! Our aim is to educate you about conservation issues so that you continue to be a mindful global citizen after your program. 

Our mission is to build conscious travellers that love nature, our wildlife and the people as we share our passion for making a difference.