Olive Grove Guesthouse. Sitting on the deck outside our large glass-encased Garden Suite contemplating the spectacular city view, I wondered just how I would encapsulate the Namibian wildlife volunteer experience in a closing paragraph.

At length, I settled on: "A working holiday in Namibia is an unforgettable one-to-one wildlife experience. It's raw, in-your-face, and utterly ex-citing and will send you home with a backpack stuffed with memories and a new perspective on life."

As my plane took to the sky, I looked out across a country I had grown to love and found I was already aching after it. Now, not a day passes without me thinking of my short time there. I would give anything to be able to step out of my house in England and stand under a thorn tree and look up at a brilliant blue sky or hear animals calling out to one another in the night. I even missed the heat.

Additional Wildlife Sanctuaries

Principal among the numerous projects at the Cheetah Conservation Fund is the preservation of the near-extinct species. Whether participating in wildlife surveys, feeding and caring for captive cheetahs, assisting with data entry, or collecting biomedical samples, the work of the volunteers assists researchers in releasing cheetahs back into the wild. Accommodations are in comfy rondavels with a communal kitchen under a thatch.

The aim of N/a'an ku sê Wildlife Sanctuary is the rehabilitation and ultimate release of the wild animals in their care. Volunteer programs are varied and exhilarating: feeding raw meat to large carnivores, sleeping with orphaned baboons, working alongside San Bushman trackers on monitoring projects, assisting with big cat research, teaching at the San Bushman school, or working at the Lifeline medical clinic. Good with mechanics or construction? Farm vehicles always need attention, and building projects such as animal enclosures abound. Whatever job you're assigned, you're ensured daily animal time. Farmhouse accommodations are comfortable and the meals substantial.

At the Harnas Wildlife Foundation, previously non-releasable carnivores are given a second chance at freedom. Following training the program is tough. Leave your romantic notions behind, as the animals come first. Volunteers handle food preparation and feeding, cleaning, caretaking, and twice-daily lion walks. Accommodations are in wooden bungalows with a communal eating area. For the 45-plus age group, the schedule is less demanding and accommodations more luxurious.

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