Anke

Are you looking for a volunteer experience with wildlife that is also contributing to a better life for the local people? Do you want to work close to 10 elephants, elephants who are rescued from culling operations and are now spending their days in a controlled-free-range-environment? I started working as volunteer for Knysna Elephant Park in August 2007 and I stayed there till March 2008, I had the most amazing and rewarding time ever. I am now back in the Netherlands but I am going back to the park in 2 months time, to be the volunteer coordinator. I enjoyed every morning waking up with 10 elephants in the garden, I enjoyed every free minute I had spending it with the elephants and their trained guides and I enjoyed the warm, loving and proud people working ... read more

It is now 3,5 months that I work as a volunteer for the Knysna Elephant Park and not 1 day did I not like being here. We are setting up a volunteer program and that is proven to be a challenge but very rewarding. I love wildlife and by setting up this volunteer program I feel like I can give something back to the elephants. We have taken their habitat by claiming it ours, we have broken down their rituals by building fences on their migration route and we have taken their spirits by killing their family members. The 10 elephants that we have living here in a controlled-free-range-environment are 10 elephants rescued from being killed but what about the other 6000?????? The Kruger National Park has 6000 elephants to many and what will happen to ... read more

It did not take me long to feel at home with the cheetahs in Stellenbosch. I have always known that at some point in my life I would leave the Netherlands whether it was for a year or forever. Now it was that time and South Africa was my destination. Cheetahs are magnificent but highly endangered animals and the story needs to be told, people visiting the facility need to know how we are helping the cheetahs from going fully extinct. As volunteers we lived about 10 minutes away (bakkie speed) from the facility and shared laughter and tears. Living together with people that you have never met is not always easy but sharing the little cottage with this group has been the best time of my life. Somebody ones told me: You meet people for ... read more

Hello everybody, A travel blog...where do I start? Let me start with a quick introduction! I am Anke Bakens and I am 29 years YOUNG and I am from the Netherlands but currently living in South Africa. That is done and now over to the real work.... As so many I always stayed in the comfort of my comfort zone, it was not that I did not have any goals or ambitions, I was just scared. Scared to leave my security, friends, my job and well....all that I knew. After dreaming for all these years I took matters in my own hand and I made the decision to go for it! I have always known that I wanted to make a difference in the world of wildlife and living in the Netherlands that meant moving to ... read more

Hello everybody, Just like so many I am about to start a travel blog about my travel to realize my dream. For far to long I have been dreaming a dream and a year ago I was finally ready to step out of my comfort zone. ... read more