Get Involved: Zambia Volunteer

Day 1
Depart London for flight to Lusaka.

Day 2
May Departure: Arrive early morning and drive about 30km to our lodge on the outskirts of Lusaka. The Eureka lodge is a pleasant base with thatched chalets and tame wildlife roaming around. It is not unusual to walk around the grounds and come face to face with a giraffe or zebra!
Depending on flight timings we aim to spend the afternoon at Kampasa school in the very poor shanty town of John Laing where Baraka has a project supporting a local community school. The school has been recently converted from a nightclub and is in great need of a number of improvements of both an aesthetic and constructional nature. As the school has no funding from the state our support is vital for its survival and development.

September Departure: Arrive early morning and drive about 50 km to our lodge north of Lusaka. The Protea Safari Lodge with its thatched cottages is a located in a beautiful setting on a small private game reserve and is the perfect African location to start our trip.
Depending on flight timings we aim to spend some of the day at Sangwani school helping out on some project work. Sangwani school is less than 2 years old but already has over 100 children attending. Baraka has recently built the school two classrooms and we aim to improve the compound further on this trip. There will also be ample time today to relax and recover after the long flight.

Day 3
May Departure: Today we continue our project work, most likely again at Kampasa school or possibly one of the other two Baraka supported schools in and around the Lusaka area.

September Departure: We return in the morning to our friends at Sangwani for some more project work and interaction with the kids. We return to the lodge for lunch before making our way back to Lusaka where we spend two nights at Eureka lodge located just to the south of the city. Again the lodge is located on a small private game reserve and it is not unusual to come face to face with giraffes and zebra whilst strolling round the grounds.

Day 4
May Departure: We head off southwards in the morning for the 3-4 hour drive to the Zambezi River. We arrive at Breezes Lodge and Camp in the early afternoon, and we spend the afternoon relaxing with beautiful views overlooking the Zambezi. Our tents at Breezes are spacious with mattresses so the only thing keeping you awake at night may be the nearby hippos snorting!

September Departure: We spend the day at Kampasa school in the very poor shanty town of John Laing where Baraka has a project supporting a local community school. The school has been recently converted from a nightclub and is in great need of a number of improvements of both an aesthetic and constructional nature. As the school has no funding from the state our support is vital for its survival and development.

Day 5
May Departure: Today is spent canoeing down the Zambezi. The pace will be gentle and the days are spent relishing magnificent scenery and abundant game while passing the ever-present basking crocodiles and hippo pods. There is no better way to view game than from an unobtrusive canoe and there is plenty of time to just sit and watch any wildlife we come across. Tonight we will be wild camping on a secluded island.

September Departure: We leave Lusaka and drive south for about 5 hours towards Lake Kariba. Lake Kariba is the largest man-made lake in the world and our comfortable lodge at Siansowa is located on its banks where encounters with wildlife are quite likely during our stay here.

Day 6
May Departure: We continue canoeing down the Zambezi. Tonight we will be wild camping on another secluded island.

September Departure: Today will be spent undertaking project work at Kariba South Basic school. It is only recently that the school has been adopted in conjunction with Baraka Community Partnerships as one of our Responsible Tourism projects. This is the first volunteer visit to the school and we will decide nearer the time the exact nature of the work to be undertaken.

Day 7
May Departure: From our base on the island we jump in a speed boat for our two days of project work across the river at Magurumeno school. Exodus' clients have been visiting the school for five years now and donating supplies. It is only recently that the school has been adopted in conjunction with Baraka Community Partnerships as one of our Responsible Tourism projects. This is the first volunteer visit to the school and we hope to help with repairs to the main classroom as well as helping with income generation schemes such as the vegetable garden or improving and expanding the chicken coop.

September Departure: Our second day at Siansowa is allocated for free time and optional activities. You may wish to visit the local crocodile farm, take a sunset cruise, a walk ing safari or try fishing. Or you may wish to return to the school to help out or teach some English.

Day 8
May Departure: Today we continue our Project work at Magurumeno school.

September Departure: We depart after an early breakfast for Livingstone. Arriving in the afternoon, we head straight down to Victoria Falls to marvel at the magnitude and splendour of one of the world’s greatest natural wonders. At over a mile wide and over 100 metres high, Victoria Falls is one of Africa’s most iconic and spectacular sites.

Day 9
May Departure: After a leisurely breakfast we depart our island base for the final time and head on to the river for some game viewing. The afternoon will be spent on a boat cruise in the national park. We return to our tents at Breezes lodge in the afternoon for our final night by the river.

September Departure: Today is a free day where you may wish to relax at our lodge or partake in the variety of optional activities available in Livingstone. Walking with lions, white water rafting, elephant back safaris and sunset cruises are just some of the many activities on offer.

Day 10
May Departure:Our last day is relaxed and flexible and the pace and timings of the day will be determined by the group's wishes. We may stay for a relaxing morning by the river or head up back to Lusaka to visit our school. The final evening we stay at a very pleasant lodge closer to the airport.

September Departure: We transfer in the morning to the nearby border post where we cross the Zambezi river into Botswana. Soon after, we arrive at our lodge on the outskirts of Chobe National Park where there should be time if you wish to do an optional river cruise.

Day 11
May Departure: After breakfast, we transfer to the airport for our flight to London.

September Departure: This departure is 2 days longer than the May trip and will be updated after the May departure has departed. Full details can be found in the Trip Notes for the respective departures.