Ollie – UK – August 2025

"Throughout my life I have been fortunate enough to travel to many beautiful places but I have never visited somewhere quite like Loziba. From the moment I touched down in Johannesburg my experience in South Africa has been truly unforgettable. After meeting Steve (the CEO) in the city, stocking up on some supplies. We drove around 4 hours across the most incredible landscape before we arrived at the reserve. I have volunteered and worked in a number of places around the world but I have never stayed in a setting quite like this. The accommodation is located atop one of the peaks in the reserve where you can find spectacular panoramic views that appear to go on forever. The lodge I was allocated went beyond my expectations and the camp itself is a sight to behold, built by the previous owner almost 30 years ago. I was pleasantly surprised to find that despite being so remote there are all the home comforts one could ask for, including a daily laundry and cleaning service provided by the women that work here.

On arrival, I was greeted by the reserve manager Divan, his partner Chantelle (Conservation and Operations Manager) and the rest of the team, all of whom were incredibly welcoming. Within a couple of hours we were sat around a braai sharing stories and discussing what I was likely to expect over the coming months. The passion and determination I felt from the team reassured me I had landed in the right place. 

Throughout my time here we have been focused on completing the 60km fenceline for the reserve. This is an essential stage in the reserves development that will help to provide a safe haven for the 30 or so free roaming elephants that call this part of KwaZulu-Natal home. Spending time with the local workers has been both an inspiring and wholesome experience. I have made many friends in the team, one even invited me to his wedding next year which I will feel incredibly honoured to be a part of. Now, after almost a year in the making, we are eagerly looking forward to the completion of the fence in the coming weeks. This will be a monumental moment for Loziba, after which we can begin to focus on monitoring the wildlife within the reserve as well as bringing new animals in such as rhinos, cheetahs, giraffe and of course the free roaming elephants in the area. 

While the fence has been at the forefront of the project. We have also spent a lot of time meeting with local communities, teaching conservation in schools, visiting other wildlife reserves and even accompanying the Project Rhino team led by Grant Fowlds on several rhino dehorning’s across KwaZulu-Natal. All of these experiences have taught me an incredible amount about both wildlife conservation and the culture in this part of South Africa. So much so, I have decided to extend my stay a further 3 months and I'm looking forward to see what the future holds here at Loziba."

Theo - France

"Working at Loziba is literally being on the front line of conservation. I learnt so much about wildlife management, species, how humans can live the best they can with wildlife and how to preserve it."

Mary - France

"This experience took me out of my comfort zone, and I am proud to say that I really

participated in the construction of an important place in the world. I am happy to have listened to myself, to have followed my dream"

Max - France

"Please come, you'll love everything about this place. This experience can change your life like it did for me, it's absolutely worth it."