Glen Afric Country Lodge — Hotel in Madibeng Local Municipality

“Volunteering” at Glen Afric isn’t Volunteering

I visited Glen Afric Wildlife Sanctuary with the intention of volunteering for two weeks. While I left with a much deeper understanding of the business of looking after captive animals, I now know that I wasn’t REALLY a volunteer. I was only a customer.

To explain my thoughts on this topic, I first need to provide my definition for volunteering. To me, volunteering is 1) working for an organization free of charge 2a) while doing good 2b) towards a purpose I believe in.

Of the eight criteria PETA use to determine standards of an ethical animal sanctuary (i.e. are they good?), GA met five: 1. Natural enclosures are provided 2. The enclosures are spacious 3. They offer stimulating animal enrichment for the animals 4. The Animals they own seem to have been acquired ethically and 5. There seems to be moderation with regard to visitation. The other three criteria that are NOT met: 6. Visitors are allowed to touch and interact with select animals which is unnatural and can be disruptive/unsafe for the animals and visitors (a giraffe actually killed a visitor in 2018 at GA) 7. They do breed animals which is unethical because it depletes the already limited resources to rescue existing animals in need - endangered animals excluded (lions, hippos, and elephants have been bred at GA in the past) 8. They are not accredited by the GFAS which is an accrediting organization that requires sanctuaries to follow a strict code of ethics.

So, by PETA’s standards, no – they are not acting ethically. In addition to this, I was unable to identify GA’s overarching mission. As a result, I didn’t feel purpose-driven during my time at GA. Maybe if GA conducted research to benefit the broader animal/scientific community, I might feel differently. But they don’t. We cleaned animal enclosures and prepped food for the animals, which benefited the GA ecosystem, but not the broader animal community.

Based on my volunteering definition, 1) was addressed. Both 2a) and 2b) fell short. So, NO – I WAS NOT VOLUNTEERING. Ultimately, I was on an experiential vacation where I was able to learn how animals in captivity are cared for. That’s it.

As a result, I left GA feeling disappointed and cheated out of my time. True, I made a couple of friends, and had some interesting close encounters with animals that I otherwise wouldn’t have been able to have. But, my goal was to volunteer. The question I keep asking myself is - how many others came to GA or places like it for weeks on end to make a difference? What sort of a difference could all of us have made if we were actually volunteering? With these questions in mind, I’ll be sure to do better research in the future.

After writing the above, I reached out to Glen Afric for comment. The most notable comment came from their owner Richard Brooker, “The word volunteering does not fit our program. Not in the true sense of the word. We work with certain booking agents and the common word used for this type of experience is volunteering, I would maybe call it a behind the scenes holiday or day in the life of an African Game farm.” I share this to underscore that Glen Afric is not a volunteer program. Even the...

Me and my girlfriend stayed at Glen Afric for 5 days in September and had the most amazing time, we couldn’t recommend a stay at Glen Afric more!||The service of all the staff was fantastic. Everyone was so friendly and welcoming and went above and beyond with everything. The activities were so much fun, and accommodation and food amazing!||Activities:|During our stay we did a lot of activities, such as the Safari experience, bush walk, elephant walk etc.|All of these experiences were fantastic and the staff all made sure we had a great time on these, educating us on the animals and answering any questions we had. It was great to see how cared and well looked after all of the animals are, especially amazing to be able to get up close to the elephants on our Safari!|Whether you’re looking for a day activity or are staying here, you will have a great time seeing the animals and nature at Glen Afric.|All of these activities were so reasonably priced considering the amazing experience you get, and the memories you make.||Food:|The service at the bar/restaurant was amazing. All the staff look after you so well and are incredibly friendly. The quality of the food was so good and portion sizes were always generous (we especially loved the toasties for lunch which we ended up having every day!) and the selection of drinks were great too. The staff do everything they can to make sure you have a special and memorable stay!|Breakfast was included in our stay and every day there was so much choice off the menu for breakfast- all of it was so nice and great that it’s included in the price of the stay!|The staff went out of their way to remember what we liked and always came to check up on us to make sure we are happy with everything and see if there’s anything else they can offer us.||Accommodation:|We stayed at the lodge in the Cornwallis room. This room was amazing. We arrived to a welcome bottle of wine and so much attention to detail in the room. The bed (and pillows) was very comfy, and the room felt very spacious. There’s plenty of room and storage to unpack your belongings and make yourself at home.|Upon arrival we were made aware that the farm now runs on solar power so the power would turn off during the day to charge up but would be always be on during the evenings from dinner until morning. This was no bother at all to us during our stay, as we found this a good reason to not use our devices and fully take in the nature and atmosphere of Glen Afric.|The staff were always so helpful and asked us if we wanted a light/torch to use when power was off, as well as always asking if we wanted a flask of hot water etc whenever power was off. So although it is worth noting that you won’t always have power/wifi during your stay we would say this isn’t a problem in any way! A good excuse to reconnect with nature and put the electronics away!|Our room was so clean upon arrival too and the housekeeping team came and cleaned and changed sheets every day!|The balcony/patio area was so nice to sit and relax with the sounds of nature outside.||We couldn’t recommend this place more if you are looking at a...

We had a truly memorable stay at Glen Afric Country Lodge, we stayed in the bushcamp cottage. It was not only clean and comfortable but also had a traditional, authentic feel that made our experience feel even more special. ||Things to note for future guests: If you’re staying in the bushcamp and don’t have your own vehicle, you won’t be able to leave the area without a staff member picking you up, which is completely understandable for safety reasons. However, it did make us feel at times like we were a bit of a hindrance to the staff, even though they never once complained or gave us any reason to feel that way. The team was always professional and accommodating, but this is just something to consider if you’re planning to stay in the bushcamp cottage.||The highlight of our trip was the exceptional service provided by the team. The rangers, Shannan, Zilke and Justine, all 3 were absolutely amazing, knowledgeable and friendly. Stanley was also incredibly kind and ensured we got home safely every night with a smile.|The lady on reception, helped us organise a trip to the Lion and Safari Park. And was always very helpful with any of our questions.||The animals all appeared healthy and well cared for, and it was clear the staff are committed to their well-being. A special mention goes to the elephant keepers, who were not only great at their jobs but also had a fantastic sense of humor, making our encounters with the elephants truly unforgettable.||Our room in the bushcamp was well-equipped with a fridge-freezer, toaster, microwave, and tea/coffee making facilities, which was a nice touch. However, it’s important to note that guests are informed upon arrival that no outside food or drink is to be brought into the reserve, which makes the facilities a bit redundant. This ties into the fact that you need to rely on staff pickups to get to the restaurant when you’re feeling peckish. While the staff was always happy to assist, we hesitated to ask for frequent rides as we didn’t want to be a bother.||All the servers at the restaurant were happy, polite, and welcoming. The food portions were huge, and I would definitely recommend the lamb pie and the beef prego roll—they were unreal!||There is a curio shop (opens 10am til 1pm) that sells drinks and snacks, and gifts, as a brit i found the snack selection a bit scarce. That said, the lady working there was very nice and the shop offered some lovely memorabilia of the reserve, which we definitely took full advantage of!||When booking - One other issue was the lack of reviews, which initially left us unsure of what to expect. This is why I’m posting such a thorough review—to help others make an informed decision. We had such a positive experience, and we hope this review will encourage more guests to discover this hidden gem.||We would highly recommend Glen Afric for anyone looking for an authentic safari experience with rescued animals and...