Project Orientation
We view your orientation programme as one of the most important elements of your Kenya Camp Life adventure. Emphasis is based on clear and practical information to make your Kenyan experience as fulfilling and enjoyable as possible.
Orientation includes:
- Camp familiarisation and introduction to camp staff
- Detailed cultural background information to help your acclimatisation to Life in Kenya
- Local orientation of the bush surrounding the camp, the local school and village
- Full briefing on the type of community project work that you will be doing on this programme
- Full introduction talk by the school headmaster
- In the evening you will have your first taste of the local language with some Swahili lessons and some basic first aid training
Accommodation and Meals
The majority of your time will be spent at the Camp Life volunteer camp, located 50km south of Mombasa in a secluded region of the beautiful Shimba Hills. The white sands of the Indian Ocean is 45-minute drive away. The area is located on the boundaries of the National Park, perched on a hill overlooking rolling green hills. It is surrounded by indigenous communities and a wide variety of wildlife - elephants roam freely on the verge opposite whilst families of baboons chatter loudly in the trees only meters away from the camp.
The tented camp consists of luxury 4/6 man safari tents. Volunteers will be accommodated 2 per tent and couples can be accommodated together. All tents are en-suite with typical bush showers, the camp staff bring hot water round every morning and evening. Inside are simple wooden frame beds which are hand made by the local community and come complete with mattress, pillow and sheets. Each tent has roll-down flaps for ventilation and privacy with mosquito netting panels.
The kitchen is the heart of the camp. The resident chef and his team will keep you well fed during your stay. The food provided will be a mix of traditional Swahili dishes and traditional menus, using high quality local produce. Most dietary requirements can be catered for. Tea and coffee are available throughout the day in the communal area. On most occasions volunteers get the opportunity to set that days menu!
Free Time
There are a number of optional excursions available to you at your own additional cost. These include:
- Mt Kilimanjaro Climb – Climb Africa’s highest peak
- Mt Kenya Climb – Climb Kenya’s highest peak
- Best of East Africa Tour – Overland safari in Kenya and Tanzania
- Kenyan Highlights – Experience 3 of Kenya’s National Parks
- Dive Packages – Learn to dive in the beautiful Indian Ocean (advanced certificates are available)
- Snorkelling and jet ski trips
Project Age Limit
The minimum age to participate on this programme is 25 and there are no upper age restrictions.
Project Requirements
Due to the nature of the community project work a basic level of health and fitness is required. It can get very hot at the camp and you are likely to find some of the work physically demanding. However the type of work that you undertake is totally your decision, we don’t make you do anything you do not want to!
