What is voluntourism? And is it right for you?

Voluntourism is about helping with a local project or initiative while visiting a place as a tourist

The word voluntourism comes from melding volunteer and tourism. A voluntourist is therefore someone who chooses a holiday that involves some unpaid work. This usually means taking part in an ongoing conservation or rewilding project (like eradicating alien invasive species or collecting wildlife data) or doing something to benefit an underserved community (like teaching at a disadvantaged school or helping to build a rural clinic).

Understanding the advantages and pitfalls of voluntourism

The general idea behind voluntourism is to make travelling more meaningful or beneficial. It’s often undertaken by young and idealistic people who want to help others or nature, which is wonderful.

The truth is that sometimes voluntourism doesn’t pan out the way one might hope. And this is why it has a bit of a mixed reputation. Sometimes the tour operator is at fault, and sometimes the volunteer is the issue.

To help ensure you choose an ethical voluntourism tour and then also approach it with a helpful attitude and realistic expectations, let’s discuss some things that voluntourism is, or at least should be. We then discuss some things that is not, or at least should not be.

Things that voluntourism IS

Voluntourism is:

• An immersive experience that lets you see behind the curtain of tourism into the real heart and soul of a place.
• A chance to learn first-hand about the highs and lows, challenges and wins of conservation or social work, both in that context and in general.
• A collaborative experience where you’re part of a team (but seldom the leader and almost never the star).
• A working holiday, where you’re expected to show up and help out according to schedule. While there’s time for fun and relaxation, and sometimes this is facilitated, know that you’re committing to help as required.

Finally, note that voluntourism should be about the good you can do a host community. While you may indeed feel the experience is rewarding to you too, the focus should be on the recipient.

Things that voluntourism is NOT

Voluntourism is not:

• A cheaper way to travel. While you may enjoy certain reduced rates or complimentaries, it’s not a way to find free lodging in a tourist destination. In fact, a voluntourism trip often costs the same as a regular sort of trip.
• An opportunity to impose outside ways and ideas on others. It’s important to show up willing to support what’s already being done. So research the project to ensure your values align with those of the organisation you’ll be supporting.
• Glamorous or exciting (in the usual sense). A lot of voluntourism work involves getting dirty and doing mundane, behind-the-scenes, or repetitive tasks. It’s still important and necessary work, and it can be a time of great personal growth. But will that be enough for you?

Finally, note that while volunteer work is something you can add to your resume and you’ll naturally want to share your experiences with others, it shouldn’t be undertaken with such things as your core motivation. It’s important to check before sharing anything on social media, in case that’s not desirable to your hosts. As with most good acts in life, ask yourself if you’d still want to do it even if nobody else will ever know what you did? If the answer is yes, then a voluntourism trip could well be a good choice for you!

Finding a responsible voluntourism opportunity

If you’d like to do a voluntourism tour in Africa, that’s wonderful. There are many, many ways in which you can help meaningfully with social or environmental initiatives. That said, it’s important to find an operator that only sells thoughtful and responsible volunteering opportunities.

I won’t go into all of the things that a tour operator should consider before advertising a voluntourism package, as that’s a big topic. It’s also not one that you, as the client, should have to delve into.

The two main things for you to research are:

1. The ethics of the tour operator

Research the values of the tour operator you’re considering using. And also look closely at what they have to say about their voluntourism projects. Do they hold values that align with yours? Do they offer a realistic portrayal of what to expect?

A red flag is overselling the impact of a voluntourism trip. Most worthwhile conservation and social initiatives are slow burns, requiring lots of effort on the part of many people over a long timespan to yield real results. So while your contribution will certainly be valuable, it’s likely going to be pretty modest when viewed in isolation.

Ask a potential tour operator if they have a document about their voluntourism practices and philosophy. Many will, and should be more than happy to share it with you.

2. Reviews of past voluntourism clients

See what others have to say about the company’s track record with voluntourism projects. Even better, read reviews on the particular tour you’re interested in. A tour operator usually isn’t the one actually running the programme on the ground. They mostly partner with a local organisation. So it’s helpful to know if that organisation runs things well, as you want to ensure you’re giving your time where it’s really needed and will be respected.

Remember that a company can put anything on its own website. So look at third-party review sites for legitimate reviews.

Finally, some voluntourism projects have actually won awards. So see if it’s won any awards. This shows it isn’t some flash-in-the-pan project, but a reputable and ongoing initiative that you can feel confident does good work.

Voluntourism opportunities in Africa

Here’s a quick overview of some (but not all) types of voluntourism projects you can find throughout Africa:

• Marine conservation
• Wildlife monitoring and data collection
• Wildlife sanctuaries
• Construction projects
• Orphanage or care home visits
• Classroom teaching
• Sports coaching
• Alien invasive eradication
• Tree planting
• Farming

African Overland Tours has five voluntourism tours, each offering a very different way for you to contribute to people or place:

• Kruger Wildlife Photography & Conservation
• Kruger Big 5 Conservation: Volunteer & Impact Programme
• Ocean Impact: Dolphin Research & Marine Conservation
• Zambia Female Empowerment
• Teach English & Empower Communities in Zanzibar: An Island Experience

If you’d like to know something further about any of the above tours, you can ask a question or book an appointment for a free chat with one of African Overland Tours’ friendly travel experts.

Note: This blog post was created by Brownyn Paxton on 24 May 2023. It was completely rewritten by Megan Abigail White on 27 March 2026.