Reviews
What past students and volunteers have had to say about us.
An extraordinary experience!
A huge thank you to Carolynne and Richard, who made this stay incredible thanks to the camp life, their kindness, and their availability.
I learned a lot from Carolynne, whom I especially thank for her patience with my hesitant English.
Thanks also to Tshepo and Thuli. I will never forget this first experience volunteering in Africa.
Travelling South Africa had been a dream of mine and my time at the Canine Research Group absolutely fulfilled this dream! During my six week stay I took part in snare sweeps and animal tracking with the very knowledgeable Tsepo. I went on a boat tour at Blyder Canyon, visited an animal rehabilitation centre, went on a horse back safari, had many braais and went on many beautiful hikes. I worked around the property moving rocks, planting tomatoes, creating a porcupine proof fence, digging holes with Richard, and much more!
We also went to Kruger NP for 5 days where we saw Lions, Hyenas, Rhino, Leopard, Giraffe, Elephants, Baboons, Buffalo, Vultures, African Wild Dogs, and much more!! I felt very grateful to have Carolynne as our guide as she has an abundance of knowledge on all of the animals, making the experience all the more special as you really get to immerse yourself in the lives of South African fauna! She even made us a Kruger bingo to keep our eyes open for critters on the long drives!
Life around camp was very wholesome with beautiful views of the river from my private deck, watching birds (I counted 40 just from camp!), listening to the sounds of the South African bush, playing with the dogs, and playing cards and socialising with other volunteers, Tsepo, and Thuli. I even had groups of Bush Babies walk by my tent most nights!
Carolynne was an absolute pleasure to host me and to form a beautiful friendship with. She always had fun stories to share, always had me laughing, catered for my interests as an ecologist, and has a heart of gold! You’ll be sad to say goodbye to her that’s for sure ❤️
I also took the Conservation Dog Training course. Carolynne is again, very knowledgeable in this area and I learnt more than I could imagine! She was always happy to answer questions, cater to our interests, and paired us with dogs that suited us best (I was paired with the crazy but cute, Elliot!)
I can’t recommend spending time with Carolynne, Richard and the dogs enough!
I couldn't imagine a better first wildlife and dog volunteer experience experience! Carolynne and Richard's property is located in a game reserve and every time we drove through it was like a mini safari where we could spot zebras, giraffes and many other animals. The volunteers' tents are located on wooden decks close to the river, so we can hear lots of hippotamus and really feel immersed in nature. Carolynne is a really funny, kind and cheerfull person, and I immediately felt comfortable with her and the other volunteers on my trip. I loved the dog training lessons she invited us to take part in, it was a great opportunity to learn and bond with them. The amount of work required was very reasonable and it was great that we had plenty of time to chat, read and play board games (very slow life on the camp). Carolynne has a great knowledge of the local flora and fauna and takes pleasure in sharing this with the volunteers. I was also lucky enough to take part in one of the trips she organizes as a guide in the Kruger National Park. It was an unforgettable experience full of good times that I'll never forget.
I stayed at Carolynne and Richards place for a month, and I had the most amazing time. Carolynne is the funniest, coolest, kindest person, and she took very well care of us. She created such a fun and open atmosphere for us volunteers, and there was never a boring moment with her around. We really had a great time together! Richard is also amazing; super nice, funny and loved taking us on adventures. He is a really hard-working person, with big goals for the camp. We did the Blyde Canyon hike (which was absolutely stunning), trip to Moholoholo wildlife sanctuary and more. The staff were just as wonderful, so welcoming and kind. Some of my favorite memories are from the evenings we spent together playing cards and sharing stories. I got comfortable on camp straight away, and I wish I could have stayed longer.
The camp itself is beautiful. The tents are spacious and really comfortable, surrounded by nature. Staying there was a dream. Each drive to and from camp felt like a mini safari, we regularly spotted giraffes, zebras and various types of antelopes along the way.
The work was very varied, which I loved. Some tasks were more physical, like digging or sieving soil, while others were a bit more chill, like working in the greenhouse. You could often choose what suited you best. I personally enjoyed both, and it felt really rewarding.
I really fell in love with Carolynne and Richards dogs, and couldn’t get enough of them. They are super sweet, some working dogs and some are more like cuddly pets, each with their own personality. I also really enjoyed the dog training. Carolynne is highly skilled and patient, and I learned techniques I’ll definitely carry with me into the future.
At camp there is a huge focus on respect for each other, privacy and limits. At one point, we encountered a challenging situation involving another volunteer. The situation was taken very seriously, and due to Carolynne’s way of handling it, I felt very safe and taken care of. This really is a safe space for women.
We also did a five-day trip to Kruger, which was beyond amazing. Carolynne is a great guide, and has a lot of knowledge. Someone even came by and complimented her spotting skills. I am personally a big fan of birds (so is Carolynne), and due to her bird-skills we were able to identify almost 100 birds in Kruger, which made the trip extra interesting. The whole Kruger trip was filled with learning, unforgettable wildlife sightings, and (maybe most importantly), so much laughter.
This was an unforgettable African experience that I will be forever grateful for! Will definitely be back in the future;)
Thank you, Carolynne and Richard <3
The Canine Research Group popped up on my radar as I was specifically interested in canine scent detection and its uses in conservation. This coupled with the unique model of only using rescue dogs from extremely negative circumstances made this programme very attractive to me.
Pre-visit communication from Carolynne (the Director of the Group) was superb. Every aspect was discussed in detail and left me in no doubt that this was the place for me.
I was met at Hoedspruit airport by Carolynne and some of the students from the rescue. I was made to feel very welcome and felt part of the team instantly!
Fast forward 5 weeks and I have learnt so much. Dog handling, scent work, obedience training, behaviour techniques and canine first aid are just a few areas that are covered in depth and taught in a relaxed fun manner.
Diplomas in Professional conservation dog handling and Canine psychology for behaviourists are available for those wishing to complete the courses and further their careers. I attended these sessions and found them extremely helpful in understanding the world from a dog’s point of view. Carolynne is a superb teacher, and the dogs here just love to work with us. Hands on experience and interaction is so important for both human and canine and was so much fun!
If bush living in a “real environment” excites you then this is the place! Minimal light pollution, Hippos talking at night, Duikers wandering around, Vervet monkeys in the trees and the cool prospect of seeing, honey badgers, lizards, snakes and scorpions make this perfect base for you. The large safari tents on offer overlooking the Olifants river are just a dream!
Obviously the academic side of this programme is superb but in addition to this Carolynne is also keen for us to enjoy the beautiful surrounding area. In my time off I have experienced so many animals up close and personal. I have witnessed the big 5, been stunned by the beauty of Blyde river canyon, showered in beautiful waterfalls, completed night drives to see Giraffe and learnt how to Braai like a South African.
On a personal note, I would like to thank Carolynne & Richard for their guidance, knowledge and friendship. Genuinely great people doing a great job! I wish them and the Research Group all the very best for the future.
Lastly, I would highly suggest checking out their insta, FB and website for a deeper dive into the excellent courses available here. You will receive far more than ‘just’ a valued qualification. IMO, you will receive a life changing experience and create the most beautiful memories that will last forever. You will not be disappointed!
We stayed with Carolynne and Richard for 3 weeks in March and it was absolutely fantastic in every way. The premises are just as remote as we had hoped and gave us the feeling of arriving right in the middle of an adventure. Our stay was relaxing, instructive, and exciting at the same time. Carolynne mostly takes responsibility for the volunteers. She gave us instructions and safety briefings and took care of us at all times in a very sincere and responsible way. She also delighted us with her kind and loving personality, her hilarious, often self-ironic humor, and her scientific and educated background, which led to countless fascinating conversations. She knows a LOT about dogs in particular, of course, but also other animals, so we had our own safari guide for the surroundings basically included! :-) We could often have a say in which work we liked to do, from basic chores like weeding or pool cleaning to creativity projects like making an insulation from milk cartons and - if we wanted to - some serious muscle-building exercise like trench-digging or concrete-mixing...all in all a great mix of things, and with quite a few things to learn. On the job (mostly the muscle-building kind) is where we often met Richard, who may just be the hardest-working person we ever met. His enthusiasm about shaping the property towards what he has in mind for it is just amazing to watch - as is his strength and endurance in pursuing these plans. He is a machine, honestly. On top of that, he has a heart-warming and generous personality, a ton of things to teach (if he can to drop the shovel for long enough :-D), and even more entertaining stories to tell. We are incredibly grateful for this amazing experience and the memories we made.