March 4 – August 26, 2023 · Western Kenya
Kakamega Forest is a tropical rainforest situated in the Kakamega and Kisumu Counties of Kenya, northwest of the capital Nairobi, and near the border with Uganda. It is Kenya's only tropical rainforest and is said to be Kenya's last remnant of the ancient Guineo-Congolian rainforest that once spanned the continent.
The forest, including reserves, encloses about 238 square kilometres, a little less than half of which currently remains as indigenous forest, at an elevation of predominantly 1,500–1,600 metres above sea level. In the north of the forest is the 4,468-hectare Kakamega National Reserve, given national forest reserve status in 1985; just to the north is the Kisere Forest Reserve. Throughout the forest are grassy glades ranging from about 1 to 50 hectares. The flora is rich, with 380 recorded plant species, and the forest is famous for its birds, with at least 9 species found nowhere else. Wildlife includes bush pig, duikers, bushbuck, African clawless otter, mongoose, giant African water shrew, squirrels, tree pangolin, porcupine, bats, and primates including the blue monkey.
Making and maintaining tree nursery beds; plant care for butterfly habitats and butterfly farms; building traditional "Simba" houses with the local community; preparing natural materials for forest maintenance; Isukuti dance and sports competitions with locals; watering, weeding, digging and fencing the tree nursery; logging, wall-building and scaffold work; and teaching and playing with kids through local school visits.
Volunteers stay with local hosts in simple accommodation with running water; meals are prepared by volunteers and sometimes hosts. Bring mosquito nets, a sleeping bag, a pillow and water purifying tablets. Orientation begins the morning after arrival at KVSO offices in Nairobi, covering Kenya and Luhya customs, Kiswahili and Kiluhya language basics, safety and travel.
Hiking trails for forest walking, camping, primate, bird and butterfly watching; visits to the Isecheno Forest Station and the famous Mama Mtere tree; trips to the Crying Stone at Ilesi or Kisere Forest to see the De Brazza's monkey.
€380 per month, including project work, housing, all meals, airport transport, and 24-hour on-site staff support.
Jomo Kenyatta International Airport.
Three more UNESCO World Heritage Volunteers action camps across Kenya.
