Looking for more than just a holiday or a gap year filled with sightseeing? The Bougain-Villa Lodge Volunteer Programme offers young adults and overseas school leavers the opportunity to live by the ocean while contributing to meaningful environmental and community projects. Stays range from 1 week to 90 days, allowing volunteers to learn, grow, and make a genuine impact, all while enjoying a relaxed coastal lifestyle.
Set in a lush tropical oasis just 200 metres from the beach, Bougain-Villa Lodge is a safe, welcoming base where volunteers become part of the local community, not just visitors passing through. This is a hands-on, immersive experience focused on real learning, real contribution, and unforgettable memories.
What’s Included:
- Airport Transfers
- Collection from Maputo International Airport on arrival
- Return transfer to Maputo at the end of the programme (Accommodation and meals in Maputo excluded)
- Accommodation & Meals
- Shared accommodation at Bougain-Villa Lodge
- All meals included (2 meals per day)
- Relaxed, social lodge environment
- Laundry facilities
- Unlimited WiFi access
- Crew pack (T-shirt & cap)
- Personal shopping trips twice a week
Volunteer Activities
- Ocean & Beach Research
- Rockpooling sessions and reef exploration
- Introduction to marine life and coastal ecosystems
- Participation in basic marine and beach-based research
- Environmental awareness and conservation learning
- Skills & Coastal Knowledge
- Basic first aid training
- Boat safety fundamentals
- Knots and rope handling
- 4x4 common knowledge for remote coastal environments
- Seafood, fruit, and vegetable scavenging for weekly group dinners
- Deep Sea Fishing (Catch & Release)
- Learn about different species
- Responsible and conservation-focused fishing practices
- All charters included
- Whale Watching (Winter Months Only)
- Observe humpback whales along the coastline
- Learn about migration routes and marine conservation
- Beach Clean-Ups & Environmental Education
- Regular organised beach clean-ups
- Eco-brick construction using collected plastic
- Community engagement around pollution awareness
- Recycling Awareness
- Teaching simple, practical recycling methods
- Supporting local environmental responsibility initiatives
- Community Outreach
- Assisting at a nearby local orphanage
- Activities may include games, basic tutoring, maintenance help, and mentorship
- Optional Add-Ons (Not Included)
- Scuba Diving Qualifications
- PADI (or equivalent) certification available
- Guided dives arranged at additional cost
- Transport and accommodation for dive trips billed separately
- Limpopo River Experiences
- Volunteers also take part in Limpopo River boat cruises, including birding and sunset cruises. These excursions explore one of southern Africa’s most iconic rivers, with opportunities to spot birdlife, crocodiles, and untouched landscapes — all included as part of the volunteer programme.
- Scuba Diving Qualifications
Who This Programme Is For:
- Overseas school leavers and gap-year students
- Young adults seeking purpose-driven travel
- Volunteers interested in environmental conservation and community upliftment
- Those wanting to live simply, connect deeply, and grow personally
Why Choose Bougain-Villa Lodge?
This is not a volunteer factory. We keep groups small, focus on genuine impact, and ensure every volunteer is supported, safe, and actively involved. You’ll leave with new skills, a broader global perspective, and friendships that last long after your stay ends.
| Volunteer Pricing | |
|---|---|
| 1 Week | US$750.00 |
| 2 Weeks | US$1,200.00 |
| 3 Weeks | US$1,700.00 |
| 4 Weeks | US$2,200.00 |
| 2 Months | US$4,100.00 |
| 3 Months | US$4,800.00 |
| All-inclusive: Accommodation, all meals, WiFi, activities, boat trips, deep sea fishing, Limpopo River expeditions, whale safaris (in season), transfers, and programme support are included. Flights and diving courses excluded. |
|
