Work on local conservation efforts while living in paradise

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Conservation Expedition in the Seychelles

Project Overview
Program Life
Project Details
Testimonials
Free Time

Project Overview

Travel to the breathtaking Seychelles Islands and assist the local government with critical wildlife and terrestrial conservation programs.

This expedition takes you to the beautiful Indian Ocean where you’ll assist on priority conservation programs on Curieuse Island. You’ll work with an abundance of underwater life, explore the beautiful forests and beaches, and even get a chance to see some of the bigger animals in the area such as whale sharks, manta rays, and dolphins.

Highlights include...

Looking out for incredible ‘mega-fauna’ in the area, such as whale sharks, manta rays, and dolphins from the boat; exploring National Parks, visiting breeding areas for the hawksbill and green turtle, and endangered giant tortoises; having an amazing and unique adventure amongst some of the most beautiful scenery in the world, working alongside local communities, swimming in the Indian Ocean at the end of hard days work, exploring the other islands of the Seychelles, enjoying snorkeling and seeing turtles in the water, trying a fun scuba dive.

The Seychelles is renown as one of the world’s leaders in conservation and sustainable tourism. If you are looking to learn more about conservation and want to spend some time living in paradise, then look no further.

Scholarships

We are always looking for enthusiastic and dedicated people to join our team. This expedition offers qualifying and high-performing volunteers the chance to stay on the expedition for a longer duration on a GVI Scholarship free of charge and as part of the staff team in the field. If you would like to work towards a field career and make the very most of your time abroad, you might want to work towards a place on a GVI Scholarship. Successful scholars may find themselves offered full time employment with GVI, and many of our current staff have come through this route. Contact us for more information!

Please note, the awarding of scholarships is at the sole discretion of GVI and may be offered immediately after the completion of your program or at a later date.

GVI is real volunteering

Our projects are constantly evolving according to the needs on the ground at any given time. All the information displayed here will give you an overall feel for the project, but you should be prepared for any changes in the field when you travel. An evolving project means that we can constantly meet the needs and requirements of our partners, who dictate the work that we do. The way it should be.

Program Life

You will spend the majority of your time on foot working in the forests and on the beaches. Our project covers a wide range of conservation efforts, and we rotate between projects so you will experience different field techniques, new initiatives and varied project sites.

At end of the workday you’ll return to base with your team, where we relax and hang out together. We attend camp chores in mini-teams on a rotational basis, which helps keep our living space feeling like home.

On project you can expect to work 5 1/2 days per week and on the weekends you will have free time to snorkel, dive, explore and/or just enjoy the amazing tranquility of island living.

Project Details

On this expedition you will focus on several key conservation efforts within and around the Curieuse Island National Park, including endemic Coco de Mer surveys, mangrove survey and census research, giant tortoise habitat management and restoration, turtle nesting and in-water behavior research and providing training and education to the local community.

Partners on this program include the Seychelles Center for Marine Research and Technology, Marine Conservation Society of the Seychelles and the Marine Parks Authority.

Data collected from your efforts will be passed to the Seychelles Ministry of Environment and participating NGOs to be used in creating local conservation policies and shared worldwide with other conservation teams and efforts.

How this project makes a difference:

In conjunction with our partners, we are one of the leading marine and terrestrial data collection organizations in Seychelles. We help local organizations execute projects that they do not have the manpower to do alone.

Testimonials

I gained invaluable field surveying experience which helped to solidify what I want to spend the rest of my life doing. I have applied to university to study Environmental Science and hopefully...

Eilidh Johnston, United Kingdom

I gained invaluable field surveying experience which helped to solidify what I want to spend the rest of my life doing. I have applied to university to study Environmental Science and hopefully pursue a career in environmental research.”

Free Time

Volunteering with GVI not only allows you to participate on programs assisting disadvantaged communities or endangered ecosystems but it also offers wonderful opportunities to travel in the local area in your down time or further afield either before or after your program. Below is some information on trips and travel options in the Seychelles.

Optional Side Trips

At the weekends many volunteers head to Beau Vallon Bay for a well-earned break. The bay is the main tourist area of Mahe with a lovely long beach, hotels and guest houses, shops and restaurants to suit all tastes. The dive shops in the area offer many options for all diving needs.

Most people would agree that sitting at The Coral Strand Hotel bar with a cool drink and watching the sun set behind Silhouette Island is an experience not to be missed. Volunteers may have the opportunity to visit the islands of Praslin and La Digue. Praslin is home to the Vallee de Mai (a world heritage site) thought by early explorers to be the original “Garden of Eden”, that is home of the famous Coco de Mer palm tree that produces the huge double nut famous for its provocative shape. La Digue is the picture perfect tropical island, small and intimate with quaint guest houses and arguably the most beautiful beach in the world - Anse Source d’Argent.

Victoria is the capital city of the Seychelles, the smallest capital city in the world. Volunteers often visit to catch up at internet cafes, do a little shopping, or visit the market to soak up the local atmosphere.

Public transport is cheap and frequent and all parts of Mahe can be explored easily by catching a bus. Many volunteers spend happy times bouncing around the island roads on buses taking in the beautiful scenery whilst enjoying the company of locals going about their daily business.

Further Travelling Opportunities

With 115 islands in the Seychelles group stretching over 800 miles, the possibilities of exploring this tropical paradise are endless. The inner-islands, situated closer to Mahe are easily accessible by fast ferry. Praslin, La Digue, Silhouette, Felicity and Sister, to name a few, all have their own unique charms with hotels and guest houses within most people’s price range.

The outer islands such as Desroche, Bird, Dennis, Farquar and the Amirantes group are harder to get to and can only be reached by small plane or charter yacht. Most have small exclusive resorts which can be extremely expensive, but the marine environment and bird life at these outposts of civilization have been barely marked by the hand of man, and as such are in a pristine condition rarely found anywhere in the world today.