EXPEDITIONS
ENVIRONMENTAL
PROTECTION.
Live wild, in the wild, for the wild.
EXPERIENCE RAW
NATURE.
This isn’t a walk in the forest. You’ll be off the beaten track, spotting wildlife most people never see outside a documentary. Physical. Dirty. Unforgettable. Prove you can go further, working and living in wild environments most people never see.
CONSERVATION SKILLS ARE JUST THE START.
Biodiversity is under real pressure. The impacts of poaching, invasive species and land clearing harm the natural world faster than it can recover. You’ll get hands-on and do something about it: planting trees, monitoring wildlife cameras, clearing snares, all while learning from expert rangers and researchers who work in the field.
You’ll be off-grid. No signal, no shortcuts back to normal life — just you, your team and raw nature. You’ll camp on site, in the wild, among the nature you’re there to protect. Alongside local experts you’ll pick up real field skills: identifying wildlife, observing camera trap data, removing invasive plant species — these are hard skills you only get from field action.
ENVIRONMENTAL
PROTECTION
PROJECTS.
Environmental Protection projects vary by destination and cycle, depending
on the project progress, weather and what’s most important. It could
include:
BORNEO
WHAT YOU’LL DO
Mangrove conservation, construction of coastal community infrastructure, ecotourism development and building environmental awareness
WHO YOU’LL WORK WITH
Sungai Eloi community
LOCATION
Sungai Eloi, Pitas District
ACCOMMODATION
Sleep in sulap huts, bucket showers, squatting toilets
COSTA RICA
WHAT YOU’LL DO
Reforestation and habitat restoration, wildlife monitoring, eco-tourism support.
WHO YOU’LL WORK WITH
Local indigenous communities
LOCATION
Caño Negro Wildlife Refuge, in northern Costa Rica
ACCOMMODATION
Sleep in bunk-bed facilities, tents or community salons
SOUTH AFRICA
WHAT YOU’LL DO
Ecological Restoration, Habitat Maintenance & Wildlife Protection, Conservation Awareness
WHO YOU’LL WORK WITH
Cape Vulture Conservancy Rangers
LOCATION
Cape Vulture Nature Reserve
ACCOMMODATION
Basic camp, bucket showers, portable toilets, camping stoves
LIFE ON
ENVIRONMENTAL
PROTECTION.
Jungle, rainforest, savannah – this is life off the tourist trail, hard to find on a map. It’s an early start. Start with a morning briefing from your expert guide, where you’ll set your objectives and action plan for the day. Expect river crossings, hacking through vegetation to get to site. You might be clearing invasive species from degraded farmland, re-planting native species along a restoration corridor, pulling snares from the bush, or conducting a wildlife monitoring survey. Your day ends with an evening debrief and setting the. plan for tomorrow.
Conservation experts will guide you along the way, giving you the knowledge to understand what you’re doing on the ground and why it matters.
TEST YOUR
LIMITS.
Through living and working in the heart of nature, you’ll discover what it is to survive and thrive in wild environments. A valuable lesson in how precious the natural world is, this Phase is where you find a deeper level of understanding of what it takes to conserve nature and why this is so important.
Conditions can be challenging – when the rains roll in or when you’re working in the heat, you’ll you will experience nature to the fullest. You’ll be in bush camps, cooking and eating around the campfire. This how you truly shake off the confines of modern urban life and get an unfiltered connection with nature.
This is real conservation work. Living wild, in the wild, for the wild.
WALK ON THE WILD SIDE
You’re in active conservation areas every day, which means genuine wildlife encounters happen naturally alongside the work. In South Africa you might spot Cape Vultures returning to the nesting site, or track big cat prints along a restoration corridor. In Costa Rica, caimans in the wetlands and howler monkeys overhead are part of the daily backdrop. In Borneo, proboscis monkeys and saltwater crocodiles share the mangrove systems you’re working to protect.
Daily animal presentations and conservation briefings from expert guides give context to what you’re seeing – so by the end of three weeks you understand these ecosystems, not just the animals in them.
AN ENVIRONMENTAL
IMPACT THAT LASTS
Raleigh’s environmental projects are run in partnership with established, expert conservation organisations.
- In South Africa, the Cape Vulture Conservancy manages one of the country’s last remaining Cape Vulture nesting sites within the Kruger to Canyons Biosphere, a UNESCO-recognised landscape.
- In Costa Rica, projects operate within nationally protected ecosystems.
- In Borneo, mangrove conservation work directly supports one of Southeast Asia’s most threatened and ecologically critical habitats.
SDGS
The work aligns with the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration and contributes to UN SDGs 13 (Climate Action) and 15 (Life on Land). These aren’t badges – they’re the framework the conservation partners themselves operate within.
IMPORTANT TO KNOW
You move. The terrain varies: flat and fast one day, steep and slow the next. River crossings, altitude, heat, cold – whatever the landscape asks of you that day, you answer it.
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION FAQS
Do I need any qualifications or scientific background?
No. All work is expert-led and full training is provided throughout. A genuine interest in conservation is useful – qualifications are not required.
Will I actually see wildlife?
Yes – you’re working in active conservation landscapes every day, so wildlife encounters happen naturally alongside the work. Daily animal presentations and expert briefings also give you direct access to the species you’re helping protect.
Who does Raleigh work with on Environmental Projects?
Conservation partners vary by destination. In South Africa, Raleigh works in partnership with the Cape Vulture Conservancy in the Kruger to Canyons Biosphere. In Costa Rica, projects work alongside local conservation organisations at sites including the Caño Negro Wildlife Refuge. In Borneo, projects focus on mangrove ecosystem conservation in Sabah.
Can I use this experience for a conservation career?
Yes – working directly alongside conservation professionals in UNESCO-recognised and nationally protected landscapes is a genuinely valuable experience for anyone considering ecology, environmental science or conservation as a career path.
What is the environmental impact of the work?
Work across all three destinations contributes to the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration and aligns with UN SDGs 13 and 15.
Is the Environmental Protection phase in both the 8- and 4-week Expeditions?
The Environmental Protection Phase will definitely be included in an 8-week Expedition. The 4-week Expedition will include either the Environmental Protection Phase or the Community Action Phase.