Your base will be on the outskirts of the coastal village of Vilanculos, a short boat ride from the World Heritage Site islands that make up the Bazaruto Archipelago. The islands are one of the jewels of the East African coastline.

Day 1: Arrive in Vilanculos - As you fly in to land in this coastal village you will be greeted with incredible sights of the Indian Ocean and tropical islands below. Palm trees will wave you in as you arrive. Our team will meet you at the airport and transfer you to our base camp, which will be followed by orientation and familiarization. Settle in to your comfortable thatched bungalows at our beach camp and enjoy a welcome dinner.

Day 2 - 4: Guvuru River Canoe Experience - Leave our beach camp and our team will drive the group inland to the Guvuru river launch site where we will embark on our canoe experience that will take you through winding and beautiful inland African waterways for the next two days until we mouth out into the Indian Ocean where more of our project team will be on hand to meet you.

The canoe trip involves camping on the banks of the river overnight, under the supervision of our experienced professional guides. Our project translator will also travel with the group and interpret when we stop off and visit with local villagers on some occasions.

Day 5: Transfer back to Vilanculos - When you arrive back at our beach camp and have had refreshments you will have the chance to go into town and explore the vibrant local market, or hang out at one of the many tourist spots, playing volleyball or just socializing.

Day 6-7: Island dhow safari - Island after island, shimmering drops of white and green on a table of azure blue, Mozambique is with out doubt one of the last enchanted secrets of this modern world. It’s unspoiled, untouched and unbelievably beautiful.

Day 8-9: Island diving experience (No diving experience necessary) - Experienced instructors will guide you through your open-water or advanced diving certification and you will then spend some time exploring the Bazaruto Archipelago under their guidance.

Day 10-11: Community volunteering - This project is facilitated by our sister organisation African Impact, and has a very rural feel and involves various aspects of community work and development in and around the coastal town of Vilanculos. We support a number of different community development initiatives, mornings are spent at a village preschool and afternoons are rotated around various community projects involving rural home-building, orphan care work, skills development, adult literacy and others.

The projects are always evolving so will be at different stages, volunteers should be prepared to be involved in a wide diversity of project work as things evolve and develop, all of which are moving the project towards a common goal.

As a result of the February 2007 Cyclone Favio which devastated this area, we were involved in the immediate post-cyclone relief work and have since been involved in local home-building for disadvantaged and disabled villagers which we are still continuing with.

Our users say...

"The whole experience was absolutely incredible. It was uplifting, rewarding, challenging, grounding, heart-breaking and soul-destroying in equal measure. To see the absolute joy on the faces of the children when we arrived to spend time with them, or their excitement at being given some new clothes, a piece of chocolate cake or the opportunity to do something creative, was incredible. To see someone’s new home taking shape was fabulous.
To see how they accept what they have, are content with it and essentially happy with their lot was a major lesson for me, and certainly changed my perspective of my life and the things that I take for granted. Moments like this make it one of the most amazing things I have ever done. This is why I WILL do it again and why I would encourage anyone who is thinking about doing this sort of thing to stop thinking about it, and go and do it".
Stuart Neath, UK.

+27 710814990

Pathfinders invites you to be more than a tourist - Africa is waiting to be explored! Our latest portfolio of two-week 'voluntours' offers you amazing insights into off-the-beaten track Africa. These small group adventures visit some of Africa's best spots, as well as involve you in two days of volunteering.