An intern is visiting as part of their studies for university and produces a report/paper in collaboration with DERC at the end of their stay. Interns are required in collaboration with DERC to submit a research proposal to the Department of Conservation Area's. Once approved permit fees apply. DERC will assist with this process. ​ Minimum stay is 90 nights. ​

As of 2022 DERC has included transfer into the costs of our volunteer programmes. Pick-ups from Maputo International airport is available on most Mondays and is shared with other volunteer arrivals. Pick-Ups are scheduled for 11:30am, so please ensure you arrive before then. Pick-ups from Kosi Bay Border for SA and SADC arrival is possible.

You will be required to be fluent in English, with Portuguese being a bonus. Some computer literacy will be needed for data entry, image cropping and social media updates. You will be required to have good people skills, be friendly and accommodating. A willingness to work as a team is required and the confidance to work on your own. You should be in good physical health, be comfortable on and in the ocean and promote the values of our project.

From 18 to 70 (fitness important). Younger adults are welcome, however supervision is to accompany the group by means of a responsible adult. Applicants should be able to work in a group environment as well as take initiative when working alone. Some knowledge of computers is required and one should be enthusiastic and confidant to enter into the water as well as willing to lend a helping hand when necessary.

Volunteers and interns stay at our Dolphin Volunteer House. Our volunteer space is situated in the village of Ponta do Ouro, 5 minutes walk from the beach and 10 minutes walk from our Center. ​ The house offers two bedrooms with double beds and a shared bathroom and is suitable for single volunteers, couples and small groups and families. The outside cottage has a large bedroom with on-suite bathroom and can accommodate two people. Volunteer House is available to those volunteering and interning and all stays include breakfast and dinner except on Sundays and major public holidays which is your day out and local cook Tina’s day off.

Yes, one can expect healthy breakfasts filled with the likes of fresh fruit, cereals, yogurt, oats, and a cooked meal. Breakfasts are usually served after early morning launches. Dinners are served at around 6pm and include a menu that caters for both vegetarian and normal diets that draw on local traditional cuisine as well as locally sourced and grown foodstuffs. While volunteering with us one thing is for certain, you will not go hungry!

The area is currently stable from any political unrest and borders South Africa to the south. Normal safety measures should be followed as with any country

There is a local clinic & pharmacy in the village and across the boarder a state hospital (border hours 8am to 5pm). Ponta do Ouro is a low malaria area. Locals do not take meds. Travellers venturing north of Maputo should take malaria meds. Bring your own meds and repellant. Arrange vaccinations & travel medical insurance prior to arriving. Bring a first aid kit & any necessary prescriptions for the duration of your stay. Bring your own motion sickness medication if you have a tendency to be sea sick.

Ponta do Ouro is located within a malaria zone. There have however been only 2 confirmed reports of malaria over the last 24 years. It is up to you as to whether you take anti-malarial medication. Locals do not. There are various homeopathic alternatives available. Travellers venturing north of Maputo should take malaria meds. Arrange vaccinations & travel medical insurance prior to arriving. Bring a small first aid kit & any necessary prescriptions for the duration of your stay. Bring your own motion sickness medication if you have a tendency to be sea sick.

Intern is visiting as part of their studies for university and produces a report/paper in collaboration with us at the end of their stay. Interns are required to apply to the Department of conservation area’s to undertake the collaborative research in the Reserve. Minimum stay is 90 nights.

You will need a valid passport with two bank pages and validity for at least 6 months. A Mozambican entry visa is required if your are not South African or belonging to one of the SADAC countries. Visa’s should be obtained prior to arrival. We will supply you with a visa request letter on request .

Yes handwashing by one of our housekeeping team is available at Mtn150 p/load.

There are FEW land lines in Ponta so a mobile phone & Moçambican SIM card are necessary. SIM cards can be purchased & registered in Ponta. We suggest Movitel for affordambe data connection. Wifi is limited however some of the restaurants have wifi.

Yes, please do bring your own equipment for data and image processing.

Our mornings start early in Ponta! If we are launching one can expect to be up at sunrise in preparation for the day. After a quick cuppa and snack you will head down to our Center where you will assist with guest preparations for their encounter with wild dolphins in the open ocean. This normally takes about 30 minutes after which it's off to sea with the team to look for dolphins, whales during season and any other interesting marine megafauna that may be around. Once located, time will be spent collecting data that includes but is not limited to photography, environmental and behavioural. Cameras can be brought along to help with the project and your images / video will be added to our extensive data base. A set of steady sea legs, a good eye and some photography skills might find you behind the lens. Depending on behaviour, we will enter into the water for observations and further collection via underwater video and cameras. Volunteers will be asked to undertake certain tasks in the water which may include assisting participants. Once back on land volunteers assist with de-briefing participants, rinsing, sorting and storing gear. Breakfast is served at the Volunteer House thereafter. Midmorning to lunch will find you doing some office work where specific post launch activities take place that include camera cleaning, capturing and sorting of days images and data entry. After lunch the afternoon is spent on various projects that include skeleton and reconstruction, beach work (clean-up, micro plastic, water sampling) and land based observationstion. An early dinner and the evening is yours. Turtle season may find you accompanying local monitors on their routine walks which are set to the tide. Weekends are set aside for you time AFTER launches. If in the event there is no launch scheduled; for example a bad weather day, then you can enjoy and sleep in! Times are generaly quite flexable and time can be taken off for surfing and other activites, providing tasks have been undertaken.