Terms & Conditions

Last updated: 28 September 2026

About these terms

These terms apply when you book a volunteering placement, internship or course through Beyond the Wild (“we”, “us”). By confirming a booking, you agree to them.

Contact: hello@beyondthewildexperiences.com
Address: Railway Road, Kenmare, Co. Kerry, Ireland

What we do, and what we do not do

This is the most important thing to understand before booking.

Beyond the Wild arranges placements with independent conservation projects. We do not own, operate or manage those projects. Your placement is delivered by the project itself — an independent conservation project in South Africa — which is responsible for your accommodation, meals, daily activities, supervision and on-site safety.

We arrange your placement, answer your questions, and stay in contact before, during and after your stay. We do not sell flights, and you are responsible for arranging your own travel, insurance and visas.

Booking and payment

Submitting an enquiry costs nothing and does not create a booking. A booking is confirmed only when we have confirmed your dates in writing and received your first payment.

Your placement is paid in two parts, and we tell you both figures in writing before you pay anything:

• To us, on confirmation: the project’s deposit, which is 50% of the placement fee, plus our booking fee of 20%.
• To the project, on arrival: the remaining balance of the placement fee.

The project sets its rates in South African rand, so the euro figures we quote are confirmed at the time of booking and may move with the exchange rate before then.

Optional extras, such as the Pilanesberg safari day, are arranged separately and paid for according to the arrangements confirmed at the time.

Cancellation by you

Cancellations must be sent to us in writing by email. The date we receive your email is the date we use.

The deposit you pay us is passed to the project. If you cancel, refunds follow the project’s own cancellation scale, applied to the amounts you have paid us:

• More than 60 days before arrival: 85% refunded
• Between 30 and 60 days before arrival: 65% refunded
• Fewer than 30 days before arrival: 25% refunded
• Within 7 days of arrival, or once your placement has begun: no refund

The project deducts an administration charge in each case. We refund whatever we are able to recover from the project, and we cannot refund more than that. Our booking fee is non-refundable, as it covers work already carried out.

We strongly recommend travel insurance that includes trip cancellation cover, because we cannot refund amounts the project has already committed on your behalf.

Changes or cancellation by us or the project

Conservation projects work with live animals in a changing environment. Occasionally dates must move, activities must change, or a placement cannot run. If that happens we will tell you as soon as we can and offer you alternative dates or a refund of amounts not already committed.

We are not liable for costs you have incurred separately, such as flights, which is another reason insurance matters.

Your responsibilities

By booking you confirm that:

• You are 18 or over.
• You hold valid travel insurance covering medical treatment and repatriation, and ideally working with animals.
• You are responsible for your own visa and entry requirements.
• You have told us about anything that could affect your safety or the safety of others on the project.
• You will follow the project’s instructions, safety rules and animal-handling protocols at all times.

The project may end a placement without refund if behaviour puts animals, staff or other volunteers at risk.

Working with animals

These are wild and rescued animals in a working conservation environment. There is inherent risk in being near them, and no activity involving them can be guaranteed on any given day — animal welfare comes first, always.

Activities described on this website are indicative of a typical stay. They are not contractual guarantees.

Liability

We accept liability for failures in the service we ourselves provide. We are not liable for the acts or omissions of the independent project, for injury or loss occurring on site, or for events outside our reasonable control including weather, illness, strikes, border closures or flight disruption.

Nothing in these terms limits liability for death or personal injury caused by our negligence, or for fraud.

Complaints

If something goes wrong, tell the project’s team while you are there so they have the chance to put it right. If it is not resolved, contact us at hello@beyondthewildexperiences.com and we will take it up on your behalf.

Governing law

These terms are governed by the laws of Ireland, and the Irish courts have jurisdiction.