My Luv Letter to the Munywana Conservancy (3/3 ACE edition)

Dear Munywana Conservancy,

This is it, the final week of my African adventure with ACE, and I truly couldn’t have wished for a better ending. I got to participate in projects that made me feel, for the first time in three weeks, like I was genuinely doing something that matters. Something for the animals, for conservation, for the planet.

Now, I can’t share too much out of respect for the incredible team and their work, so let’s just say: this week had “main character energy.” And the people I met? They were absolute legends. I even had a bit of a “quarter-life crisis” (classic), questioning some life choices and wondering, “Wait… am I supposed to be doing this forever?”

Day 16: No More Airport Hotels, for now…

This week kicked off with a slow morning and, finally, a farewell to my beloved (and overused) Joburg airport hotel. Three nights in two weeks? We’ve seen enough of each other.

Lee and I met up with ACE again and caught our flight to Durban. Everything went smoothly, though the plane was very full—haven’t seen one like that in a while! Once we landed, we were picked up by our new team and met another volunteer, Yolande. The drive north took around 4.5 hours through the lush, rolling greens of Zululand—giant trees, endless sugar cane fields, and a landscape that looked like it belonged in a fairytale.

We settled into the northern volunteer house, where our monitor and Cheryl (the volunteer who was already there) welcomed us. The house was very charming, though the power had… its own opinions. Our monitor seemed very knowledgeable and nice, and I had a good feeling about this final week

Day 17: A Hectic, Hollywood Kind of Day

We were up bright and early to help with a relocation mission, but the vehicle had other plans. Cue a mechanic pit stop. Once we arrived, the mission itself was impressively organized. While we weren’t involved hands-on, watching the process unfold felt like stepping onto a wildlife film set. Everything went nicely step by step, but make it quick because you don’t want to stay with a wild animal for a long time. Even though we weren’t involved as much and were there for the occasional flick of the arm to shoo animals away, I didn’t mind observing because the “project manager” was quite nice to the wondering eyes.

Later, we tracked an elephant herd with a drone, searching for a calf. We spotted a magnificent elephant stepping out into the golden light through the trees, it felt like natures spotlight.

We ended the day early to rest up for what would be a very very early morning.

Day 18: Helicopters & Quarter-Life Crises

At 4:30 a.m., we were on our way for another mission—this time, horn trimming for rhino protection. With the old car officially hospitalized, we had a new ride (get well soon car number 9).

This mission was exhilarating. We waited while our monitor and the vet flew overhead in a helicopter to locate rhinos and dart them. Meanwhile, we flew across dirt roads on the back of a truck, clinging on for dear life and getting that adrenaline rush. Once a rhino was darted, we raced to the site, unloaded gear, and helped with prep. The younger rhinos needed ear notching and microchipping—an essential part of ID and protection.

Seeing these powerful creatures sedated and blindfolded, vulnerable yet safe, stirred something deep in me. Because you are helping them but it looks sad.

Afterward, I had a chat with the pilot and learned more about their work. And then it hit me: I love this. Not in a “what a cool week” kind of way, but in a “could this be my actual future?” kind of way.

I told my mom when I called later that day. I’ll still do my Luxury Master’s (don’t worry) but I feel like I’m starting to write an alternate chapter in the back of my mind. Maybe one with boots and a drone instead of heels and a mood board.

Later that day, we spotted three cheetah brothers during golden hour. Very pretty to see cheetahs again, its been awhile!

Day 19: Fast & the Furry-ous

Another early start, another rhino protection mission—this time with way more guests (hello, 30-person convoy). While it was a lot, it’s great for funding and raising awareness with the guests, something that the conservancy and its lodges really stand for.

Just before the mission started, the lion pride was very close by and we had to keep an eye it for them, and surely a lioness casually strolled into our briefing area.

Once we were on the truck, our driver fully embraced his inner Vin Diesel. It wasn’t Tokyo Drift, it was Bush Drift. Going 70 km/h in the back of a bakkie, dodging thorn trees and holding on for dear life is now my version of a morning espresso. The helicopter crew said that they are often seen as the cowboys of the sky, but I really felt like a rodeo bull driver that morning.

After lunch, we went to check on the cheetah family, a mom, her cubs, and a lucky orphan they adopted. Bond can be stronger than blood. Later, we tracked a lost a priority species animal using telemetry, it’s a device that looks like a satellite with a radio. You can get a signal with the tracking device on the animal, but until the signal it essentially sounds like being on the phone with someone that’s in a tunnel, until you hear that wonderful beep! I often had to double-check if the beep was actually there, because I tended to imagine the beep after 1,5H of radio noise. That night we got the signal, but it was too weak to follow through with darkness setting in. Our monitor is slowly getting more loose around us, and I honestly love it. Casually cracking jokes on the road about the animals and the crew, it does make me feel a bit more part of the team.

Hyenas greeted us on the road home—curious, close, and way too interested. But luckily didn’t jump in for a ride with us.

Day 20: Fairy Forests & Feral Felines

Today we got to sleep in (5:30, but still blessed!) and went for a relaxing drive through the sand forest, a setting straight out of a fantasy novel. Honestly, if a unicorn had walked out, I wouldn’t have been surprised.

We ran some errands, visited a lodge for souvenirs, and I bought a branded cap that makes me feel like I’m part of the crew now. Manifestation is real, right?

In the evening, we helped with tracking the same priority species animal like yesterday evening with the Telemetry (cue in the noise) and stumbled upon a little rhino family, baby included, bathing in golden light. I mean… come on. That’s Africa for you, never a dull moment in the bush.

Later, while trying to drive back for our Braai, the bush had other plans: first hyenas (again), and then lions. We only realized how many were there when bones started snapping just off the road. We saw two lions on the road… but there were eleven in the grass. ELEVEN. One car, no roof, and only 1.5 meters between us and the pride. Our monitor was super relaxed and just went around the lions on the road, however, the elephant in musk afterwards was not worth the risk so we had to detour again.

Spoiler: I’m alive. But my blood pressure is now certified.

We made it back in time for the Braai and spent the evening laughing, finally getting to talk without the wind screaming in our ears.

Day 21: Just Another Day in Bush Paradise

A later wake-up today (7:00 feels like luxury) and a trip to town for groceries and breakfast. However, mid-toast, the call came in: a tracking system was down, instead of signalling every hour, it would signal every 3 minutes. Batteries would die out within the week and the animal would roam alone. So quickly back to camp, quickly change, and quickly on the road again.

We waited for the gear at another camp where the kids and dogs came out to play, it was sweet and gave a real homey feeling in the middle of the wilderness. Once we got the signal device, we headed out again. It was super windy, but our monitor was determined. After 4 changes in batteries he finally found the signal. Watching his pride made the moment even better, but honestly, we were all proud of him, there is no animal that can go undetected from him anymore. The last few days he found animals that are rare, small, or big, and through the mist, through the wind and through the blinding sun.

On the drive back, we talked more about conservation work and comparing life between NL and SA, and I started trying to gently hint that I might want to come back next year for a potential internship for my Master’s (I think the hint was taken). And as luck was on our side after a long day… almost all the elephant herds came out to play on the road so we took not one, but two detours. Never a dull drive in the bush.

Day 22: Family Reunions

Another early morning. Another capture mission. After a quick ride again over the Shakira bumps (because hips don’t lie there (not my joke credit but our monitors)) we got to the briefing point. The crew was smaller today, so we got to help more. I have to say that it’s funny to compare men here to the ones at home. I think the job makes them more mature and masculine because I could never imagine the Dutch guys pushing wild animals around without blinking an eye. And no I didn’t fall in love with another wildlife man… yet.

Our monitor scanned the area with the drone and found a few candidates. Once we were out, I got a little overenthusiastic helping with the ropes (classic me) and managed to cut myself. Totally worth it though.

One baby calf got separated from its mother, so we stopped everything to help reunite them. The baby was only about 1.5–2 weeks old and made a squeaky sound that resembled a dogs toy. It was absolutely cuteness overload. Once it was time to reunited them, the crew had to say to me “I just need to grab your baby there, sorry”. I was this close to smuggling it into my suitcase.

Once the family was safe, we had coffee, wrapped up the last capture, and said goodbye to the crew. It was bittersweet. But I will be back (cue in Arnold Schwarzenegger). Manifesting that into existence with the cap on!

On the way home, we checked in on the cheetah family one last time and made the most of the final drive trying to find the leopard. However, when I suggested the use a red laser dot because cats love those, the monitor thought it was clever but did not want to try that theory on a leopard, too bad… haha. In the end, I really didn’t want to get out of the car as it was my last drive of this trip (and I just found my humour again in English).

The crippling feeling of going home already started that night and I could not say goodbye already to the monitor, we will save that one for the morning!

One week. That’s all it took to turn “this is amazing” into “this could be my life.”

Day 23: A Bittersweet Goodbye, but not Farewell

We woke up at 4:30 again, one last early start to say goodbye to the group and the monitor. Luckily no tears came out (yet). The other volunteers headed out for the day while Cheryl and I were waiting for the airport transfer. Watching them leave while we stayed behind was strange. Abrupt. But not really final.

The travel day was extremely long, it took 28 hours from leaving the volunteer house to landing in Amsterdam. All that waiting won’t do the best to your mental health I think, because I was really reconsidering my choice to go home instead of trying to stay for another week (or 2). Of the five times I’ve been to Africa in my life, I’ve cried three times on the way back, and this wasn’t an exception. I guess a heart will know something that your brain is still trying to process because Africa will always keep calling me and I think I will have to listen to the calling this time.

And just like that, my ACE journey has come to an end.

From week one, wanting to go home, to week three, wanting to never leave. I found a new sense of purpose here. I’ll still chase my Master’s in Luxury, but my eyes are now open to something else. I think the Planet Earth III documentary that I watched in the plane was only more of a reassurance that working with animals and nature will make me happier than working for extremely expensive brands.

Yes, the early mornings were brutal, and I’m still a bit paranoid for potential ticks, but I wouldn’t trade it for anything. My back is bruised from the bakkie rides, my eyes are red from wind and sun, my hair is dusty and full of knots, but my heart is so so full.

Apparently, my eyes even changed color this week. Everyone at home said they started sparkling, my hazel brown turned green. Guess that’s what happiness will do to you huh.

Ngiyabonga kakhulu to everyone this week, you’ve made it unforgettable. And I will say Sanibonani to you all again very soon.

Spread the Luv,

Isabella

P.S. Below I have two more special videos from the Okavango Delta if you are still interested! <3