The Route: During this four-week volunteer program, you'll work with wildlife biologists examining and tending to convalescing cheetahs and take part in a project that provides sheepdogs to ranchers in hopes of minimizing future livestock kills.

When to go: Year-round

Difficulty: Easy

Travel advisory: Sign up early: There are only four volunteer slots on each project and the trips fill up fast.

High/low points:

• Stroking the paw of an anesthetized cheetah cub as you help a vet take a blood sample for genetic research.
• Choking down a handfull of the local delicacy — roasted termites.