What The Great Projects does

The Great Projects is a UK-registered direct-to-consumer travel platform (legally The Great Traveller Ltd, headquartered in Ware, Hertfordshire) that intermediates between individual travelers and a network of wildlife conservation sanctuaries across more than 20 destinations in Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Americas. Its core products are multi-day wildlife conservation volunteer placements ($797–$4,854 per booking) and packaged wildlife tours ($1,521–$4,983), supplemented by ancillary services such as flight booking, travel insurance, and payment plans. The technology layer is a web-based booking platform with project filtering, multi-currency checkout (GBP, USD, AUD, EUR), and WorldPay payment processing under PCI DSS compliance, rather than a custom AI-driven system.

The company monetizes primarily through one-time booking fees on volunteer placements and tours, with revenue concentrated in the consumer/SMB segment comprising individual wildlife enthusiasts, families, and school/university groups. It does not disclose revenue or headcount publicly, operates without institutional or venture capital backing, and holds UK ABTOT and ATOL financial protection certifications required of package travel operators. Distribution is exclusively direct via the company's website and a UK phone-based travel consultant team (Mon–Sat), with no third-party reseller channel evidenced.

Name

The Great Projects

Legal name

The Great Traveller Ltd

Website

https://thegreatprojects.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2006

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Great Projects is a UK-based direct-to-consumer travel platform that books wildlife conservation volunteer placements and wildlife tours across 20+ destinations in Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Americas, serving individual travelers, families, and school/university groups.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Conservation Volunteer Travel

NAICS

Tour Operators (56152), Tour Operators (561520), Nature Parks and Other Similar Institutions (712190)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Conservation, Research & Volunteer Experiences (THAJAIAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Wildlife & Safari Tour Operators (THAKADAG), Wildlife & Animal Care Volunteering (EDAIAGAE), Guided Wildlife Safaris & Game Drives (Sanctuary/Reserve-Based) (THAAAFAF)

Keywords

• Wildlife conservation volunteering
• Volunteer travel programs
• Animal conservation projects
• Wildlife safari tours
• Conservation tourism packages

Headquarters

HQ city

Ware

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Volunteer Project Fees: One-time fees charged to volunteers for participation in wildlife conservation projects. Pricing varies by project duration and location, ranging from approximately $797 to $4,854 per placement. Fees cover accommodation, meals, project activities, and some include airport transfers.
2. Tour Packages: Package tours combining wildlife viewing with conservation experiences. Tours include accommodation, meals, transportation, and guided activities. Priced as all-inclusive packages ranging from approximately $1,521 to $4,983 depending on duration and inclusions.
3. Add-on Services: Additional revenue from ancillary services including travel insurance, flight booking assistance, and optional activities. These supplementary offerings enhance the core volunteer/tour packages.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Great Projects sells paid wildlife conservation volunteer placements and guided wildlife tour packages across Africa, Asia, the Americas, and Europe. Volunteers pay per-person fees (typically $797–$4,854) that cover accommodation, meals, project activities, and sometimes transfers, while tour packages ($1,521–$4,983) bundle wildlife viewing with accommodation and guided activities. The company operates as a UK-registered tour operator under The Great Traveller Ltd, protected by ABTOT and ATOL, connecting individual volunteers and families with vetted conservation projects run by partner sanctuaries and NGOs.

Product overview

The Great Projects is a travel platform offering award-winning wildlife conservation volunteer projects and wildlife tour experiences. The core product portfolio consists of over 20 wildlife volunteering projects across Africa (including Namibia Wildlife Sanctuary, Lilongwe Wildlife Centre, Lemur Research Project in Madagascar, Shamwari Conservation Experience, and SanWild Sanctuary), Asia (Borneo, Sri Lanka, Laos), the Americas, and Europe, plus 4 packaged wildlife tours (Ultimate Wildlife Tour in Uganda, 6 Day Dunes and Wildlife Experience, 4 Day Etosha Safari and Swakopmund Tour, and 4 Day Swakopmund and Sossusvlei Adventure). Specialty offerings include family volunteering programs, school and university group programs, and a Project Finder tool. The company operates as a booking platform connecting volunteers with third-party wildlife sanctuaries and conservation projects, processing payments through WorldPay and offering ABTOT and ATOL protected travel arrangements.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Wildlife Volunteering Projects
• Africa Volunteer Projects
• Lemur Research Project in Madagascar
• Lilongwe Wildlife Centre
• Namibia Wildlife Sanctuary
• The Great Gorilla Project
• The Great Shark Project
• Mozambican Marine Conservation Project
• Rhino & Elephant Equestrian Project
• Chimp Eden - The Jane Goodall Institute
• Shamwari Conservation Experience
• SanWild Sanctuary & Reserve
• Desert Elephants in Namibia
• Family Volunteering Projects
• School & University Group Volunteering
• Ultimate Wildlife Tour in Uganda
• 6 Day Dunes and Wildlife Experience Tour
• 4 Day Etosha Safari and Swakopmund Adventure Tour
• 4 Day Swakopmund and Sossusvlei Adventure Tour

Quantifiable outcome

• Over £2,000,000 donated to worldwide conservation efforts
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Lilongwe Wildlife CentrecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMalawi's only accredited wildlife sanctuary and rehabilitation centre. The Great Projects offers volunteer placements at this sanctuary, which has helped transform Malawi from an ivory trafficking hub to a wildlife conservation beacon.
• Born Free FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with the Born Free Foundation for the Shamwari Conservation Experience in South Africa. Born Free is a prominent wildlife conservation charity.
• Jane Goodall InstitutecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerChimp Eden project is operated in partnership with The Jane Goodall Institute, providing volunteer opportunities at the chimpanzee sanctuary in South Africa.
• Pan African Sanctuary Alliance (PASA)minorOthersReferenced as a key organization recognizing ethical wildlife sanctuary practices. Not a direct partnership but recommended as a vetting body for ethical wildlife volunteer programs.
• Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries (GFAS)minorOthersReferenced as a key organization recognizing ethical wildlife sanctuary practices. Not a direct partnership but recommended as a vetting body for ethical wildlife volunteer programs.
• Travellers Rest HotelminorOthersHistoric hotel in Kisoro, Uganda, referred to as Dian Fossey's 'second home'. Preferred accommodation partner for Uganda wildlife tours.
• Solitaire Guest FarmminorOthersAffiliated with Namibia Wildlife Sanctuary. Serves as release site for problem carnivores and preferred accommodation for desert tours.
• Cielo Country InnminorOthersSustainable, family-run eco-lodge used for Kalinzu Forest tours. Known for community support and environmental initiatives.
• Kigarama Wilderness LodgeminorOthersLuxury eco-lodge at Lake Mburo National Park, featuring 12 cottages, pool, and organic gardens with panoramic views.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• GoEco: GoEco is a volunteer-abroad platform offering wildlife conservation, marine conservation, and animal-care placements across Africa, Asia, and Latin America. Overlaps with The Great Projects on volunteer placement model, ethical positioning, and multi-destination portfolio.
• Oyster Worldwide: Oyster Worldwide runs paid conservation, wildlife, and ethical travel placements focused on Africa, Asia, and South America. Comparable product mix and target customer (ethical travelers, gap year, career breakers) with similar pricing tiers.
• Projects Abroad: Projects Abroad operates paid volunteer programs including Conservation & Environment projects in Africa, Asia, and Latin America. Comparable on pricing model, duration structure, and conservation-tourism positioning, with broader scale but less species specialization.
• Volunteering Solutions: Volunteering Solutions offers wildlife and animal care volunteer programs in Africa, Asia, and South America, alongside other categories. Overlaps with The Great Projects on wildlife/animal volunteer placements and B2C booking model.
• GVI (Global Vision International): GVI was one of the largest direct competitors offering paid wildlife conservation and community volunteer placements worldwide, until its 2024-2025 liquidation. It overlapped almost identically with The Great Projects on product (multi-week placements, sanctuaries, paid tours) and customer (solo ethical travelers, gap-year students). Its collapse leaves a directly addressable supply of displaced volunteers and partner sanctuaries.
• African Conservation Experience: African Conservation Experience runs paid wildlife volunteer placements across southern and eastern Africa, with sanctuary work, Big 5 conservation, and primate programs. Highly comparable product set, geography (Namibia, South Africa, Zimbabwe), and target customer (solo ethical travelers, gap year).
• Responsible Travel: Responsible Travel is a UK-based marketplace for ethical, conservation-focused holidays including wildlife safaris and volunteer trips in Africa, Asia, and Latin America. Comparable on ethical positioning and customer demographic; functions more as a marketplace, with overlapping supplier base.
• International Volunteer HQ (IVHQ): IVHQ is one of the world's largest volunteer-travel platforms, with wildlife conservation placements in Africa, Asia, and Central America. Comparable on the affordable-to-mid-range volunteer placement model and broad geographic portfolio, though with broader category coverage than The Great Projects.

Broad incumbents

• Wildlife Conservation Society: WCS operates the Bronx Zoo, runs field conservation programs globally, and offers some volunteer/traveler engagement at its parks. Adjacent rather than direct: similar conservation mission and brand, but its commercial offering is zoos and grants, not curated volunteer placements like The Great Projects.

Others

• Born Free Foundation: Born Free is a UK-based wildlife charity and existing core partner of The Great Projects via the Shamwari Conservation Experience. It is comparable because it runs its own conservation tourism products and sanctuary operations, and partners with volunteer-travel operators like The Great Projects for placement delivery.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-great-projects

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Great Projects