Volunteering in our elephant project: 2 or 4 weeks

INQUIRY

VOLUNTEERING FOR AND WITH ELEPHANTS

Help secure the future of elephants!

Experience a wonderful time in Northern Thailand and help create a sustainable living for elephants.

Taking part of this project, you will be working with the team of Elephant Special Tours, where you will participate away from the daily routine of tourism mainly with our Thai and Karen crew. Your activities include cleaning up and maintaining the elephant camp, feeding and caring for the animals. You help us to keep the habitat of the animals clean and to bathe them in the river.

In addition, through your stay you will understand what lies behind the complex structure of elephant keeping and how important your work is for the life of the animals. In addition to working in the elephant camp, you will also support agricultural and environmental sustainable projects. You will live in a traditional Karen village with a local family and have the opportunity to dive into their culture.

2 or 4 weeks

included:

+ Full board (breakfast, traditional Thai lunch and dinner)

+ Accommodation in a Karen bungalow (double room)

+ Drinking water

+ Transfer from / to Chiang Mai

+ Wifi in the morning and at noon

 

not included:

+ Visa fees

+ Travel insurance

+ Vaccinations

+ alcoholic drinks, soft drinks

+ personal pocket money

+ national & international flights

 

2 Weeks: 400 € per week / per Person

4 Weeks: 375 € per week / per Person

Work around and with elephants
The elephants need your support. Whether it is collecting food, bathing the animals or with the elimination of elephant poo – every day the normal tasks of us elephant caretakers will be yours. It’s varied, it’s dirty, it’s just beautiful.
Cultural exchange with locals
By working with the local people, you gain a deep insight into the normal day-to-day life that is usually barred to tourists. You spend the night in the village of the Karen and find access to people whose warmth is impressive.
Get to know elephants intensively
Of course, you will also get to know our elephants. Short daily trips offer the animals the opportunity to find food. You can bathe them and just be close to them.

What to expect:

 

Close-up experiences with the largest land mammals in the world

  • Bathing and washing the elephants in the small mountain river
  • feeding the animals
  • Cut elephant grass and prepare food

Repairing and cleaning our camp

  • Assistance in the cleaning of elephant dung
    * Collection, dumping of the feces in the composting points built for this purpose
  • Cutting grass
  • Construction of raised beds made of natural building materials
  • Patching and constructing roofs

Own contribution to regional environmental protection and the quality of life of animals and humans

  • Cleaning the villages and forests of plastic waste
  • Afforestation of the region with offspring
  • Support farmers in the regional rice harvest

Unforgettable memories and the experience of a new culture

  • Visit and shop in a traditional market
  • Living in a local family
  • Working with Thai colleagues and members of the Karen people
WHAT I HAVE TO BRING

Cash can be withdrawn in Chiang Mai – there is no ATM nearby as we are in a small village

Footwear: Trekking sandals or sturdy shoes for working in the elephant camp

Clothing:

  • in winter (October to February) it can get cold in the evening, so long pants and sweaters should be taken
  • In the rainy season (May to September) a rain jacket is recommended
  • -shirts that cover the upper body (for cultural and sun protection reasons – do not work in sports bra or spaghetti top)
  • longer pants to work (knees should be covered)

medicines, sunscreen and hygiene articles: necessarily bring along according to own need (for example tampons can not be acquired on site

Internet/Wifi: we recommend to buy a prepaid sim card with AIS as a network provider; Free wifi is only available in the dining area (morning / evening)

WHAT I CAN BUY ON SITE

Bottles for filling, drinks of any kind

toiletries – shampoo, shower gel, mosquito spray, electrolytes, plasters, disinfectant and other

Thai snacks

hats / cloths as sunscreen

OTHER NOTES

• Minimum age: 18 years
• Language skills: English fluently
• Minimum 2 weeks / Maximum 4 weeks
• Year-round program
• Start of the project: every Monday
• for solo travelers, couples and groups
• Working hours 9 am to 4 pm
• Work is from Monday to Saturday (Sunday free)
• Prerequisite: physical fitness (hot temperatures, high humidity)

Contact us for availability

Food for the elephants: Every day, an elephant eats up to 500 pounds.

A balanced diet is important to us. Therefore, there are different foods – from corn to elephant grass to hay or now and then bananas.

Just as important as the feed budget of our animals is the preservation of the forest on site. Therefore, trees and other plants are set purposefully.