Elephant Care - Thailand
Location: 2.5 hours south of Bangkok, near Cha Am
Start dates: Every week on a Sunday
Duration: 1 - 3 weeks
Cost: From £549 / Discount combined Elephant Care + Wildlife Rescue
Start dates: Every week on a Sunday
Duration: 1 - 3 weeks
Cost: From £549 / Discount combined Elephant Care + Wildlife Rescue
How will I make a difference?
By volunteering at the elephant care centre you will make a major contribution to elephant welfare in Thailand, you will have the opportunity to help the centre care for elephants whilst working alongside professional mahouts (elephant keepers).
The centre would not be able to run without the hard work of the volunteers and their financial support. It is through the volunteer fees that the centre is able to provide an alternative life for the elephants (and the mahouts).
On a personal level you will have a unique opportunity to work alongside some incredible creatures and gain the satisfaction of helping to make a difference to their lives.
What will I be doing?
Each day will differ but elephant care volunteer tasks include:
This project is ideal for stays of 1, 2 or 3 weeks. If you have 4 weeks or longer we would recommend combining this project with the Wildlife Rescue Project (based at the same centre).
There is generally 8-14 volunteers on Elephant Care but, including the Wildlife Rescue project (based at the same centre) there can be between 20-40 volunteers at the centre in total at one time (this can vary considerably).
More about the project
The centre we work with gives refuge to domesticated elephants that have been used for begging on the streets of Bangkok and other cities and the aim is to provide a refuge that is as close to nature as possible. Domestic elephants were traditionally used in the logging industry but after the ban on logging, many mahouts turned to making a living from using their elephants for tourism or begging on the streets of big cities. The city is a harsh environment for such a large forest animal. They are under constant threat of road accidents, pollution and a scorching heat that can be fatal to a large mammal such as the elephant.
There are currently 7 elephants that live at the centre. The elephants now get to spend their days on natural ground, breathing clean fresh air, eating as much as they like, with the company of other elephants and having the care of experienced mahouts and veterinary staff.
This project forms part of a larger Wildlife Rescue Centre where volunteers are also needed, combining the two placements is a popular choice.
Location and free time
The centre is based on temple grounds, about 100 miles South of Bangkok. It is approximately 25 km from the beaches of Cha Am and Hua Hin.
It is a very natural, peaceful and beautiful rural location and the centre is located beside a small lake which has a series of small 'gibbon islands.' These are used to rehabilitate the gibbons at the Wildlife Rescue centre.
After work you can relax at the centre and socialise with other volunteers. The local village has an internet café and there are Buddhist temples that you can visit nearby. For a night out, volunteers regularly club together and organise a taxi to Hua Hin where there are many bars, restaurants and a night market. There is also a weekly night market in Cha-am selling lots of cheap clothes and souvenirs, which is always popular.
Volunteer accommodation
You will live in basic shared rooms on-site at the centre.
What's included and where your money goes
Prices
1 Week: £549
Extra weeks: £200
By volunteering at the elephant care centre you will make a major contribution to elephant welfare in Thailand, you will have the opportunity to help the centre care for elephants whilst working alongside professional mahouts (elephant keepers).
The centre would not be able to run without the hard work of the volunteers and their financial support. It is through the volunteer fees that the centre is able to provide an alternative life for the elephants (and the mahouts).
On a personal level you will have a unique opportunity to work alongside some incredible creatures and gain the satisfaction of helping to make a difference to their lives.
What will I be doing?
Each day will differ but elephant care volunteer tasks include:
- Feeding and giving water to the elephants
- Help with the cleaning of the elephant enclosures
- Hosing down and cleaning the elephants
- Going out approximately three times a week to harvest and collect food for the elephants from local farms - pineapples, bananas etc.
- Elephant volunteers also look after some other domesticated animals such as 'Sam', a rescued beach pony
This project is ideal for stays of 1, 2 or 3 weeks. If you have 4 weeks or longer we would recommend combining this project with the Wildlife Rescue Project (based at the same centre).
There is generally 8-14 volunteers on Elephant Care but, including the Wildlife Rescue project (based at the same centre) there can be between 20-40 volunteers at the centre in total at one time (this can vary considerably).
More about the project
The centre we work with gives refuge to domesticated elephants that have been used for begging on the streets of Bangkok and other cities and the aim is to provide a refuge that is as close to nature as possible. Domestic elephants were traditionally used in the logging industry but after the ban on logging, many mahouts turned to making a living from using their elephants for tourism or begging on the streets of big cities. The city is a harsh environment for such a large forest animal. They are under constant threat of road accidents, pollution and a scorching heat that can be fatal to a large mammal such as the elephant.
There are currently 7 elephants that live at the centre. The elephants now get to spend their days on natural ground, breathing clean fresh air, eating as much as they like, with the company of other elephants and having the care of experienced mahouts and veterinary staff.
This project forms part of a larger Wildlife Rescue Centre where volunteers are also needed, combining the two placements is a popular choice.
Location and free time
The centre is based on temple grounds, about 100 miles South of Bangkok. It is approximately 25 km from the beaches of Cha Am and Hua Hin.
It is a very natural, peaceful and beautiful rural location and the centre is located beside a small lake which has a series of small 'gibbon islands.' These are used to rehabilitate the gibbons at the Wildlife Rescue centre.
After work you can relax at the centre and socialise with other volunteers. The local village has an internet café and there are Buddhist temples that you can visit nearby. For a night out, volunteers regularly club together and organise a taxi to Hua Hin where there are many bars, restaurants and a night market. There is also a weekly night market in Cha-am selling lots of cheap clothes and souvenirs, which is always popular.
Volunteer accommodation
You will live in basic shared rooms on-site at the centre.
What's included and where your money goes
- A comprehensive information booklet
- Support from your dedicated volunteer manager within the PoD UK team
- Travel advice and assistance
- Accommodation (a basic shared room)
- All main meals
- Support from the project team
Prices
1 Week: £549
Extra weeks: £200