from 995€

Brilliant 4.7rating (37)
  • Life On Land

Elephant Care and Protection Supporter

location
1 - 12 weeks  ·  Age 18 - 50+
rating  Brilliant 4.7  · 
  Verified by Volunteer World
  Excellent response rate

Highlights

  • Help Thailand's vulnerable elephants have a healthy and peaceful environment to live in, once again in their natural habitats.
  • Observe and understand elephants and their behaviour directly
  • Teach English to locals and help them get more involved with the cause
  • Meet people from all around the world and make life long bonds with them
  • Visit and get to know Thailand's rich cultural heritage and beautiful landscapes

Especially suitable

Age 18+
Singles
Couples
Groups
50+

About the program

Help abused elephants recover and develop in a healthy environment by supporting them on their daily needs.

Elephants are noble, admirable, intelligent and generally impressive animals; however, elephants are also one of the animals that have suffered the most: the abuse they suffer when people try to domesticate them, the threat of poachers and the loss of their habitat are just some of the problems ...

About the program

Elephants are noble, admirable, intelligent and generally impressive animals; however, elephants are also one of the animals that have suffered the most: the abuse they suffer when people try to domesticate them, the threat of poachers and the loss of their habitat are just some of the problems elephants face that are actively threatening them. At the elephant sanctuary, our goal is to bring solutions directly to these problems so that elephants can live in peace.

At the center, one of the most daunting tasks is obtaining enough food for these elephants so that they can be healthy and happy; mother elephants can weigh up to four metric tons and are known to eat over three hundred pounds of vegetation per day (a nutritional need that increases substantially when mothers are nursing). 

Getting enough daily food for all the elephants is a task that always requires a few extra hands, so as a volunteer, you can improve the elephants' lives by harvesting things like grass, corn and bananas. Also, as a volunteer, you will work alongside local villagers (most of whom are staff members) and their families. These villages are eager to learn English and learn more about foreign cultures, so this is a perfect opportunity for cultural exchange. 

Other things volunteers will assist with is taking care of the elephants, bathing them, making herbal medicine balls, interacting with the daily visitors, along with many other tasks that may arise depending on the specific needs of the moment. 

It is very important that volunteers always keep in mind to treat the animals with the utmost respect, love and affection. Also, always be very open to receive all the love that the elephants are more than willing to give, and be prepared to embrace the very particular ways that elephants have of showing that love, sometimes it can even be through a nice hose of water coming directly out of their trunks. ! :) 

Typical day

Volunteers work on weekdays (Monday through Friday), staring every morning at 6:30. Weekdays are free for volunteers to go explore and discover all the beautiful things Thailand has to offer.

A volunteer's daily routine starts at 6:30, when they shall go to the river to bathe elephant babies and ...

Typical day

Volunteers work on weekdays (Monday through Friday), staring every morning at 6:30. Weekdays are free for volunteers to go explore and discover all the beautiful things Thailand has to offer.

A volunteer's daily routine starts at 6:30, when they shall go to the river to bathe elephant babies and mothers.
Then, volunteers shall help feed the elephants, after which volunteers will go get breakfast for themselves.

After having breakfast, the volunteer's daily tasks start. These will be assigned per day but are usually the ones mentioned before, such as harvesting grass or making herbal medicine balls for the elephants.

Free-time activities

You will be volunteering near the beautiful, northern Thai city of Chiang Mai. A complete contrast to Thailand's capital Bangkok, Chiang Mai is a smaller city with a huge connection to the environment, as it provides direct access to the nearby beautiful forest mountains that are a hotspot for ...

Free-time activities

You will be volunteering near the beautiful, northern Thai city of Chiang Mai. A complete contrast to Thailand's capital Bangkok, Chiang Mai is a smaller city with a huge connection to the environment, as it provides direct access to the nearby beautiful forest mountains that are a hotspot for adventurers and lovers of nature alike. In addition to that, Chiang Mai also has very intriguing traditionally Thai sites such as its well-known open air markets, its historic center filled with centuries old temples, or the Buddhist temples near the city. 

In addition to that, Chiang Mai could offer you excursions and trekking on mountains and rice fields, beautiful handicrafts at its markets, night safaris, a bustling nightlife you can enjoy with other volunteers at the Zoe Yellow area, among other things.

During your stay, you could also visit some of the other beautiful places in Thailand, such as its beaches or historical sites like Ayutthaya.

Requirements

Requirements

Minimum Age: 18 years

In order to join the program you need to be at least 18 years old on the program start date. There might be exemptions if you can provide the permission of your legal guardian(s) or if your are accompanied by your parents.

Language Skills

You need to speak English (basic level)

Nationality Restrictions

No restrictions. Helping hands from all over the world are welcome.

Other Skills

Volunteers must be respectful of nature, and be very passionate about helping elephants.

Time Commitment

Your helping hand will be required on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday

What's Included

What's Included

Services by Adventure Volunteer

Your rates include:

  • Airport pick up and transfer to your accommodation. (see friday arribe dates)
  • Accommodation during your volunteering period
  • Three meals every day during your volunteer period.
  • Support 24 hours a day, 7 days a week from the adventure volunteer team.
  • Program monitoring and evaluation
  • Orientation and induction to the program
  • Certificate of hours volunteered
  • Accident insurance during your volunteering
  • Liability for your activity
  • Receipt of the program fee from the NGO
  • Guidance, advice and management in the choice of the program.

Airport Pickup at Chiang Mai International Airport

Volunteers will be picked up at the airport between 8:30 am and 8:00 pm. If the volunteer arrives outside these hours, he/she will have to be picked up the next day at an agreed point or may have to cover some additional fees. 

Accommodation

On the day of your arrival and the following two days of induction, you will stay at our accommodation in Chiang Mai.

Afterwards, you will stay at the elephant camp for the rest of your participation in the volunteer program.

At the elephant camp, you will have a shared room with other volunteers and access to common areas such as bathrooms with hot water and kitchen.

You can see images of the accommodation available at the elephant camp in the images of this project. 

Food & Beverages

Three meals per day are included in the rates of this program.

Internet Access

Limited access at the project site

What's NOT included?

What's NOT included?

Flight Tickets

The nearest airport is Chiang Mai International Airport (CNX) in Chiang Mai. We assist you to find cheap flights to Thailand. FIND CHEAP FLIGHTS

Travel Insurance

Going abroad is an adventure and it is always best to be prepared. Sudden illness or injury, cancellation or theft - a travel insurance for Thailand provides security and is a plus to have. GET A QUOTE

Vaccines

If you are intending to volunteer in Thailand you should seek medical advice before starting your social journey. Check your required vaccinations for Thailand. VACCINE CHECKER

Details on arrival

The project is open to new volunteers three Fridays a month, every month except for the month of April. Volunteers must arrive on a Friday, as this allows them to be more easily inducted into the program. Day of arrivalStart of project
Arrival day

 2023 (Friday)Project start (Monday)6 January9 January20 January23 JanuaryFebruary 3February 6May 12May 15June 2June 5June 16June 19June 30July 3July 14July 17August 4August 7August 18August 21September 14 SeptemberSeptember 15September 18 (home and elephants)September 292 October (home and elephants)13 OctoberOctober 16 (home and elephants)November 3November 6November 17November 20December 1December 4December 15December 18

Availability
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

Program fees

1 week (min. stay) 995€
2 weeks 1,550€
3 weeks 1,975€
4 weeks 2,500€
6 weeks 3,550€
8 weeks 4,600€
12 weeks (max. stay) 6,700€
Average fees 776€/week

Program fees

776€ per week 1 - 12 weeks Age 18 - 50+

Payment methods

Visa Master Card Maestro American Express PayPal

NO CREDIT CARD FEES

Duration

1 - 12 weeks

Deposit

The deposit is simply to reserve your volunteer placement. Payments are handled by PayPal, our trusted global payment provider. If you don't have a PayPal account, you can also pay using a credit card.

Final Payment

Your final payment will be agreed with Adventure Volunteer during the application process. Common solutions are either via bank transfer or a cash payment at the project site.

Meet your organization

Adventure Volunteer

Brilliant 4.7 rating (37 reviews)

Non-profit - founded in 2017

Verified by Volunteer World

  Excellent response rate

Coordinated by

Sergio

Spoken languages: English, Spanish

About the project

Support in the cooperation and creation of social and environmental projects in communities at risk of social exclusion, through international volunteering.

Meet your organization


ADVENTURE VOLUNTEER is a non-profit organization, established in 2017. We collaborate in the social and environmental field through projects of conservation and protection of the environment and animals, as well as in the social part through projects of empowerment of women, community development, functional diversity, medical or teaching.


Our team of collaborators has a deep experience in international volunteer programs.  We know all the realities of the areas where we are working, collaborating and where we have a presence. 


Our projects offer volunteers the opportunity to meet, share and participate in social and environmental projects. These projects demand educational and recreational activities that benefit communities of different cultures and customs, communities with economic difficulties and different degrees of social exclusion.

37 reviews · rating4.7

Collaborating with Adventure Volunteer's elephant project in Thailand was a unique connection to nature. Caring for these majestic animals while promoting awareness of their welfare was a moving experience. Thank you Adventure Volunteer for allowing me to be a part of something so meaningful and ...
My experience with Adventure Volunteer in Thailand, especially the elephant project, was a magical journey. Working closely with these majestic animals and contributing to their welfare was heartwarming. Adventure Volunteer's dedication to conservation and respect for animal life created an ...
Contributing to sustainable development and sharing with local people allowed me to understand the importance of human connection. I highly recommend this experience to anyone looking to immerse themselves in the authenticity of Panama while creating a positive ...
I experienced magical moments while releasing hatchlings into the ocean. I thank Adventure Volunteer for opening the doors to this corner of Panama full of life and ...
Juliana rating5

2024 at Teaching with children

I participated in impactful projects, and the connection with the local community was genuine. Seeing the change we made together left an indelible mark on my ...
Working with local students, exchanging knowledge and learning about their culture was a unique experience. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to contribute to the educational growth of the Panamanian ...

Location

Asia > South East Asia > Thailand > Chiang Mai

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Contact Sergio
  Excellent response rate
English, Spanish

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