Home / Projects & Destinations / Thailand / Elephant Care
| Location | 2.5 hours south of Bangkok, near Cha Am |
| Start dates | Every week on a Sunday |
| Duration | 1 - 3 weeks |
| Availability | Fully booked until 29th July |
| Cost |
1 week: £499 2 weeks: £699 3 weeks: £899 |
| Discounts | 1. £35 per person for friends / partners 2. Combined discount Elephant + Wildlife Rescue e.g. 2 weeks Wildlife + 1 week Elephant = £949 (normally £1198) |
You will help care for these beautiful creatures whilst working alongside professional mahouts (elephant keepers). The centre gives refuge to domesticated elephants that have been used for begging on the streets of Bangkok and other cities. There are currently 5 elephants that live at the centre.
Read what past volunteers have said about this project in our Thailand Elephant Care reviews.
Each day will differ but volunteer tasks include:
Whilst working with the elephants you will be supervised by experienced mahouts (elephant handlers).
Elephant volunteers also look after some other domesticated animals such as 'Sam', a rescued beach pony.
Tasks are given to all volunteers on a rotation basis so everyone gets to work on all different parts of the project. Volunteers work a six day week.
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).
The centre is based on temple grounds near Thayang in the South of Thailand, about 100 miles South of Bangkok. It is approximately 25 kms 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.
By volunteering at the centre you will make a major contribution to elephant welfare in Thailand.
The centre would not be able to run without the hard work of the volunteers and their financial support; the majority of the project fee goes directly to the centre. 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.
The following items are not included and estimates are given as a guide for your budgeting: flights to Bangkok (£550-£650), travel insurance, personal spending (£40-£50 per week).
A taxi from Bangkok airport or your hotel can be arranged to take you directly to the centre for approx £45. This is a private taxi using regular drivers from the centre and is our recommended way to travel to the centre.
The aim of the centre is to give refuge to domestic elephants in an environment 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.
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.
Kate is the volunteer coordinator; she is the first point of call for volunteers and she and the local team will be there to support you throughout your time on the project.
During your first few days you will be given a tour of the centre and your role will be explained. You will be introduced to the staff, the mahouts and of course the elephants!
There will be a group of Elephant Care volunteers at one time, usually around 8-12 people. In addition, there will be volunteers taking part in the Wildlife Rescue project which is also based at the centre. In total, the number of volunteers at the Centre is on average around 20-30 although this can vary considerably. As volunteer income is so important to the centre there may be times when a greater number of volunteers are accepted. Volunteers come from a range of nationalities and age groups.
Including volunteers on the Wildlife Rescue project (based at the same centre), there will be between 20-40 volunteers at one time (this can very considerably). You will all live in basic shared rooms on-site.
All main meals are provided at the centre and vegetarians and vegans are also catered for.
Volunteers normally work 6 days per week and on your day off you are free to explore the local area or visit the excellent beaches which are about 25 kms away.
After work you can relax at the centre and socialise with other volunteers. There is a TV that you can watch DVD's on and there is room for everyone to sit and relax in the main volunteer house.
There is a small village with an internet cafe and small shop, and there is also a large Buddhist temple to visit, these are just a 5 minute walk from the centre.
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. On Wednesday evenings there is also a big night market in Cha-am selling lots of cheap clothes and souvenirs, which is always popular.
You will need to be able to tolerate high temperatures and humidity as you will spend a lot of time working in direct sunlight with minimal access to shade during the working day.
Elements of the work; particularly the picking of pineapples and bananas, is hard physical work in a hot environment so can be draining.
You will need to be able to work well within a team and be adaptable to living and working in a group.
PoD is run as a non-profit organisation and does not receive any external funding. We charge a fee for all our placements to cover the overseas costs of volunteering and the costs of running our organisation in the UK. Fee levels are set to match costs (on a non-profit basis) and any surplus monies are distributed to the overseas organisations and charities we work with via the PoD Charity.
For over 10 years PoD has been providing volunteers to help charitable projects around the world. The PoD Charity was established in 2010 to build on this success by also providing financial assistance. Find out more and get involved in fundraising for this project through the PoD Charity.
Becky in the PoD UK team looks after this project so if you apply you will hear from her soon!
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We are passionate about volunteering and are dedicated to providing well supported projects where there is genuine 2 way benefit.
"I spent two weeks out in Thailand and it was the best two weeks of my life...it was such an amazing experience getting that up close and personal with the elephants, they are beautiful creatures" - Jennifer
98% of PoD volunteers rate their experience as good or very good!
Population:
approx 65 million
Capital:
Bangkok
Time zone:
GMT + 7 hrs
Currency:
Baht (THB)
Phone code:
+ 66
Visa:
required for stays of over 30 days
Health & Safety:
click here for the latest UK government travel advice
If you are interested in volunteering as a family we have a range of amazing projects suited for families with children under 18
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