Elephant Conservation
Cambodia

The sanctuary is a 1500 acre area of forest which is home to 10 Asian elephants who have been rescued from working as tourist rides and in the logging industry. The project provides a safe haven for these elephants so they never have to work again. The elephants live a more natural jungle life and can gradually be rehabilitated to living a more wild life in the forest. 

Volunteer tasks may include:

• Observing the elephants as they freely wander in the forest
• Assisting with elephant health checks
• Helping to grow and harvest banana and bamboo trees for the elephants' food
• Working in the plant nursery and planting endangered trees 
• Maintenance and cleaning tasks at the elephant treatment area, bridges and trails to help maintain the sanctuary
• Making edible medicine balls for the elderly elephants
• Help on any current research projects

Volunteer time spent on observations and health checks helps the team to identify any concerns and the data is used to monitor the elephants’ long-term health and wellbeing. 

It is vital to conserve the forest in which the project is located as the wild elephant population is now over 140 elephants, which is a large proportion of the estimated 250-600 wild elephants who live in the whole of Cambodia. You will learn all about how to run an elephant sanctuary in the Cambodian jungle! 

Typical day

On your first day at the project you will meet the team, other volunteers and settle into the accommodation. During your first few days you will learn about the conservation project and meet the families of elephants. You will learn all about the elephants own stories, whilst also gaining knowledge on the forest and local Bunong community.  

Volunteers work a 5 day week, Monday to Friday. The day starts with breakfast at 7am overlooking the lush misty forest before starting work at 8.30am. There is a two hour lunch break and then work finishes around 5pm. Generally volunteers spend half of each day with the elephants and the other half assisting with tasks required by the sanctuary and the local community. The elephants live in the forest so volunteers hike 3-4km to see them. 

Volunteers have weekends off and are transported to the town of Sen Monorom on the Friday afternoon where you will stay until Sunday afternoon when you’ll return to the camp. There are plenty of free time activities to enjoy in town.

Other volunteers

There are usually 2-6 volunteers (with a maximum of 30 if there are groups visiting), numbers vary throughout the year.

Local support

Volunteers work alongside local and international staff. There is a volunteer coordinator based at the project site.

“When you come and volunteer it allows us to do what we do best: care for sick and abused elephants. Volunteer fees help us to provide vital jobs for the local population, care for their elephants and protect the forest.” Jack, Founder

There are two options for accommodation at the sanctuary during the week; dorm rooms and bungalows which are both located on site in the forest camp, within walking distance to the elephants! The accommodation is built mainly from recycled materials and is located on the jungle slopes with stunning views. Volunteers often wake up to the calls of the wild gibbons from the forest! 

The dorm rooms are simple rooms shared between 1-3 volunteers with shared bathrooms which are within a shared house set in the forest hillside.

There are four secluded, self-contained jungle bungalows available, built in traditional Bunong style. The bungalows are basic, but comfortably furnished with a double bed, tables and a chair and have ensuite bathrooms. There is a supplement for this option.

The camp has a dining area where volunteers eat meals and a communal lounge area where you can relax and watch the sunset over the jungle. WIFI is not available at the forest camp.

During the weekends, volunteers stay in a guest house in the local town. If you are staying in a dorm during the week, you will be allocated a twin room and share with another volunteer (on a single sex basis) with an ensuite bathroom. If you have opted for the bungalow option, you will be given a private room. WIFI is available at the guest house.

Meals

From Sunday dinner to Friday lunch, main meals are included and prepared for you by members of the local community. 

Here are typical examples of the food you will have: 

• Breakfast – bread, toast, cereals, spreads, fresh fruit and eggs
• Lunch and dinner – a selection of traditional Khmer dishes such as noodles, curries and stir fries. Rice is a staple part of Khmer cuisine and will be a feature of most meals!

On weekends volunteers are responsible for their own meals, there is a selection of local restaurants in town.

Vegetarians and vegans are welcomed and can be catered for.

Drinking water is provided at the volunteer accommodation for you to use. 

You will need to fly into Phnom Penh (PNH).

From Phnom Penh, you can travel independently to the project or we can arrange an arrivals and transfer package for you. The project is 5-6 hours from Phnom Penh by road.

Location and free time

The project is based in the east of Cambodia in the Moldulkiri province, near the Vietnamese border.

During the week you will be located in the forest camp. In your freetime you can enjoy the quietness of the rural forest camp and spend time playing games, watching movies, reading and relaxing around the fire pit. 

Volunteers have weekends off which are spent in Sen Monorom.

This is an opportunity for volunteers to experience life of the Bunong community, who use the town as a place to trade. Whilst Sen Monoron is the capital of the province, it feels much more like a small rural town! The town lies beyond most tourists’ itineraries, however it has been increasingly attracting visitors thanks to the spectacular Bousra waterfall, bird watching tours and zip-lining!

Climate 

The Mondulkiri region has a tropical climate that is hot and humid throughout the year with average temperatures ranging from around 22-30˚C. Temperatures peak in April and May and the coolest months are December to February, in the dry season. There can be tropical rain showers at any time of year, but the main rainy season is from May to November, with the heaviest rains in July and August.

Travelling in Cambodia before or after your placement

Popular activities in Cambodia that you might like to combine with your project are:

• Visiting the sites of Phnom Penh such as the Royal Palace and National Museum
• Explore the stunning temples at Siem Reap including the iconic Angkor Wat
• Visiting the beautiful towns of Kampot and Kep and the islands off this coastline 
• Learning more about Cambodia’s turbulent history at the S-21 Prison and the Killing Fields

For more information on Cambodia and some of the things we loved when we visited there please see our Cambodia country page. This also features all our other Cambodia volunteering projects as you might like to consider combining this project with one of the others we offer to make a trip of a lifetime!

Anastasia 

“My volunteering experience was amazing. I was volunteering for my first time and had no idea which volunteering organisation to go through, but I was glad I found Pod Volunteer because without them I don't think I would've had such a great and stress free time. They organised everything for me and everything ran smoothly. 

The project itself was also amazing, volunteering with elephants in the most ethical way. You don't just help the elephants but the community as well.

The people there are just as beautiful as the scenery, the mountains and the jungle. The project and the work you do is super rewarding and the food is just as good too!”

Gill 

“This is a brilliant experience being able to get up close with the elephants to carry out health checks & observe them in their natural habitat. The Bunong people are wonderful - the guides & mahouts providing insights into to the elephants & their local region, the ladies serving up delicious meals. 

There is also the volunteering which can stretch you, physically mainly due to the heat, but not more than you can personally handle.

The Elephant Conservation project team are a great crowd - providing a wealth of knowledge about the project, each elephant, other local wildlife & Bunong people, they are friendly, chilled group that make the whole experience one never to be forgotten. Thanks to everyone!”

Jill 

“Volunteering at the Elephant Conservation Project in Cambodia I found was very rewarding and came away with a real sense of achievement and felt like I'd really made a difference. The project is relaxed but run very efficiently by a great project team and they have a great ethos to ensure elephants and their natural habit are conserved. 

Whilst on the project the day was split in 2 sessions which was either seeing the elephants or volunteering around the site. This was a good mix and therefore not too strenuous, with time to relax in the evening. 

The project is in the jungle and supported by the local community and you get to see the real Cambodia.”

Carly 

“This placement far out lived all of my expectations and I would highly recommend it. I wanted to get close to and understand elephants in an ethical way without encroaching on their natural lifestyle and the Elephant Conservation project is the place to do that. 

I spent my time getting my hands dirty with hard manual labour as well as trekking in the jungle to learn about the elephants at the project. It was a perfect combinations for me.

Evenings were spent relaxing in a tranquil surrounding with beautiful food cooked by the local mountain people and a comfy bed to collapse into.”

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