Elephant and Wildlife Conservation
Sri Lanka

The Elephant and Wildlife Conservation project has an award-winning approach to protecting elephants and wildlife which are found in the national park and local communities.

Volunteers work alongside the local team to support their initiatives to help elephants and communities live together in harmony. You will assist their research to increase the understanding and knowledge of the 300+ elephants and other wildlife including sloth bears, leopards and jungle cats, living in the surrounding area, which helps to protect them for the future.

You will visit the forest national park during your volunteer placement and can explore ancient cities, colourful temples and beautiful wild countryside in your free time.

Join this inspirational project to help wild elephants and wildlife conservation in Sri Lanka.

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Key Info

key info
  • Location: Central Sri Lanka
  • Start dates: Every Sunday
  • Duration: 1 - 12 weeks
  • Age requirement: 17+ (9+ for families)
  • Availability: Spaces available
  • Cost: From £895 / €1040 / $1075 - see fees table below
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Project Information

Volunteer role: What will I be doing?

The project is unique in Sri Lanka as the award-winning model focuses on researching wild elephants whilst working with the community to help them live peacefully together. It helps the local farmers live alongside over 300 wild elephants and other wildlife by running initiatives to reduce potential conflict.

Volunteer tasks may include:

  • Elephant monitoring and observations - recording data on behaviour, range and habitat use
  • Research treks to collect data on elephant foraging, dung research and map trails
  • Checking camera and sand traps to gather details on mammals - setting up traps then examining tracks and photos of sloth bear, leopard plus fishing, jungle and rusty spotted cats 
  • Conducting footprint and dropping surveys along stream banks and paddy fields to collect data on the distribution of small mammals
  • Participating in bird and wildlife diversity and abundance surveys 
  • Helping to maintain the project's butterfly sanctuary and identify butterflies
  • Monitoring and maintaining solar powered community electric fences which deter elephants
  • Interviewing villagers to document human-elephant conflict on their houses and farms
  • Assisting villagers in planting, harvesting and monitoring orange trees which are elephant deterrents, creating natural barriers to protect the community’s farmland and reducing human-elephant conflict in the area

Typical day

When you arrive you will receive an induction to the volunteer role and project.

Volunteers work 5 days a week (Monday to Friday) from approximately 9am to 7pm with around a 2 hour break for lunch.

The project is located a 10 minute drive from Wasgamuwa National Park and research is conducted in the surrounding communities. Volunteers may walk for up to 5km a day to reach the research sites and may also travel in the project vehicle to reach more remote locations. You have weekends off and there are plenty of free time activities to enjoy in the area.

Other volunteers

There are usually 4-8 volunteers (with a maximum of 30), numbers vary throughout the year.

Duke of Edinburgh's (DofE) Award

This placement has been approved by the DofE as meeting the requirements for the Residential section of the Gold Award.

Local support

Chandima, Chinthaka and Chathuranga are key members of the local team who support volunteers. They have extensive knowledge on the elephants and wildlife in the area and their passion for conservation and research is truly inspiring! 

“Volunteers help to the projects wildlife research and conservation efforts are invaluable. Volunteers contribute their knowledge, passion, and experience to improve understanding and inspire change” Ravi – Project Founder 

Accommodation

The main volunteer house is in a beautiful rural location with great views over the lake. You will share a basic bunk-bed dormitory with up to 16 volunteers on a single sex basis. There are shared toilets and hot water showers. 

Volunteer dormitory room

Alternatively, there is a separate house close by which has private bedrooms and bathrooms; a good option for those wanting more privacy, couples and families. There is a weekly supplement for this option.

In the main volunteer house there is a kitchen and dining area where all volunteers eat together and relax in the evenings. WIFI is not available but there is 3G internet access.

Private room

Meals

All main meals are provided for volunteers during their stay at the project.

Here are typical examples of the food you will have: 

  • Breakfast – bread, jam and lentil dhal
  • Lunch and dinner – a traditional Sri Lankan meal such as noodles, fish, chicken and stir fried vegetables, vegetable curry or dhal served with rice

Vegetarians and vegans are welcomed and can be catered for.

Drinking water is provided for you in the volunteer accommodation. 

Getting there

You will need to fly into Colombo (CMB).

If you choose the arrivals package then you will be met on arrival and stay one night in a hotel in Ambepussa before being transported by private vehicle to the project the next day. The journey takes around 5 hours.

Location and free time

The project is located on the outskirts of Wasgamuwa National Park in central Sri Lanka. The volunteer house is in a stunning rural location overlooking a lake and is nestled below the Knuckles mountain range.

View from volunteer accomodation

At the weekend volunteers can arrange a trip to the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Sigiriya Rock fortress which dramatically rises from the central plain; the steep climb up Lion Rock is well worth it for the breath taking views. The scenic city of Kandy is a great place to explore the famous Temple of the Tooth, royal palace or botanical gardens or you can simply relax and take in the atmosphere in a lakeside café. These activities are best booked locally once you are at the project.

Trips

The local team arrange an afternoon trip to the National Park where you will have the opportunity to see many elephants, water buffalo, and maybe even purple-faced langurs, bears and a leopard if you are very lucky! For volunteers joining for 2 weeks or more this is included in your volunteer placement fee. Volunteers joining for a 1 week placement will need to pay the National Park entrance fee (approximately $25). The National Park entrance is a 10 minute drive from the volunteer accommodation and you will be driven around the park.

Climate

Central Sri Lanka has a tropical climate. Temperatures are warm throughout the year, with average temperatures varying between 25-27˚C. March to May is generally the hottest time of year. 

Intermittent rainfalls can occur year round, however the rainfall is typically highest between October and December. 

Travelling in Sri Lanka before or after your placement

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

  • Climbing Sigiriya, also known as Lion Rock, one of the most dramatic sights in Sri Lanka offering incredible views of the forest below
  • Explore the tea-growing region within the spectacular mountains around Nuwara Eliya 
  • Visit the beautiful city of Kandy, the last capital of the ancient kings of Sri Lanka with plenty to offer including lake views and the famous Temple of the Tooth
  • Spot an abundance of wildlife in one of Sri Lanka's national parks - a paradise for birds, leopards, elephants and many more

For more information on Sri Lanka and some of the things we loved when we visited there please see our Sri Lanka country page

Sigriya, known as Lion Rock

Dates

Start dates are every Sunday.

What's Included

Included

  • Dedicated Pod Volunteer specialist to support you from booking on until you complete your trip
  • Comprehensive trip planning guide
  • Accommodation 
  • Food - all main meals
  • Induction and training
  • Support from the team onsite in Sri Lanka
  • 24/7 emergency support from the Pod Volunteer UK team 
  • Donation to Pod Environmental Fund tackling climate change
  • 100% payment protection through ABTOT 
  • Volunteering certificate and reference (on request)

Not included

  • Flights
  • Arrival transfers including overnight accommodation (we can arrange this for you, see Arrival package below)
  • Departure transfer from the project to Colombo (we can arrange this for you, it costs $160 USD)
  • Travel insurance
  • Visa
  • Vaccinations 
  • Living costs - snacks, drinks, laundry
  • Entrance fee to national park for afternoon trip (1 week volunteers only) - approx $25 USD
  • Any tourist trips / activities you choose to do in your free time
Price table
1 week £895 GB Pounds
2 weeks £995 GB Pounds
Extra weeks £250 GB Pounds
Arrival package (airport pick up, 1 night hotel, transfer to project) £225 GB Pounds

Accommodation

The prices in the table above are for a shared room. For a private room, there is a supplementary fee of:

  • 1 person = £220 GBP per week
  • 2 people sharing = £120 GBP per person per week
  • 3 people sharing = £95 GBP per person per week
  • 4 people sharing = £90 GBP per person per week

Discounts

  • £100 discount for any family members who are under 18
  • £50 discount if you have previously volunteered with Pod Volunteer 

Where the money goes - financial transparency

Your fee covers the overseas costs of volunteering and the costs of running our organisation in the UK, on a non-profit basis.  For more details and a breakdown of our costs please click here.

Book with confidence - financial protection

All monies paid to us are financially protected through The Association of Bonded Travel Organisers Trust Limited (ABTOT). 

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Fees in currencies other than GBP are indicative only and volunteers are invoiced in GBP. For current exchange rates please see www.xe.com

Read volunteer reviews from the Elephant and Wildlife Conservation project

Ilan 

“One of the best decision I have made in my life. The project is fantastic, the work done as a volunteer is very valuable, you really feel you are helping to solve a huge problem and the team you work with is just amazing, absolutely everyone. My experience at Elephant and Wildlife Conservation project in Sri Lanka was all I was looking for when I decided I wanted to volunteer in animal/wildlife organization. During my four weeks stay I felt like I was doing a good to the local people, a good to the magnificent animals elephants are and at the end, a good for the world.

Coming to Sri Lanka was probably one of the best decisions I have made in my life and the experience was even better than what I expected. Come to the project if you really want to do good, if really want to feel you are contributing to a good cause and if you want to help reduce the human-elephant conflict to preserve the magnificent specie elephants are."

Bessie 

"During the time I was there I felt incredibly at home and supported by the wonderful local team.

The amount of brilliant work they are doing is truly awe inspiring and you really get to see and experience how it impacts the local community and wildlife, I couldn't recommend this highly enough to anyone looking to really connect with the community and with a passion for the natural world. Incredible experience"

Chris

“The entire experience was highly enjoyable and I would recommend it to anyone with an interest in wildlife. Whereas other organisations may run projects that appear less ethical, this project did everything right with regard to engagement with local communities and keeping a respectful distance between humans and wild animals. There was a great amount of support both before the trip and from the team in Sri Lanka. 

There was a good range of activities on the placement, which kept things interesting and meant that no two days were ever quite the same. 

The food was good and the opportunity to explore Sri Lanka further on weekends provided a great opportunity to relax after a week's work.”

Sandra 

“The Elephant and Wildlife Conservation Project in Sri Lanka is very worthwhile support! 

The work they are doing is vital to the conservation of elephants and other wildlife in the Wasagamuwa area. If you volunteer for them you will learn about conservation issues and wildlife survey skills, meet the amazing staff and people from around the world, contribute to valuable conservation initiatives, and have the chance to see incredible wildlife. 

It will change your life, I recommend going!”

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300 +

elephants live in the area

"It was an amazing experience that will stay with me forever! Pod Volunteer provided the ideal amount of support and guidance"Satvinder

Gemma

24/7 support

Gemma and the Pod UK team are here to help you throughout your trip

Reserve your place and start your volunteering adventure to Sri Lanka!

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VOLUNTEER REVIEWS

  • Sri Lanka Elephant and Wildlife Conservation volunteer - Sandra

    "We monitor electric fencing, measure elephant droppings and best of all we observe the wild elephant in its natural habitation. And although undoubtedly the elephant is the star of the show there is so much more to see."

    Read more volunteer reviews
  • Sri Lanka Elephant and Wildlife Conservation volunteer - Anna

    "I learnt valuable knowledge about the human elephant conflict in this region and hope to use this knowledge in future volunteering. Thank you so much I have had the most amazing week!"

    Read more volunteer reviews
  • Sri Lanka Elephant and Wildlife Conservation volunteer - Madeline

    "The conservation project was amazing and a great opportunity that I will remember for the rest of my life. I really enjoyed being able to understand the human-elephant conflict of Sri Lanka and the measures in place to reduce it."

    Read more volunteer reviews

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