Project summary

You will help care for these beautiful creatures, 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 six elephants who live at the centre. Click here for more information about the elephants and their stories. 

A typical day

Each day will differ but volunteer tasks include (accompanied by experienced mahouts).

• Going to the forest at 6.30am to collect the elephants and walk them back to the centre
• Feeding and giving water to the elephants
• Cleaning the elephant enclosure
• Hosing down and cleaning the elephants
• Bathing the elephants
• Taking the elephants back to the forest in the afternoon
• Going out approximately twice 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.

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 weeks. If you have 3 weeks or longer we would recommend also considering the Wildlife Rescue project (based at the same centre) or a combination of Elephant Care + Wildlife Rescue.

The location

The centre is based on temple grounds near Thayang in the South of Thailand, about 100 miles South of Bangkok and about 15 miles 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' used to rehabilitate gibbons.

How you can make a difference

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 volunteer fees 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 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's included

• A comprehensive information bookletand pre-departure support
  
• Travel advice and assistance
• Accommodation (a basic shared room)
• All main meals
• Ongoing support, help and advice from our local team

What else to budget for

The following items are not included and estimates are given as a guide for your budgeting: flights (£450-£600), visa (free for less than 30 days), travel insurance, personal spending / living costs (£40-£50 per week).

A taxi from Bangkok airport or your hotel can be arranged to take you directly to the centre for approx £40. This is a private taxi using regular drivers from the centre and is our recommended way to travel to the centre.

Other projects you might also be interested in....

* Wildlife Rescue in Thailand (based at the same centre, so can be combined)

* Caribbean Wildlife Centre in Belize

* Bear Sanctuary in Cambodia

* African wildlife conservation - South Africa

* Cheetah re-introduction - South Africa

______________________________________________________

More details

Background information about the project

The aim of the centre is to give refuge to domestic elephants in an environment 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 good 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.

Volunteer accommodation and food

Including volunteers on the Wildlife Rescue project (based at the same centre), there will be between 20-40 volunteers at one time and you will all live in shared rooms on-site.

All main meals are provided at the centre and vegetarians and vegans are also catered for.

Freetime and travel opportunities

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.

About 5 minutes walk from the centre there is a small village with an internet cafe and small shop, and there is also a large Buddhist temple to visit.

For a night out volunteers regularly club together and organise a taxi to Hua Hin where there are many bars and restaurants and also 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 popular.

On days off you are free to explore the local area or visit the excellent beaches which are about 15 miles away.

Challenges

You will need to be able to tolerate high temperatures and humidity, work well within a team and be adaptable to living and working in a group.  You will generally be in full sun 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.

Where does your money go

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. 

For this project approximately 70% of the fee you pay is passed to directly to the project, an important source of funding for the work.

Volunteer reviews

Click here to read volunteer reviews for our Thailand elephant care volunteer project.