Ethical Elephant Experience - Short Stay

location
1 - 1 weeks  ·  Age 18 - 50+

rating  Excellent 4.8  · 
  Verified by Volunteer World
  Very high response rate

Highlights

  • Ethical & sustainable
  • The elephants are given autonomy and freedom of choice, spending their days foraging in their natural habitat, without having to please humans
  • These elephants are not controlled with bull-hooks, and they do not drag heavy chains through the forest

Highlights

  • Ethical & sustainable
  • The elephants are given autonomy and freedom of choice, spending their days foraging in their natural habitat, without having to please humans
  • These elephants are not controlled with bull-hooks, and they do not drag heavy chains through the forest
  • Experience the Karen hill tribe way of life
  • The elephants welfare is prioritised over guests desires.


  • Especially good for

    Age 18+
    Singles
    Couples
    Groups

    About the program

    Improving welfare of captive elephants by allowing them to retire in the forest, creating alternative livelihoods, contributing to community development & forest health.

    - Isara Elephant Village -

    These elephants have retired from harsh working environments. They now forage and socialise how they wish, without force or fear. This journey is exclusively for guests seeking an ethical experience with elephants. You understand that the elephants' needs come first and ...

    About the program

    - Isara Elephant Village -

    These elephants have retired from harsh working environments. They now forage and socialise how they wish, without force or fear. This journey is exclusively for guests seeking an ethical experience with elephants. You understand that the elephants' needs come first and you wish to appreciate their presence without imposing upon them.

    Our aim is to allow these elephants to thrive without coercion or exploitation for the pleasure of guests. We do not allow large noisy groups of people, we allow the elephants to do as they were meant to do in their natural habitat. We adhere strictly to ethical guidelines; therefore, activities such as riding, bathing, feeding, touching, or posing with the elephants are strictly prohibited.

    Visitors hike into the forest daily to see the elephants in their natural habitat. For those interested, you can learn about elephant behaviour, and collect behavioural data for our research. The elephants are given verbal directions when needed as there are no bull hooks used to control them. During the day, elephants are free to roam, with their mahouts nearby to prevent conflicts with villagers or farms. The elephants are not forced to interact with visitors, but they are accustomed to human interaction, so they often come to you.

    You will be allocated a homestay in the village with a friendly host family. Karen people live in wooden/bamboo houses in the mountains. Accommodations are basic, you will have a private room with a thin mattress on the floor, bedding and a mosquito net.

    The bathroom is a separate room outside usually with a squat toilet and cold bucket shower. The village has fairly reliable power and water, but we will occasionally lose access temporarily.

    You’ll eat breakfast with your fellow guests at the voli-house, a very simple western breakfast of toast, jam, eggs, or cereal, with tea & coffee. Lunch & dinner is prepared by the locals, the food is very simple, generally vegetable, rice or noodles, egg, and occasional pork, chicken or fish. Vegetarians/vegans can be catered for. There are a couple of little shops in the village that sell drinks, snacks, and beer for purchase.

    Please note: This project is situated in a remote Karen Hill Tribe village, enveloped by jungle. You must be prepared to fully immerse yourself in jungle life, which includes adapting to different foods, cultures, languages, primitive ways of life, as well as the absence of luxuries. Be ready to encounter bugs, spiders (which cause no harm), and all aspects of jungle living. Please refrain from booking this project if you are not prepared to accept these conditions.


    Typical day

    3 day/2 nights

    Minimum 2 people is required, we can match individual travellers

    You will travel 2.5 hours out to the village, and meet your friendly host family & fellow guests.

    Visitors hike out into the stunning forest each morning to see the elephants in their natural habitat. For those interested, ...

    Typical day

    3 day/2 nights

    Minimum 2 people is required, we can match individual travellers

    You will travel 2.5 hours out to the village, and meet your friendly host family & fellow guests.

    Visitors hike out into the stunning forest each morning to see the elephants in their natural habitat. For those interested, you can learn about elephant behaviour, and how to collect this behavioural data for our research.

    Afternoons we will have different activities planned depending on season, a traditional craft such as basket weaving, learning the local language only Karen people speak or planting supplemental food for the elephants. You may be able to join the long-term visitors if they are teaching English to the children at the school.




    Free-time activities

    You can relax every afternoon and evening at the volunteer house, with fellow visitors and staff, read a book or watch the sunset.

    The hikes can be tough and strenuous, and really tire people out, but this is not a very busy back to back activitiy filled volunteer program, it is more of an ...

    Free-time activities

    You can relax every afternoon and evening at the volunteer house, with fellow visitors and staff, read a book or watch the sunset.

    The hikes can be tough and strenuous, and really tire people out, but this is not a very busy back to back activitiy filled volunteer program, it is more of an experience.

    There are a couple of little shops in the village that sell drinks, snacks, and beer for purchase.


    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 (fluently)

    Required Documents

    Proof of travel medical insurance for the length of tour stay.

    Nationality Restrictions

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

    Other Skills

    We appreciate help from anyone, you do not need certain skills, just an open mind and willingness to help. You do need to have a high level of fitness.

    Time Commitment

    Your helping hand will be required on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday from 08:00 - 14:00

    What's Included

    What's Included

    Services by Isara Elephant Foundation


    Included in fees:


    Transport from our designated pick up spot to the village at the beginning of your stay


    Transport back to Chang Mai city at the end of your stay.

    Accomodation on site in the village with a host family.


    3 meals per day while on site in the village and planned activities


    Your contribution directly keeps these retired elephants in the forest. Without this they can be taken back to a working camp. You can see exactly where your money goes when you stay with us.


    Accommodation

    Volunteers are allocated a homestay in the village with a friendly host family. Karen people live in wooden/bamboo houses in the mountains. Accommodations are basic, you will have a private room with a thin mattress on the floor, bedding and a mosquito net.

    The bathroom is a separate room outside usually with a squat toilet and cold bucket shower. The village has fairly reliable power and water, but we will occasionally lose access temporarily.

    It is important to remember this is a hill tribe village, not resort style accomodation. Visitors must embrace the karen hill tribe way of life.

    Food & Beverages

    You’ll eat breakfast with your fellow guests at the voli-house, a very simple western breakfast of toast, jam, eggs, or cereal, with tea & coffee. Lunch & dinner is prepared by the locals, the food is very simple, generally vegetable, rice or noodles, egg, and occasional pork, chicken or fish. Vegetarians/vegans can be catered for. There are a couple of little shops in the village that sell drinks, snacks, and beer for purchase.

    Internet Access

    Limited access at the project site

    What's NOT included?

    What's NOT included?

    Airport Pickup at Chiang Mai International Airport

    An airport pickup isn't included within the program fees either.

    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

    Start on Sundays only.

     

    Please make sure you read ALL of the information provided, if there is something you don't understand we are more than happy to answer all questions.

     

    All fees are non-refundable, but we know the world is unpredictable so dates can be changed until 2 weeks prior to your arrival.

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

    Program fees

    3 days 325€
    Average fees 759€/week

    Program fees

    759€ per week 1 - 1 weeks Age 18 - 50+

    Payment methods

    Visa Master Card Maestro American Express PayPal

    NO CREDIT CARD FEES


    Duration

    1 - 1 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 Isara Elephant Foundation during the application process. Common solutions are either via bank transfer or a cash payment at the project site.


    Meet your organization

    Isara Elephant Foundation

    Excellent 4.8 rating (18 reviews)

    Non-profit - founded in 2015

    Verified by Volunteer World

      Very high response rate

    Coordinated by

    Lo

    Spoken languages: English

    About the project

    A sustainable, ethical elephant experience, mutually beneficial to both elephants and the community.

    Meet your organization


    - Who we are?

    We are a team of veterinary professionals and locals working with the community to improve the welfare of captive elephants. 

    We are non profit registered in both Australia and Thailand. 


    - What we do?

    At Mae Tala Elephant Village, Isara Elephant Foundation Thailand provides a sustainable, safe home for elephants to live a more natural life, and an alternative livelihood for families who want to transition away from using their elephants in the harsh tourist camps. We assist with community development & education, veterinary care for all animals in the community and contribute the forest health.

    We are are retiring elephants to their natural habitat where they can forage freely eating their natural diet, exhibit natural elephant behaviours and are not expected to please tourists. This greatly improves the welfare of these elephants. They have autonomy and freedom of choice. They are monitored closely by their mahouts, to be sure they stay safe out in the forest & can receive any necessary veterinary care. 

    Elephants play an important role in forest health, as they roam throughout the forest they open up areas, allowing light to enter and creating new growth, adding habitat variety and overall biodiversity to the forest. As they roam, they leave their nutrient rich dung behind full of seeds which is the perfect fertiliser. This seed dispersal creates new plant growth for other species. We are monitoring our impact on the forest, with the help of Chiang Mai University’s Forest Restoration Research Unit (FORRU-CMU), you can contribute without regular tree planting activities.

    Volunteers coming to our project value elephant welfare, but also value the Karen culture, and are as engaged in the community as they are with the elephants. 


    - Where we work? 

    The project is located in a Karen hill tribe in Chiang Mai. Karen hill tribe communities are spotted throughout the mountains along the Thai/Myanmar border, where they settled as refugees after fleeing Burma due to ethnic and political conflict.They have owned elephants for thousands of years. The population in Thailand is around 1 million, and speak their own unique language. Their long history and integration in Thailand means they have now largely assimilated into Thai society. 


    - Who are we looking for?

    Whether you are after the experience of a life time, a student, a photographer, a teacher, a professional, taking a gap year, or seeking experience in wildlife conservation, animal welfare, veterinary, conservation, the environment, community development or just have a passion for elephants, we would love to have you! You DO need to be in good physical fitness, as the hikes into the forest to find the elephants can be tough, especially in the heat. 




    18 reviews · rating4.8

    Tara Kerrin rating5

    2024 at Ethical Elephant Experience

    I spent a week with the people of this amazing foundation and it ended up being much more than I expected it was going to be. There was amazing immersion into the local culture, as well as education on the Thailand elephant industry. All of the long-term volunteers were so engaging and helpful, ...
    Stacey Venzel rating4.6

    2024 at Ethical Elephant Experience

    I had a memorable week volunteering with Isara. Monsoon season turned out to be a great time to go! The forests were lush and the temperatures tolerable. The hikes through the jungle are intense but well guided and lead you right to the 2 elephants, Sri Chan and Boonchu. They are 2 old ladies ...
    Oliver Schmidt rating3.2

    2024 at Ethical Elephant Experience

    Me and my girlfriend visited the Isara Elephant Foundation in february/march 2024. Upfront: we have mixed feelings about the stay, none of which are necessarily anyones fault, but I'll try to describe our experience as best as I can. We were accomodated at Pop's House, who's a nice and fun guy in ...
    Emily Evans rating5

    2023 at Ethical Elephant Experience

    Beautiful place with really friendly locals, incredible to see the elephants in their natural habitat, it meant you could really witness their personalities. Really enjoyed the afternoon activities and experiencing the culture. Highly ...
    Adrienne Bowerman rating5

    2023 at Ethical Elephant Experience

    Enabling elephants to retire in their native habitat while providing alternative income to the elephant owners and the villagers. You can see how ethical tourism promotes the health and well-being of not just the elephants but also the native people who have cared for and depended on them for, ...
    Siobhan Utting rating5

    2023 at Ethical Elephant Experience

    Had an amazing time working with the elephants, you can really see how much they care for them, and that the elephants are actually happy here and can enjoy their lives, rather than being used for entertainment. I've been on holidays before and seen elephants clearly stressed out being used for ...

    Location

    Asia > South East Asia > Thailand > Chiang Mai

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