Known for its tropical climate, natural diversity, and unique buddhist architecture, Thailand has become an increasingly popular tourist destination. Amidst the country’s beauty, human interference in the form of poaching, habitat loss, and conflict, has resulted in the decline of the Asian elephant. Where there used to roam hundreds of thousands, there are now only a few thousand, largely held in captivity. During this trip, participants will work to protect the elephants in a number of ways; there are local work projects for habitat preservation that include planting necessary nutritional crops and building sun shelters. A significant amount of time is spent planting food, cutting, and feeding the elephants, as they eat around 500 to 600 lbs of food each day! Volunteers will get to adjust to a different pace of life in the beautiful Suring Province, experience the everyday routines of the Thai countryside, and even have the opportunity to camp out by the river with the elephants for a night.
This trip is 7 days and costs $1,492. It is led by Globe Aware, a nonprofit organization that offers international volunteer programs that go beyond tourism. Globe Aware programs promote the immersion of participants in a unique way that also aligns with the United Nations sustainability goals. Volunteers get the chance to experience cultural awareness: acknowledging and celebrating the culture of a community, but not changing it. Participants will also work alongside the host community and help teach and learn skills with the concept of promoting sustainable practices.