Volunteer as a family in Thailand protecting elephants!

Nestled between lush vegetation and magnificent mountains is our ethical elephant retirement volunteer project in Mae Chaem, Thailand.  It was established in 2011 and aims to educate owners, mahouts, and local communities about the elephant situation in Thailand.  It also offers a safe and ethical home for owners to retire their elephants.

The project has rescued and permanently retired two older elephants.  They now live freely, away from the forced work in trekking camps or the mass tourism industry.  In this peaceful sanctuary, they can play to their heart’s content and enjoy a high quality of life.  They are no longer forced to work in cruel and harmful environments that are devastating to these gentle giants.

This special Ethical Elephant Sanctuary also rescues, rehabilitates and releases local wildlife.  They have successfully released many owls, small lizards and even baby native forest rats, and provide a haven for dogs, cats, and other small animals.  Families are welcome all year round to help with all activities in the Sanctuary.  Adding to this, we also work in the local community, helping with teaching English to children and members of the community as well as growing and looking after crops.

Volunteering with Elephants in Thailand for Families

We offer several options for our Family Ethical Elephant sanctuary project in Thailand; a 2-day ‘overnight’ package ideally suited for families with younger children (aged 6+), a 4-day/3-night package for those with a limited time available, and a one week programme which runs for 1 week/6 nights for groups of 6 persons and upwards.  This programme is suitable for children aged 10+. If you have any questions about the available options or what would best suit your plans please contact us.

By joining our programme, you and your family will have the chance to observe, learn about, and support elephant welfare in a proactive way.  Volunteering with elephants means you will be involved in a range of tasks, such as;

• Observing the Elephants (hiking to see them in the forest/fields)
• Preparing night food and Enrichment for the elephants
• Placing Food and Enrichment throughout the night enclosures
• Going to cut grass/corn/banana trees for elephants
• Learning about the elephants and elephant welfare in Thailand
• Helping with Projects either onsite or in the local area that help the elephants, rescued animals and the community.

Please note, for ethical reasons, this volunteering opportunity is strictly hands-off.  This means you will not be touching or interacting with the elephants directly.

Another main focus of this project is small animal rescue and release volunteer work.  In the past, families have rescued tortoises and different species of owls.  These little creatures have then been successfully rehabilitated and released back into the wild.  Families can be part of this uplifting process which includes activities like building animal enclosures, making beds for animals, fixing fences, and others.

In addition to this, families can also assist our other projects which may include:

• Teaching English
• Helping with educational programmes
• Tree planting and clean-up days
• Providing soy milk for the elderly for nutrition
• Thai cooking lessons
• Replacing water pipes
• Flood protection
• Helping to repair local houses and so on

“A truly ethical experience, observing retired elephants just be elephants. This Sanctuary is a place where roles have been reversed and humans now work for them. By joining our programme you are helping give these majestic animals a happy retirement” – Quote from Sanctuary co-Founder