Volunteer with Elephants in Sri Lanka - Only GBP495 2weeks

Location: Sri Lanka: Kegalla

Program Duration: 2-4 weeks, 5-8 weeks, 9-12 weeks

Typical Duration of Program: 2-4 weeks

Dates: All year

Ecoteer

http://www.ecoteer.com

23, Beardown Close Eggbuckland Plymouth, Devon PL65TX England

Call Us

Phone: 01752 426285

Description

Truly a once in a lifetime experience. Become involved in a variety of activities with elephants. This is not the zoo, you will be right there with the elephants, feeding, bathing, and playing with these amazing creatures!

Explore the Elephant conservation project
Do you love working with animals? The bigger the better? Dont miss out on this amazing opportunity and grab your chance to work with elephants in the heart of Sri Lanka.

Project activities
Your day to day activities evolve all around the elephants. You will be able to feed, bathe and play with these giants, and take care of their general wellbeing.

Perhaps you feel brave enough to give your elephant a pedicure?

Or would you rather participate in promoting the project and raise awareness.
And there is more! A small vegetable and fruit farm is a strong competitor to the elephants when it comes to asking your attention. Why not help the local staff taking care of this specially kept environmental friendly farm?
Part of the food, fruits and herbs from the garden are used to supplement the elephants diet whilst the remainder is sold on local markets to raise more funds for the project.

Get out on the road with the Mobile veterinary unit
Last, but not least there is a mobile veterinary clinic where you could provide assistance to the vet in practice. This is especially attractive if you have a great interest in this field. They often go out to help sick and wounded elephants. Thankfully this is not a daily job as that would mean a lot of ill elephants.

Where is the project based?
Between the hill country with its spectacular capital of Kandy and the lower country, near the ancient kingdom of Kurunegala, there youll find the project located at a beautiful, 15 acre, estate, home to 15 elephants.
The area is surrounded by stunning nature with caves, temples and waterfalls. With the city of Kegalla nearby you have easy access to supermarkets, banks, shops, internet and trains and busses that can take you all over the island.

Experience the warm Sri Lankan culture
Sri Lanka offers a diverse culture and what better way to experience it than a staying right in the midst of it all. Your stay during the project will be at the elephant orphanage itself. You will have a chance to relax with other volunteers or simply lie back under the setting sun with a summer breeze and enjoy a good read in a very safe environment. You will be provided with three meals and tea Monday to Friday. Weekends are totally yours to explore this magnificent island where you will be warmly greeted by the locals where ever you go.

Highlights

Helping elephants for more than 3 hours per day!

Qualifications

Passion to help elephants.

Languages
  • English

Cost in US$:

700

Cost Include Description:

Included
* Return airport pick up from Colombo International Airport
* Accommodation 7 days per week
* Three meals per day 5 days per week (volunteers need to buy their own food on weekends)
* 3-4 hours contact time per day with the elephants.

Not Included
* Meals Saturday and Sunday
* Travel to Colombo
* Travel insurance
* Snacks
* Weekend excursions
* Vaccinations

Credit Available

no

Volunteer Types
  • Animal Welfare
  • Biological Research
  • Conservation
  • Eco-tourism
  • Environment
  • Grassroots Organization
  • Tourism
  • Veterinary
  • Volunteer Management
  • Volunteering
  • Wildlife Surveying
Typical Volunteer
7-7:30 am Meet Mahout, go to elephant bed and clear up, daily dung count Meet Mahout at the river, Bathe elephant Make elephant vitamin balls Fill in dung count in elephant daily records 8:30 Breakfast 9:30 Vet check- sweep and check the elephants feet for any damage and feed vitamin ball *The volunteers working with Lakshmi or Rani will do elephant painting, providing it is not raining* 10:00 Eco-farm gardening and elephant grass cutting and feeding 12-2pm Lunch- volunteers have time to go to town or relax as it is the hottest part of the day 2-5 Various tasks such as Research Museum displays Fundraising projects Bathing elephant again Updating blog/ newsletter/ twitter *3:30-5pm Tuesdays/ Wednesdays and Thursdays we teach at an after school club, English lessons centered around conservation issues*
Age Range
12 to 80
This Program is open to

Worldwide Participant. This Program is also open to Families, Couples and Individuals.

Typical Living Arrangements
  • Guest House

Participants Travel to Sri Lanka

Independently

Application Process Involves
  • Written Application
Typically The Application Process Time is
3 weeks
Ecoteer's Mission Statement

To help locally run grass root organisations to achieve their aims via attracting paying volunteers and tourists. Plus we personally help develop and improve the projects we work with to help them to achieve their objectives.

Year Founded

2005

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