Elephant Volunteer Project, Sri Lanka

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his Sri Lanka elephant volunteer project was set up to provide a sanctuary for elephants, as a place with no riding, no 24/7 chaining, no abuse; only happy and healthy elephants playing together in the river and freedom to roam in their own enclosure. Here elephants are the number one priority and we give them the best life we can. Elephant volunteers in Sri Lanka are warmly welcomed by the family and team, and can spend time helping the elephants and working with the community.

The project is located in a small village surrounded by lush green jungle and rice paddy fields. The Sri Lanka elephant sanctuary is a place where much has been done to improve elephant welfare: there is NO riding, protection from the sun, natural food elephants can eat when they want, elephant enrichment games, lots of playing and socialising time and most of the time the elephants are unchained. During the day they can roam around freely inside their enclosure, go for swims in the river and take unchained walks in the countryside.

As an elephant volunteer in Sri Lanka you will spend lots of time caring for the elephants. This ranges from feeding, shoveling manure, washing the elephants, cleaning their beds, walking with the elephants, engaging in elephant enrichment games, growing fruits and vegetables and maintaining the project facilities.

This can be hard work, but it is tremendous fun and rewarding to be so close with the elephants. In the afternoons you will help the local community, school or in a local disabled home with English language, arts & crafts or general fun activities. You will also learn how to cook home-made Sri Lankan dishes. All activities are totally optional to participation.

You can join for 1 week and longer all year round and we have places all throughout 2015 available.

Individuals, groups, families and students all welcome.

The cost to join for a 1 week project is 600 GBP, 2 weeks is 900 GBP, 3 weeks is 1050 GBP and 1 month is is 1200 GBP. Every extra week stay past 4 weeks costs £80. The maximum length you can stay in Sri Lanka on a tourist visa is 6 months. Your payment covers all your food (3 vegetarian meals per day), shared accommodation with a local family in a homestay, project-related transport during the project, pick up from the airport on arrival and transportation to the sanctuary, weekly Sri Lankan cooking classes, safety & cultural induction day, and supervision and WorkingAbroad Projects backup and placement support.