Photography Internship

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If you want to have a unique experience hiking in the forest to find the elephants everyday and observing their natural behaviours in their home environment, Kindred Spirit Elephant Sanctuary is the right place for you. Come and join us for the experience of a lifetime. Volunteers must be physically fit to hike everyday up and down the mountains to get to the elephants. In our sanctuary, you can see exactly where your donations are going and how they are benefiting our sanctuary, our elephants and our community.

Our sanctuary has just rescued 4 elephants from the tourism industry and we have now brought them home to live out their lives in the forest, in semi-wild conditions. We need volunteers to help us keep these elephants happy and healthy in their natural habitat. With volunteer support and donations, we hope to return more elephants to the forest soon.

Our Village

Kindred Spirit Elephant Sanctuary is set amongst the rolling hills of Nothern Thailand in a Karen hilltribe village. It is surrounded by a forest that is perfect for our elephants to roam and forage in.

The Karen people are originally from Myanmar but they have migrated to Thailand in search of a better life during the wars over many generations. Due to this they have their own language and culture, which volunteers will have the opportunity to learn and experience. They are keen weavers and are well known in Thailand for their elephant keeping. They make an income from their elephants and working the fields, mainly growing rice and corn using rotational slash and burn. Volunteers will have the opportunity to learn more first hand about their culture and even help out in the community when required.

A photography intern's tasks usually varies from day-to-day. Our days begin with early morning hikes through the forest to find the elephants, staying with them while observing and taking high resolution photos to help us with our social media. Some days lunch is eaten with the elephants in the forest, a very unique experience! Hikes will usually return to the village around early afternoon but the day doesn’t end there.

Sometimes you will be needed to go to the school or stay in the village to get some community shots. You will also be given a project to work on during your stay as well as helping the staff with any visitors or volunteers.

Internships length: 8-12 weeks

Fee to cover all expenses: $1600/£1200/50,000THB

Expenses include: All food and accommodation on site as well as your in-country transport from/to project on arrival and departure