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VOLUNTEER WITH US
We offer meaningful volunteer programs that give you a unique insight into what it takes to run an ethical elephant project here in Sri Lanka. You'll get a behind-the-scenes look and play an active role in supporting the care and treatment of our elephants. We’re committed to making your stay enjoyable, relaxed, and - most importantly - educational. Connect with our elephants both physically and emotionally, while immersing yourself in an authentic Sri Lankan experience, far from the typical tourist trail. We’d love to welcome you to our community!
WHAT YOU'LL BE DOING
We always need help at Elephant Care Relief. We offer volunteering Monday-Friday every week. Saturday is our arrival day, which is the day we hold our orientation, and Sunday is our departure day, however, we are happy to be flexible with this. Below is a list of typical tasks that we need your help with on the project:
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Collecting Food (from large kuittle trees to smaller jackfruit leaves)
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Cleaning Elephant Beds
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Replanting Grasses
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Making Medicine Balls
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Providing Medicine to Elephants (if needed)
As part of your volunteering, we also hold what’s known as an “education day” on Wednesdays, showing you firsthand the problems with domesticated elephant treatment in Sri Lanka. This allows you to process and experience it all for yourself to understand why what you are helping is worth it.
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During your stay with us, we also do activities around the lesser-known sights in our area, including places like Bible Rock, Dewanagala Rock, and Thembiliya Waterfall. We have a full list of these extras that we share with you on your day of orientation.
Weekends is the perfect period for time off, allowing you to explore Sri Lanka whilst also having a base. We have extensive knowledge about the more “off-beaten” paths to travel, but also lots of advice on traveling to different areas. We are always happy to help with your next steps after volunteering, and also any transportation queries you may have.
Although we don’t have a strict volunteering schedule, we start our days at 8:30 with breakfast, and usually get back to the accommodation around 16:00. Timings will be affected by weather, the different tasks that need to be done on that day, and how time-consuming they are. We try and split the days up to ensure a multitude of tasks can be completed, and to avoid the feeling of repetition for you and for our elephants.
WHAT'S INCLUDED?
FOOD & DRINK
All 3 meals are provided during your stay. Breakfast consists of western options such as bread, eggs, and fruit, with some typical Sri Lankan breakfast options on request too. Lunch is a fried rice packet with “short eats” on the side to be had always on the project. Dinner consists of proper authentic Sri Lankan meals such as rice and curry, kottu, hoppers, string hoppers, just to name a few. We are happy to meet all dietary requirements and also spice tolerances, so please inform us both before and during your stay as to what will suit your needs. You will also be provided with drinking water throughout your stay. Tea, coffee, and snacks will also be provided during your stay, along with fruits. We want to make sure you are fed and healthy. Dinner and Breakfast are hosted at Amarasiri’s house, giving you a further taste of Sri Lankan culture. You can also use this space to socialise, or if you would rather keep to yourself, you can request this.
ACCOMMODATION
Your stay will be in a hotel complex roughly a 2-minute walk from Amarasiri’s house and our offices. Rooms have a maximum of 3/4 people to sleep in each, and usually, groups will stay in the same rooms. They are equipped with mosquito nets, a Western-style bathroom, and fans. If you have any questions about this, please feel free to let us know.
TRANSPORTATION
Staying with us means that we will transport you to and from the project location and your accommodation. We want to make your stay with us seamless, and so ensuring your comfort is a major focus of ours.
AIRPORT PICKUP
Make sure to share your flight details with us, as we offer airport pickup for free to volunteers staying one week or more. We will be there to pick you up at arrivals with a sign with our logo and your name. For volunteers staying for a shorter amount than this, we do still have the option at a fee. We make sure that this is the same as a local fee, to ensure that you get a fair price on your trip to Sri Lanka.
VOLUNTEERING CERTIFICATE
Add to your CV or show to your friends, make sure they understand the value to your trip to Elephant Care Relief by walking away with a certificate of volunteering, officially branding yourself as an elephant activist.
PRICING
Elephant Care Relief is a project that does not receive any governmental funding. In order to finance the project and provide a dignified life without hard work for our elephants, we ask that volunteers subscribe to a project fee in exchange for an unforgettable elephant interaction. The money is partly used for your stay with us, but mostly goes directly to the elephant's well-being.
We work hard to keep our fees as low as possible and have some of the lowest volunteer fees offered throughout Asia. We have different pricing options, allowing for different discounts depending on the length of time and group size.
If you would like to get more information about this, please contact us with your preferred timeframe and we will let you know about costs.