Volunteer Work Programs - Work With Elephants
Summer volunteers can work on our Summer Special which combines learning all about elephants with supporting the local community. Throughout the 4 weeks placement volunteers will spend many of their afternoons learning the traditional skills of the Mahout (elephant handler) and riding their elephant in the forest.

Volunteers will also take their elephant for a swim in the local river to cool off from the heat of the day. A truly magical experience.

Part of the 4 week program directly supports the village’s elephant population by planting crops to help feed the elephants during the dry season. Volunteers plant bamboo and a type of wild grass.

For the community part of the placement, a number of projects are arranged to help the local villagers and school. It is an opportunity to be involved in so many different activities.

Volunteer Travel and Fun
For those volunteers  who can’t make the summer, you can still spend a weekend or two with the elephants of Surin. All Surin volunteers have the opportunity to stay overnight in the village and take a crash course in elephant handling. The local people are incredibly friendly and we know you will have an amazing time.

In Surin you can volunteer as a teacher, work on one of our many development projects, or if you are medically trained there are lots of opportunities to support Surin’s department of health.