Sappraiwan Elephant Conservation

Sawatdee, and welcome to Thailand! Arriving in Bangkok you will transfer planes for the short flight north to Phitsanulok. From there you will meet your program leaders and head over to Sappraiwan! Once you have settled into your room you will meet the staff and learn about the goals of this unique conservation project. The Sappraiwan Elephant Conservation Center uses novel approaches to elephant training and care that make it an idyllic setting for its pachyderm inhabitants.

Learn about safety and the history of the creation of Sappraiwan Elephant Sanctuary, with a goal of bringing elephants from working on the streets to the promise of retirement and rest and high-quality care. Suit up in a traditional Mahout Suit, learn about the projects and elephants, and prepare yourself for the hard work and learning that will come ahead. After dinner, spend the evening relaxing with your friends or swimming in the pool after a long travel day, and go to sleep early for a big service day tomorrow.

Getting an early start this morning to work with the elephants hands-on. You will go on a leisurely walk with them through the grounds and help take care of the animals, learning about them and what it takes to care for large mammals. Help with food preparation and feeding the animals, then have lunch yourselves with the group.
After lunch, engage in Sappraiwan’s Elephant Enrichment Program. Sappraiwan has several large enclosed play areas for elephants where they are free to eat and play with each other or with their specially made elephant toys. Help prepare toys for the elephants to stay active and fit. Finish up the daily chores alongside the mahouts, such as harvesting food, cleaning stables, and going on an afternoon walk with the elephants.

Rest up because after dinner you will go on a night safari to spot nocturnal animals on the Sappraiwan grounds, led by their expert staff.

Early this morning you will have an enrichment session with elephants to help keep their bodies active and their mind sharp. After breakfast, will learn how to make elephant fertilizer and assist with planting trees. These trees will serve as a source of food for the elephants or perhaps one day as shade so they can relax comfortably. Today you’ll be providing lunch for your group too! Your program leaders will lead you in a cooking class, and you will be rewarded for all your hard work with a tasty meal to give you energy to continue the service throughout the rest of the day.

After lunch, you will learn how similar these massive elephants are to yourself. Just like people, as elephants get older they need more attention and you will talk with staff to see what kind of special care these animals need. You will even help with their special diet. Some elephants have trouble chewing more dense foods, so you will help to make their food nice and soft and easy to digest. You will walk the elephants back to their home for the night through the jungle. In the evening you will embark on a “night safari” around the center and look for different nocturnal animals and learn about their habits as they compare to diurnal animals.

After breakfast, head to Thung Salaeng Luang National Park and help build salt licks for wild elephants. These animals are becoming more and more rare and the park rangers work hard to support their safety and habitat so they can thrive in their natural environment. The park rangers will take you on a guided hike through the forest and you will visit a beautiful limestone cave with prehistoric cave paintings and sea life fossils, a beautiful hidden gem in the national park. As the sun sets you will see thousands of bats exit the cave, a beautiful sight that highlights the natural beauty of these ecosystems. After dinner, head back to Sappraiwan and get some rest for tomorrow.

Wake up and prep for your morning working at a local school. Head into the village and while speaking slowly, clearly, and plenty of demonstration, you will make some new friends, exchange, culture, and maybe even learn some language. You will engage in activities with local students that strengthen communication, team building, and are also a lot of fun.

After having lunch at the school with students, you will head out into town and see unique local architecture – temples, shrines, and palaces. After dinner, we will head to the night market for some shopping and dessert!

After breakfast, visit Wat Keang Song temple and support the maintenance and daily activities of the site. The temple serves not only as a center for religious services but also serves as a meeting and community center. In the past students have helped clean the building, plant trees, or do other kinds of general maintenance. Have a chance to speak with a monk and learn about his life and spiritual journey.

After lunch, head to the ASK Foundation Center to play games and practice conversations with local students who come from disadvantaged backgrounds. After some games, you will head to their organic farming area and help as needed at the farm and learn more about what it takes for these crops to grow. Once you return to base and have dinner, it’s karaoke night!

After breakfast and an optional early morning yoga session, you will visit Wat Phra Som Kaew temple. Here in the cooler air you will see some amazing mountain views and get a chance to visit the Hmoung market. After lunch, head down to the Kek River and help pick up trash from the river while rafting with professional guides. Tonight we have a trivia and pizza party planned!

After breakfast, hop in the vans and head to Sukothai, Thailand’s ancient capital. The historical park is filled with beautiful restored and preserved ruins from the 13th century. Also from ancient roots comes Thai dancing and Thai boxing or muay thai. Tonight you will have a chance to demo both cultural activities with local villagers.

After your morning walk with elephants, you will harvest pineapples for the elephants. These are a sweet treat for your new friends! Afterward, you’ll assist local villagers with their seasonal crops before having lunch at a waterfall. Float down the river, swim in the lake and relax before dinner back at the center.

We will have a discussion with your program leaders tonight about sourcing food sustainably and where your food comes from.

Participate in service projects at the center with local students. This includes helping make a vitamin-rich treat for the elephants, setting up their enrichment area, and helping the elephants with their training. The mahouts will lead everyone in games as well as teach us how to make rice in bamboo. We’ll also get a chance for a pool party and bonfire for our final evening.

At the end of each program, students reflect on their experiences and the issues they engaged with, and talk about how to apply this new understanding to their own worlds. During or after their closing discussion, groups participate in Rustic Ties, a unique and powerful activity that allows students to capture the memories and learning moments of their program to process and share with their communities back home.

Your Program Leaders will take you to the airport for your departure as you say goodbyes and reflect on your adventure.