Thailand: Elephant Conservation Project

Rustic Pathways maintains a median of one staff member per 4.37 students (4.37:1), with no program exceeding 7 students per staff member (7:1).

New Program Leaders go through a four-month selection process, and every Program Leader holds current CPR and First Aid certification.

• After the final scheduled activity of the day, students have their phones, subject to quiet-hours, lights-out rules, and connectivity.
• Routine help: call +1 440-975-9691, Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. ET.
• Emergencies: use the 24/7 number in your pre-departure materials.

Families get expected timing, time-zone guidance, and contact details before departure. If a student has an urgent, medical, or significant personal need during activities, a Program Leader helps them contact home.

Most students join on their own, and some join with friends or siblings. Roommate requests are accepted during enrollment for students coming together. Program Leaders run icebreakers on day one, and friendships form quickly.

Cancellations within 24 hours of enrollment receive a refund of all amounts paid to Rustic Pathways.

Cancellations before midnight ET on March 31, 2027, receive a full refund of the program tuition. The enrollment fee and any airfare already booked become non-refundable.

For cancellations after March 31, 2027, see the enrollment terms.

If your family experiences a serious, documented emergency, contact us. We review these situations on a case-by-case basis.

U.S. students can join the chaperoned group flight from Los Angeles (LAX) to Thailand, or book their own flights. International students fly independently to Chiang Mai (CNX), where Rustic Pathways coordinates pickup. After the program, U.S. students can return to Los Angeles on the chaperoned flight. Program Leaders see that students not on the chaperoned flight depart safely.

International flights are not included in tuition. Students traveling on passports not issued by the United States are responsible for confirming any visa or entry requirements that apply to them.

Flying independently? See the arrival and departure dates below.

Whichever option you choose, Rustic Pathways staff meet every student at Chiang Mai airport on the arrival date and see them off on the departure date.

Option 1: the chaperoned group flight

Cost: Chaperoned group flight fee, plus airfare.

• A Rustic Pathways chaperone meets students at Los Angeles (LAX) and flies with the group to Chiang Mai (CNX), and home from Chiang Mai (CNX) to Los Angeles (LAX) on the departure date.
• Getting to and from Los Angeles (LAX): Rustic Pathways can book the connecting flights between your home airport and Los Angeles (LAX), or your family can. Students fly that leg on their own, with an airline unaccompanied-minor service if the airline requires one.
• Every student on the group flight pays the chaperoned group flight fee, even if your family books the connecting flights.

Option 2: independent flights with support

Cost: Flight Support Fee, plus airfare.

• You choose the flights and Rustic Pathways books them, into and out of Chiang Mai (CNX).
• Students fly on their own, and you get 24/7 travel support if plans change.

Option 3: book your own flights

Cost: No Rustic Pathways fee, just airfare (for students not on the group flight).

• Your family books and manages the flights, into and out of Chiang Mai (CNX).
• Students fly on their own. Changes and rebooking are between your family and the airline.

Arrival and departure windows

Students who are not on the group flight land within the arrival window and leave within the departure window, about four hours each. Your Personal Travel Advisor shares the exact times before you book. Flights outside the windows carry an additional fee.

Dates on this page run from the day the group flight leaves Los Angeles to the day the group leaves Thailand. The group lands in Chiang Mai two days after it leaves the U.S.

When your student flies independently, book flights that arrive and leave on these dates. Flight times can change, so contact your Personal Travel Advisor before you book.

Students arrive at and leave from Chiang Mai International Airport (CNX). Students on the chaperoned group flight leave from Los Angeles (LAX) and land in Chiang Mai two days later.

U.S. citizens do not need a visa for Thailand. Other passports may need one: check yours on the IATA Travel Centre, the airline industry’s entry-rules checker.

Rustic Pathways Program Leaders supervise students from the moment staff meet them at Chiang Mai airport until they depart for their flight home.

• A median student-to-staff ratio of 1 staff member for every 4.37 students, never exceeding 7:1.
• Program Leaders are housed on site and available overnight.
• Two-Deep Leadership: No staff member is ever alone one-on-one with a student.
• Each student has a personal check-in with a Program Leader within 24 hours of arrival.
• Families receive a Safe Arrival email within 12 hours of arrival in Thailand.

Yes. Students room with same-gender peers, and Program Leaders are housed on site and available overnight.

Personal Travel Advisors review all medical forms and plan with families to manage medication, allergies, and dietary requirements on the program.

Program Leaders are first-aid and CPR certified, and teams keep lists of medical facilities for every major program location.

Students do not have unsupervised time in public areas. Free time is structured, with Program Leaders always nearby. At night, students stay in their rooms with their roommates. Program Leaders are housed on site and conduct nightly room checks.

Rustic Pathways follows Trip Before Scroll: staff store phones and connected devices securely during daytime programming and hand them back after the final scheduled activity.

Students keep them overnight, subject to quiet-hours and lights-out rules. Travel-day, medical, and accessibility exceptions apply. Chiang Mai accommodations have Wi-Fi. There is no Wi-Fi at the conservation center in Lampang.

Rustic Pathways welcomes all students and works with families to provide appropriate support. Learn about Rustic Pathways’ inclusion policy.

The enrollment fee is a one-time fee, separate from tuition, covering enrollment, pre-departure advising, and trip planning. It begins at $100 and increases closer to the departure date.

The enrollment fee is refundable for cancellations within 24 hours.

Yes. Rustic Pathways offers a 4-Pay payment plan that splits program tuition into four payments over six weeks. This plan is only available for enrollments more than 90 days before departure and only for U.S. bank accounts.

Need-based financial aid and merit scholarships are also available. Explore scholarships and financial aid.

Medical insurance with coverage in Thailand is required for every participant. Travel insurance is strongly recommended, not required.

Neither is included in program tuition. Rustic Pathways recommends Arch RoamRight: get a quote.

$150 to $200 per week is recommended for shopping, snacks, or souvenirs. Meals, scheduled activities, and gratuities are included in program tuition.

Each session is limited to 16 students, ages 14 to 18. In 2026, students were ages 14 to 18. Program Leaders group similarly aged students together for activities.

Yes. Non-U.S. students can join this program. International students fly to Chiang Mai (CNX) to arrive within the designated arrival window for their session.

Rustic Pathways staff meet them at the airport and ensure safe departure within the designated window at the end of the program.

Visa requirements depend on the passport, so ask an advisor.

In Chiang Mai, students room together in gender-separated rooms with private bathrooms, Wi-Fi, and a pool. The Elephant Center in Lampang has Western amenities such as air-conditioning and private bathrooms, but no Wi-Fi. Program Leaders are housed on site and available overnight.

About 20 hours of conservation work: forest restoration on Doi Suthep, and hands-on elephant care routines alongside conservation staff and mahouts at a government-run conservation center in Lampang.

In Chiang Mai, days include a Thai cooking class, Muay Thai, biking, and markets. At the conservation center, students wear mahout uniforms, learn about elephant care and behavior with mahouts, prepare elephant food, help clean elephant areas, plant and cut grass, and finish with a certificate ceremony. Later days include Sticky Waterfall, Chiang Dao Cave, and white water rafting on the Mae Taeng River.

Moderately active. Expect warm, humid days with lots of time outdoors and on your feet, plus active excursions like biking and rafting.

Yes. Vegetarian, vegan, pescatarian, gluten-free, dairy-free, and other diets, plus common food allergies can be accommodated. Dietary needs and allergy information are collected after enrollment and shared with meal providers and project partners in advance.

Students work alongside conservation staff and mahouts on daily care routines and learn how experts observe elephant behavior and health. A visit to the elephant hospital shows how conservation extends from habitat work to veterinary care.

Yes. The itinerary may change due to weather, safety concerns, transportation issues, or site availability. Program Leaders may adjust activities and schedules to keep students safe and ensure a positive program experience.