About Program
Explore the beautiful city of chitwan national park and visit Nepal’s largest national park and see some more wonderful wildlife. Would you like to make a difference by dedicating your time and effort to protecting elephants? Elephant conservation volunteer program with We Volunteer Nepal offers an incredible elephant conservation volunteer opportunity to support a local elephant sanctuary situated in the beautiful region of Chitwan. As a volunteer in the elephant conservation volunteer program volunteer will play a crucial role in helping the local caretakers care of elephants.
The Location
Our Sanctuary is situated in the region of Terai, Southern part of Nepal, in the heart of Chitwan National Park(150 KM from Kathmandu) where mesmerizing wildlife lives in it’s natural habitat. More precisely, in the pittoresque village of Sauraha, Surrounded by the jungle, rice fields, fruits trees and lively rivers, volunteering with us is an unforgettable and rare Nepalese experience.
Duration of Stay
Our volunteering program duration of stay is flexible and based on your personal availability. Though, here are our recommendations:
1 week – to get a grasp of the volunteering experience
2 weeks or more – to become a part of the sanctuary and make your contribution to help the elephant live a better life.
Your duty as skilled volunteer
If you are veterinary student or researcher you can make research on Elephants regarding their behaviour, or on Elephant tuberculosis a chronic disease that has affected much the captive elephants in Nepal. For such research programs the permission of Nepal government is essential. If your requirements meet, we will help you in it.
Your duty as General Elephant conservation Volunteer
A Typical Volunteer role
Your presence and dedication will have a significant impact on the well-being and quality if life of these magnificent creatures. volunteers in the elephant conservation volunteer program will have the benifit of working closely with the elephants ensuring their welfare and proving them with the care they require. You will assist to take care of the elephants of a located in Chitwan national park. Your main duty is to help in preparing food, help in bathing and work for the special care and engaging them in enrichment activities to promote their physical and mental well-being of the elephants while they are staying in the Elephant centre. Grass is main food of elephants and they also eat leaves, twigs, bamboo, bark, roots, fruit, seeds and flowers. Elephants only digest about 40% of the food they eat as they have poor digestive systems. This means they have to eat lots of food to make sure they get all the nutrients they need. Elephant are given special food containing molasses inside covered with hay or grass. By actively participating in the daily routines and tasks, volunteers will established a bond with these magnificent creatures and witness the positive impact of your efforts firsthand.
Volunteer profile
At We Volunteer Nepal, we are willing to welcome everyone with the right mindset. All help is a must be aware of the reality of work that we are in need of.
Working with elephant requires you to
- Get your hands dirty
- Be able to bear some extreme weather conditions (very humid hot in summer, very rainy during monsoon and cold in winter)
- Be ok with some minor skin damages (cuts, lumps, rashes)
- Be quite autonomos, and last but not least, as elephants can feel your vibe,
- Be at ease being around them
Who can join This program?
Everyone who have strong interest with caring animals. Volunteer must be 18 years old in this program.
Requirements:- There are no specific requirements for the programs. However the best things you can have are patience and a genuine desire to taking care of Animal.
Accommodation:- We will organize a hotel in Sauraha
Meals:- Breakfast occurs at 8:00 am . Dinner is served at 7:00pm and usually dall/bhat( rice, lentils and vegetable). The food is very simple but also extremely delicious and filling. Lunch will be not included in the program Volunteer must organize yourself.
Start date:- Are very flexible, minimum time of stay in this program is one weeks and the maximum stay is five months in Nepal.
Program fees: please concern to WVN team while you will be alone for this volunteer placement.
Arrival and Orientation: Orientation being on the same day of your arrival if you arrive before 5:00 pm or if you arrive after 5:00 pm then orientation being start next day of your arrival. During your orientation at WVN office you need to know for your volunteer program in Nepal an introduction to Nepal customs, language, safety, rules and expectations, travel opportunity in Nepal and an introduction to your project and placement.
Volunteer Mission on this Project
Some missions are seasonal. Depending on your period of stay, you will get to experience different tasks.
Feed the Elephant
- Prepare “Kuchies” (grass / hay balls filled of uncooked rice)
- Start the fire
- Cook rice and prepared rice balls
- Clean the pot
- Learn “mindful feeding”
- Help elephants drink water
Clean the shelter
- Remove poop
- Remove old grass
- Sweeping
Handiwork
- Fix the fences
- Fix equipment and tools
- Ensure good condition of the shelters ground
- Running errands for the Sanctuary (molasses, tools…)
Harvesting / Planting
- Grass (summer, monsoon)
- Hay (winter)
- Corn (spring)
- Seasonal trees from the surrounding village
- Rice (every 3 months )
- Planting
Elephant observation
- Behaviors
- Interactions
- Potential health issue (dehydration, cuts, lumps, diseases…)
What to bring
Here is the list of useful things will surly need (equipment, pieces of outfit..) while working with us.
- A pair of strong gloves (unlubricated)
- A pair of flip-flops or rain boots (during monsoon)
- Long-sleeves shirts
- Long pants
- Cap or hat
- Insect repellent
- Sunscreen
- Raincoat (during monsoon)
- Torch light or head lamp
Fees Cover
- Accommodation in hotel private room with air-condition
- Daily meals (Breakfast and Dinner)
- Transportation: Airport pick up, daily round trip ride from hotel to sanctuary (tuk tuk or bicycle) and from Kathmandu to Chitwan national park (one way tourist coach ticket), Buspark pick up and drop to the hotel, Hotel to buspark drop in chitwan
- Elephant welfare
- Contribution to cover one elephant’s week of rice and grass
- Local Support
- Gov. Tax
