Trustpilot

Join an international team of volunteers who are working together to care for rescued elephants in an inspirational sanctuary. Together you will be helping these elephants to have a life as close to the wild as possible, a far cry from their previous lives working on the streets or in tourist camps. Highlights include bathing and walking the elephants, allowing you to really get to know these gentle giants.

Become part of an elephant research team, monitoring these gentle giants in their daily lives together. The project is located in a beautiful park, where you will be working closely with rescued elephants as they recover from previous trauma and stress. In your free time, explore the stunning Garden Route and immerse yourself fully in this wonderful corner of Africa.

Step off the trodden tourist trail and into the heart of stunning Sri Lanka, where elephants are still clinging on to life in the wild. Work closely with the local community to help promote the survival of the endangered Asian elephant, all whilst enjoying seeing these creatures roam in their natural habitat – a rare wonder.

Experience the rare desert elephants in the wild, helping these endangered animals and rural communities to co-exist in harmony. Enjoy all that desert life brings, from cooking over camp fires to sleeping under the stars, and throw yourself into the volunteer role, which includes tracking elephants, doing building projects and helping the local community.

Volunteer with elephants overseas

Volunteering with elephants overseas is a life-changing experience. You will have the amazing opportunity to help elephants in a variety of locations around the world, including Sri Lanka, South Africa, Thailand, Laos and Namibia. In some destinations, elephants are lucky enough to still be living in the wild, and the projects focus on helping to conserve and protect the elephants in their natural habitats. In other countries, elephants have been rescued from tourist attractions and are being cared for in an environment as close to the wild as possible.

Joining a volunteer project abroad with elephants means that you can get great work experience, learn about elephants and make a genuine contribution to their welfare. You will contribute directly to important research or to helping to care for these gentle giants. These volunteer projects with elephants will enhance your CV for future job prospects, as well as giving you an amazing and once in a lifetime opportunity.

Many people choose to volunteer to help elephants. Whether you are on a gap year, career break, holiday with a difference or a summer break, you will be in excellent company. Elephant volunteer holidays are a great way to experience a new country, whilst also making a difference.

You don’t need any special qualifications or previous experience to do volunteer work with elephants abroad. The most important qualities are a positive attitude and a willingness to get stuck in.

Our elephant volunteer projects are hand-picked to allow you to work in elephant conservation, elephant research or elephant care.

Why not read the Oyster Guide to Volunteering with Elephants if you need some more help to decide?

Receive our Newsletter
  • View our Privacy Notice to see how we store and use the data you provide.
  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.