As an Elephant volunteer, you will be learning everything from the anatomy of an elephant, to the complex history that has affected elephant populations in Sri Lanka.
You will also assist with the day-to-day running of Pinnawala elephant orphanage that provides a home for over 84 rescued,injured or abused wild elephants.
The volunteer programme
The primary focus of our elephant volunteer project is to help the day to day running of the orphanage. Working under the direction of the mahouts( the person in charge of caring the elephants) and with other volunteers.
Here is an example of some of the work volunteers will carry out with the elephants-
Help with the cleaning of the elephant enclosures
Participating in bathing elephants
Interacting with baby elephants, Help to prepare milk for bottle feeding
You'll also have to feed the elephants
Keep the project site clean and tidy
Collecting the elephants’ dung and food waste for composting
Harvesting food for the elephants from the jungle
¤ A typical daily schedule might be as follows:
8.00 AM - Breakfast
8.30 - 12 noon - Help mahouts to clean elephant enclosures, Interact with baby elephants or washing baby elephants, washing elephants in the river, preparing food for the elephants.
12 noon - 2 .00 pm - Lunch breaks (all volunteers get 2 hours to eat and relax)
2.00 PM - 4.00 pm - Watch elephant bathing and playing in the river, washing elephants in the river.
Teach or play games with poor kids in the area [once a week]
6.30 - 7.00 PM - Dinner
After the dinner Volunteers have free time to spend as they wish.
It is essential that you wear appropriate clothing (sun hat, short or a trouser) and sturdy footwear for this task,and drink plenty of water.You will have plenty of time to sightsee and explore.
Extra activities(During your Free Time)
CampingVisiting old temples and meet monks in the area
Climbing little mountains in the area.
Relax by the river
River bath
Pool facilities
White water rafting
Days off can be spent at the beach
Visit the local villages to get an experience that very few foreigners get. You will get a unique insight into true Sri Lankan culture unaffected by the huge influx of tourists that the rest of Sri Lankan experiences.
Our values
- We care deeply for the projects we work with and our volunteers
- We are honest and try to manage expectations as accurately as possible
- We take a personal approach to volunteers and our projects, including visiting all projects regularly
- We are well experienced and provide high quality placements, which stems from a thorough knowledge of locations and projects
- Try to keep costs as low as possible for volunteers
- We enjoy it and are very passionate!
Accommodation: The accommodation is in clean but basic. You will live in a lovely guest house nearby the project site with comfortable single and double rooms and western toilets. Every room is provided with a ceiling fan, individual beds and mosquito nets. You will have the chance to see real Sri Lankan lifestyle as this area is more rural.
(Private rooms available on request)
Food: All meals will be prepared for the team.We will provide you all 3 meals through out your stay with us. We will cook you traditional Sri Lankan foods where you can taste real traditional foods. Menu will be different each and everyday.
Vegetarians, vegans and those with food allergies can be accommodated
Food of Sri Lanka is hot and spicy. Base food of the inhabitants of the island is rice which they consume with curry both veg and fish based. All the dishes are cooked on the base of coconut milk and flavored by liberal use of spices. Like all the people of coastal regions, the Sri Lankans are also expert in preparing fish dishes. Mallung, Sambol, Lamprais, Buriyani and Polos Pehi are some popular dishes of Sri Lanka.
Rice
Rice is the staple food of the Sri Lankans. Almost every household in Sri Lanka takes rice and curry as its main meal. Rice too comes in plenty of variety. Samba is a pearly rice consumed on special occasions. On festivals yellow rice is cooked on the base of coconut milk and delicately flavored by spices. Kiribath or milk-rice is a popular festive dish.
Curry
Curry accompanies the dishes of meat, vegetables or fish. Number of spices, all roasted and then stone-ground come together to prepare these curries. Coconut milk forms the base of this curry. Fresh herbs and garnishes flavor these curries. Basic items like chicken, beef, mutton, eggs or vegetables are cooked in a thick sauce of coconut milk with all the ingredient spices. There is plenty of variety in fish curries across the region. The Sri Lankans have their own distinctive style of preparing fish curries. Southern ambul thiyal or sour fish curry is very famous. Vegetarian curries are prepared from very available fruit or vegetable like brinjols, beans, beetroot, carrot, banana flower, pumpkin etc. Curries in Sri Lanka are very hot. However, adjustments are made to suit the foreign palate. Ingredients of curries include chilli powder, fresh chillies, cinnamon, turmeric, curry powder, curry leaves, onions, garlic, ginger and coconut milk.
Fish Dishes
People of coastal towns consume delicious fresh fish with prawns, crabs and lobsters. Fried fish is eaten with chips and salad while fish curry is taken with rice. Sour fish curry is a popular dish of southern Sri Lanka. Tuna, seer and para fish are very popular among the natives of Sri Lanka.
