Plight of the Thai Elephant

Our one-month summer trip to Thailand is a chance for high school students to explore wildlife conservation and ecology through the lens of the plight of Thai elephants.

We spend two weeks living with elephants, both at the Elephant Nature Park and in the jungle. But the trip is more than that.

We look at Asian elephants in Thailand from every point of view as a case study for understanding conservation. The trip will leave you with a holistic view of what it takes to bring about real change in the world.

Are you looking for a place where you can make a difference, experience a new culture, and learn a new way of thinking about leadership in conservation or other global fields? Then 'Plight of the Thai Elephant' is the place for you!

* Volunteer for one week at the internationally recognized Elephant Nature Park reserve, coming face to face, and hand to trunk, with Asian elephants;

* Save elephants and gibbons and help protect their rain forest home while you live for one week in a Karen hill tribe village;

* Explore Thai culture and wildlife each day, from markets to monks, from macaques to mountain waterfalls, and even things that don't start with M;

* Live at Spicy Thai hostel, yours for two weeks, in the center of Thailand's second-largest city, also yours for two weeks; and

* Trek the jungle, hold tigers, meet NGO leaders, and learn what real conservation is all about.

This trip is a chance to see some amazing things and come home with an impressive portfolio of service, cultural exchange, leadership training, and project design.

Each week makes up a different unit of the trip. Click on the photo buttons below for detailed information on each week.

Week 1: Welcome, in a big way. We spend this week living with rescued elephants, volunteering to care for them and spending each day among their families.

Week 2: This is who we are. This is the week to learn all about Thai culture, since conservation has to happen within a cultural context. Language, religion, food, history, and the arts are explored while living in the ancient city of Chiang Mai.

Week 3: Blazing a Trail. We spend this week in the jungles, mountains, and rain forests of Northern Thailand, trekking along waterfalls and through the cloudline to discover precious and untouched ecosystems. We visit conservation efforts like the Tiger Kingdom, and you design a conservation project for a cause you are passionate about.

Week 4: Journey to Freedom. We head to the jungle to live with the Karen Hill Tribe in a high mountain village six hours from the city. It's a chance to see everything we've learned come to fruition and give back to those people who can help re-introduce Asian elephants to the wild before it's too late.

The Plight of the Thai Elephant is a chance to see conservation from all sides, while exploring a new culture and an amazing wilderness.

We encourage you to explore the pages below for a full idea of what your summer in Thailand will be like! As always, feel free to contact us with any questions you have.