Thailand – The Baby Elephant Experience
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Overview
Highlights
- Explore the rich culture of the northern Thai city of Chiang Mai
- Volunteer with rescued elephants at the Thai Elephant Nursery
- Live the life of a mahout as you walk, bathe and feed the elephants
- Explore Wat Phra That Doi Suthep, a magnificent Buddhist temple and monastery dating back to the 1300s
What's this trip about?
Details
Travel Themes
Destinations
Attractions
Activities
Trip includes
- 6 nights lodging in Chiang Mai, 3 nights lodging at the elephant home
- All meals throughout the trip (9 Breakfasts, 8 Lunches and 9 Dinners)
- English-speaking guides that are there to support, guide, and inform you throughout the trip
- All in-country transportation with experienced drivers
- $50,000 emergency medical evacuation insurance
- 24-hour Discover Corps emergency hotline
- Turnkey customer support from preparing for your trip to arrival back home
Popular Trips
Itinerary
Meals: Dinner
Arriving in Thailand, you’ll be met at the airport by your Discover Corps guide and taken to the hotel, where you’ll meet our group for the trip. We’ll enjoy a local dinner at the Sunday Night Market and outline the plans for the next ten days as we get to know each other.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
This morning we’ll take a walking city tour of Chiang Mai, visiting local temples, trying new food at an outdoor market and simply taking in the sights and sounds of this northern Thai city. After lunch, we’ll exercise our creative juices with an interactive Thai cooking class with a chef, learning how to make the most important Thai dishes.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Pay a visit to the Thai Elephant Hospital to meet injured elephants being nursed back to health. You will also have the rare privilege of meeting Mosha, the elephant wounded by a land mine who is now being treated with a prost...
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Heading into the green hills around Chiang Mai we’ll visit Wat Phra That Doi Suthep, an ornate Buddhist temple which offers breathtaking views. Next we’ll explore the lush botanical gardens of Doi Pui and visit a local market, getting a sense of the traditions of the Hmong, the ethnic hill tribe community that inhabits the area.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Enjoy a relaxing morning before setting out on a day full of adventure. Zip-line through pristine rainforest for a new perspective on Northern Thailand's beauty. For those who prefer to stay on land (or those who do not meet t...
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Over the next two days, we’ll experience the life of a mahout, rising early to feed and bathe the elephants, compost their poop, and collect grass for their food. Set in its own valley about 1.5 hours from the city, drive thro...
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Start your day with an early morning walk with the elephants, helping to feed and bathe them. You will also experience the life of a mahout -harvest food for the elephants, learn about sustainable agriculture, compost with elephant poop, and make herbal medicine balls to feed to the elephants that need it.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Today sees our final day caring for the elephants. After morning walking, we’ll continue to collect grass for food and feed the elephants, soaking in our last moments with these magnificent creatures.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Rafting or Bamboo Rafting Adventure Today, whitewater raft through the jungle along the Mae Taeng River with grade 3 and 4 rapids (minimum age 12; maximum age 65). If you're looking for something more relaxing but just as beau...
Meals: Breakfast
Today sees the end of your Thai adventure, and we’ll return you to the airport for your flight home. If you're not ready to depart just yet, continue on to our Koh Phi Phi or Bangkok Extension, discuss on the next page.
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- You choose budget, destinations, activities, transport & lodging type
- Expert designs the itinerary for you, and once approved, takes care of logistics
Dates & Availability
Check Current Availability, prices, specials with Discover Corps.
The total tour cost includes the tour price (regular or promotional) and the compulsory local payment. The promotional price is subject to change. Check directly with the operator for the latest price offer. The tour operator requires you to pay only the tour price to purchase your travel. The compulsory local payment will be paid when you join the trip. All prices are based on double, twin or triple share occupancy. Solo passengers will be accommodated in a double, twin or triple room according to availability with a passenger(s) of the same gender. Single supplement only needs to be paid if the passenger does not want to share and requests their own room. Discounts can only be applied at the time of booking and cannot be added at a later date, regardless of any changes made to the original booking.
Prices may vary due to local taxes and trip seasonality. Click "Request Info" to inquire directly with the tour operator for the final trip price.
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Tour Operator
Discover Corps is a volunteer travel company that is pioneering a new way to explore life and culture around the world in a way that rejuvenates the human spirit.
Our vision is of a world where people value our shared humanity and promote global citizenship while celebrating our many unique cultures.
Our mission is to give travelers a deeper understanding of life in communities around the world while helping to improve the lives of the people we visit.
We accomplish this by operating enjoyable and safe, enjoyable volunteer vacation programs that provide real connections between travelers and the communities. We specialize in trips for adults and families.
Our Trips and Projects
Discover Corps volunteer projects are driven by the local communities — not by us. We respond to requests where our travelers can make a meaningful contribution in a short amount of time. In order to maximize your time, our local staff plan everything in advance and provide you with the support you need while you’re there. From building classrooms and improving water systems to creating eco-friendly homes, we partner with local communities to help them achieve their development goals.
While our trips only last a week or two, we strive for a long-term impact by partnering with organizations that have ongoing relationships with the communities where we volunteer. This allows each of our volunteer groups to become a link in the chain of our partner’s ongoing work.
We are a certified B Corporation, which means we have passed a rigorous independent audit of our social, environmental, and legal practices. B Corporations (or Benefit Corporations) are recognized by the State of California as providing a social good.
Discover Corps operates trips for the National Peace Corps Association as well as other non-profit organizations and universities.
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Logistics
What's excluded
- International airfare
- All alcoholic beverages
- Laundry and phone services
- Extension: Activities on Koh Phi Phi Island (provided by your resort at an extra cost: snorkeling, kayaking, etc.)
- Tipping Guidelines: Monetary tips are not customary on this particular itinerary in Northern Thailand, but do feel free to bring something nice along as a gift for your guide and driver. Also note that we do include tips for restaurants, local guides, hotels and porters.
9 Breakfasts, 8 Lunches and 9 Dinners
Children’s pricing applies to travelers 16 years old and younger sharing a room with an adult
Custom groups?
Have a group of 6 or more? We can operate a trip for your group. Whether it’s a family reunion, corporate group, alumni association or a professional or student organization, we’ll make it easy and turnkey for your group to have an incredible experience.
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