Elephant Conservation Volunteer Bonus Week

I came from South Africa to Thailand Bonus Week and that was definitely a culture shock to me. South Africa and Thailand are very different countries with very different cultures and belief systems. In the program, we were able to help prepare the sugar cane for the elephants and then feed them. We were then able to walk with them to the river and watch as they rolled in the hills and played in the river. The rest of the day was filled with lecture and free time. As much as I enjoyed this program, I wish we could have had more contact with the elephants. We only saw them in the mornings. But we got to walk around the village and greet everyone who lived there. You definitely get a real Thai experience. We ate food prepared by our host family every day and the staff were so kind and helpful. They were always willing to explain things to us and they even taught us a bit of the Thai language. You get an immersive Thai experience, and the elephants are the cherry on top.

The elephant bonus week was a perfect way to end my Thailand trip with Loop Abroad.
During the week I was able to experience the real village culture of Thailand as well as getting experience with treating and caring for younger elephants.
The village that my group stayed in was filled with kind people who were happy to see us and who appreciated us helping them care for their elephants for the week.

If I’m being honest, I was a bit wary when I found out that the elephant bonus week was in a different location in Thailand, in Surin Province. I felt safe during my first two weeks in Chiang Mai and I was worried about living with a host family. But the bonus week was so incredible that I would truly recommend it to anyone! It’s so unique and special to be able to live with the host families in their small village and work with the elephants everyday. The families in Surin were so thankful that we were there and I’ve never been surrounded by so many happy people. If you’re even considering doing the elephant bonus week, I say go for it!

I spent 3 weeks in Thailand this summer with Loop Abroad, and the third one was my Elephant Bonus Week. I thoroughly enjoyed everyday I spent in Thailand, and the Loop Abroad staff were always friendly, welcoming, and very helpful through any struggles. I really recommend this program because it allowed me to spend even more time at the amazing Elephant Nature Park, where I was able to get up close and personal with elephants on a daily basis as well as make a positive impact on all the dogs and cats that call ENP home as well. This experience is unlike anything I've ever done before and unlike anything I've seen advertised online, and I know that I am a better student and person because of this incredible opportunity. I now have a deeper appreciation of the good life that ENP provides its animal residents as well as a greater passion for animal advocacy, and that never would have become my reality had it not been for Loop Abroad. Being in a foreign country where you don't speak the first language and the culture is completely unfamiliar can be frightening to think about, but I promise that if you travel with Loop Abroad they will not only ensure your safety 100%, but they will ensure that you make the most of your time abroad and that you enjoy every minute, from unloading fruit trucks to eating exotic cuisine to spending quality time with phenomenal giants.

Loop Abroad’s elephant bonus week was a once in a lifetime experience that exceeded my expectations. The week was packed with activities so you were never bored, and always got to experience new opportunities with the elephants. Aside from visiting the elephants for bathing or feeding we had a variety of events I never thought I would get to try. Although I was not part of the vet program, I got to complete a diet study and follow around an elephant for a whole day. Along with the diet study I also had the opportunity to follow a vet tech and assist with wound cleaning and feeding the older elephants medicine balls. There are so many ways you get to interact with the elephants and observe them that go way beyond the one-day visit experience.
The staff exceeded my expectations by being both extremely knowledgeable and very helpful. I always felt safe and was able to have all my questions answered. Everything was organized but you still had some free time to relax and enjoy the park. It was the perfect balance of structure and exploration.
Learning about everything the animals at ENP have gone through, and spending a full week really getting to know the park proved to be nothing short of amazing. Between the activities we got to experience and the amazing Loop Abroad and ENP staff the bonus week is an unforgettable opportunity.

My name is Erin and I spend an entire month with Loop in Thailand.
I have only great things to say about elephants bonus week. We had so much hands on experiences with the elephants as well as time with their mahouts which was fantastic. Communication may have been difficult at times but it was all part of the experience and such a pleasure to be a part of. If I could stay even longer I definitely would have. It's definitely a program worth doing for the experience and the adventure. The people you meet and the animals you help will change your perspective of life in such a positive way. This bonus week was absolutely amazing and I would do it all over again in a heartbeat.

The Elephant Bonus Week was so much fun! We were able to take part in an enrichment project that students in the regular elephant week were not able to be apart of, so it was a fun new change for the second week there! It was fun sleeping and living in the jungle, but make sure you bring bug spray and any medicine you may need since there is no way of getting it for a week! All of the staff working with Loop Abroad and the staff who works full time and ENP was amazing to work with. Watching the mahout to elephant relationship was inspiring and eyeopening. If you are coming on a Loop trip, I definitely recommend the bonus week!

I just went on Elephant Bonus week and had an amazing time. For a bonus week, it was super organized and every day was packed with new activities all day with optional activities at night. I was provided with multiple opportunities to get up close and work with the Elephants as well as the hundreds of dogs and cats, goats and horses. If you love animals and caring for them, you would love this bonus week!

Although I wasn't on the vet program, the bonus week provided me with the opportunity to do vet rounds. This was an amazing exposure to have and gave me a comprehensive idea as to how much the people who live and work at the Elephant Nature Park care for the animals and are willing to go above and beyond to make the animal's lives happier.

Although it was sad to learn the history of elephants that live here, it was amazing to be able to contribute to helping them have a better retired lifestyle. Elephant Bonus week involves projects that are designed to enhance the Elephants living situations. I'll never forget how the Elephants reacted when they entered their enclosures surrounded by new foods, senses and decorations.

Overall, this program allows you to be creative and have fun with your group, get up and close with the Elephants as well as the other animals that live here, and is a memorable experience. There are a lot of bugs so bring bug spray and get ready to be sweaty and hot! However, the this tea provided in the afternoon helps and the food is amazing.