Hill Tribes of Northern Thailand: Environmental Conservation, Education & Elephant Trekking

I adored my trip to Thailand in the winter of 24-25. The volunteers that I went with were some of the most hilarious, intelligent, and kindhearted people ever, who I will never forget and most definitely stay friends with for a long time. The guides were equally amazing and I will miss them for as long as it takes for me to make it back to Thailand someday! I was able to learn so much about myself, Thai culture, and the Thai natives on my trip that I will never forget. I had so many once-in-a-lifetime experiences on this trip including getting to spend a day with an elephant and getting to feed it, going bungee jumping, and having access to small close-knit communities in northern Thailand that I otherwise may never have gotten the chance to go to without the amazing local guides. More importantly, however, I got to form close relationships with the kids that we taught and get real experience in the classroom while learning how much of a relationship you can build with someone without necessarily even speaking the same language. It was challenging and exciting and I desperately wish I could go back and see those kids again now that I’m home. GIVE taught me a lot about sustainable tourism and the importance of behaving as a respectful guest in a foreign country. Rather than walk all over someone else’s culture and take advantage of it, GIVE taught me the importance of learning the culture and respecting it through dressing culturally appropriately, attempting to learn some of the language and customs, and entering the country with an open mind and a non-judgemental attitude. I am counting down the seconds until I can be fortunate enough to go on another GIVE trip!

Such a great and memorable trip! The local guides were amazing and we did the best activities such as caving, tubing, elephants, pad thai cooking class, and more. We spent two days teaching at an English Camp and two days in the classroom. Chelsey did a great job preparing us for the lessons and making us feel comfortable. We got to feed an elephant and observe her in her natural habitat. We rafted to our accommodations in the jungle and spent time with the local Lahu tribe. We celebrated in the city on New Year's Eve and watched local performances and fireworks. We visited a beautiful temple and museum. I would 100% do another GIVE trip if possible!

Wow, GIVE Volunteer is special!

This company provided a safe, positive, welcoming, and motivating environment for my month-long adventure in Southeast Asia! Words can't describe how grateful I am to have had the opportunity to travel to both Thailand and Laos! The trips included inspiring guides with endless knowledge and welcoming energy, unforgettable endeavors in caves, rivers, villages, and more, and a packed yet organized itinerary! I truly felt safe the entire trip which helped me be present in the culture and activities! I learned so much more than I even imagined about permaculture, teaching English, Buddhism, and more. Not only were the guides amazing but all of the participants and I became family! This program is set up to encourage like-minded people to come together to make the world a better place. I encourage anyone considering taking a leap of faith to attend a Give trip, you will not regret it:)

Like anyone I was hesitant at first but honestly it was the best experience of my life. The staff took such good care of you, I met so many amazing people, and I learned so much about Thai people and their culture. This trip honestly crosses my mind at least once everyday, I have made the best memories. The only con that i can even think of was the cost (the conversion rate from cad to american $$ is hefty) but me and my friends did some fundraising and saved up, it was worth it! Beautiful experience. 10/10 recommend

My trip in Thailand was truly life-changing. From the people I met, the friends I made, the experiences I had, it was all so incredible. Those 2 weeks gave me a lifetime of memories and I learned more about myself than I ever have before. This trip taught me so much about the world and changed my outlook on so many things. You will come out of this trip a completely different person. From the agriculture, to teaching, to rafting, and elephant trekking, it was all so so incredible. I would do it all over again if I could.

I just went to Thailand with GIVE, and it changed my life! We were immersed in the culture from start to finish, and my heart is so full of love and gratitude. From teaching English to local kids to working on the permaculture plot, I have learned so much about the incredible community and lifestyle in Thailand. I also had the privilege of partaking in the elephant experience— all of my childhood dreams have come true! What an epic and unforgettable adventure. I can’t wait to check every GIVE trip off my bucket list!

I love to travel and this experience thought me a whole new way to do so! It felt very liberating not having to think about an itinerary or what was next. The tour guides were great at communicating and making sure we were ready for the next activities. No matter how wild the adventure, we always felt very safe. From the learning discussions, to the volunteering sites (education and permaculture), to the cultural immersive activities, I felt the program was very complete. A mix of giving back to the community and enjoying the beauty of the people and the country. I'm very glad I went on this program!

If you're willing and fully immerse yourself this will be an experience of a lifetime. Some people on the trip seemed to want more of a vacation abroad with a focus on partying. This trip isn't like that, it's a cultural awakening. You get to experience a new way of life firsthand and you have amazing local guides to make everything fun and easy to learn. I can't put into words how wonderful it is to have local guides, they made the trip and I can't imagine Thailand without them. Something I've been saying to people who ask "How was Thailand?" is that Thailand is the land of smiles. That's its nickname and it holds so true. Everyone was happy and friendly, I smiled and waved at all the people I passed. As happy as you are to be halfway around the globe, the locals are so happy and proud that you came to them. Making connections despite the language barrier was so easy because both sides were happy to be with one another. If you think this is something you want to do, do it. You only live once, so conquer your fears!