Volunteering

Volunteering is the best way to experience the project! We aim to give you a special elephant experience which is unique in Sri Lanka. You will be warmly welcomed by the family & team and spend lots of time with the elephants, can do tours and get to know the locals. We offer a real insight in Sri Lanka culture. We are a family friendly place and are happy to accommodate to everyone's needs to ensure you have the best time throughout your stay. We have had volunteers from 9 months to 85 years old! It really is for everyone. 

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Activities

Volunteering offers you far more than the usual tourist experience.

You will stay at the beautiful house of the family of Ananda, Malie and Shashini who run the project. We are very small scale and are able to offer you a very personal and friendly atmosphere. The family can use your help with various activities. To name a few: help prepare the elephants food and feed them, help with the elephants exercise walking along through the beautiful jungle area, scoop elephant poo plus a variety of tasks concerned with elephant care, help with maintaining the outside project area, help to improve the project by building or brainstorming and acting on ideas to make things better for the elephants. You can also cook together with us as we show you how to create delicious Sri Lankan food and we can bring you to a nearby school for English conversation with the local children. You will learn so much during your time with us!  And remember, our elephants are not used for entertainment. Instead we aim to give them the best life possible.

Cooking

 

Duration

You can stay 1, 2 or 3 weeks.

 

Fees

  • 1 week 375 USD
  • 2 weeks 700 USD
  • 3 weeks 1020 USD

 (0-2 free of charge, 3-10 50% discount)

You will not find a better price anywhere, this is because you book directly with us. 

 

Included

  • A private room at our home-stay with a warm and most welcoming host family.
  • First day - lunch & dinner. Last day - breakfast and lunch. All the days in between - breakfast, lunch & dinner and accommodation.
  • All project related transport.
  • Onsite English speaking coordinator.
  • Lots of elephant time and unforgettable moments, memories and laughter.

 

CLICK HERE TO BOOK

feed

bedroom

for all ages

From TripAdvisor:

Just wonderful!!
 
Volunteered for a week at this wonderful place! We have had so much quality time with these two beautiful Elephants, both called Kumari. They were both rescued from their previous lives of carrying tourists, a really frowned upon practice. How people can hurt these magical creatures is beyond me.The staff and family here are so special …….the elephants are so loved by all the staff from the mahouts, family, guides to the cooks, cleaners and volunteers! I highly recommend a visit to this special place. I cannot think of a better way of spending the morning or afternoon.
 
 

 

***

 

Wonderful volunteering experience with lovely people
 
We spent 3 weeks volunteering at EFP and it was an absolutely outstanding experience. We got to help carry out various meaningful projects and also got to propose and create our own. The loving family, the sweet coordinators and the rest of the team took great care of us every day. It is THE best place to meet, care for and learn about elephants, but also to gain insight in the sri lankan culture through family dinners, cooking classes and day trips. The way the former working elephants are treated at this place is unique and all the effort pays off when you see and feel how happy they are. You will quickly fall in love with their two elephants named Kumari. We would recomend staying here at least a week to experience the bonds being created between you and the elephants. Also, once you get to know the house dog Leo he is simply the sweetest dog - just remember treats! We will definitely return to this place! Thank you!

 

 

 

CLICK HERE TO BOOK

 

Are you looking for a great and affordable Bed and Breakfast when you visit Sigiriya, Dambulla, Polonnaruwa or the wild elephants in the national parks?

We know the perfect place for you - click here to visit us. The Gemba B&B is small, personal and beautiful with paddy fields and a large swimming pool.