Kandy - Wild Elephant Experience

This project is aimed at developing strategies to help conserve elephants, leopards and other wildlife in their natural habitats in the surrounding area and also to be actively involved in helping the local community.

This place is an awarding winning conservation project which has done great work in dealing with elephant/human conflict. As a volunteer you are involved in a variety of different conservation activities and get to stay in a beautiful location in the central hill country. Early mornings can be spent bird watching, recording the different species in the area. You will also be tracking the routes and movements of wild elephant herds, searching for signs of leopards and sloth bears, as well as other mammals and recording your findings so the project can add the information to its database.
In the afternoons you will spend time up a tree house waiting for the elephants to come out of the forest and watching them head to their favourite lake. The project also does some great community work with some of the local schools. This project is making a real change and helping to preserve Sri Lanka's rich biodiversity.

Sunday:
If you arrive on Sunday on time, you will be transferred to Wasgamuwa on the same day. If not, you will arrive at our accommodation in Kandy from the airport and relax.

Monday (Week 1 only):
This day is mainly occupied with traveling from Kandy to Wild Elephant Sanctuary at Wasgamuwa.
You will be leaving to the Wild Elephant Sanctuary early morning using the public transport (bus). One of the coordinators in Kandy will be accompany you to the bus station and will give necessary information to the bus conductor regarding the drop off. Even though you will be traveling alone by bus or with other participants who are leaving for the same project, a coordinator from the Sanctuary will be there at the other end to pick you up from the bus station.
Please note that you are transferred to the project only on Monday early morning as there is only one bus leaving to this area per day. The journey takes approximately five hours.

Tuesday to Friday (also Mondays during Weeks 2 and 3):

Your daily activities at the wild elephant sanctuary at Wasgamuwa will be:
- Assisting with elephant research
- Biodiversity mapping using various surveying techniques
- Assessing human and elephant interaction which often includes involvement with conflict resolution
- Monitoring electric fences which are erected to stop elephants from raiding crops and village homes, and also the early alert systems
- Observe human-elephant conflict resolution project
- Meet and discuss the issues and challenges with community leaders and villagers all aimed at sustainable rural development

Weekends:
Free time for you to relax.

Sunday:
Depart from Kandy to Ambalangoda by train at 16:30. A coordinator will be at the Ambalangoda railway station to pick you up.

Monday to Friday:
At the turtle conservation center in Ambalangoda, the following activities may change according to the beach weather conditions and the number of participants but the time spent with this marvelous creatures is the main aim of our participants involvement. This program requires hard working and willing volunteers to support in the cleaning of the turtles, the tanks and the turtle conservation centre. It is vital to have a clean and hygienic centre for these animals. Typical activities during the week will include:
- Feeding the turtles (every other day)
- Maintenance of the turtle tanks
- Cleaning the turtles
- Cleaning and maintaining the beach
- Helping with the release of new-born turtles into the ocean.

Please note that the schedule is subject to change depending on weather conditions, local conditions and unforeseen circumstances.

A contribution to the project is included in the price.

- Minimum age of 18
- Good level of competency in English
- Travel & medical insurance
- Police clearance certificate
- You must also hand over copies of your passport, visa as well as the police clearance certificate on arrival.

Volunteers need to be flexible and keep an open mind concerning their placements as situations can arise beyond our control which could require you to be placed at a different project than the one you have initially chosen. We will of course always do our utmost to fulfill your initial wishes but do remember that where you are going is quite different from where you are coming and as such one should be prepared for things not always going according to plan.

Volunteering and intercultural travel share a common trait: the more you put into it, the more you get out of it. This program is designed for proactive individuals and groups that are prepared to adapt to the local environment and its current needs. Naturally, the scheduling and activities of our program are subject to change. Alterations in activities are mainly due to changes in local conditions, which we believe is part of what makes overseas programs the interesting adventure and incredible learning experience that they are.

Our projects range from 1 week up to approx. 30 weeks. Projects have a specified minimum stay, then it’s up to you how long you can commit. In our experience the longer you stay the more you will gain, as your understanding of the project broadens and you take on more responsibilities. Every volunteer will be given a certificate of appreciation at the end of their stay as a symbol of volunteering stay.