Conservation of Elephants in Huay Pakoot, Thailand (7n+)

9 Reviews

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  Kristina
  Written on March 20, 2018

  4.5 - Excellent

  I recently spent an extended amount of time in Huay Pakoot Thailand. It was a fantastic and magical place full of excitement, adventure and culture. I spent my mornings observing elephant behaviour and getting to know their mahouts. My homestay family was a delight, full of smiles and awkward conversation as I practised my local language skills. I spend my afternoons going through various presentations and workshops to further my knowledge in the conservation, elephant and education sector. There were numerous community engagement activities to get involved in. The place is truly what you make of it. If you enjoy getting to know people fom any culture and adventure this is the project for you. 5*** from me!

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  Lottie
  Written on February 5, 2018

  5.0 - Excellent

  I have been on this project for a month and am absolutely loving it. GVI offers the opportunity to watch the elephants in the forests giving a more natural experience for the volunteers and a better life for the elephants. During my time so far I have taught at the school and in evening classes and have fallen in love with the village. Would definitely recommend.

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• IL

  Isabel
  Written on February 5, 2018

  5.0 - Excellent

  GVI is the best experience of my life EVER!! I have been on project for five months and it is amazing to get to see elephants in their natural habitat as well as teach local kids at the school!! I would absolutely recommend this program for anyone interested in conservation.

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• RL

  Rose
  Written on November 22, 2017

  5.0 - Excellent

  This summer I spent 3 months on an elephant reintroduction project in Huay Pakoot, North West Thailand with GVI. It was absolutely amazing being able to hike into the forest to see a small herd of semi wild elephants. We had a very unique opportunity to study the herd, so we would take both social behaviour and activity budget data to see how elephants adapted to life in the forest. I particularly enjoyed the opportunity to feed and get up close to the elephants once a week to do health checks. During my time in Thailand I stayed with a homestay family getting to know them and how they lived. The first few weeks were hard due to the language barrier but the whole family were very welcoming and as I began to understand their language, Pakinyaw, I began to feel more at home and became good friends with them One of my favourite things to do in the village was cook with my ‘mum’, Faw, chat to her and learn some of the recipes of the village food. I also had the opportunity to teach English twice a week at the local school. It was wonderful getting to know the children of the village and be a part of their education. I really enjoyed being a part of the GVI community and meeting new people from all corners of the world. Signing off for the weekends to go to Chiang Mai, Doi Inthanon and Pai seeing some of the tourist attractions of the area was a great way to see Northern Thailand and also spend time with the GVI staff and other volunteers. I am going to university now and this experience it has given me the confidence to go out, try new things and meet new people. It is safe to say that so far these 3 months was the best experience of my life.

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• VI

  Victoria
  Written on November 15, 2017

  5.0 - Excellent

  Completing an internship on the Elephant Reintroduction programme is one of my proudest achievements to date. It was a complete honour to have had the chance to experience the real authentic Thai culture, whilst living with my host family and being immersed into the community. It was always a pleasure to hike and see the elephants every day, and completely mesmerizing to see these beautiful animals in their natural habitat. There was always plenty of activities to get involved in on a daily basis, and I learnt more than I anticipated. The friends I made from around the world, during my time on project, I shall remember for the rest of my life. The elephants, mahouts (elephant keepers), villagers, staff and volunteers made my experience unforgettable and I am so thankful to have participated in the project.

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  Marna
  Written on November 14, 2017

  5.0 - Excellent

  GVI has been truly amazing helping me getting ready for my trip to Thailand Chiang Mai. Being in Thailand was a great experience and I learned so much from the local people and the GVI staff. GVI staff met me at the airport and was with me for my entire time on project. Working with the Elephants on the program and helping out at the primary school was such a privileged. I would highly recommend GVI and this Program. I have received support from when I booked until I arrive back home.

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  Sam
  Written on November 4, 2017

  4.5 - Excellent

  I recently volunteered with GVI in Thailand. I had an incredible experience with them both before the expedition and during my time in the country. On the secondd day, we came to the ‘Cave temple’, so called because it is situated in a huge cavern at the top of almost 300 steps. There were many statues and depictions of the Buddha, as well as candles, incense and altars. There were also magnificent stalectites, some over 5 metres long, which hung effortlessly, defying gravity. We also went deep into the cave systems at the back of the temple and took a look at the altar there. Apparently there is a statue of the Buddha buried a mile underground but nobody knows how it got there or can reach it because there is no oxygen. We also all received a blessing from the monk who looks after the temple. The Buddhist taxi drivers who came up with us treated him with an incredible amount of respect. This was because, as we later learned, the monk had never once left the temple in 24 years, choosing to devote himself to religious thinking. There was even a suggestion from some of the locals that he may have reached a state of enlightenment. We then left the temple after being blessed and having some traditional Thai loose leaf tea and heading back down the 300 odd steps to the minibuses. We then travelled for another hour or so before pulling up at the restaurant where we would be having dinner. It was a very cool Asian barbecue style place. Essentially, a fire pot was placed on each of the tables with a metal grate for booking on and a ‘moat’ around the outside for noodle soup. The meal itself was wonderful! By far the best BBQ I have ever had! We each cooked things like pork, beef and fish to perfection with different spices and flavours, along with the delicious noodle soup and some egg fried rice. Afterwards, there was some delicious ice cream for desert and we all left for the hotel fairly late but very full and satisfied! This very warm welcome to the country began a number of other incredible experiences I had during my time abroad with GVI. I would recommend them to anyone!

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  Chelsea
  Written on November 5, 2016

  4.5 - Excellent

  I have done a few GVI programs and had a great time. The programs are very different from one another but I definitely walked away with a lifetime experience each time! :)

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  Emily
  Written on October 18, 2016

  5.0 - Excellent

  I participated in a three month internship with the elephants in Thailand, and I wish I could have stayed longer! Getting to be a part of an amazing project like this was truly a life-changing experience. There is nothing better than waking up with the sun rising over the Northern Thai mountains, spending your day hiking with the most majestic, beautiful creatures and coming home to spend time with friends from all over the world. The staff are so passionate about what they do, and they supported me throughout the whole process. I definitely felt that this project was making a difference, and I gained so many friendships along the way!

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