Summary
Voluntary work on an elephant conservation project in Sri Lanka.
Project location
Close to Wasgamuwa National Park.
Length of project
From 1 week – 12 weeks.
Group/individual basis
You will travel as an individual, but join a group of other volunteers from around the world.
Support
Help and advice from our UK office throughout. Local support from nominated staff member at the project.
Includes
- Voluntary work on an elephant conservation project in Sri Lanka
- Pre-departure information covering work issues and advice about life in Sri Lanka
- Airport collection
- First night hotel
- Collection from your hotel and transfer to main train station
- Public transport transfer from Colombo to the project house
- Return journey bus transfer from project to Kandy (train ticket from Kandy to Colombo not included)
- Accommodation and food on the project
- Donation to the project
- Full orientation and induction before you begin
Not included
- Flights
- Travel and medical insurance
- Any home country transport (eg. taxis and buses)
- Last night accommodation in Colombo
- Food in Colombo
- Train from Kandy back to Colombo
- Any onward travel or transfer costs from Colombo
- Food and accommodation when not on the project
Accommodation
Shared rooms with western toilets and shower facilities.
Travel arrangements
Fly to Colombo (CMB). Airport collection and overnight in a hotel in Colombo. You will transfer up to the project by train and then public bus the following day. A private car transfer can be arranged from the train station to the project at an extra cost. Help provided for return journey.
Pre-departure information
You will receive thorough information on your My Oyster account covering project expectations, preparation, health and safety, responsible travel and arrival arrangements at least 4 weeks before departure.
Medical
Vaccinations may be required. We recommend that you visit your doctor or travel nurse as soon as possible to discuss what you might need to have. Please be aware that Oyster staff are not able to give advice on your medical background or the type of vaccinations that you might need. You can get useful medical advice relating to your destination on the ‘Fit For Travel’ website – http://www.fitfortravel.nhs.uk/.
You must inform Oyster of any pre-existing physical or mental health conditions. Oyster staff may ask for you to provide a letter from your doctor before continuing with your booking.
Insurance
You must take out a full travel insurance policy as soon as you can before departure. This must cover you for personal accident, medical, cancellation, emergency evacuation, lost luggage etc. We strongly recommend that you organise your travel insurance upon booking your place. We can introduce a policy with Global Travel Insurance to UK citizens, details of which can be found in your My Oyster account, once you have completed your booking. If you are not eligible for this insurance, please read through it to have an idea of what you need to be covered for.
Any risk factors
Working close to wild animals is not risk free and you will be taught various safety points on arrival. Always follow advice.
Elephants are wild and can present a risk to humans. The project has strict safety protocols in place. You will receive detailed briefings on arrival and before each section of your trip takes place.
Dengue fever is a risk in this area, sensible precautions should be taken to avoid being bitten by mosquitos.
Take sensible precautions to protect yourself from petty crime. Avoid carrying valuables and take particular care of your passport. Take care when using your card at ATMs.
Other potential risks include poorer road safety and sunburn. Our pre-departure advice covers staying safe and making wise choices. There is risk of infectious disease, so appropriate vaccination is essential.
You will at times be doing physical work on this project and must drink lots of fluids and replace any sugars lost. It can be very humid in Sri Lanka.
Downtime
Participants will be able to travel independently during their time off, as long as they accept that they will be outside Oyster’s jurisdiction, make appropriate insurance provision and inform others. It is important to let staff know when you are due to return and keep them updated if your plans change.
Accessibility
This project could accommodate those with minor physical disabilities. Please discuss with destination manager before booking.
Financial Security
When you book with Oyster you can rest assured that your money will be protected and you will not be stranded abroad in the very unlikely event that our company becomes insolvent. If your booking includes a flight arranged by us, your whole trip will be subject to ATOL protection. If we have not booked your flight then your trip will be just as safe, since it will be insured through International Passenger Protection Ltd.
