Unforgettable Encounters: My Three-Month Journey Through Asia and the Magic of Kindred Spirit Elephant Sanctuary

By Alizee Aerts – 1 week intern

Participating in an internship here is a fantastic opportunity that I would endorse to anyone looking to connect with nature and assist in enhancing the quality of life for elephants in Thailand. The condition of elephants in Thailand is unfortunate, and the individuals at this sanctuary are doing everything they can to support them. Regrettably, it is challenging to return all the elephants to their natural habitat, thus they live in a semi-wild environment; they still require food, oversight from humans, and data collection to better comprehend the needs of Asian elephants. To fund these efforts and gather data, the sanctuary is organizing tourist visits and internships in a manner that respects the elephants; we must always maintain a certain distance from them, and the elephants are free to roam as they please in the forest throughout the day, which necessitates hiking to different locations daily to find and follow them.

I am someone who is very attuned to the atmosphere and vibe of spaces, and this village and base camp have a truly wonderful ambiance. The staff here are friendly, welcoming, and compassionate. Thus, I quickly felt at ease. It is managed entirely by women, everything is well-coordinated, and the local community appears quite pleased with their presence as it provides them with opportunities to earn income (homestays, smoothie coffee bar, selling textiles, etc.), brings deflea treatment for their dogs, and Kerri and Cristina communicate in the local language.

Everything is conducted in a manner that honors village life. Each morning, I woke up feeling happy and every evening I found it hard to fall asleep due to my excitement about being here. The hikes are not overly strenuous since they are relatively short (just in the morning), and the afternoons are relaxed with minor physical activity and a bit of project work. Evenings are also quite leisurely. Essentially, they respect the preferences of each intern; no one feels compelled to join in every activity such as nighttime card games if one prefers to retreat to their room, but if you choose to participate, it is genuinely enjoyable and entertaining. The food is also good.

My homestay was more comfortable and cleaner than I expected, with hardly any insects in the room, although the mosquito net did have many holes. I would recommend extending your stay beyond one week to have a meaningful impact on the project, provided you are okay with cold showers and relatively chilly nights during certain seasons.

For me, it was a component of a larger journey around Asia and somewhat of a spiritual experience as it provided me with considerable inspiration and clarity.