Useful Information for Volunteering with Elephants: Thailand

Our Culture week program covers most of the topics including culture shock and how to adapt to Culture and Traditions. One should come with an open mind. We suggest you to go through the program guide.

We accept participants aged from 16 and above. Participants under the age of 18 must travel with a parent or legal guardian. There is no upper age limit however, we recommend participants to check with the program options that are available.

We should always be healthy and maintain our fitness. However, it depends on the project you choose and you should always be ready to work.

It depends on which project you have chosen. Some projects require formal dressing. Therefore, packing a few formal clothes won’t harm

Arrival transfer is included, but departure transfer from the hotel to the airport is not. This can be added as an optional extra within your account.

Please arrive before 2:30 PM, so you have enough time to make the last transfer at 4 pm.

Yes, the dress code is seen as a show of respect to the culture, temple and monks that often live in the temples. Men should wear long pants and no cut-off sleeves. Women should wear trousers, a long skirt, or dress that extends fully below the knees and covers their shoulders - the knees should be fully covered. Tank tops and low cut shirts should also be avoided by both genders.

We have spent more than 10 years travelling Thailand in order to find you the best possible experience at the absolute lowest price! We also sell our tour directly to you through our website, not through a travel agency, which cuts out a major expense incurred by other tour companies.

Yes, please arrange an appointment with your local physician and explain your travel plans. Most hospitals have travel clinics with helpful information and vaccinations on site. We suggest doing this well before your trip is to begin to ensure there are no unexpected waiting periods during this process! Please visit here for more information: CDC

Yes, please! There are many laundry services in Thailand that offer washing services at very reasonable prices. Just hand your laundry to the staff, and you can usually pick it up the following morning. If you’re feeling adventurous, you can even go for the bucket wash—the price is right.

Not much is needed! We suggest at least £10 GBP / $15 USD (or equivalent) for spending money each day. The non-included meals are very cheap in Thailand and all of your excursions, transport, and accommodation is included in the cost of the tour. If you plan to bring home a lot of gifts for friends or family (or yourself) or like a big night out then we suggest budgeting a bit more than the amounts listed above. You can get away with spending even less than this if you are on a tight budget but this average seems to work best for most group members.

Both! There are ATM machines throughout the tour in nearly every location we visit. There is usually a currency exchange fee and most banks will charge a processing fee. For this reason, we suggest withdrawing however much you feel you will need on tour (explained above) when using the machines. The more you use the ATMs the more fees you will pay. For currency exchange, there are kiosks throughout the airport when you land and also opportunities in Bangkok once you arrive at the hotel. These kiosks accept all major currencies from Western countries. You can also exchange at home before you arrive but the exchange fee is usually higher. The cheaper option is to use an ATM card but currency exchange is also readily available. Just make sure to let your bank know you plan to travel abroad so they do not lock your account when they see a sudden overseas withdrawal.

Are there any age restrictions for this tour? We have a minimum age requirement of 18 years old to join the tour. Group members aged 16-17 years old are welcome to join the tour but only with a family member that will act as their guardian whilst on tour. Aside from that, no age requirements at all! While our target age is 20-45, what matters most is mindset. If you’re looking for a backpacking-style experience, with hostel-style stays, local transport, and optional evening activities - you’re welcome to join us.

Travel insurance is compulsory for all our trips. You’ll need to show proof of your policy to your group leader upon arrival (on your phone or printed). You can get a quote and purchase your travel insurance here.

We highly recommend that you travel with insurance for complete peace of mind. Please click here.

We recommend using a Wise travel card. It works in most places and supports Apple Pay and Google Pay. ATMs are widely available, but some places may accept cash only, so it’s good to carry some local currency.

Absolutely. Your payment is secure. Backpacking Tours is a licensed tour operator in Thailand (TAT Licence No.11/12642), and we use trusted international payment providers. Your booking is safe, and our team is here to support you every step of the way.

Your passport must have at least six months’ validity and two blank pages. You should also have proof of onward travel.

Call your group leader using the number sent in your welcome email. They will assist you.

We have an official tour operator license in every country that we operate in.

We operate our tours, unlike most other tour companies that use another agency to operate their tours.

Target Age: Our group tours are mostly aimed at 18-45

Travel Experts: We are a multi-national business based in the heart of Southeast Asia, Bangkok.

We use local tour guides with local knowledge that stay with you 24/7.

We also offer volunteer programs without admin fees and private tour bookings at honest and transparent rates.