No rides. No tricks. Just elephants.

“Let Them Roam Free”

Quick facts:
Location: Mondulkiri, Cambodia
Facility type: Sanctuary
Opportunities: Visits, volunteer

Welcome to Elephant Valley Project (EVP)

EVP has spent the past 18 years creating a space where rescued elephants can heal and roam freely.

A visit to EVP can include:
🐘 Observing elephants in their natural forest environment (no touching or bathing)
🐘 Guided treks with expert local Bunong mahouts
🐘 Learning about elephant care, ethical tourism, and forest conservation

EVP’s model priorities elephant welfare, community support, and environmental protection - serving as an example for elephant conservation in Southeast Asia.

Visit the Elephant valley project website.

Elephant Care

At EVP, elephant welfare is at the heart of everything.
Rescued from Captivity: EVP provides sanctuary for elephants previously used in tourism and labor industries, with full stories of each elephant found here.
No Riding, No Tricks, No Shows: Elephants are never used for entertainment or performances.
Observation-Only Tourism: Visitors observe from a respectful distance—no bathing, touching, or direct interaction.
Individualised Care Plans: Each elephant receives tailored medical support and a routine designed around their unique needs.
Mahout-Led Care: Elephants are supported by trained local mahouts who build long-term, respectful bonds.
Local Employment

EVP runs on a belief that elephant conservation must go hand-in-hand with community support.
Local-Led Workforce: Over 95% of EVP’s staff are Cambodian, offering fairly paid employment in an area where job opportunities are limited.
Training & Career Development: Staff receive regular training in animal welfare, conservation, guiding, and English language skills.
Partnerships with Local Families: EVP offers alternatives for families who own elephants, paying monthly compensation so the elephants can rest and receive proper care.
Profits Reinvested Locally: Money from tourism is used to fund education, forest protection, healthcare support, and other local community needs.
Habitat Protection

Protecting the surrounding ecosystem and restoring degraded land in Cambodia’s Mondulkiri province is also a priority for EVP.
Forest Preservation: EVP leases over 1,500 hectares of forest to keep it safe from logging, agriculture, and development.
Habitat Restoration: They work to regenerate degraded areas through reforestation and responsible land management.
Long-Term Stewardship: Their goal is not just to protect one forest—but to set a model for how sanctuaries across Southeast Asia can integrate land protection into their mission.

Asian Elephant Tourism Ethics

Elephants are a popular part of tourism across Southeast Asia, but many are kept in poor conditions and exploited - even by facilities that call themselves sanctuaries.

Activities such as riding, bathing, feeding, or posing for photos often require intensive training and control. These interactions might seem harmless, but they can have serious welfare consequences for the elephants involved.

When choosing where to visit, it’s important to look beyond the marketing. Ethical facilities do not allow hands-on contact with elephants. Instead, they prioritise the elephants’ well-being, offering space, autonomy, and expert care.

Supporting facilities that really prioritise the elephants is vital. It helps shift the industry away from exploitative practices and helps tourism play a role in protecting, rather than harming, elephants.

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How to Support
EVP

Follow EVP on Instagram for updates on their work and projects.

EVP offer lots of different types of visits, including half-day, full-day, multi-day, group trips, courses, and retreats! Find out about all the options here.
EVP is also open to volunteers with a minimum commitment of 2 weeks. These generally involve elephant observations, learning about elephant health and welfare on routine checks, growing food, working on the reforestation project, construction, and learning more about the traditional role that elephants play with the local Indigenous culture. Find out more here.
There are also opportunities for internships and research placements as part of relevant degrees. You can find more info on this at the bottom of the page here.
If you’re looking for a career in conservation, EVP could be a great match! They advertise positions here.
EVP accepts donations to their work on either a one-off or monthly basis here.
Or if you’re looking for something a little more personal (maybe a gift for a loved one?) you can sponsor an individual elephant. You’ll receive a sponsorship certificate and periodic updates on them. Get more info here.