2025 SMA Thailand Conservation Expedition

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Blog 10

Throughout our trip to Thailand, we not only got to experience a culture vastly different from our own, but also participate in service to the environment through elephant conservation efforts. From shopping in Bangkok to planting trees at the Our Land Reserve, this trip has been both educational and fulfilling for all of us.

During the educational aspects of the trip, we were privileged enough to work with the organizations Our Land and Bring The Elephant Home to learn more about the human elephant conflict. We learned about the struggles farmers face from elephants eating their crops, and how farmers and organizations are working to mitigate these issues. Aside from elephants, our trip was educational in other aspects as well. We witnessed a snake education course while at the Our Land Reserve and saw other wildlife while at the Kui Buri National park such as bison.

Our trip to Thailand was not solely educational, but also contained many diverse activities that everyone enjoyed. Highlights from the trip include floating in rivers as a group, jumping from waterfalls, and making tie-dye bandanas using mud. Additionally, everyone in our group formed lasting connections with each other through these experiences, whether it was playing cards or sharing bug spray for the mosquitos that constantly plagued us!

If nothing else, our trip to Thailand has certainly grown our perspective of not only the cultures and environments around us, but how we each handle ourselves in diverse situations. We each overcame many challenges throughout this trip, including illness, cuts and scrapes, and frogs in our showers. I strongly believe that each of us grew immensely during this trip by stepping out of our comfort zones, learning to take a deep breath, and maybe even hold a massive millipede.

But perhaps one of our greatest takeaways from this trip is the ways in which we each affect our surroundings. While the human-elephant conflict seems distant from us in Colorado, many facets of this issue are rooted in our decisions as well. By making careful choices and choosing sustainable brands and products, we can help lessen the human-elephant conflict by allowing farmers in Thailand to grow less-appetizing crops for elephants, thereby helping both the success of the farmers, and the wellbeing of the elephants.

As our trip comes to an end, we are all sad to leave Thailand and begin the long trip home. We had so much fun exploring the forests, buying unique foods and products, and making the occasional trip to 7-11. I think many of us would love to come back to Thailand in the future, but for now we feel content and ready to come home. As this blog comes to an end, we would love to thank all of the parents and guardians who made this trip possible. Our trip to Thailand was a once in a lifetime experience, and we could not be more grateful for all of your support!

Blog 9

By Lily and Mary Kate

We started the day bright and early at 6:40 am to go on a lovely hike. We hopped on the buses and got a lovely breakfast that included pancakes,fruit,and some Thai delicacy’s. After the breakfast we went on a 45 minute hike and learned about the many bird species in Thailand.

Then we went back to our resort got all packed up for our 4 hour bus rides. We stopped at the two hour mark and ate a delicious lunch with the amazing ocean view. We spent some time on the ocean walking with our toes in the sand and drank some fantastic drinks.

We then went back in the bus and drove to check into our hotel in Bangkok. After the check in we went to a mall in Bangkok. At this mall there was plenty of activity. At this mall we spent 3 hours shopping eating dinner and enjoying our last night.

We then went back to the hotel to prepare for our long journey back home!

Blog 8

By Cat Katie, Clara, and Charli

We woke up and ate a hearty breakfast before heading off to one of the local farms to learn about the human elephant conflict and see first hand how it affects the farmers. We visited Baan rai kong man farm first. We got to taste and smell many different Thai plants such as lemon grass, khaffir limes, citronella, galangal, aloe Vera, etc.

Next we went to plant the galangal at a local farm. Then we went to the Tom Yum project and painted elephant candles and spent our Baht on local products to help the community. We also learned how lemon grass oil is extracted. Lastly we tie died bandanas and made pineapple leaf paper. Many of us got delicious milkshakes to top off the day.

We came back to the Resort, had time to rest and then competed in teams to see who are the best cooks by making Tom Yum, papaya salad, and fried rice.

We went to bed early to pack up and sleep to get up tomorrow for the sunrise!

 

Blog 7

By Nel and Stella

We started the day off bright and early and made the five hour trek from Kanchanaburi down south to Kui Buri with two 7/11 pitstops. After many long hours we arrived at the beautiful wildlife Park, we sat down for a delicious lunch of vegetarian pad Thai and some amazing honey lemonade made with honey from local bees that are used in bee fencing to keep elephants out of farms and their crops.

Following lunch, we got settled into our bungalows where we will stay for the next couple of nights. Our group then embarked on a scenic Safari where we observed wildlife from the back of some trusty pick up trucks. On our Safari we saw some Indian bison, and a variety of birds, but most exciting of all was two elephants and a calf.

While watching the elephants we saw a calf that has yet to be seen by any of the park rangers, the calf was only about one year old. We also heard two groups of elephants trumpeting at each other and meeting up, which was a first for our main guide. It was a truly special moment.

After a long day of traveling and spending some much needed time stretching our legs in nature, we headed back to our base camp for a delicious dinner, including fried cabbage with sweet-and-sour sauce, and tried an interesting new green dessert called sago which was delicious.

Blog 6

By Baylee and Laney

Today we went to a safari and saw 6 elephants. We got to feed them watermelon,banana and we made them rice protein balls. After feeding them we set out and took a nice long walk through the jungle. It started to rain as we were walking, and when we got to the river where the elephants were able to swim it was pouring rain but we still stayed and admired the elephants.

After walking with the elephants we came back to the safari and ate some yummy Thai food. After lunch we left the safari and went to 711 to buy some snacks and headed to our hotel to rest for a little bit until we had to leave to go to Our Land for our last camp fire with our staff,teachers and friends.

We played games,ate dinner and roasted marshmallows by the campfire. After that we headed back to our hotels for bedtime.

Blog 5

By Madeleine and Genevieve

June 12: This morning started bright and early with a breakfast at our hotel of French toast and fried rice which was delicious! After eating, we loaded onto the buses and headed off to OurLand, the environmental conservation project in the jungle we’ve been spending time with.

Our first activity was “nature bathing” which is basically sitting alone in little tents (with no phones!) and contemplating. For 30 minutes, we listened to birds, breathed in the jungle air, and tried not to freak out every time a bug landed nearby. It was peaceful and grounding and we all loved it.

Then Vijo who is a snake expert, taught us all about snakes in Thailand and answered our many questions. We learned what to do if bitten and lots of interesting facts. We saw a baby Burmese python, a deadly monocle cobra with three types of venom(!!), and then we all held a real but very friendly python.

After lunch at OurLand, we headed off to the houseboats, and some rain hit. We arrived just as a downpour started, but that didn’t stop us! We hopped onto a giant bamboo raft and went down the river to a nearby waterfall, where we swam, climbed rocks, and jumped off the boats. The rain cleared up so we got on the house boats and cruised down the river to a quiet spot where we swam some more and had dinner onboard. The food was great, the bugs were very numerous and the houseboat setup was super cool!!

All the students slept in lofts (there wasn’t much of a roof) We were a little scared but rolled with it because it’s all part of the fun!! We ended the night with a thoughtful discussion about captive elephant welfare, then called it a night.

Despite the bugs and the rain, we’re having the time of our lives and we can’t wait for the rest of the trip!!!!

Blog 4

By Chloe, Sam, and Claire

Today we started with another traditional Thai breakfast and enjoyed some iced Thai tea.

We then made our way over to the hive boxes where we learned about the Italian bees and how they pollinate and produce honey (which we got to taste!). After everyone secured their fresh honey bottles we hopped on the vans to visit the tree sapling farms. We played a form of rock paper scissors to decide groups and then got to work.

We made seed bombs by wrapping a seed and ashes in clay then using a sling shot to put them in the forest. We also planted custard apple trees in the tree nursery.

Next we got into smaller groups and created presentations on possible solutions for tackling human elephant conflicts.

After a yummy noodle lunch with lots of pomelo (exotic citrus fruit) and banana grams we headed to Our Land. We relaxed in the hammocks, played some games, and then put our work gloves back on.

After we split up into groups of four we got our hands dirty and planted more trees. We ended our day with a cooking class where we got to taste over 10 delicious local dishes and with the night market where we got to try lots of new food and buy local clothes, jewelry, and accessories.

The group will be sleeping well tonight and we can’t wait for our next adventure tomorrow!

Blog 3

By Tia and Abby
Today in Thailand we had a wonderful day that was full of connection, learning and unforgettable moments, and of course food. We started the day by waking up and heading out for breakfast at 8AM. We enjoyed a traditional Thai breakfast that was delicious.
After breakfast we had a short talk to learn about the dams we’d be helping  build. we made our way to the dam site, joined by Thai children from a local school. It was such a fun and amazing experience getting to know them—learning their names, chatting, and laughing. Some of us even learned how to count to 10 in Thai!!!
We then returned to our breakfast spot for lunch, this time we were joined by the Thai kids. To make it better we finished lunch with a new and delicious treat. ( Ice cream ) A very unique flavor. ( jackfruit, corn, and)
After finishing lunch we had about two and a half hours of free time, which we spent down by the river. We swam, skipped rocks, talked. This helped us formed new bonds with new people.
Later, we cleaned up, changed, and took a quick trip to a Thai market before hitting 7/11. We spent about 30 minutes exploring, buying small items, and talking to each other. After that, we headed to a dam where we hung out, enjoyed the view, and tried some adventurous local snacks like lychee, crickets, and worms. The worms had a surprisingly unique flavor, not for everyone, but definitely a one-of-a-kind experience.
Towards the end of the trip to the dam, we gathered as a group, sitting on rocks to have a meaningful discussion about the importance of dams. This discussion gave us deeper insight and helped us appreciate the work we’re doing even more.
To end the day, we took the buses back to our usual spot and made our own Thai fried rice for dinner. Honestly, it was the best fried rice ever. We wrapped up the evening hanging out, talking, and just enjoying each other’s company before heading back to the hotel.
It was a full day filled with lots of new experiences and new friendships. Can’t wait for another day!!!

Blog 2

By Valeria and Deborah
We started the day off by eating a yummy breakfast at the Sarawong 56 Hotel. Then we packed up into the vans to head to the Kanchanaburi Province. The three hours it took to make our travel was filled with music, chatter, and laughter.
When we got to the location, we met up with the Our Land team. We learned about their mission and met the different members of the team. We learned of the path elephants take and how humans have become obstacles to those paths, especially to their main drinking source: the River.
After learning about this, we headed to the River to float down to the actual structure of the Our Land building. We grabbed our life jackets and, surprisingly, put them on lile a diaper. While my sister and I did not know how to swim, we talked to our teachers until we felt comfortable about making the journey. The first few minutes of the float down were very calming and nice. In the middle of the journey, it began storming and we were suddenly being hut with water. Obviously, it was a bit scary for two bad swimmers but it was such a cool experience to have.
When we arrived to land, we hiked 20 minutes to the building. During the hike, we learned about the characteristics of the jungle and the life around it, especially the elephants. We learned of their characteristics as a key note species and  how elephants like to be mischevious.
We ate an amazing meal after getting into clean clothes in which we bonded with the people around us. Lastly, we met around a campfire to reflect about our day and tell scary stories about scary hamburgers. We discussed our expectations about this trip and packed up to get to the hotel! We had a good nights sleep despite the jet lag!

Blog 1

Hey Parents!

Today was a long but incredibly rewarding day!

We kicked things off with a delicious breakfast and an informative session where we learned a few basic Thai vocabulary words to help us navigate the city of Bangkok.

Afterward, we visited a Thai shopping mall to exchange our money for Baht. Once that was done, we headed to lunch and enjoyed a simple yet tasty meal which a perfect introduction to Thai food.

Next, we embarked on an eye opening boat ride along the Chao Phraya River. This gave us a sneak peek into the local way of life and offered views of some beautiful temples along the way. We made stops at the iconic Wat Arun and Wat Pho temples which were magical and a wonderful way to immerse ourselves into the beautiful religion of Buddhism.

Following that, we took the local skytrain to a fascinating and interactive museum, where we explored Thai culture through the years.

To wrap up the day, we visited an incredibly tall shopping mall (it felt like it had 10 million floors!) where we had dinner (mainly just mango sticky rice) and did a bit of shopping.

Finally, we walked back to the hotel, showered, and packed up for another exciting adventure tomorrow!

Welcome to the Walking Tree Blog!

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