Elephants and Thailand kind of go together like peanut butter and jelly, and if you find yourself in Thailand looking for an Elephant experience, I highly recommend the Elephant Jungle Sanctuary. They have a few different locations in Thailand. I went to the one in Chiang Mai which I think happens to be the best one.
Your day is broken up into 3 sections. You start off by feeding the elephants bananas. I think this helps you and elephants get comfortable with one another. By the end of the feeding frenzy, the elephants are no longer in their stalls and roaming the ground with you.
The second experience is Spa Time with the Elephants. You head into this giant mud pit where you can rub mud all over the elephants or your friends. I don’t believe the mud had any special healing power, I think it’s just an excuse for everyone to get dirty before heading into the third excursion.
Swim with the elephants! After the mud bath, you make your way to a river where you splash and swim with the elephants. They love the water! And it is so fun watching them play in it. After playtime is over, the trainers will take the elephants further down the river, and you will head back up to camp for some lunch.
This is honestly one of the coolest experiences, and the Elephant Jungle Sanctuary is a sustainable and ethical eco-tourism project which make my heart happy. The elephants are loved and cared for, and there is no riding because its bad for their backs.
What to bring?
Towel
Dry Clothes
Swim Suit
Waterproof camera
The GoPro was perfect!
Trainers or a sturdy pair of sandals
I brought one of each to be safe but was in my sandals mostly.
We booked our experience through our hotel in Chiang Mai. It’s popular, so you shouldn’t have a problem finding a booking place, but you can also reach out to the Sanctuary directly.
Check out my video for the full experience. What fun ways have you interreacted with Elephants? Tell me in the comments below.
Until next time…
Cheers!
Keelie
Adventures and Life with Keelie 