Elephants – Page 2 – Journeys Within Tour Company

On Tour with Journeys Within: Bangkok, Chiang Mai, and Chiang Rai, Thailand

Posted by Kena Cataneso on April 17, 2016 (Updated: 2016-05-15) | 1 Comment

Some of the Journeys Within Team (from left to right) Sone, Nicole, Ounkham, Onkeo, and Naida

Over the next several weeks, some of the Journeys Within team is on our annual inspection tours throughout some of our Thailand, Laos, and Cambodia tour locations. This is an exciting time of the year for us to visit the countries we love and return home from our journeys revived with inspiration for travel, and with new stories to tell our followers.

I am Marketing and Booking Coordinator, Kena Cataneso, for our Truckee, California location. I will be blogging on behalf of Journeys Within this spring as I make my way through Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Luang Prabang, Phonesavanh, Vientiane, Pakse, and Siem Reap.

Kena Cataneso at the Grand Palace in Bangkok

Follow my journey for updates and travel tips on some of our key locations and tours throughout the months of April and May, and get inspired for your own next adventure.

The first three days – An Introduction to Thailand: Bangkok, Chiang Mai, and Chiang Rai

For travelers who seek to acquaint themselves with highlights of Thailand, these Journeys Within tours are ideal:

Day 1: Bangkok: Public Transport City Tour with Klongs

Day 2: Chiang Mai: Elephant Daycare at Patara Elephant Farm

Day 3: In and Around Chiang Rai

These tours are customizable to the guest’s preferences and schedules, though Journeys Within can make recommendations on the best timing to schedule certain tours and activities to beat crowds and the sun on hot days.

A view from one of Bangkok's many canals. — A view from one of Bangkok’s many canals.

Bangkok: Public Transport City Tour with Klongs

Guests who arrive in Bangkok via international flight late in the evening prior to this tour have the option to be picked up at the airport by van with a Journeys Within guide. This is a favorable option as guests will typically experience fatigue, jet lag, and if you’re at all like me, disorientation and irritability after a day of flying with potential connections and delays.

I arrived in Bangkok an hour late, around midnight, due to a delay with my connecting flight in Korea. The process to go through immigration and to pick up my baggage took about one more hour, putting me at nearly 1 am. At that point, I would not want to navigate my own way to my hotel. Bangkok is large and taxis are expensive, and public transportation does not run 24 hours a day.

Guests can choose to arrange their own transportation or use a taxi from the airport to their hotel, but it’s worth speaking with a Journeys Within Tour Consultant to discuss their priorities, options, and budget. Our Journeys Within Tour Consultants are transparent with our guests about practicality with logistics.

I was thrilled to be met outside the baggage claim by my guide. He took my bags, and walked me to my air conditioned van where I was provided ice cold water and a fresh, cold towel.

Kena, from the US Journeys Within office and Guide Ron, from the Bangkok office.

This time in Bangkok I inspected VIE Hotel, which is located a half hour from the airport. I was pleased to stay with VIE Hotel on my introduction night to Thailand. VIE is a large, modern hotel situated in the heart of Bangkok.

I haven’t traveled since last year, and frankly, it was a huge comfort to stay on my introduction night in an immaculate hotel with all the luxuries I would expect from a high-end hotel in the US. An insider tip to VIE – they automatically upgrade all guests to nicer rooms if they are available. I was upgraded to a suite.

The rooms are appointed with dark wood and the high ceilings provide a feeling of grandeur. Once I arrived at my room I promptly charged my electronics, which require no adapters for the power outlets, as they are compatible with standard US power cords. The restroom was equipped with a rain shower and fresh white bath robes.

I awoke the next morning reborn and ready to tour the city, especially after the complimentary international breakfast buffet, which is a veritable feast of international options.

Why public transport for the tour? The answer is simple; public transport in Bangkok is incredibly accessible, efficient, and inexpensive. The option of private transport by van may offer some guests a feeling of privacy and independence, however, traffic in Bangkok is heavy and guests using private transport will find themselves often sitting in traffic and with considerably less available time on their itinerary to tour.

I was met in the lobby by my guide and we were only a few minutes walk to the Skytrain, which is immaculately clean and air-conditioned, and then we took a short boat ride to The Grand Palace.

An exhibit of the Royal Family's history at The Grand Palace in Bangkok. — An exhibit of the Royal Family’s history at The Grand Palace in Bangkok.

The Palace is, by every meaning of the word, grand, with what seem like miles of murals that depict an epic Indian poem, multiple Temples highly ornamented with gold leaf and glass mosaic, a miniature construction of Angkor Wat, many Buddha statues, a weapon museum, and gift shop. Another insider tip – visitors may stand in line at the box office to buy tickets for entry, or there men and women sitting at the gates near the entrance who also sell tickets.

I asked my guide if they have ever been known to sell fake tickets, but he said no. I enjoy having guides whenever I visit historical landmarks, as I prefer to have a historical and religious context of the places I visit. My guide gave me information about every building and temple we saw at The Grand palace, and information about the Royal Family and how the buildings were influenced over the years.

An exerpt from the extensive mural at Bangkok's Grand Palace. — An exerpt from the extensive mural at Bangkok’s Grand Palace.

My guide took me to a massage parlor once we finished our tour of the The Grand Palace, which was heavenly after my long flight the day prior. The rest of the day was spent strolling the nearby flower and produce markets, we had a delicious lunch at a local restaurant, and concluded the day with the klong tour. Klongs are the canals that run throughout Bangkok. My guide told me that Bangkok is sometimes referred to as the “Venice of Thailand”.

What to Wear for this Tour:

Sunscreen

Insect repellant

Hat or umbrella (seriously, the sun is very hot)

Loose fitting, breathable clothing, i.e. cottons, linens, long skirts and pants, and shirts that cover the shoulders

Sandals or walking shoes

Chiang Mai: Elephant Daycare at Patara Elephant Farm

My departure time from my hotel was at 6:30am. My guide met me in the lobby of VIE Hotel and rode with me in the van back to the airport so I could make my transfer from Bangkok to Chiang Mai. My bag was overweight and I opted to pay the charge rather than fuss with having to carry something more. Insider tip: If traveling to Thailand via Bangkok Airways, go to www.bangkokair.com, register for Premier or Priority Flyer Bonus, and get 10-20 additional kilograms added to your standard luggage weight limit. Other airlines will have similar options.

The flight from Bangkok to Chiang Mai is one hour and a half, then a couple hour’s car ride. Once again, I was met by my Chiang Mai guide and given ice cold water and cold towels.

Chiang Mai is quaint, the original city measuring only roughly one square mile. My hotel, the Rachamankha, is located within the boundaries of the original city. This place is so incredibly unique, I could do an entire blog on the hotel alone. The Rachamankha, designed by a renowned architect father and interior designer son, has received numerous accolades and press for its design. The accommodation is the essence of Zen with ornate roof lines, the rooms centered around courtyards with beautifully manicured landscaping, rock walkways, and the entire property is decorated in the family’s own personal art collection. To stay here feels as if to be a privileged guest at an acquaintance’s extraordinary property. In the evening, spiral sticks of incense burn and subtly fill the space with fragrance.

I met with the General Manager, Paul Walker, who has been managing the property for over a decade and is an utter wealth of information about the hotel and Chiang Mai. We spoke over tea, which was served out of gorgeous blue and white china. Every detail of Rachamankha is the well thought out construct of taste and imagination. Walker explained to me that the design at Rachamankha comes first over pragmatism. This is not a property that was designed under the constraints of compliance for accessibility or safety regulation. In fact, here’s another insider tip: this hotel welcomes guests age 12 and older. This is for a few purposes, one being the potential for slips and falls of smaller children; the art collection that decorates the guest rooms and common areas is priceless and must receive the necessary respect of all guests; most guest rooms (with an exception of the suites) face one another in a courtyard, so noise from small children could disturb the zenful state that this property has worked so hard to achieve.

Walker showed me the property in its entirety, which also includes a pool, a library with a collection of the owner’s books, a restaurant, and a studio upstairs from the restaurant which may be used for small meetings. Walker said small yoga groups have visited and held classes in the studio on occasion. Insider tip: there is complimentary cogniac for guests in the library.

The hotel has been a Chiang Mai favorite of celebrities, such as Angelina Jolie, according to Walker. He says that they receive repeat guests every year from all over the world, and that Rachamankha is a true home away from home for people who have come to know and love Chiang Mai. Insider tip: there is free live music from local artists almost every night in the courtyard at Rachamankha.

The months in late spring and early summer are considered “low season”, primarily because many tourists would rather not travel in the hotter months. I’d recommend travel in Thailand in April to anyone. It is hot and humid but worth experiencing the benefits of low season, like less crowding and more privacy at accommodations. For example, I went for a lovely night swim at Rachamankha and had the pool entirely to myself.

I could have spoken with Walker all afternoon about the property’s design theory and Chiang Mai’s architectural history, but I had to stay on tour schedule and visit Patara Elephant Farm.

Patara is located 45 minutes outside of Chiang Mai. Journeys Within can coordinate transport for guests from their hotel in Chiang Mai to Patara. Once at Patara, guests are provided fruit, juice, and all the water they desire. I did a half-day at the farm due to my schedule, but whole day visits are also available. We first got to observe the elephants and play with a baby elephant. Then we fed the elephants, learned about the elephants, their names and commands, and bathed them. The elephants are gentile and the staff of Patara very attentive. The elephants are humanely cared for, an objective that Journeys Within prides itself. Our brand is cognizant of the humane treatment of animals on all of the tours we book. Insider tip: The staff takes photos and GoPro video which they provide on a complimentary DVD at the end of the day.

What to Wear for this Tour:

Lots of sunscreen

Lots of insect repellant

Hat

A swimsuit as a first layer, do not intend to bathe the elephants in a swimsuit alone. Thai people are modest, so visitors should dress accordingly.

Swim trunks, board shorts, tanks tops, quick-dry shirts

Sandals

Waterproof camera or camera in a waterproof case

In and Around Chiang Rai

My departure from my hotel was at 7:00am. I was met at my hotel by my guide and the drive was a few hours throughout the countryside, stopping first at natural hot springs, where visitors may dip their feet if they like, and do a little shopping and barganing. Then we stopped at The White Temple, or Wat Ong Khun, which was built in 1997 by a man renowned as the greatest artist in Thailand, Chalermchai Kositpipat, who designed and funded the project. He volunteered himself to build it, at the cost of 400 million Bhat. Insider tip: admission to the temple is currently free of charge until October 2016.

My guide told me the history of the temple and its artist, and explained details of Buddhist beliefs and how those beliefs are reflected in art. The exterior of the temple is ornate and stunning, regardless that it is only one color. There is also a museum located on the temple grounds that contains artwork by Kositpipat. The inside of the temple as well as the paintings in the museum include some unexpected depictions which are both commentary and satire on American politics. These provide an interesting Thai perspective on the Bush Administration, 9/11, terrorism, and American pop-culture. Also located on the temple grounds is “The Golden Toilet”, an ornate golden temple-like building that houses a restroom, which visitors readily wait in line to use. Insider tip: there is another restroom down the walkway behind The Golden Toilet and to the left, which is very clean and there is no line.

Throughout the rest of the tour day, we visited the villages of the Akhe tribe and the Mien tribe, stopped for an authentic local lunch, and then visited a street market just outside the border of Thailand and Myanmar. To finish off the day, we visited “The Golden Triangle”, renowned for centuries as the epicenter of the opium trade. This location offers a hilltop view of the Mekong River, with a temple situated at the top that is 1000 years old. We also visited the nearby Opium Museum, which provides a history of the opium trade, as well as information about local tribes.

The Opium Museum, located at the Golden Triangle.

There are many stops throughout this tour day and a lot of walking. As usual, I returned to an air conditioned van, ice cold water and cold towels. I stayed at Laluna Hotel & Resort, which I was relieved to find to be like an oasis away from the city after a long day of touring. Laluna’s guest rooms are centered around a large pool, and while it feels like a retreat it is a short taxi or tuktuk away from city life. Insider tip: taxis are available right outside the hotel.

What to Wear for this Tour:

Lots of sunscreen

Insect repellant

Hat or umbrella

Loose fitting, breathable clothing, i.e. cottons, linens, long skirts and pants, and shirts that cover the shoulders

Sandals or walking shoes

Next up in this series of blogs, I will journey from Thailand to Laos via riverboat on the Mekong. I will spend 12 days touring throughout Luang Prabang, Phonesavanh, Vientiane, and Paske. See more photos of this journey on our Instagram account: https://www.instagram.com/journeys_within/. I will post blogs weekly and photos depending on the strength of my hotel Wi-Fi connections, so stay tuned to get an insider account of some of our tours!… Read more »

Conservation – it’s a journey

Posted by Andrea on June 24, 2013 (Updated: 2017-03-10) | 1 Comment

One of the main reasons for our trip to the Northeast was to investigate sustainable wildlife opportunities for our guests …

Bob and Onion were the first elephants we laid our eyes on at the Elephant Valley Project. Giant, slow moving and deliberate a group of us watched as they made their way from the jungle into the river for a bath. The entire group was silenced by their presence, even the know–it-all freelance writer anxious to share his views on everything.

Conservation in Asia is a complicated equation. In a perfect world — which is of course an imaginary place — the intrinsic value of animals and ecosystems would always be respected and preserved. Realistically, as Cambodia and neighboring countries look to grow their economies, environmental interests are not alone and are often not prioritized.

While we were visiting the area, it occurred to me that Elephants, in all their glory, embody this modern-day struggle between development and conservation. As majestic as they are — to be in their presence is certainly overwhelming — their value in Asia goes well beyond an intrinsic one.

Currently, the biggest threat against the endangered wild Asian elephant is habitat loss and population fragmentation — there isn’t enough jungle left for them to roam and what is left separates herds with man-made obstacles.

For captive elephants and their owners in Mondulkiri there is an obvious struggle between traditions, economic opportunities and the animal’s welfare.

Looking to find a sustainable and humane elephant experience for our guests, my colleagues and I visited the Elephant Valley Project, a non-government organisation looking to improve the health and welfare of captive elephants.

Regine making her way to Heaven, one of the Elephant Valley Projects elephant areas. — Regine, and behind her Narla, make their way to Heaven, one of the Elephant Valley Projects elephant areas.

After climbing down to the river, we watched silently as Onion submerge herself completely in the water, like a toddler down by the lake. Bob, less keen on dunking his head, was happy to blow water out of his trunk.

Recognizing that the well-being of the elephants in Mondulkiri depends on the well-being of the neighbouring communities, the Elephant Valley Project is taking a holistic approach to protection. Beyond providing a jungle sanctuary for the dozen or so elephants that are currently residents, the organization funds rangers to protect local parks, provides healthcare for the neighbouring village and offers training for mahouts looking to take better care of their elephants. Looking to alleviate poverty on a wider scale — the less desperate people are the better nature fares — the NGO is looking at extending their health coverage to include more villages.

While it remains to be seen how successful the Elephant Valley Project will be with their future outreach, there was something unique about the elephant experience they offer. They don’t allow riding, in fact interaction with the elephants is limited. What they do offer is an opportunity to see elephants in as natural an environment as could be created. The rescues create small herds, talk to each other and act like, well elephants. Having seen elephants throughout Asia, either chained up or walking in circles with a basket loaded with tourists, it was fascinating to see them in their element.

Elephant ownership is a tradition among the Bunong, the ethnic minority that inhabit the area around the sanctuary. Pachyderms have been caught and used throughout the region as work animals for generations. Once used for logging and construction, the aging animals are now being passed down to the next generation of owners whose knowledge of animal care and interest in the beasts is increasingly diluted; poverty-stricken children and grandchildren of original owners share the stake in what income the animal can produce.

While elephants are still being used for the odd logging job, there is increasing pressure on the animals to turn a profit, causing some families to look to the tourism industry as a money maker.

In Pulung village, we met a woman whose family was one of about twenty with shared ownership of a 55-year-old elephant. The elephant, once used in logging, was no longer needed in the forest and the families were struggling to care for the elephant on their meager income.

We were told the elephantsroam free until they are booked for a tour — one that includes walking the elephant to a local watering hole and giving it its daily bath. Upon having a tour booked, the elephant’s mahout would go into the jungle and collect the animal. Unlike the Elephant Valley Project, the Bunong do let guests ride the elephants for portions of the trek. Initially we were told that guests could only ride bareback, but later we saw evidence that baskets are still used. (Despite the size of the animal, it is not good for an elephant to carry heavy weight on its spine.)

While there was little doubt among my colleagues and I that the conditions weren’t ideal for the elephants, it was equally important for us to note that things weren’t much better for the community. Part of an ethnic minority, the Bunong have been relocated and forced to adapt to modern life. Living in small villages on the outskirts of Sen Monorom, they see little benefits from local tourism and even less investment in infrastructure from the government.

The community also seem to come to term with the fact that this would be the last generation to own elephants as the Bunong don’t breed their captive elephants. Baby elephants bred without the proper, very expensive, ceremony are believed to be bad luck and most of the captive elephants in the north are of an advanced age.

The pace and scale of development in Cambodia’s Northeast is having drastic effects of conservation efforts, not just for elephants. In Mondulkiri rubber plantations, road construction, mineral mining and logging are among the many interests vying for a piece of the same environmental pie. For the elephant’s sake, and ours, I sure hope there is enough to go around or that people learn to take less.

For the Love of Elephants! : Xayaboury Elephant Festival, Laos

Posted by Andrea on March 28, 2012 | 2 Comments

By: Nicole Long- Laos Country Director

Last month I had the pleasure of traveling to the Lao Province of Xayaboury, known as the Land of the Elephants, for the 6^th annual Xayaboury Elephant Festival. JW’s booking manager, Phaeng, and I headed out early Friday morning at 5am with our top JW driver, Mr. Piseet, for our 3.5 hour drive southwest of Luang Prabang.

Festivities were planned to begin that Friday and we had heard horror stories about having to wait for a ferry to cross the river to get to the town of Xayaboury. I heard of people having to wait up to 8 hours to cross since it is currently the only way to cross the river. This appears to be the last year a ferry will be needed since a bridge is in the process of being built a ways from the crossing point.

The plan was to get their early, find guesthouse accommodation and then join the festivities. We were taking a chance leaving so early and it panned out! We only had to wait 5 minutes for the ferry! We got to town around 8:30am and found the guesthouse we made a reservation for but, unfortunately, there was only one room. I had my room covered, but now it was time to find one more room for Phaeng and Mr. Piseet. We drove all over town! Everything was already booked up! After about 3 hours of looking we found modest accommodation for them on the outside of town. Lesson learned –book months in advance!

We then joined in the festivities that were held over the 3 day weekend which included a morning procession, elephant shows and baths, a baci blessing ceremony, elephant beauty contest, fireworks show and a fair where local artisans from all over the province sell handicrafts and agricultural products.

Elephant4 — They have both an elephant and a Miss Elephant beauty contest

The elephant festival, in its sixth year, was designed to celebrate the animals’ importance to the country and the culture. Elephants have been part of their history and heritage for centuries. Laos, originally named the Lane Xang Kingdom (land of a million elephants), has seen an enormous decline in the elephant population over the years. Not only is the festival designed to celebrate the revered animal but also to help promote their conservation and generate a stronger elephant population. There are 2,000 wild and domestic elephants estimated still remaining in Laos and Xayaboury is known to house the majority of them. The festival is an opportunity to mate these elephants since sometimes it is difficult to domesticate the male elephants into the population at elephant camps.

In addition to the Elephant Festival, Xayaboury offers much more to see and do. If you take just an hour drive outside the city you are surrounded by towering limestone cliffs and countryside life. After enjoying some of the festivities, we drove out towards the Phou Xang Mountains and the Jouay Kaeng Medical Plants Preserve and spa. There we relaxed by the tranquil Nam Hounna River and the natural hot springs. If you so desire, they also offer steam baths, massage and light trekking through the reserve and caves. FYI, “rock climbing” to the cave should be how it is properly sold-one of the scariest things I have ever done!

We also went to see the Elephant Sanctuary and Nam Tien National Park and reservoir. We didn’t know what to expect and at times thought about heading back to town since we seemed to driving out to the middle of nowhere but, once we finally reached them, we knew why they were so hidden. The reservoir, surrounded by lush forest, seemed endless and the distant mountain tops proved to add to the peaceful ambience of the national park. It was so quiet and the air was crisp and refreshing. To get there you had to drive about 1.5-2 hours to get to the elephant camp that is located on a piece of the reservoir. Here they had a restaurant, mini museum, elephant riding and bungalows overlooking the reservoir and surrounding landscape. The elephants were not there since they were at the festival but, when they are there, the elephants are allowed to roam in the area freely. I sat on the view pavilion near the bungalows and imagined how much more amazing the spot would be with elephants present. It felt like Laos’ version of an African safari.

Afterwards we drove around the area until we came across a local restaurant located on a part of the reservoir. The restaurant is situated on top of a hill overlooking the beautiful landscape. They had little bungalows all along the side of the hill so you could have a view of the local fisherman catching fish for the restaurant. We had fresh fish in sweet and spicy sauce, papaya salad, fish Tum Yum soup, shrimp (river shrimp) fried rice and washed it all down with cold BeerLao. The lunch was delicious and the view spectacular. I was so delighted to come across this hidden gem in the Xayaboury countryside!

It was a wonderful experience overall. It was great to see so many elephants in one place and learn about some of the Lao customs associated with them. It was fun to explore the town and the local spots with Phaeng and Piseet. I always find it is much more fun to venture out than to just stick to the places that cater to tourists. Having the Lao guys around made it so much easier to find out where to go and what to see and it really added to the experience. It was hot, dusty and crowds of locals were everywhere on the festival and fair grounds; so, sometimes it wasn’t the most spectacular conditions, but then being close to so many of these revered gentle giants made it all the better.

Elephant1 — One of the gentlest of the gentle giants- a baby makes its premier at the Elephant Festival

If you love elephants then you should come to this festival. There are quaint guesthouses available in town during the festival and either prior to or after the festival you can enjoy a night or two at the Elephant Sanctuary. It only takes a few hours to get there from Luang Prabang (as long as you don’t get stuck) and helps to raise awareness and support for this national symbol. If you’re interested, let us know!

Elephant3 — Elephant blessing ceremony. You should have seen them tie the strings on their feet!

Southeast Asia 2011: Thailand Festivals and Events

Posted by Andrea on February 17, 2011 (Updated: 2016-09-15) | 1 Comment

When we asked Jaeb what festivals she was looking forward to, she gave us some of her favorites. Plan a trip to participate in one this year!

Songkran Festival celebrates the traditional Thai New Year, and it is celebrated from April 13-15th. Do not even bother trying to stay dry, as the main way to celebrate this festival is by throwing water on anyone and everyone. Probably because it is during the hottest time of the year!

Loy Krathong Festival: In Thai “Loy” means to float and “Krathong” means a circular object with decoration of banana leaves, flowers, a candle and incense sticks. The floating of a Krathong signifies floating away ill fortune as well as expressing apologies to Khongkha or Ganga, the River Goddess. This year the festival is on November 10th.

Rocket Festival in Yasothorn: The festival’s origins lie in a custom of firing rockets into the sky at the start of the rice-growing season to remind King of the sky, to send promised rain. The festival now takes the form of a competition to see whose rocket will stay aloft for the longest time. It is celebrated May 11th-15th.

International Wax Sculpture Festival in Ubon Ratchathani: The candle festival is unique to Ubon Ratchathani province and the customs and traditions related to this Buddhist festival have been diligently preserved by local communities. You can visit the candle and sculpture making communities and meet some of the artists before the grand procession at the end of the month showing off all of the works of art. This festival runs from July 1-31st.

wax carving — Artists work all month to carve their wax sculptures

Jumbo Banquet at Nakorn Phathom. There are the buffets to be thankful for the elephants for their hard work and there is the elephant theme show and also jumbo queen contest. – May 1st

elephant buffet — Elephants enjoying their buffet of fruits and vegetables

Elephant Options

Posted by Andrea on April 27, 2009 (Updated: 2016-07-05) | Leave a comment

One of the must-do’s for Northern Thailand is a little quality time with the pacaderms. While Chiang Mai is a great place to make this happen, there are a few options in terms of how you experience these amazing beasts of burden. I have broken it down into options and explained the pros and cons of each:

Option 1: Mahout for a day

This is a more intimate experience that gets you up close and personal with the elephants while also having a strong theme of conservation and respect. Places like the Elephant Conservation Center in Lampang and the Patara Elephant Farm in Chiang Mai are some of the best in this category. The idea is that you learn about, care for and interact with “your” elephant for a day. In the morning you are given a briefing on the history and life of the Asian elephant before being introduced to your elephant and its mahout. Throughout the day you feed them, bathe them, ride them like a mahout does, no fancy chairs, just booty to big ol’ head. Lunch in included and then some more riding or bathing as well as practicing getting on and off (insider tip: watch out for those tusks, ouch!) You learn how to make an elephant stop and go and turn, or at least in theory you learn, I didn’t have a huge amount of success and I was glad the mahout stuck close by. At the end of the day you do feel connected to the animals and it is a magical experience.

Pros:

Usually the group size for these experiences are under 12 and you definitely feel as though you are having a unique experience
It’s an adventure of (pun intended) highest proportions.
It’s fun to just be in the elephants world for a while and there is free will for all (for the most part)

Cons:

Because of it’s uniqueness this is a more expensive option, but a lot of the money does go towards conservation
You are going to feel it the next day. Riding through the jungle on an elephants head is an amazing workout.
This is not for the faint-of-heart, you are face to face with these animals and you have to put a lot of faith in their good nature

Catching a ride on BoonPak and the Patara Elephant Farm

Option 2: Elephant Nature Park

The Elephant Nature Park is a conservation-based experience that invites guests to care for and help with elephant care without any riding or other human-interest angles. In the morning you go to the market and help buy the food for the elephants and once at the camp you get down to basics: mucking out the elephants area, feeding them breakfast, bathing them in the river, taking them for a walk to their eating area in the jungle. The day includes many lectures on the history of the elephants in Thailand, as well as the challenges facing them today.

Pros:

A truly conscientious elephant-based approach.
As a not-for-profit you know the money you spend on the day goes directly to caring for the elephants
A very intimate, feel-good way to spend a day with elephants.

Cons:

You don’t get to ride them. While this may be better for the elephants, many people don’t feel the experience is complete without being up-top.
It is a hot, dirty and grubby day.
Sometimes the lectures about elephant abuse and elephant treatment can get a bit too much and you just want to go out and enjoy the elephants.

We book both of these options for our guests, depending on their interest, timeframe and physical fitness and we have gotten fantastic reviews about all of them. The trick is to pick the experience that works for you and your family and then relax and enjoy it. … Read more »

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On Tour with Journeys Within: Bangkok, Chiang Mai, and Chiang Rai, Thailand

Conservation – it’s a journey

For the Love of Elephants! : Xayaboury Elephant Festival, Laos

Southeast Asia 2011: Thailand Festivals and Events

Elephant Options

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