Elephant Village Tours Two Day Mahout (M2D) 1 Day Mahout Experience with Bathing (M1D) Our MOST popular tour! And for good reason. This tour includes all of our most wanted activities packed into a single day trip. Learn how to be a Mahout and then get ready to get wet as you plunge into the Nam Khan river and give your personal elephant a refreshing bath! 8:30 am – 9:00 am: Pick up by our English speaking guide from your hotel lobby Arrival at the Elephant Village Camp: Welcome and greeting by our camp manager and participate in short briefing about elephants Ride the Elephant: Enjoy the impressive experience of a 1 km bareback elephant ride! 1 person per elephant Mahout Training: Receive your basic mahout training on how to control an elephant just like a mahout! Lunch: Dine at our Elephant Camp restaurant. Buffet lunch served with coffee / tea and drinking water (vegetarian options available) Bathe Your Elephant: Take your own elephant down to the Nam Khan river for an exhilarating and once in a lifetime bathing experience!

Boat trip to the Tad Sae Waterfall: Take a traditional Lao long boat to the Tad Sae Waterfall and relax, dip your feet or take a swim in the clear, cool water Depart: Transfer back to your Hotel in Luang Prabang between 3:00 pm and 4:00 pm Your Tour Includes: Round trip transfer, English speaking guide, elephant ride, boat ride to the Tad Sae waterfall, waterfall entrance fee, basic mahout training, bathing your elephant, buffet lunch notes: schedules and itineraries are approximate and subject to change due to seasonal conditions in the jungle and at the camp. Elephant Village reserves the right to break larger groups into smaller groups and/or operate tour activities in a different order than published above. Half Day Elephant Experience (HDE) Short but not short on fun! Enjoy the essentials on this, exciting tour. Elephant riding, Lao long boat rides, the Tad Sae Waterfall and a delicious lunch buffet. We’ll have you back to your hotel with plenty of time to enjoy your afternoon plans in Luang Prabang.

**Please note** This tour does NOT include elephant bathing 8:00 am – 8:30 am: Pick up by our English speaking guide from your hotel lobby Arrival at the Elephant Village Camp: Welcome greeting by our camp manager and participate in a short briefing about elephants Ride the Elephant: Enjoy the impressive experience of a 1 km bareback elephant ride! 1 person per elephant Boat trip to the Tad Sae Waterfall: Ride in a traditional Lao long boat to the Tad Sae Waterfall and relax or swim in the clear water (swim suit recommended!) Lunch: Dine at our Elephant Camp restaurant. Buffet lunch served with coffee / tea and drinking water (vegetarian options are available) Depart: Transfer back to your Hotel in Luang Prabang around 1:00pm Your Tour Includes: Hotel pickup and drop off in our air conditioned van, English speaking guide, elephant ride, boat trip to the Tad Sae Waterfall, waterfall entrance fee, buffet lunch, drinking water notes: schedules and itineraries are approximate and subject to change due to seasonal conditions in the jungle and at the camp.

Elephant Village reserves the right to break larger groups into smaller groups and/or operate tour activities in a different order than published above. Get Prices Full Day Elephant Experience with Trekking (FDE) The true nature lovers tour! Get it all with this diverse and action packed tour which takes you riding on elephants, jungle trekking on foot, traditional Lao long boat rides and to amazing waterfalls. Even your lunch will be an adventure as you picnic at our remote Jungle Camp. You are sure to be delighted (and exhausted) after this adventure! **Please note** This tour does NOT include elephant bathing 8:00 am – 8:30 am: Pick up by our English speaking guide from your hotel lobby Arrive at the Elephant Village Camp: Welcome greeting by our camp manager and participate in short briefing about elephants Ride the Elephant: From the Elephant Camp, enjoy the impressive experience of a 1 km bareback elephant ride! 1 person per elephant Jungle Trek: Enjoy a 4 km trek on foot through diverse landscape.

You will travel from our ‘old camp’ to our ‘jungle camp’ through teak forests, local village farms and lush primary jungle Lunch: Dine in the jungle surroundings with a picnic box lunch prepared just for you at our camp restaurant and served with drinking water (vegetarian options available) Trail of Falls: Enjoy another stunning 3 km jungle trek on foot along a natural, pristine stream flowing down from the mountains which feeds the Tad Sae Waterfall. We call it the “Trail of Falls”. All along this stunning trail, the water cascades over multilevel limestone formations forming pools surrounded by unique tropical vegetation Tad Sae Waterfall: Exiting the Trail of Falls you arrive at the stunning Tad Sae Waterfall.

The perfect place to relax, dip your feet or go for a swim before heading back to the Elephant Camp (swim suit recommended!) Short boat trip: Traverse the Nam Khan river in a traditional Lao long boat from the waterfall back to the Elephant Camp Depart: Transfer back to your Hotel in Luang Prabang between 3:00 pm and 4:00 pm Your Tour Includes: Hotel pickup and drop off in our air conditioned van, English speaking guide, elephant ride, boat trip to the Tad Sae waterfall, waterfall entrance fee, picnic lunch, drinking water, jungle trek, Trail of Falls trek notes: schedules and itineraries are approximate and subject to change due to seasonal conditions in the jungle and at the camp. Elephant Village reserves the right to break larger groups into smaller groups and/or operate tour activities in a different order than published above. Get Prices 2 Day Mahout Experience with Overnight (M2D) Want to REALLY spend the most time with our elephants? Join this 2 day, 1 night adventure of a lifetime. Lots of action and adventure coupled with relaxing down time in our Elephant Camp and cozy Elephant Lodge. It’s everything the M1D tour is… and more!

8:30am to 9:00am: Pick up by our English speaking guide at your hotel lobby Arrival at the Elephant Village Camp: Welcome and greeting by our camp manager and participate in short briefing about elephants Ride the Elephant: Enjoy the impressive experience of a 1 km bareback elephant ride! 1 person per elephant. Boat trip to the Tad Sae Waterfall: Take a traditional Lao long boat to the Tad Sae waterfall and relax, dip your feet or go for a swim in the clear, cool ponds Mahout Training: Receive your mahout training on how to control an elephant like a mahout Lunch: Dine at our Elephant Camp restaurant. Buffet lunch served with coffee / tea and drinking water (vegetarian options available) Bring Your Elephant to the Jungle: Enjoy the unique experience of riding your elephant in the evening to her jungle hideaway where she gets to retire for the evening Dinner: Enjoy dinner at the Elephant Camp restaurant (set menu served with drinking water) Overnight: Enjoy a relaxing night at our Elephant Lodge with stunning views of the Nam Khan river Awake from your Slumber: You won’t believe how tranquil and beautiful the Lao jungle mornings are!

Pick Up Your Own Elephant: In the morning, retrieve your elephant from her jungle hide away Bathe Your Elephant: Take your own elephant down to the Nam Khan river for an exhilarating bathing experience! Breakfast: Enjoy breakfast at our Elephant Camp restaurant (set menu with coffee / tea and drinking water) Depart: Transfer back to your Hotel in Luang Prabang between 10:00 am and 11:00 am Your Tour Includes: round trip transfer, English speaking guide, elephant ride, basic mahout training, boat ride to the Tad Sae waterfall, waterfall entrance fee, lunch, dinner, 1 night accommodation in the Elephant Lodge, breakfast, bathing your elephant important notes: schedules and itineraries are approximate and subject to change due to seasonal conditions in the jungle and at the camp. The Elephant Lodge is a short 6 minute walk along the river from our Elephant Camp. Elephant Village reserves the right to break larger groups into smaller groups and/or operate tour activities in a different order than published above.

Best Elephant Camps in Chiang Mai - Top Trekking, Rides, Bathing Getting Around Chiang Mai Elephant Camps In Chiang Mai: The best day we’ve ever had vacationing was at the Patara Elephant Farm in Chiang Mai, Thailand! When visiting an Elephant Camp you get to care for the elephants, learn about them, bond with them, feed them and bathe them. A visit will be a life changing experience far beyond just riding an elephant and we urge you to put it on your bucket list. Fun Elephant Facts: Here are a couple cool things to know about Elephants in Thailand. August 12th is World Elephant Day. March 13th is National Elephant Day in Thailand. Chang without an “i” means Elephant in Thai while with the “i” means City. A Mahout is a trainer who dedicates their life to their elephant often staying with them day and night. Many Mahouts come from the local Karen Hill Tribes and are so dedicated it becomes a 7 day a week 365 day a year commitment. Ethical Issues To Watch Out For: Not all Elephant Camps are created equal!

With dozens of Elephant Camps near Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai it can be hard to choose one, but hopefully our insight and experience below helps out. The main ethical issues to look out for is if you ride bare back by yourself which is better for the Elephants or if you ride in sets of two on a wooden seat strapped to them which is not good. Traditionally Elephants have been used as work animals over the centuries lifting and pulling logs. The strong animals are almost built for this type of work, but Elephant’s bodies aren’t for heavy loads pushing down on their shoulders. Most of the good places will only allow a single rider (if any) to ride bare back on the head and will have weight restrictions. You want to avoid any place that straps riding platforms on the backs of their elephants. In addition to the riding style, you also should to find out how the Elephants are treated by the staff. Some things to look out for are if the company regularly uses circus-style bull hooks to harshly keep the Elephants in line or if they take the time to actually bond them. Good camps will have a Mahout assigned to each Elephant for up to 18 hours.

The extra bonding allows the mahout to be able to gain trust and control their Elephant with voice commands. For a dedicated Mahout it is far beyond a job as caring for the Elephants and truly is a way of life much like they Elephants are an extended member of their own family. Make sure to check into what happens to the Elephants after you leave. You may think this is a harder one to figure out, but living conditions you can see and a few questions will make it clear. Are the Elephants able to interact with one another and keep up on their social skills freely or if they are chained and penned up all night? Maybe the biggest red flag we have found is if a Camp does an Elephant show. Avoid any circus-like shows where the Elephants play soccer or dance on two legs as they can be pretty bad for the the Elephants’ physical and mental health. We have also been told that places that have the Elephants create painting with their trunks can be very stressful to them as it is unnatural. Love This The Best Elephant Camps In Chiang Mai: 1.

Patara Elephant Camp : If you are only able to make it to Chiang Mai for one day, Patara Elephant Camp is by far the best place to spend it. On a recent trip we made to Thailand our entire detour to Chiang Mai was based on spending a day here, and boy was it worth it; life changing to say the least. Patara’s main driving factor is on building up local elephant populations by rescuing adults they feel can be rehabilitated into potential parents and by facilitating natural style breeding. Although Patara has operated solely as a private Elephant Camp for many years, they recently opened their doors to a limited number of daily visitors as part of their day long Elephant Owner for a Day program. The 1st thing that really sets Patara’s amazing program apart from other Elephant places is that they limit total daily visitors are to just 12 people per day which they break down into two groups of 6. This is done in a strict effort to never have more Elephants than daily visitors so both the bonding and educational experience can be much better. The way the Camp operates is also a lot better for the Elephants than the zoo-like atmosphere that many of the other Elephant places have.

Because of the limited amount of guests, each visitor is assigned their own Elephant and Mahout. A Mahout is an Elephant trainer who basically spends their whole life with an Elephant. They are with them 15 hours a day, 7 days a week, and when they take a break to sleep another worker fills in for them. This is a very traditional way of looking after Elephants and ensures that each worker has a vested interest in the physical and mental health of each Elephant. The program modeled for you to be able to step inside the shoes of your Mahout for the day to learn and interact with their Elephants as they would do daily. The program is specialized and meaningful activity to create trust and relationship between you and your elephant. In addition to your own Elephants and Mahout your group will also get dedicated Photographers, Videotographers, and a disc with the images at the end! Patara will pick you up right at your hotel in Chiang Mai as you begin your incredible day. Once you get to the camp, you’ll have a little time to change your clothes, put on bug spray, sunblock, ect, then it is time to get learning!

The staff starts with a big picture overviews about elephants in Thailand, Elephants in their camp and the heart-warming details of why they do what they do. After your intro it’s time to pick out you thrifty Mahout shirt made by the local Karen Tribes to make sure to look the part. Once you are ready to go its off to the jungle and they may even have a surprise Elephant feeding before you head out. After traveling to your Jungle location it’s off to find the heard before you are paired up with an Elephant based on which one the expert staff feels will best match your personality. It is amazing how good they are at pair your up! Once paired you are trained by your Mahout on how to approach your elephant correctly, know the elephant’s temperament, feed them and check their health. This health check goes quite in depth and you’ll be making sure your Elephant is hydrated and healthy through their sweaty toes and poop, will make sure they are sleeping correctly based on the dirt on their sides, and will be making sure both of their eyes and skin are infection free.

During this general inspection and feeding time are the only time the elephants here are chained up which is only briefly and insures the larger Elephants don’t steal the food of the smaller ones. This is a big difference from other places that keep their Elephants either penned up or chained up for long periods at a time and we are glad Patara does it right. Once feeding time and the health inspection are over your Mahout will teach you more about taking care of your Elephant and how to communicate with it through different spoken commands. Once you master some commands you will ask your Elephant to lay down so you can knock all of the loose dirt off of them before giving them their 1st bath of the day. Knocking the dirt off is hard at first as you’re doing it with a makeshift palm leaf brush, but once you get the hang of everything it gets easy and fun. Hygiene and skin care are very important to an Elephant’s health and riding a clean Elephant is always nice too. Once your Elephant is clean you learn how to mount them and ride on their neck bareback. Depending on the age of your Elephant they have different ways they will have you get on.

It’s a little tricky to get used to at first but is 1,000 times better for the Elephant than other places that strap a wooden seat on the Elephant’s back circus style. The first half of your ride will be up a steep jungle trail on your very sure footed Elephant. After about 45 minutes of riding you reach a series of rustic huts with a gourmet camp lunch ready and waiting for you on a palm leaf picnic table. The lunch is amazing and ranges from chicken, to local fruit, and even Thai Traditional favorites like sticky rice. After you eat, your Elephants will eat again as you give them all the the left over food that is elephant friendly like the fruits. Fully refueled, you continue on about another 35 minutes to a local waterfall to give your Elephants their 2nd bath. While getting in the water isn’t mandatory, we highly recommend it, because when else in your life are you going to be able to swim with Elephants? Being up close and scrubbing them while you get to see how much they love the water is magical. After bathing your Elephant the your group will have a ton of fun slashing around before riding back up to the vans to go home.

Group Size: Limited to a total of 12 full day visitors per day, so book early and expect spots to fill up far in advance. Riding Style: Bare Back, one person per elephant. Cost: 5,800 Baht per person for full day or 3,800 Baht for the 1/2 day. We suggest bringing extra to tip your Mahout. Reservation Inquires: pataraelephantfarm@hotmail.com. Full Day Program: Lasts 10-12 hours and includes your own Elephant and Mahout for the day, a long jungle ride, bottled water all day, a gourmet jungle lunch, transport to and from your Chiang Mai hotel, interactive training, feeding, care giving time, a trip to a waterfall, elephant bathing, and a disc of photos and videos their professional photographer takes for your the whole day. Half Day Program: Lasts from 1-6pm and focuses more on healthcare and communication skills for pregnant and small elephants with less emphasize on riding. Drinking water and transportation from Chiang Mai are included. Although it is a much shorter ride, you will still get a nice trip through the farm area near the river and a dvd of your time.

What to Bring: You ride barefoot all day but we suggest water shoes for the waterfall as its a little rocky. They provide the Mahout shirt but you’ll want longer shorts or tights for a girl and the Elephants hair is bristly. Bug lotion and sunscreen are also suggested. Elephant Camp Website: ( HERE ). 2. Four Seasons Golden Triangle Tented Camp : The Tented Elephant Camp is an amazing experience where you stay in a luxury tree house and walk right off you deck onto your Elephant whenever you want to go somewhere. It is about 3 hours North of town near of Chiang Rai but if you have the extra days and money to burn it is worth every cent. Getting to the camp is awesome as they send your bags ahead of you while you take a traditional Thai bamboo raft down the river to your tree house. Once there you quick find out this isn’t your normal backyard tree house. No expense is spared in these luxury tent from the rich carved wood accents to the large outdoor waterfall-style showers. With private jungle pools and spa along with expert masseuses, the Tented Camp is definitely a place to relax and be pampered.

Cost: A 2 night minimum stay is in upwards of 80,000 Baht a night. Yes 80,000 Baht a night which is $2,500, but you get what you pay for. Getting Here: Typically you will have to arrange getting to Chiang Rai which is 3 hours North of Chiang Mai by car or a quick flight. Elephant Camp Website: ( HERE ). 3. Elephant Nature Park : Lets you truly volunteer with the elephants from anywhere from 1 day to a full week. Owner Lek has been featured on National Geographic. You do not ride elephants at all here and stick to feeding, bathing, cleaning up after elephants, and working on the grounds themselves. They don’t regulate the number of visitors as much as they should and you can sometimes have up to 5-9 people working with on elephant. Camp is located in Mae Rim just north of Chiang Mai. Group Size: Can be up to 9 people per Elephant. Riding Style: No riding, it a hands on volunteer learning experience only.

For many visitors not being able to ride is a big let down but if you can’t get into Patara, this educational experience is a good back option. Elephant Camp Website: ( HERE ). Tier 2 Elephant Camps: If you can’t get into one of the 3 best elephant camps in Chiang Mai, here are s few that will feel acceptable although you may not feel totally comfortable with how the elephants are treated. We apologize if you have been to one of the camps below and had the time of your life, but for us after seeing the contrast in camps these ones are only mid-range in quality. 4. Thai Elephant Conservation Center : Located South of Chiang Mai in Lampang, the Thai Elephant Conservation Center does a good job of educated visitors of the traditional role of Elephants in Thai life. Their Mahout program isn’t as good as Patara but is still a very memorable experience. The all day program starts with a morning dip in the river around 9:30am followed by food and bonding time, a ride in the forest, and a final longer bath back in the river about 1:30pm.

During the bathing they invite other tourists to come watch but only the visitors who are part of the day long program are allowed in the water to wash the Elephants. Visitors who want to get even more in depth are invited to stay at ECC for up to 10 day Homestay Programs. The quality of their longer program is almost enough to make them a top tier attraction, but their overall package was just a notch below the highest quality outfits. Separate from the Mahout program they also do Elephant shows but not circus style ones that are bad like getting up on two legs or kicking a soccer ball. Their shows only have Elephants moving logs, ect which is a traditional use for the Elephants in Thailand. Tourists also enjoy stopping at the Dung Paper Factory and stopping by the Elephant hospital in the morning to see the ECC’s great work rehabilitating rescued Elephants. Riding Style: Bare Back, one person per Elephant in their daily program. Program Cost: 3,500 Baht per day with 1-10 day programs available. You get to keep your Mahout outfit.

Trekking: If you have the time their best program is the 2-6 Day Trekking program where you stay with the Elephants and Mahouts day and night away from the ECC. The program even includes camping in the Jungle with your Elephant and starts around 8,000 Baht. Tourist Rides: They also have short 2 person chair rides separate from the Mahout program which isn’t the best way to ride on an Elephant. 30 minutes rides are 500 Baht and 1 hour is 1000 Baht. Elephant Work Shows: At 10am, 11am, 1:30pm they have 40 minute work shows where they use about 15 Elephants to demonstrate traditional Elephant usage like moving logs. This is different than the circus like shows where they balance on two legs and can get hurt. Show is 200 Baht. Elephant Camp Website: ( HERE ). 5. Chai Lai Orchid Elephant Camp : The Chai Lai Orchid Camp is one of the the only true eco-resort style establishment in the area.

Beyond the elephant experience they offer over night stay is modest private yurts and extra excursions like bamboo river rafting and trips to Tiger Kingdom. One of the things we really like is that most of the workers are from local hill tribes from the women at the resort to to the men serving as mahouts. It is not a fancy resort by any means, but it is clean, fairly authentic, and they seem to really care about the elephants. The camp also does a lot of great volunteer work to support local Hill Tribe women through Daughters Rising. The only reason they are ranked higher on our list is that it tends to get a little pricey and for the cost we’d rather visit Patara. If you are really wanting to stay out in the wilderness for a night this is definitely worth considering. We suggest staying 2 nights so you can get the full hill tribe experience. Riding Style: Bare Back, 1 person per elephant. Standard Day Program: 2400 Baht for a 5 hour full day program which covers 1 person. It is hands on in all accepts of the Elephants day and including riding, feeding, and washing.

Deluxe Day Program: For 3500 you stay overnight then have a completely full day of riding the elephants, elephant bathing, riding bamboo rafts on the river and visiting a hill tribe. Multi-Day Program: You can extend your stay from 2-10 nights and actually stay with a local hill tribe. Being welcome in is unbelievable and well worth the rustic accommodations. You can even join in with volunteer work if you like. Other Classes: If you are staying more than one night you can also add on Thai Cooking Classes or Muay Thai Lessons for 500-100 Baht. Elephant Camp Website: ( HERE ). 6. Baanchang Elephant Park : The Baanchang Park is actually a pretty good place to visit and does some great work. The main reason they are not rated higher on our list is that they keep their elephants in wooden pens a lot of the time instead of roaming free. Their mahout programs are quite good with small groups riding bareback and plenty of bonding time with the elephants. Their overnight programs are geared toward very small groups between 1-5 people and range from 1-3 days.

They even have a pretty good nursing program where you help care for recused elephants that doesn’t include the novelty of riding. Riding Style: Bare Back, 1 or 2 people per elephant. Mahout Programs: Mahout programs range from 1-3 days. You can join a group up to 6 people starting at 6,900 Baht or have a private program for 22,900 Baht per person which gets cheaper per person as you add people. Nursing Program: Their no-ride nursing program is great and ranging from 2500-4900 Baht. You feed, wash, and bond with recused elephants. Nursing Program Website: ( HERE ). Elephant Camp Website: ( HERE ). 7. Ran-Tong : Treats the elephants decent and only does bare back riding which is good. Since 2011 the reviews of Ran-Tong have become increasing very good leading to a number of awards for the camp. Visitors looking for a shorter experience will like the half day programs but we strongly recommend one of the longer programs.

Spending more in depth hours will give you better time bonding with your Elephant instead of the shorter program and photo opportunity briefly washing them. Riding Style: Bare Back, 1 person per elephant. 2 people may ride together if they are under 60 kilos in weight which is good for children. 1 Day Program: 1500 Baht for the standard day program which includes riding, some bonding and bathing the elephants in the river. Half Day Program: More in depth 2-3 day programs also available starting at 1600 Baht a person, max of 2 people. 2 Day Program: More in depth 2-3 day programs also available starting at 5500 Baht a person, minimum of 2 people. Elephant Camp Website: ( HERE ). 8. Thai Elephant Home : The Thai Elephant Home used to get some bad reviews for using bull hooks, but has really cleaned up their act and gets very good reviews. Riders go bareback in small groups which is great but is kind of feels like a poor mans Patara event though it is mre expensive..

Cost: 2,500 Baht for 2 hours; 4,900 Baht for a day. They also have overnight programs up to 4 days long. Elephant Camp Website: ( HERE ). 9. Woody’s Elephant Training : This company is very popular with backpackers as it is a little cheaper. It’s not the most picturesque ride. If you are really on a budget, Woody’s at least treats their Elephants better than most budget places, but it won’t be a unforgettable as a nicer place. Riding Style: Two person wooden seat strapped onto Elephant with Mahout on its head. You also briefly go bare back two people per Elephant when you ride into the river.&nbsp Elephant Camp Website: ( HERE ). Tier 3 Elephant Camps: Do yourself a favor and stay away from any of the Tier 3 places. You may have a good time, but if you ever go to a more respectable place afterward you’ll feel really guilt of how these places are run and how they treat their elephants. Because they don’t treat their Elephants well we’re not even going to take the time to write full descriptions for them. 10.

Jumbo Elephant Camp : Jumbo is a little touristy with a two person seat on the elephants but they do a better job than some of the other touristy places of teaching you conservation. Elephant Camp Website: ( HERE ). 11. Chiang Dao Elephant Training Center : Elephants have a mahout on that rides on their heads and a wooden seat strapped to it for two guest to ride on. There is a forced labor feel to it with many elephants having a lot of chains. Elephant Camp Website: ( HERE ). 12. Mae Ping Elephant Village: This tourist trap takes groups of 50-80 people out at once with two people plus a mahout per Elephant. They also have Elephant shows where the Elephants balance on their front legs and head which is bad for them. The workers also use bull hooks. 13. Elephant Life Experience : Although these guys seems to care about their Elephants more then the other Tier 3 Camps, it is still a little too circus-like. They have Elephant painters which stresses the elephants and overall visits are pretty short and lack bonding time. Email: anchaleeele@gmail.com. Elephant Camp Website: ( HERE ). 14.

Maesa Elephant Camp : Near Tiger Kingdom, tourist trap with a seating circus ring. They have way too many people per elephant and takes groups of up to 50 people. Has elephant shows and they paint pictures which are both bad for the elephant. they have got a little better with their mahout style course which you can stay overnight but overall it is a tourist trap. Elephant Camp Website: ( HERE ). 15. Maetang Elephant Park: Place seems like a shady tourist trap which also has an elephant show. Working with Elephants - Go Differently Working with Elephants - Go Differently 19984 Home » Destinations » Thailand » Working with Elephants Working with Elephants This project offers a unique opportunity to gain a basic understanding of the Thai domestic elephant and their relationship with their mahout. You will not only learn how to ride your elephant but also how to care for these intelligent, gentle giants. You’ll also have the opportunity to learn about the traditional life of the mahouts and join in with various communal activities. The Elephant Mahout Project is located approximately 20km south of Pattaya on the eastern gulf of Thailand.

The mahouts live with their elephants in a peaceful camp by the sea, offering controlled rides for tourists at various fixed times of the day. Volunteers taking part in the project will work closely with one elephant (and her mahout) throughout the duration of their stay forming a close bond and relationship. As a volunteer at the project you will follow a progressive training schedule; walking with your elephant through the area surrounding the camp, learning from the mahout how to verbally command your elephant to follow directions, helping to shower the elephant, feed her and keep her living area tidy. You will learn how to climb onto your elephant and ride on her neck through the surrounding countryside, learning new commands and techniques as you develop confidence and your elephant becomes more responsive to you. Other activities that you can get involved with at the camp may include general maintenance of the camp, mahout village and trekking trail – path clearing, litter collection etc – helping with construction and gardening, providing information for visiting tourists and teaching English to the mahouts and their families. You may also get the chance to cut grass and pineapple leaves as extra food for the elephants and help with cooking in the village.

There will also be plenty of time for relaxing in a hammock and simply watching your elephant and learning about its behaviour and personality. The beach and other attractions are also nearby and can be visited at weekends and after finishing at the project each day at around 3pm. 7 days/7 nights Perfect holiday as it is or would you like to make a few changes? As with all our trips, this itinerary can be tailor-made to suit you. Contact Us to Discuss About the project The Elephant Mahout Project helps to provide a safe working and living environment for the elephants, their mahouts and families. By giving volunteers the chance to get up close to these intelligent creatures the project generates extra income for the camp and the mahouts so that they are not forced to overwork their elephants, as they may have to do at other camps in Thailand. The extra income raised by the project also helps to provide food, better living conditions for the elephants and medical assistance. The project also aims to re-educate mahouts that may have been trained to mistreat their elephants and raise their awareness of the expectations that western visitors have for animal welfare, and provide education for tourists, locals and children about the importance of the Thai domestic elephant and the problems they are currently facing.

Daily Activities You will be collected from your accommodation for the 10 minute drive to the camp. 09.00 Training with your elephant and mahout. 10.00 Relaxation/activities in the camp and village. 11.30 Training with your elephant and mahout. 14.00 Caring for your elephant, relaxation/activities around the camp. 15.00 Collection from the camp and return to your accommodation or take part in optional afternoon activity. Saturday afternoon and Sunday are your free time to explore the local area or take trips to places of interest. Our local staff will be happy to advise on places to visit. Please be aware that there may be certain times when it is not possible to work the elephants, such as when it is very hot or raining heavily and that the above schedule is a guideline only and subject to change according to circumstances. What you’ll learn Throughout your time at the elephant mahout project you will train with one elephant. You will follow a progressive training course during which you will notice your elephant start to recognise you and become responsive towards you – it’s an amazing feeling when your elephant first shows you this recognition!

Day 1 On the first day your elephant needs to get to know you – particularly the sound of your voice and your scent. Today you will walk with your elephant through the mahout village and surrounding forest learning from your mahout and guide the commands to make your elephant follow you, stop, turn, lift its leg, drink etc. You will also feed your elephant and keep its living area at the camp clean and help your mahout to give the elephant a shower. Day 2 On the second day you will start the day again walking with your elephant, then you will learn how to climb on your elephant – don’t worry everyone needs help the 1st time! After a short ride on the elephant’s neck through the village, learning from your mahout and guide the different commands for your elephant, you will learn the equally important art of getting down! In the afternoon you will take a longer ride on the elephant’s neck through the forest and the surrounding countryside. Subsequent days: After the first two days you will continue to ride your elephant through the forest and surrounding countryside, following different routes and covering different terrain as your experience and confidence grow.

You will also learn how to ride in the tourist chair – learning and using different commands – and help to install and remove the tourist chair. As you progress through your training you will be given more responsibility in the care of your elephant. Volunteer Accommodation Comfortable accommodation is offered in our Volunteer House which is situated in the suburb of Bangsaray, about 10 minutes’ drive from the camp. The house is located within a private, residential community and our local office is based in another of the houses nearby. You will have your own air-conditioned, comfortable modern bedroom with two bathrooms being shared between three rooms. In the communal areas there is a lounge area and a kitchen area where you can prepare snacks. At the office nearby there is free internet and free wi-fi connection (if you bring your own laptop), there is also a telephone for making international calls for an additional charge and a widescreen television and DVD player where volunteers can watch DVD’s together. Also near to the house and office is a restaurant where you will have breakfast and be collected in the morning. The beach is a few minutes’ drive from the house and a car and driver are usually available to take and collect you from the beach.

Bangsaray beach is a quiet, non-touristy beach with small restaurants and shops nearby. Cheap local transport is within a couple of minutes’ walk from the house, if you wish to travel into Pattaya, visit nearby attractions or stock up at the supermarket! Also within a few minutes’ walk are convenience stores (7-11) and the fishing village of Bangsaray, with more stores, restaurants, internet cafes and a local market. Whilst conditions at the camp are much more basic, many volunteers enjoy the experience of spending a night in the village with the mahouts and their families. More details on this can be supplied upon request. Problems faced by Thai elephants and their mahouts When logging was made illegal in Thailand many elephants and their mahouts were left without their profession and primary source of income. As a result of this two things happened: 1. Mahouts were forced to take their elephants onto the city streets to beg. It goes without saying that living and working in a city with all the dangers of traffic and pollution (which can cause respiratory problems) is no place for an elephant.

Sadly some mahouts also feed their elephants amphetamines to make them work longer hours; adequate food and/or grazing areas are in short supply and many elephants are forced to live under bridges and beside busy roads. 2. Tourist camps were set up offering elephant trekking and rides, however, unfortunately, in order to make enough money, many of these camps overwork the elephants offering rides and treks all day long in intense heat, allowing the elephants insufficient time to eat and drink. (An adult elephant eats around 200kg of food per day which takes quite some time to achieve!) Many camps also force the elephants to wear their ‘tourist chairs’ all day which can result in permanent spinal damage. Volunteer Requirements Volunteers of ALL ages welcome (although those under 18 do need to be accompanied by a responsible adult). Those travelling solo and families are particularly encouraged to participate in this friendly and inclusive volunteer project. Volunteers should be open-minded, willing to respect Thai culture and have a social attitude towards the local people. As well as working with your elephant and her mahout, you will get more out of your experience if you are also willing to support with general activities like cooking and cleaning.

We recommend a minimum stay of one week in order to ensure you get the most out of your visit, however, shorter durations can usually be arranged. Suitable for all abilities/fitness levels (but please do let us know if have you have any particular health concerns and we’ll be happy to discuss). “This was the most life changing trip we have taken. So much was learned, shared and taken with us. We took our Mahouts and their families out for dinner on the beach, on our last night there. Such a joy to spend time having fun with them after all they shared with us. We both cried when we left our mahouts and elephants, tears of joy and sadness, before, during, and after the ceremony on Saturday morning. We highly recommend this holiday for everyone.” About Us We are a friendly, creative travel company offering imaginative and authentic tailor-made holidays in Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos. Read more... Why Us We genuinely care whether or not you have an amazing holiday and with our in-depth knowledge of the places we visit, attention to detail and highly professional service, we know how to ensure that you do. Find out more...

Contact Us The ethical elephant experience | Adore Animals You are here: Home » Blog » The ethical elephant experience The ethical elephant experience As we’ve discovered in previous articles, there are many and varied experiences that you can have with elephants in Asia. So, how do you find the ethical ones? Let me step back for a minute and explain the history of the Asian elephant, once highly revered and domesticated for work and warfare. Far from the estimated population of hundreds of thousands of elephants centuries ago, according to the World Wildlife Fund for Nature, it’s estimated that between only 25,000 and 32,000 Asian elephants are now left in the wild. Since 1986, the Asian elephant has been listed as endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN). Today in Thailand, according to Boon Lott’s Elephant Sanctuary (BLES), their numbers are between 3,500 to 5,000 and currently ‘the notion of extinction is no longer just a concern; it’s the new reality’. In 1989, the tradition of using elephants in industry ended, mainly due to irresponsible over-logging.

The collapse of the industry created huge problems for the mahouts who had to find a way to pay for the care and upkeep of their elephants. As discussed in previous articles, elephants eat up to 200 kilograms a day and on hot days need about 200 litres of water. With the ban of logging, mahouts had to find other ways to support their huge charges. This is why mahouts began begging in the streets and turned to illegal logging and to tourism via trekking, rides or entertainment. Along the Thai-Burma border illegal logging still occurs. It is a dangerous environment where landmines are still hidden, the risk of fines is always present and injury or death could be just around the corner. To get the most from the elephants, they are often given amphetamines to reduce their appetite and increase their work output. Not only does this take a horrific toll on the elephant, it’s also unsustainable and many elephants simply die of overwork and starvation. The tourism industry may be a viable alternative but it can be a tricky one, because there is always a risk of exploitation when animals and commercialisation meet.

The Elephant Asia Rescue and Survival Foundation says it ‘believes responsible elephant tourism can help to save the elephants throughout Asia but only if camps maintain the highest level of elephant care, food requirements, hygiene and environmental enrichment’. So what does that involve? Before I knew better, I rode an elephant. The experience of riding on the neck of an elephant and bathing an elephant were two experiences I’ll never forget. Immediately, the elephant became embedded in my heart. The experience of simply touching an elephant – Dr Andrew McLean says like horses, elephants liked to be stroked – and being close to one of these beautiful giants is just as amazing though. There is divided opinion about riding elephants. It’s a debate that often goes back to cultural differences and economic realities. If we lived in an ideal world, then there would be no riding at all. Just to hang out with elephants is an amazing experience in itself. Elephants that are already domesticated need to be supported, however, and often this is done through riding.

So if you want to do it as ethically as possible, then here are a few things to consider … The least harmful experience for the elephant, and the best for you too, is to ride on its neck (behind the ears) NOT on a trekking chair which goes on the elephant’s back. A fully-grown elephant can carry up to 150 kilograms on its back, but when you consider the weight of two people, the chair (it’s called a Howdah or saddle and alone can weigh 100 kilograms or more) and the mahout (who rides on the neck) you can see how this starts to be a heavy burden on the elephant. Watch out for operators at trekking camps who overwork their elephants and leave the chairs on all day, this is unacceptable. In addition to the weight, the elephants can also be at risk of developing sores from where the trekking chairs are positioned on their backs and where they are attached – usually under their tail and legs. Elephants need stimulation, enrichment and the freedom to behave naturally, which they cannot get if they are forced to cart people around all day with a heavy load.

They need a gentle, minimal amount of exercise per day for their physical and mental health, but should not be overworked. Depending on the temperature and the terrain, elephants should not be made to walk at a brisk pace for more than four hours a day. They also need their rest time away from tourists. Interactions with elephants at camps should be restricted. Another thing to look out for is the use of the bullhook. I would like to see no bullhook, but according to practices, when used properly by a mahout, a bullhook can be used to guide the elephant. Unfortunately, bullhooks are often misused and, if you see bloody wounds on an elephant’s head or under their armpits or inside their ears or mouth, it’s likely the elephant is being mistreated. As in my experience, you may be told it’s necessary and doesn’t hurt the elephant, but this is untrue. When the elephant is not working, ensure that where it’s being kept has plenty of food and fresh water and is sheltered from the elements, as it can get very hot in many parts of Asia. Remember that elephants eat a lot and should spend between 14 to 18 hours a day eating.

They should be provided with a balanced diet including fresh fruits (which they love). Feeding areas should be away from where elephants defecate and urinate. You wouldn’t like to stand in your excretions and neither do they. Watching an elephant closely can give a good indication of its health and happiness. Healthy elephants move almost constantly; swishing their tail to keep annoyances like flies away and flapping their ears to cool themselves. If these actions are absent, it could be a sign of ill-health. A sign of great disturbance, is when an elephant ‘rocks’. This is a movement where they sway from side to side continually, sometimes with their whole bodies and sometimes swinging their legs with the action. It’s distressing to see and, according to The Elephant Asia Rescue and Survival Foundation, is ‘an indicator of deep stress, boredom and a lack of environmental enrichment and a sure sign of elephant cruelty that needs to be addressed’. Click here to see an example Elemotion, a non-profit foundation educating the public to improve elephants’ lives, also claim that this rocking from side-to-side behaviour in elephants is not seen in the wild and elephant experts believe it is a sign of nervousness and stress.

The best place to visit elephants is in their natural environment, or as close to it as possible (which becomes more and more difficult as natural habitat is destroyed). You can, however, find these environments at camps or sanctuaries where there are places for the elephants to roam and feed away from tourists and where the needs of the elephants – not the tourists – come first. Look for camps with ‘low impact’ activities that are easy on the elephants but still provide an income to their mahouts. One place where you can ride elephants in Thailand in an ethical environment is Baan Chang Elephant Park a relatively new elephant camp north of Chiang Mai. The owner of this Park, Pom, worked as an elephant trekking guide but became increasingly upset at the long hours and amount of work the elephants were forced to do. So, he decided to use his savings and start his own elephant park offering a newer and gentler type of elephant activity called Elephant Mahout Training. At Baan Chang Elephant Park visitors can learn what it’s like to be a mahout. They teach visitors about the importance of elephant care and husbandry including correct eating, sleeping, bathing and exercise.

One method of providing gentle exercise for the elephants and an amazing learning experience for the visitor is to allow them to ride elephants naturally behind their ears without the use of a trekking chair. At the Park, there are no elephants painting or being trained to perform tricks. The Park is also against separating baby elephants from their mother. They do, however, rescue and provide care for orphaned baby elephants. Ban Chang Elephant Park is currently home to 12 rescued elephants, most of which were formerly used in street begging. In Laos, about one hour outside of Luang Prabang is the Elephant Park Project . In the very relaxed Laos, the elephants here have also been rescued from logging. The mahouts are gentle with them, and have little to no use of the bullhook and they are provided plenty of rest and bath time and feeding at night away from the camp. Like the Baan Change Elephant Park, they provide a mahout experience. A couple of things aren’t perfect about the Elephant Park Project. Although the majority of riding is on the elephant’s neck, they still use some trekking chairs. If you visit, request that they don’t use it for you or your friends.

The elephants visit a different part of the forest every night and they are chained, due to their close proximity to neighbouring villages. Although this is not an ideal practice, in this neck of the woods, it is necessary for the welfare of both the elephants and the villagers. In Laos, the elephant population is now thought to be between only 500 to 1,000 – which is devastating. Two of the elephants at the Park, Mae Cot and Mae Boun Nam, are blind in one eye, in their 60s and the best of friends. I absolutely, without question, fell in love with both of these magnificent, gentle creatures – the grand old dames of the Elephant Park Project. Mae Cot was such a sweetie and preferred to receive her bananas (that we lavished upon her and the others) via her mouth not her trunk. I also learnt pretty quickly that it was best to serve her from her ‘good eye’ side – which not only made sense, but gave her a good view of who to manipulate into providing more! She indeed remembered me every day and was such a sweet creature. Mae Cot is the perfect example of the capacity of elephants to forgive humans for their abuse.

She had a distinctive kink in her tail that was a result of a logging accident, as was her blind eye. After years of abuse, she now seems happy in her new home and was a clear favourite with the mahouts. Two other parks that offer up-close experiences with elephants, but no riding, is BLES run by Katherine Connor and her team – mentioned in previous articles – and the Elephant Nature Park (ENP) an hour north of Chiang Mai in Northern Thailand. Its founder Sangduen Lek Chailert, began her love affair with elephants early in her life, rescuing injured and mistreated elephants in 1992 and in 2003 established Elephant Nature Park. Lek is a true voice for Asian elephants and has been the subject of several documentaries. Among many accolades, she was named a Hero of Asia by Time Magazine in 2005 for her dedication to elephants. ENP is home to 35 rescued elephants who are now free to roam, eat and play to their hearts’ content. They can wander down to the river for a splash or a roll in the mud or join in at feeding time at the visitors’ platform.

Their elephants are free to choose their own family group and can have as much or as little human interaction as they choose. If you would rather walk beside an elephant than ride on top of one, BLES and the ENP are the perfect places for an unforgettable up-close elephant experience. The Thai Elephant Conservation Project | Rustic Pathways The Thai Elephant Conservation Project Ages: 14-18 Launch Full Gallery Learn about elephant conservation and become a certified elephant handler on this one-week program. Bond with your mahout, a Thai elephant keeper, as you bathe, feed, and care for your elephant throughout the week. Ride into the jungle for an overnight camp and volunteer at the elephant hospital. Learn about the importance of the elephant in Thai history and culture as well as what you can do to conserve this wise and loving species. The button above will print a travel packet with only the key information. If you'd like to print all program information, click here . Program Profile Settle in at the Base Travel Component Schedule two or more programs in a row to create your ideal Rustic Pathways experience. This program connects especially well with: Itinerary Day 1 Relax and prepare for a world-class trip on Singapore Airlines.

Prior to your departure, you will have received your pre-departure packet, which will include your Rustic T-shirts, luggage tags and country books, airline tickets, and important contact information. Once you arrive at your international departure city, our Flight Liaison will help you get checked in for your international flight. Working with our Flight Liaison will be your Flight Leader, who will escort you all the way to Thailand! Our Flight Leaders are most often schoolteachers or good friends of our organization who happily fill this role for us each year. Once you’re checked in, feel free to relax and get acquainted with your new friends before boarding your flight to Thailand! Day 2 Today is lost as you cross the international dateline. Fear not – you will get this time back on your way home. Day 3 Sawat dee, and welcome to Thailand! Upon your arrival into one of the world’s most modern airports, you will immediately get the feeling that you have arrived in a place that is far different from the United States. Thailand is known as one of the most welcoming countries in the world and is affectionately nicknamed the Land of Smiles. As you exit the arrival hall with your Flight Leader, you will meet our team of staff.

They have been anxiously awaiting your arrival and will lead you up to the fourth floor of the airport, where you’ll have a relatively quiet place to unwind and meet new friends who have arrived on different flights or are connecting from different programs. In the mid-afternoon, hop on a quick one-hour flight up to Chiang Mai, where your program begins. This ancient and graceful capital is a fascinating mishmash of Northern Thai style, hill tribe cultures, and a vibrant community of non-profit workers. Almost immediately, you’ll start to notice signs of the importance of elephants in Thai culture. You’ll spot these magnificent animals making appearances in the décor, architecture, even on T-shirts, most likely before you even arrive in your hotel room. On the mountain overlooking the city from the west, you may catch a glimpse of Wat Phra That Doi Suthep, Chiang Mai’s most famous temple – according to the legends, the temple’s building site was chosen by the trumpeting of a sacred white elephant. Freshen up, rest, or take a dip in the hotel pool. After dinner, head back to the hotel for some much-needed sleep and to recharge our batteries for our busy week ahead!

Day 4 Depart for the elephant camp by 8:30 a.m. From Chiang Mai, it’s a little more than an hour’s drive through the scenic mountains to the city of Lampang – your home for the next week. Once you arrive at the camp, meet the entire staff – including the elephants – and then the senior camp officials will offer an opening prayer ceremony, which is performed for good luck and to show the commitment of the group to the task at hand. With the ceremony finished, the program will be officially underway, and you will waste no time in getting down to business. Your first order of business will be to look the part – so everyone will receive an official mahout suit. Once you are comfortable in your fashionable new attire, you will be assigned to an elephant. Depending on the size of the group, there will be one or two students assigned to each elephant. First, master the basic mahout commands and how to interpret and communicate with these amazing animals. Before you know it, you’ll be riding your elephant into the jungle, learning its personality, and communicating with it – it’s all part of your new job as a mahout!

In the evening, settle in to jungle life, with plenty of time to relax and share stories or maybe have an early night, ready for a dawn start with the elephants tomorrow! Day 5 The morning is truly a special time in the jungles of northern Thailand. The birds bring the forest to life and the sun cuts bright rays through the lingering mist. Rising early, walk down to greet and bathe your elephant at 7 a.m. Once your elephant is fed and cared for, head back to the camp for breakfast yourself. After you are well fed, hop on your elephant and ride down to the elephant show. The show is a fundraising event for the camp and a great way to show the public these amazing creatures’ intelligence and potential. As a member of the mahout training camp, you will get a unique insider’s perspective on the show. Congratulate the elephants’ talents with a few bushels of sugarcane before you head to the elephant dung paper factory, where you’ll get your hands dirty learning how this useful product is made. Then ride your elephant back to the camp base and return them to the jungle for some rest while you join your mahout in some traditional Thai games.

Say goodbye to the cheerful mahouts for the evening and head into the nearest town of Lampang for dinner and a stroll through the Saturday Walking Street Market. Day 6 Rising early, take your elephant down to the river again for its morning bath. Then, after breakfast, you will begin the day’s lesson – the life and practices of a mahout. Many people don’t realize that being a mahout is a life-long career. Although they don’t make much money and it is not a glamorous profession, mahouts are essential for the survival of elephants in the world today, and they are very respected in Thai culture. Learn about the special relationship that develops between the mahout and the elephant, the tools and skills involved, and how they communicate with one another. Then practice the training commands with your elephant, learn how to weave rope for a saddle, and find out how to strap cargo on comfortably. You will have gone a long way in developing your own relationship with your elephant by the time you release it back into the jungle in the afternoon. Once your elephant’s harness is complete, take a refreshing dip in a nearby swimming hole before lunch.

In the afternoon, join the senior director of the school and a good friend of Rustic Pathways, Danger, for a discussion about the king’s royal white elephants and the dangers of working with an aggressive elephant. After dinner, join the staff to learn some songs in Thai that will help bring you closer to your mahout on your journey into the jungle tomorrow. This lesson always turns into a dance party, so bring your best moves to teach the local staff! Day 7 After the morning elephant bath and breakfast, use the skills you learned yesterday to load up your elephant with everything you will need for a night in the jungle. Then climb aboard and head toward the jungle camp, which is about an hour’s ride away. Once you reach the camp, give your elephant a chance to rest while you enjoy a jungle-style lunch cooked over an open fire. After taking a rest and maybe a dip in a nearby river pool – depending on that week’s rains – to cool off in the day’s heat, head into the jungle with the mahout in search of bamboo. Craft what you find into several different kinds of products, including cups and dishes, with the help of the mahout.

As evening falls, throw on warmer clothes, eat a jungle feast, and play some Thai campfire games while singing and dancing the night away. For many students, this night is the highlight of the whole trip! Day 8 The sun will wake you up early this morning, and you will help your mahout bring your elephant in from the jungle where it spent the night. Then, after taking the elephants on a short walk to an area where they can munch on fresh greens for breakfast, hike back to the main camp. After a well-deserved shower and hearty lunch, learn to make a typical Thai dessert and head to a nearby market to try the local fare and grab some souvenirs. On your return, help reforest the jungle by planting trees that will eventually help shelter our pachyderm pals in their home. On your last night at the Conservation, eat dinner family-style and reflect on your amazing week with the elephants. Day 9 After the morning elephant bath and breakfast, head to the elephant hospital for a tour. Learn about the elephants’ lifespan and how injured elephants are treated and cared for here. Learn about the many elephants the camp has rescued from abusive situations and how they are rehabilitated.

This will be your last chance to ask any lingering questions you have about these gentle giants before you head home, so don’t be afraid to speak up! It will now be time to say goodbye to your elephant, your gracious hosts, and the camp. At the closing ceremony, receive a certificate of completion for the program. In the afternoon, depart for Chiang Mai and check in to the hotel for some down time by the pool. After a nice rest, head into town for a traditional Thai massage before dinner, and take in some souvenir shopping at the world-famous Night Bazaar. Day 10 This morning, wake up, grab a quick breakfast, and head to the airport to catch your flight back to Bangkok. Once in Bangkok, meet up with your new staff for your next Rustic Pathways adventure or head home aboard our escorted group flight. Whatever is next for you, we hope that you always keep the warm memories of your elephant with you. Thanks for helping their cause – they hope to see you again in the future! Day 11 Students on our escorted group flights will arrive home on Friday. Have a great rest of the summer, and we’ll see you next year!

** Please be aware that students traveling to LAX will have an overnight layover in Singapore on the way home, during which our staff will take them to a hotel not far from the airport. Students will be checked through to LAX from Southeast Asia, and the flight departs from Singapore at 9:25am. All students on our group flights arrive home on Fridays, regardless of whether they return to JFK or LAX. ** An Important Note About Schedule Changes Rustic Pathways reserves the right to change, alter, or amend the daily itinerary for this trip at any time. Changes can be made for various reasons including changes in flight or program schedules, changes in the schedules of various external tours incorporated in our trips, the addition of new activities into a trip, or the substitution of an old activity for a new activity. The itinerary shown here provides a good outline of the anticipated daily schedule for this program. As with any travel program, some changes may occur. “Optional Activities” are fully included in the cost of your program, but you can choose to not do these activities. “Add-On Activities” are not included in the cost of your program and must be paid for separately.

Add-on activities are rare, but include things like skydiving, bungee jumping, or weekend side-trips. Not every program has add-on activities. For more information, email thailand@rusticpathways.com FAQ At 22 months, elephants have the longest gestation period of any land mammal. In August, 2011 some very lucky Rustic Pathways students were at the camp just at the right time as a healthy, baby elephant was born! Packing Lists Packing the right gear (and the right amounts) is the first step to an incredible travel experience. Follow these tips to pack like a pro: Travel light. Pack only the essentials. You’ll need less than you think! Bring the right clothes. Pack clothes that are culturally appropriate for your destination and acceptable for service projects. This means bringing long shorts (think Bermuda and basketball shorts), t-shirts with sleeves to cover shoulders, and appropriate footwear. Leave your valuables behind. While traveling, it’s easier for things to get lost, stolen, or damaged. Keep any prized possessions safe at home. Check with TSA. Make sure your luggage complies with TSA regulations , especially your carry-on.

Useful tip: Pack an empty water bottle and fill it up after security. Extra paperwork? If you need additional forms filled out to get credit for your service hours, no problem! Bring these forms with you so they can be completed in-country. Rustic Gear. Want to get all your shopping done for your program in one place? We’ve got you covered. Check out Rustic Gear and get all the essentials sent right to your door. Carry-On Portable games (Bananagrams, cards, etc.) Pictures of family and friends Travel pillow Important Reminders SE Asia is a conservative culture with ancient customs based mostly on Buddhism. Dressing respectfully is very important. You will not be allowed to wear short shorts and low cuts tops. Everyone will be expected to respect the people and culture by dressing appropriately. Carry-On Luggage cannot weigh more than 7 kilos (15 lbs.) Check-In Luggage cannot weigh more than 15 kilos (33 lbs.) If your bags weigh more than the amounts specified above, the airlines in Southeast Asia will charge you an excess baggage fee for every kilo over the allowed limit. In past years, we have had students incur significant charges for excess baggage.

These fees must be paid in cash at the check-in counter (no USD accepted), so this is a situation that we always try to avoid! Map Elephant Camp Thailand | Mahout Training, Elephant Bathing & Elephant Trekking The Discovery Package experience includes: Mahout Experience In a working day a skilled mahout can guide his elephant using around 70 commands and light touches behind the ear. While such a strong bond and mutual understanding takes years, anyone can learn the basics. As a mahout trainee you’ll learn to drive an elephant, trek along beautiful nature trails on the neck of your trusty steed, and take part in the river bathing ritual. E.L.E. - Elephant Learning Experience Discover fascinating facts about elephant biology, behaviour and conservation with this fun, educational and interactive activity conducted by our resident elephant experts. After the elephants have finished playing, take them to the bathing area for a cool drink and well-deserved shower. Walking with Giants Journey into the jungle with our elephants and their mahouts on their daily walk, and watch as these gentle giants splash in the river or play in the mud, snack on leaves from nearby branches and socialise with the herd.

While you meander together through the forest, you will learn more about elephant biology and behaviour from our resident veterinarian or biologist and discover more about the past, present and hopeful future for elephants in Thailand. Please note that this program does not include riding the elephants. In addition to the choice of elephant activities available as part of the all-inclusive Discovery Package, guests can also enjoy a wider range of elephant experiences at an additional charge. Elephant Yoga Improve your asana flow with an inspirational experience that combines the mindful spirit of yoga with the slow, deliberate rhythm of an elephant. Observe your elephant’s movements and practice easy positions on your gentle giant’s neck. Dismount and enjoy a full yoga class in a rustic sala at our Baby Elephant Camp. Sunset Elephant Trek Set out on a romantic elephant trek, meandering along forest trails at a leisurely rhythm. Arrive at our private hilltop in time for sunset to find a beautifully decorated sala. Toast three country and Mekong River views at the most romantic time of day with your chosen beverages and canapés, before riding back to the resort.

Dining by Design at the Baby Elephant Camp Dining by Design offers the ultimate in tailor made, private dining, and our Baby Elephant Camp provides a naturally intimate setting. Choose from a collection of fine dining menus, or fine tune the ideal culinary sequence with your very own chef. Elephant Picnic Let the Anantara chefs prepare a personalised gourmet hamper. Mount one of our friendly and well trained elephants and trek to your chosen setting. Savour a picnic in scenic seclusion, surrounded by the breathtaking landscapes and incredible views of the fabled Golden Triangle. For more information, please download the Elephant Camp Brochure . To learn more about the conservation efforts of The Golden Triangle Asian Elephant Foundation, please visit: Special Offers Mahout at Elephant Nature Park | Save Elephant Foundation 9 Comments Being a mahout at Elephant Nature Park is quite different than being a mahout elsewhere. We encourage our mahouts to let the elephants do what they want and not intervene unless it is necessary. If they have prior experience working with elephants, this is a completely different concept than what they are used to. At a typical elephant camp , a mahout tries to maintain total control of the elephant at all times.

The elephant has little or no free roaming time and is expected to obey their mahout’s commands or face the painful consequences. A mahout spends most of the day “driving” the elephant – sitting on their shoulders or atop their head, ankus hook in hand. The elephant is always aware of their presence. Here, at Elephant Nature Park, looking after an elephant is a mostly hands-off affair. There is no riding the elephants (except for Hope) and no bull hooks. The way we see it, our mahouts should be listening to the elephants, NOT the elephants listening to the mahouts. A good mahout has their elephant’s best interests in mind all of the time. Sadly, for many of our mahouts this perception is difficult to embrace or understand. Finding mahouts with the right personality to work with our elephants is challenging, to say the least. So, when we notice a mahout who seems to enjoy interacting with elephants and the other animals as well, we are very grateful to have them working with us. Elephant Nature Park is lucky to have a number of mahouts who have made a positive difference in the lives of the elephants they care for.

We would like to introduce these mahouts to you, by telling you a little bit about them and a typical day looking after their elephants. One of the most easy-going and gentle mahouts at Elephant Nature Park is Tuun, who has been the mahout of Medo for more than six years. Tuun is one of a handful of Thai Yai or Shan, from the Shan state of Burma. Many thousands of Shan people have chosen to flee their homeland to escape persecution from the Burma Army. Tuun is married to Aom, who works in the park’s kitchen. They have two beautiful daughters, Gaeng Hom (11-years-old) and a four-month-old, Kaao Hom. In his mid thirties, Tuun has been a mahout for around 10 years. When Tuun first came to Elephant Nature Park he cared for an elephant named Mae Mai. After Mae Mai, Tuun was mahout of Mae Perm for a while. His kind, placid manner make the elephants in his care feel safe and therefore easier to manage. At that time, Medo (who was still considered a new arrival) was in dire need of a special mahout. It was decided that Tuun would be a good match for her.

A better choice could not have been made. Medo immediately responded to Tuun and the pair settled in to a comfortable relationship. At 7 a.m. there is still a slight chill in the air. The morning sunlight bathes Medo and Mae Lanna in a beautiful golden orange glow. Depending on how well Tuun’s new baby slept the night before, Tuun usually arrives at this time. On some mornings, Medo is still laying down. Tuun is always respectful of her, waiting patiently outside of the shelter, not wanting to disturb her. He can’t help but smile as he gazes upon her form. Medo may weigh about 2-1/2 tons, but she looks so small when she is lying down. She finally notices him standing there and rises to her feet. They exchange morning greetings. Medo is not a difficult elephant to care for. She would never try to harm another elephant and rarely does anything that would be considered inappropriate. Because of this, Tuun can release her before he cleans up the dung and leftover food from her area. Whenever it is possible, Tuun will set aside a few bundles of corn or grass so that Medo has a nice snack waiting for her each morning.

Medo’s best friend is Mae Lanna. Because of their close relationship they are rarely apart from each other and easy to manage as a pair. They usually set off ahead with Tuun and Nuum (Mae Lanna’s mahout) trailing behind. Once the ladies choose an area to settle in for the morning, their mahouts find a shady spot and settle in themselves. There is no need for Tuun to be right next to Medo, he just needs to be close enough to be able to call out to her or get up to run over to protect her if necessary. While sitting and keeping watch over his elephant, Tuun may pass the time listening to music and or carving images of Medo out of wood to sell in the gift shop . At around 10:30 a.m,, Tuun walks with Medo up to the skywalk where she meets the day visitors. Tuun usually sits on the steps as the visitors feed Medo. Once this task is finished Tuun takes Medo to her favorite mid-day hang out spot of the moment – the opposite river bank.

Medo loves it over here, as well as Mae Lanna and Sao Yai, who has been spending most of her time with them as of late. Tuun and Nuum take turns having lunch. Since Medo is so content and out of the way in this location, Tuun will often stop by his hut to spend some time with his new baby girl. As much as Tuun’s job is about leaving Medo alone to do her own thing, he also takes time each day to check her over from head to toe; making sure that she is free from injury or parasites. Tuun spends so much time watching Medo and knows her so well that any change in her gait, demeanor, eating or defecation habits is immediately noticed. Medo has great trust in Tuun and believes that he will always steer her in the right direction when needed and keep her safe from harm. After bathing time, Tuun tries to find a place where Medo and her friends can beat the heat. Quite often they choose to hang out right at their own shelter. They have ample shade and a great breeze there. Ultimately, Tuun leaves it up to the elephants to choose and then follows along behind.

Finally it is 4:15p.m. The elephants have become accustomed to the schedule. Medo and Mae Lanna lead the way back to the shelter with their mahouts, again, trailing behind. The girls wait patiently for the truck which delivers their night ration of grass or cornstalks. Tuun and Nuum take turns either staying with Medo and Mae Lanna or riding out with the grass truck. Tuun unloads the food for Medo, always taking time to pick out the best looking bundles for her. When finished, Tuun, the kind-hearted mahout bids the very special, resilient elephant Medo a farewell and goodnight in his own personal way … until tomorrow, when another day will begin again.

Question: What does a mahout keep or ride?
Answer: An elephant