TravelFeedTravelFeed Logo
Rescued Elephants - Chiang Mai, Thailand

Rescued Elephants - Chiang Mai, Thailand

August 2019 · 5 min read · Chiang Mai

gfdfstrjrt

It was always my dream to see elephants living in an natural and wild environment. Since I live in Thailand now for over 2 years I finally made this dream come true last weekend in August 2019.

My main demand was to find a camp with "wild" elephants and not just a typical tourism camp which treat the animals in a not good way.

The camp I found was an organization for elephants which have been abused from the tourism industry. The trainers at the camp bought 5 elephants so far and they are planning in extending it to a few more. The area was really huge and they would definitely fit very well in this place.


Location


With a bit of research I was able to find a camp in the south of Chiang Mai located in an jungle mountain area. The area itself includes 3 mountains and a big river for currently 5 elephants living there.

asdfaefs

After messaging the organization Into the wild via google I arranged a pick up from my Hostel at 06:30 AM for a half day tour. The cost was 1600 TBH (50 USD) including transportation, tour and some traditional lunch at the camp. Pretty fair price in my eyes.

DSC_0218-2

The drive itself took about 2 hours with a short stop at a market between. One thing I would recommend you is - Better have a strong stomach for the drive :D - It gets quite rough when the roads change to muddy/slippery stoned jungle roads.


Into the wild camp


When we arrived at the camp "Sam" introduced herself as a voluntary worker from the US who works at the camp since a couple of month. Her knowledge about the elephants was quite impressive.

She asked everyone who was joining this tour to sit down first and listen to her stories about the elephants and the camp itself. She told a lot of things about how they treat the elephants and where they used to live before in a much worse place with no freedom at all.

DSC_0227-2

After Sam was done sharing all the information's about the camp it was time to say hello to the elephants.

DSC_0228

DSC_0248

DSC_0272

DSC_0282-3

The people on the pictures you see above are the trainers of the elephants. From what I saw - there was a very big connection between the animals and the guys. The way they talked to them and treated them were really fascinating. Just in a very calm and peaceful way.

After the little meet and great it was time to walk into the jungle with the elephants.

DSC_0283-3

DSC_0285

DSC_0287

DSC_0303-2

DSC_0314-3

DSC_0321-3

As you can see - I was walking right in the middle between the elephants and I would lie if I'd say I was never worried about it :D It was just super impressive seeing these tall and massive animals walking around. The biggest one, which is now 55 years old was walking right behind me and always I turned around I was quite "shocked" but still loving the moment ;)

DSC_0336-2

DSC_0353-4

DSC_0361-2

DSC_0367

Inside the jungle the elephants were just walking around and eating. That's something they do 20 hours per day. Yap, you heard it right - 20 hours of eating / 4 hours of sleeping - Just like Koalas if I remember right :D

Also impressive is the amount of food elephants eat - About 1/3 of their body weight. This fact tells you also how expensive it is to hold those animals in this area. They can find some of the food in the jungle but also need to be supported by foods which the trainers have to purchase by sugarcane farmers around this area.

DSC_0388

DSC_0389-2

DSC_0396

DSC_0399

DSC_0407

DSC_0408

DSC_0409

After eating around the jungle it was time to hydrate with some water from the fresh river for the elephants. It was really nice just watching the animals doing what they are doing. I could have easily watched them for a few more days. Just fascinating and so interesting to watch these big animals.

Back to the camp along the riverside


DSC_0421

DSC_0423

DSC_0442

DSC_0445


We walked around the jungle for about 2 hours and went back to the camp. As the morning was hot and the elephants full of mud it was time to take a fresh bath for them.

DSC_0448

DSC_0450

DSC_0452

DSC_0455

DSC_0462

DSC_0481

As you can see - The trainers had a lot of fun playing around with the elephants in the water.

I think on the end of this report there will come one question up to your mind which we should talk about "Are this elephants really free?? - Why groups are going there??"

Well - I would say that the elephants are as free as they can be. You need to realize that the elephants never learned to live 100% free as they were used in the tourism industry. They need people around them who take care them.

Ready to Blog & Earn?

With TravelFeed, easily start your own travel blog and earn as you go. It's the smart platform for travelers who want to profit from their passion. Create a free account

And why the groups? The money from the tickets goes to 100% to the trainers and elephants. As I mentioned earlier in the report, Elephants cost a lot of money!

If some of you still think - "Well, they should just be 100% free in the wild without any humans taking care of them" ,- Ask yourself , "what would happen if they are free in the wild?" Yes, someone would catch them again and use them for the tourism industry again.

So in my eyes it is a good thing to support those small organizations which provide space and freedom for the elephants :)

DSC_0496

I hope you enjoyed this little virtual tour with me through the elephant camp of south Chiang Mai in Thailand :)

Don't Forget: Get Travel Health Insurance!

To make your trip a worry-free experience, TravelFeed recommends SafetyWing Nomad Insurance. It provides comprehensive health coverage while you travel, so you can focus on exploring, not the unexpected. Get a quote here

Thanks for reading!

Best,
Chris



Posted from my blog with SteemPress : https://world-capture.com/2019/08/18/1797/

[@Steemitworldmap](

Travel Resources for your trip to Thailand

Recommended by TravelFeed

Flights: We recommend checking Kiwi.com to find the best and cheapest flights to Thailand.

Accomodation: Explore the best places to stay in Thailand on Booking.com, Agoda and Hostelworld.

Travel Insurance: Medical emergencies abroad can be pricey, but travel health insurance is not. We always use SafetyWing for affordable and reliable coverage.

Transportation: Use 12go and Omio to find detailed bus and train schedules, making travel planning easier.

Car Rental: For hassle-free car hiring, DiscoverCars is our trusted choice with a wide selection of vehicles.

Internet: Got an eSIM compatible phone? Airalo is perfect for reliable internet access during your trip. Just install it before you go, and you're set!

Day Trips & Tours: We recommend GetYourGuide for a variety of well-organized and enjoyable activities.

Tickets: Save on entrance fees in Thailand with Klook and Tiquets.

Travel Planner: Need a hand planning? Our free travel planner chatbot is your personal guide to Thailand. Chat now.

Disclosure: Posts on TravelFeed may contain affiliate links. See affiliate disclosure.


Share this post