I spent some time with elephants on the Garden Route in South Africa, so you might think that a second opportunity to hang out with elephants in Thailand would be less exciting. Well, MEETING ELEPHANTS NEVER GETS LESS EXCITING. Not to mention, African and Asian elephants are very different. I’m not just speaking from my experience, it is science. African elephants are bigger/taller, have bigger ears, different head shapes, and are more aggressive than their Asian counterparts. They are entirely different species.
There are tons of elephant sanctuaries near Chiang Mai, but I chose Ethical Elephant Sanctuary, about an hour west of my town of Sanpatong. Ethical Elephant Sanctuary sits atop a beautiful mountain near the Karen Hill tribal villages. I chose this particular sanctuary because, not only is it a cruelty-free, no-ride sanctuary, but it is also locally owned and operated. The six elephants that permanently reside at Ethical Elephant Sanctuary were there long before the sanctuary was open to tourists, and they are never chained or tied up at all.
At the sanctuary, we were able to feed the elephants, accompany them on their daily walk, and even take a mud bath with and help clean them! The elephants roam freely and calmly and, even after only one day, it was clear that they live very happy lives. The photos really say everything there is to say about this amazing day!
