Elephant trails was the one we chose of all the single day trips ENP had available. And I'm so glad we did it! This particular choice has only been available for a few months, so there weren't any reviews on TA on it before we booked.
We had such an AMAZING time with the elephants! We went as a family - our kids are 10 and 7. It was such a good time for them-Total highlight of our trip in Chiangmai! We went with a total group size of 10 and there were 5 elephants that we got to interact with.
Basically it's a compound where the elephants used to be kept for riding/ to do tricks, but ENP are trying to encourage alternative ways of earning money via tourism. So we got to:
-prep the elephants snacks(cucumbers)
-have a short walk alongside the elephants
-feed them whilst we were walking with them
-walk into a stream with the elephants whilst they muck around
-bathe them in mud
-and then rinse them off with water in a pond
It doesn't sound like a lot to do, but this was a full day trip! The handlers were excellent as well- and made sure we were safe in the water with the elephants whilst they were rolling around. Especially important with kids!
I don't know how it would compare to going to elephant nature park itself, but this was super interactive and... Elephant trails was the one we chose of all the single day trips ENP had available. And I'm so glad we did it! This particular choice has only been available for a few months, so there weren't any reviews on TA on it before we booked.
We had such an AMAZING time with the elephants! We went as a family - our kids are 10 and 7. It was such a good time for them-Total highlight of our trip in Chiangmai! We went with a total group size of 10 and there were 5 elephants that we got to interact with.
Basically it's a compound where the elephants used to be kept for riding/ to do tricks, but ENP are trying to encourage alternative ways of earning money via tourism. So we got to:
-prep the elephants snacks(cucumbers)
-have a short walk alongside the elephants
-feed them whilst we were walking with them
-walk into a stream with the elephants whilst they muck around
-bathe them in mud
-and then rinse them off with water in a pond
It doesn't sound like a lot to do, but this was a full day trip! The handlers were excellent as well- and made sure we were safe in the water with the elephants whilst they were rolling around. Especially important with kids!
I don't know how it would compare to going to elephant nature park itself, but this was super interactive and cosy. I would imagine that the park would be more educational in comparison? I would absolutely recommend doing the elephant trails if your kids are older!
Tips:
-wear your bathers when you go into the mud and water bath. They give you a set of clothes- you wear that over your bathers. If your kids are little, bring a set of clothes that you want to throw away. My 7 year old didn't have the right clothes and was gutted that she didn't get to go into the mud bathing bit.
-wear trekking sandals instead of flip flops if you have them. Was much easier to walk,especially when you're in the stream with then elephants
-don't worry if it rains: it rained during the afternoon whilst we were doing the elephant mud baths. Made it all the more authentic!More
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