Thailand Day 7 - Elephant Nature Park

We were picked up after breakfast from our hotel and driven by van to spend the day at Elephant Nature Park approximately one hour north of Chiang Mai. What a joy it was to be able to spend time with these beautiful creatures. The asian elephants are smaller than their African relatives but still weigh 2-3 tonnes when fully grown. Playful at times, these animals know their routine, and when to expect the visitors to the sanctuary to give them treats. Our day started by feeding the 4 elephants a snack consisting of thai bananas, peels and all. We then meandered with them throughout the property as the elephants ate bamboo, sugar cane, and other foliage. We wandered back up the creek to the main building where a delicious vegetarian lunch was served.

The afternoon was even more fun. First we joined the elephants in the mud pit, hosing them down, rubbing mud on them. The elephants were in heaven and we were happy to be with them. After the fun in the mud we walked with the elephants down back to the creek where we washed them off. Eventually the elephants tired of being in the water and wandered back out to graze on the greenery, and lift and spray dirt on their heads as backs. The dirt apparently helps keep the mosquitoes from biting.

The elephants were soon marching back to their enclosure where we fed them some treats we had made earlier in the day. The treats consisted of mashed banana, rice, and a variety of other ingredients to provide nutrients they need. Once the snacking session was complete we were thankfully provided with showers at the park to help get the rest of the mud off.

After the ride back we showered properly at the hotel and then wandered around town to find something to eat. Scott ended up finding a bar that was serving american craft beer, but was in hopes of finding some craft beer brewed in Thailand. The search was successful as the shop was selling some enthusiast's home brew, under the table. Finally a good beer in Thailand!