Elephant Nature Park
A new life for sick and abused elephants. The Elephant Nature Park is a sanctuary where these magnificent beasts, many of them blind and crippled, can live out the rest of their days in freedom and comfort. As a visitor or volunteer at the park, you can feel a part of the helping and healing of these amazing animals.
We spent a day here learning about, feeding, bathing and just watching these beautiful creatures living and enjoying their new found lives. We were lucky enough to see a baby who had recently been born at the park into an idyllic life that his mother had not known in her youth.
We learned how a sense of family and kinship is extremely important within elephant groups. The older females help each other and cherish their friendships. And yes, according to the experts here, elephants never forget. Those who have done them harm are best to stay away.
You can spend the day at the Elephant Nature Park or you can volunteer with overnight stays in accomodations where you wake up with the sights and sounds of elephants in your front yard.
Elephant Nature Park
Main Office
Elephant Nature Park
209/2 Sridornchai Road
Chiang Mai 50100, Thailand
N 18 46’53.4 E 99 00’09.8
Located close to Chedi and Chiand Mai Plaza Hotels. This office is responsible for communications and press visits.
City Office
1 Ratmakka Road, Muang district
Chiang Mai 50100, Thailand
This is where volunteers start from. It is located near Trapae Gate and in the old city
Tel: 053 818754, 818932
www.elephantnaturepark.org
What to do After the Elephant Nature Park-Wat Doi Suthep
After the elephant center we took our rented motorcycle and rode up the mountain to Doi Suthep budhist wat (temple). The views were stunning and hill tribes people sold their traditional crafts at some spots on the way up. The Doi Hutep wat was magnificent.
Be prepared for lots of tourists at this well-known temple though.
Where we stayed near Elephant Nature Park-Chiang Mai Boutique House Hotel
We arrived there at night. We clambered out of the songthaew(open air shared taxi) after a twelve hour train ride from Bangkok, and there it was, the Chiang Mai Boutique House, an eclectic statement of a hotel that gently represents many of the elements of this northern city, and is a backstreet refuge in this city of bars, stunning Buddhist Wats(temples), markets and Thai massage parlors. The rooms are wrapped around a courtyard, pool and breakfast lounge area where you can watch the interesting world of Chaing Mai pass by your eyes while surround by northern Thai design.
Chiang Mai Boutique House Hotel
2 Ratchapakinai Road, Phrasing, Muang, Chiangmai 50200
Meet the Side Trip, Ethical and Agri-Tourism Tourist
Teri Church seeks out interesting travel experiences around the world. Her favorite subjects to report on are ethical and earth friendly, but she’s the first to admit, she’ll give anything a try.
