Gentle Giants

As well as the longtail boat trip, when we booked our trip to Thailand, having an experience with elephants was also top on our list. Our first priority however, was making sure we picked a sanctuary that was ethical and put the welfare of the elephants first. As we were staying in Krabi, we chose to have our experience at Krabi Elephant Sanctuary. This was a half day experience starting at 9am and included; feeding the elephants, making their food, giving them a mud bath then cleaning/bathing them in the lagoon. There were ample opportunities for photos as each family had a designated worker who kept hold of our phones and snapped away throughout all the interactions with the elephants. We also (my husband in particular) loved learning so many facts and information about the elephants. 
 

The experience 
 

Feeding them was the first interaction and learning all about how you gain the elephants trust before you get too close. Despite them being known as ‘gentle giants’, they are obviously very large heavy animals and when spooked/scared, can be dangerous if too close. By following the guides instructions and listening carefully, we were able to gain the elephants trust and were able to feed them and even hug and kiss their trunks. An unforgettable experience. 

After feeding them small bananas and bamboo initially, you then get to make balls of more food which has more nutrients that the elephants need. Balls are created from the mixture which you can then feed to the elephants. 
 

The next part entailed giving the elephants a mud bath, which is basically what it says on the tin… cover the elephants in mud! Mud rehydrates and maintains the health of their skin as well as the abrasive texture of mud removes ticks, mites, and other parasites. 
 

The last part of the interaction was to clean the mud off their skin in the lagoon. You go into the lagoon with them and wash the mud using small buckets and a scrubbing brush until it’s all gone. 

This is a once in a lifetime experience that 100% needs to be on your bucket list!