Elephant Hills - Thailand
Set against the stunning background of tropical rainforest in Khao Sok National Pak, Elephant Hills consists of 35 luxurious tents set in the jungle. This is Glamping Thai style, and is the most unique place I have ever stayed! The tents are spacious, and all have a European style bathroom and shower. The furniture is hand made using natural materials.
They have all the facilities you would expect of a hotel bedroom even a safe and hairdryer but with the added sights and sounds of the rainforest around you, like monkeys, crickets and frogs! Note to self, don’t leave the flap of the tent open and the light on unless you want to spend the next few days covered in mosquito bites! We spent an unforgettable, very educational and adventurous three days here and got up close to the amazing elephants!
We watched them larking around in their giant mud bath! We helped cut up their food and fed them sugar cane, pineapple (they are very sweet toothed) and bamboo shoots. They were quite picky, quickly spitting out anything they didn’t like! They eat over 200 kg of food every day! With the help of their Mahoots, we assisted in washing them and hosing them down! Wear old clothes, this is a messy task!
Aside from the “once in a lifetime” elephant experience, there were lots more activities to enjoy. We took a leisurely canoe trip down the river and could relax and take in the beauty of the park. We visited a local market on route to their second camp which is a floating camp on Cheow Larn Lake. We had lunch on the floating platform and after had time for a swim and kayak around the lake area.
All our meals were included, a gong indicating when it was time to eat. We sampled lots of Thai dishes at their breakfast, lunch and evening buffets. There was a cookery demonstration and local school children came and performed a traditional dance. On our last morning, we took a hike through the jungle with our guide who showed us an amazing variety of plants and wildlife. It culminated in a meal prepared for us in a clearing in the forest.
The whole experience was awesome especially for the kids who learned a lot about the rainforest and this amazing endangered species.
Please call me if you would like to find out any more about this amazing experience.