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Elephant Owner for a Day in Chiang Mai Holidays

There are plenty of commercialised places to view and ride elephants in Thailand, but we have chosen an educational and ethical elephant initiative where you will have an exceptional and unforgettable experience in a small group environment. The Patara Elephant Farm is located approximately 30km west of Chiang Mai in a forested setting, and its goal is to preserve the Thai elephant population through rescue, recovery, reproduction and reintroduction. It runs a special hands-on programme called “Elephant Owner for a Day”, with numbers restricted to 6 in a group and a total of just 12 people per day. What makes the visit so special is that you become an elephant’s hands-on caretaker for the day, just like the elephant’s actual “mahouts” (caretakers) who come from a local Karen tribe village. You will be paired up with an elephant and its mahout, and spend time learning how to approach your elephant correctly, how to read its behavior and communicate with it, how to take care of your elephant t by checking its health, bathing and brushing it in the river and by feeding it. You will also be taught how to ride on your elephant’s neck before enjoying a bare-back ride to visit nearby temples, waterfalls or forests. The “Elephant Owner for a Day” experience is open to all, including children and those with disabilities. It includes transport from your Chiang Mai hotel, a traditional Thai picnic lunch as well as a DVD and photos of your experience.

Elephant Owner for a Day in Chiang Mai Holidays

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