Back in 2013 we went on a family holiday to Phuket.
Prior to having children I had previously travelled to Phuket and taken an elephant trek. As a result I felt this was a must do experience for my family.
So one day we head off for a walk on the wild side at Siam Safari Elephants Camp.
The experience Siam Safari Elephants Camp was different from my previous one where we just watched the elephants being bathed and then went for short walk in the jungle.
So what did we see on this Phuket elephant trek, and did I think it was better?
Our Family Phuket Elephant Trek
UPDATE: Siam Safari closed January 2017
As we sit on the trailer being towed by a tractor up the muddy slopes to the elephants our guide explains that all the elephants and their handlers at Siam Safari were left with no where to go after logging in Thailand was banned in 1989. Siam Safari was established as a tourism operation and elephant welfare camp to take in those elephants and their unemployed handlers. A way to partly finance this operation is by offering tourists elephant rides through the jungle.
We climb a bamboo structure to mount our elephant.
I feel a bit uneasy at first rocking side to side as the elephant slowly ambles along taking care with where it places each foot.
The path edges it’s way along the cliff top and the Chalong Hills emerge.
Around the corner I spot crystal clear turquoise water in the distance.
As we get closer the Chalong Bay dotted with tiny islands comes into full view.
We all take a turn to get clear photos
and the elephant drivers swap cameras with one another so we all can have shot of ourselves on these magnificent beast with this beautiful view as a back drop.
As we start to make our way back on the 30 minute trek and just before we enveloped by the jungle we see the top of Big Buddha perched on the hill.
We are taken deeper into the lush tropical jungle, surrounded by rubber trees with their branches entwined and cups strapped to the bottom of the trees collecting the sap.
All of a sudden our elephant stops. A snake slithers in front of us before diving back under the foliage. It all happened so fast I couldn’t quite get a clear image.
Butterflies of a multitude of colours fluttered around us, and whilst I tried so hard to get a photo they were all just blur as I am sitting rocking from side to side on the back of an elephant as it gingerly makes its way down through the jungle.
All too soon we are back on solid ground gulping water due to the hot humid heat and reflecting on our ride.
Lewis is bounding around chatting happily about what he saw and experienced on our Phuket elephant trek. Whilst Steve who is afraid of heights, said that once he got use to it he thoroughly enjoyed the elephant trek and felt the excursion was well worth it.
For me, I felt that Siam Safari offered a far better and more educational exposure to the elephants than I had previously encounted, plus the scenery was significantly better.
Would you or your family like to see the Thai jungle from the back of an elephant?
Tell me in the comments.
Linking Up With:
- With Some Grace #FYBF
- Pierced Wonderings #PhotoFriday
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I would love to have an elephant ride! What a wonderful experience. It’s incredible that an elephant can fit a chair and 3 people on it’s back.
They are such amazing animals Stella.
What an exciting trip! I love that country you traveled through – so much to see! Interesting that you saw a snake slither by – tonight I was watering the plants in the backyard – out around our gazebo – and as I stepped under the arbor to water the mandevilla, a snake slithered right in front of my foot. I screamed and hopped forward and then he (she) was gone. LOL!
I’d love to take a ride on an elephant 😉 Thank you for sharing with us at Photo Friday!
Reading that sent a shiver through my spine Jen, I hate snakes!
In short, I’m going to say no. That’s not how I want to see the Thai jungle.
Years ago we did a learn to be a mahout day in Thailand and we rode the elephants – no chair. They were supposedly rescued elephants but these days I’m not totally convinced. It was an amazing experience. I loved it. Elephants are fabulous, beautiful creatures. But I wouldn’t do it again and I wouldn’t recommend it.
The more I read and hear about what it takes to train an elephant to actually carry people on their backs and the cruelty that is apparently involved in breaking their spirit to enable this, the less I want to do it. These days I would prefer to visit an elephant sanctuary and walk through the jungle beside them. I think it would be an equally amazing experience.
That sounds like a great alternative Sam
It’s not a Thai jungle adventure if it didn’t involve snakes! Yikes! I haven’t done elephant ride in ages. They are such beautiful and intelligent creatures. Every time I see one in real life, I’m in complete awe.
I agree grace elephants are beautiful creatures so powerful yet they can be so gentle.
Chalong Bay is so picturesque. I would love to experience the elephant ride, they’re my favourite animal.
They are beautiful animals aren’t they Reachael
When we visited Phuket, I had originally planned on taking the kids to ride elephants. While looking around the internet for which trekking company to use, I came across a lot of information about the awful methods used to break elephants’ spirit so that they’ll succumb to letting people ride them. So, we decided not to ride them after all since we didn’t want to support the continuation of this practice. When we went to Chiang Mai, we found a great place called Elephant Nature Park that let visitors interact with elephants in a much more humane way.
Whilst parks like the one we visited Siam Safari have prided themselves in being as doing their best for conservation, I like the sound of these new Nature Park