When you visit Thailand, no trip is complete without seeing those majestic beasts of burden and the country’s national animal, the elephants. There are many places that you can spend time with these fascinating creatures, and many of the elephant camps are turning into ethical attractions that take excellent care of their animals. If you want to spend some time with the elephants while you are in Thailand, here is what you can expect in a typical visit.

An Early Morning Start

When you visit an elephant nature park in Thailand, it will be an early start, depending on how far the park is from where you are staying. You often find that the parks will collect their visitors from around 8 am, so you will need to ensure you are up in time and have breakfast before they arrive. The elephant parks provide food and drink, but you can also pick up some drinks and snacks the night before. When onboard, you will usually watch a film about the park and enjoy the spectacular scenery as you travel.

Arriving At The Park

Your guide will greet you upon arrival at the park, and they will often give you a change of clothes, so you do not get dirty during your visit. As they walk you to the visitor centre, they will provide you with lots of information about elephants in general and the animals they have in their care. You will also see the animals congregating waiting for you to arrive, which is their cue for breakfast. You can help feed the herd of elephants, and they will let you know how quickly they want to eat, and if you are too slow, they will help themselves. You can then explore the park and watch the animals in their family groups before heading to the visitor centre for lunch.

Making A Splash With The Elephants

After you have eaten your lunch, you will get to spend some more time learning about the herd and watching them as they play together. In the early afternoon, you will see the elephants walking down to the river, which is your cue to join them so you can bathe them. The elephants will lie down and let your scrub their skin and splash them with water, which they love. After their bath, you will often see them wallowing in mud, which is like nature’s sun protection and helps protect their delicate skin. Before long, it will be time to head back to your transport and back to your accommodation unless you have booked an overnight stay with them. However long you stay, you will go home with some fantastic memories of your trip to the elephant park.