Chiang Mai Province was the answer. Where to ride an elephant and how to ride an elephant are the musings. The voyage began with a serene 8-mile bike ride from the rustic Lisu Lodge to the elephant camp. Despite the excitement surrounding the elephant riding, the natural beauty of the Chiang Mai countryside still manages to capture our attention.
On arrival, several gentle giants standing near the river met our group of travel writers and editors. Among the elephants was a pregnant female who managed to carry two of us through mountainous jungle scenery down to river. The secret to riding this particular elephant was to ensure that she was fed plenty of bananas. We made sure to put aside enough bananas for the entire trip, as her trunk kept reaching back to collect a reward every few steps.
Elephant Eating a Banana
Behind the pregnant giant was a 3-year-old baby elephant that followed along for the journey sans passenger. He spent most of the trip using his trunk to throw dirt over his shoulder, ensuring protection against the sun and insects. While the ride along the river was wonderful, the highlight of the day was bonding with the baby elephant at the end. I walked over to the receptive animal and hugged him. It’s not every day that you can connect with one of the largest land mammals.
Elephant Reaching for a Banana
There are several options that offer for a similar experience. Elephant Nature Park is one of the better choices, with over thirty rescued elephants ranging from infants to old-timers. They have everything from day trips to three-week long volunteer stays.
Minor updates and edits were made from the original article.
Photos © Gennaro Salamone
This press trip to Thailand was courtesy of the Tourism Authority of Thailand.
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Gennaro Salamone is the founder and editor of Enduring Wanderlust. Please contact him with questions regarding article or photo submissions.