Maybe it’s because they’re the biggest creatures living on land. Or perhaps it’s because, with their animal intellect, they display curiously human traits. Either way, there’s something really exhilarating about a close encounter with an elephant.
Whether you’re after a glimpse of one in the wild, or a taste of the unique bond a mahout (elephant handler) shares with his/her charge, check out our rundown of the best places to get up close and personal with elephants.
Featured image: Benh LIEU SONG
Chobe National Park, Botswana
Chobe. Photo: tai strietman
This may just be the best place in the world to spot elephant in the wild. Estimates put the population at 50,000, meaning the park has the highest concentration of the mammoth (ahem, you know what we mean) beasts in Africa.
As an added bonus, the Kalahari elephants living here are the largest elephant sub-species.
Chiang Mai Province, Thailand
Chiang Mai. Photo: sebadella
There are numerous reputable elephant sanctuaries in the Mae Sa Valley (less than two hours drive from the city of Chiang Mai).
Visitors can learn the centuries old traditions of mahouts over one-, two-, or three-day experiences. Mahouts are paired with a domesticated elephant early in life, building a lifelong working and caring relationship with the animal that usually lasts several decades.
Visiting trainee mahouts learn basic commands, ride, scrub down and play with an ellie that has either retired from working or been brought up at the sanctuary.
Udawalawe National Park, Sri Lanka
Udawalawe. Photo: chamika01
There are 500 elephants in the park, as many as 100 of which can be found herding together.
Hire a 4WD and driver for the day from outside the park gate and head to a body of water before sunrise. There you’ll catch the everyday elephant equivalent of a town hall meeting.
Bandhavgarh National Park, India
Bandhavgarh. Photo: JPBennett1
With the exception of the smelliest of backpackers, an elephant’s scent will always overpower that of its human companion. Travelling aboard an elephant is one the best ways to track the highly elusive Bengal Tiger.
Hongsa, Laos
Hongsa. Photo: jonrawlinson
The beauty of this corner of a country, once known as “land of a million elephants”, is that it remains relatively untouched by the modern world.
Invite a local elephant and its mahout to be your guide for the day – there’s no better way of exploring this emerald plain.
