How do you describe a day filled with more fun than you ever thought possible? It was Ivorything we hoped it would be! Ok, silly puns aside, this experience was an absolutely unforgettable one and definitely lived up to the hype. Let me start by saying that we found the Elephant Jungle Sanctuary to be precisely as its name implies: a sanctuary where elephants that have been rescued, mainly from riding or logging camps, are brought to live a simple and humane life. These elephants, some of them between 50 and 70 years old, have been mistreated to various degrees over the years. Their life stories are displayed in the main shelter house on the property, which makes meeting, feeding, and bathing them an even more heartfelt experience.
We were picked up in our hotel lobby at 6:30AM to begin our day with the elephants. We rode for close to an hour seated on a shaded bench seat in the bed of a pick-up truck. While certainly not the safest mode of transportation, the ride allowed for a wonderful early morning breeze and scenic views as we drove up the coastline of Phuket. The truck made a total of three stops, so there wasn’t a lot of stop-and-go, either. We arrived at the Elephant Jungle Sanctuary (EJS) and were offered instant coffee or tea, fruit, and other small snacks while we waited for the other groups to arrive. I must say, I was a little bit surprised by the size of the group as more and more trucks continued to pull up to the EJS. Little did I know, there were 14 different elephants that called this place home, so there were still plenty of opportunities for up close encounters. Minutes after our arrival Dok Ngoen came to greet us. I will not soon forget the magical moment when I first walked up to touch the gentle, 70-year-old giant who loved eating bamboo. Once all the guests had arrived, we sat and learned about the mission of the sanctuary and were given our agenda for the day. We then carried baskets of bananas and watermelons and large bamboo sticks up a small hill to where the elephants were gathered. For the next hour or so we got to know each of them and fed them breakfast. As we learned from the knowledgeable staff, elephants have a small stomach that does not contribute much to digestion, so these colossal animals eat a lot! I couldn’t believe how willingly they will take food straight from your hands with their trunks and shovel it into their mouths. We enjoyed meeting all of the elephants, but our favorite was named Lam Yai.
After the elephants had consumed all of their breakfast food, we returned to the shelter house to change into swimming attire. The EJS had plenty of private, outdoor stalls for changing, and each was also equipped with a private toilet and shower to be used later in the day. We made our way toward the two large, muddy water pits that we had driven by on our way into the sanctuary grounds. The first was filled with thicker mud, and this is where we began. After taking a group picture, we eased our way into the mud and were promptly followed by the elephants. I was shocked by what little coercing it took to engage the elephants to join us; as I mentioned before, these elephants live at a sanctuary, so they do what they want! But they walked right into the mud bath and waited, as if to say, “OK, it’s time for my bath.” And with that, our inner children came right out! We rubbed the elephants (and each other) with mud and had more fun doing so than we ever did as youngsters getting into mud fights. The elephants seemed to love it, too, as they flapped their ears and trunks and kicked up mud.
Once everyone was coated in mud, we entered the nearby second pit filled with cleaner water. Once again the elephants followed us over, but this time they surprised us all by lying in the water and submerging themselves. They were so playful in the water and loved being splashed as they tossed and turned. We carried our GoPro along for pictures and video, which turned out to be one of the best purchases we made for our trip. For those who didn’t have waterproof cameras, the staff at EJS included two photographers that spontaneously took pictures of the group throughout the day which they then made available online for free. A few of the pictures shown here were taken by them.
After bathing in the cleaner (but still dirty) water, we moved to the showers that hosed us down with continuous clean water. We were given brushes to scrub the elephants and remove any remaining mud. Throughout the whole bathing experience, the elephants remained gentle yet playful and seemed to genuinely enjoy connecting with the visitors. I know we certainly did!
We made our way back to the shelter house to take showers and change out of our muddy clothes. Lunch was then provided, which was a colorful buffet filled with fresh fruits and authentic Thai favorites. I was blown away by how delicious it all was! Homemade and full of flavor, we could tell this food was made to be enjoyed, and it certainly was! While we ate lunch, we were given the opportunity to shop at a few huts selling souvenirs and inexpensive Thai clothing. As we learned, the grounds of the EJS are owned by a family that allows the organization to operate and carry out its mission there. These souvenir shops were owned and operated by this family, so spending a little money was a nice way to support them. There was also EJS apparel available for sale.
After lunch it was unfortunately time to say goodbye to the elephants and return to our hotel. We enjoyed the hours we spent at the sanctuary so much. The staff was very professional and devoted to making this an enjoyable experience for all of the visitors but never at the expense of the animals. The day was well-organized but allowed for enough freedom to make the experience unique and personal. I would recommend this excursion to anyone I know. There were people of all types and ages present, and I can confidently say that every one of them enjoyed the day. We arrived back at our hotel by 12:30PM, still with plenty of day left to enjoy! Keep reading to find out how we spent it!
