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Elephant Haven is located high on a mountaintop about a 90-minute walk
away from Elephant Nature Park in the Mae
Taeng Valley. As the original location for our rescued elephants, it has
been maintained by Lek since 1992. With
over 100 acres of lush vegetation, far from any human encroachment and
cultivated farms, Elephant Haven is a safe jungle retreat for the
elephants.
Each week (weather permitting) our elephants and
volunteers visit Elephant Haven for
an overnight stay. Accompanied by an expert guide, volunteers enjoy a
campfire atmosphere in a rustic setting while surrounded by elephants in
their natural environment. Because of its remote location, our elephants
are free to explore the jungle throughout the night. The next morning,
the mahouts and volunteers set out to find where each elephant has
wandered to in the jungle.
Not only is Elephant Haven a fun experience for our visitors, it is
also an educational one. The jungle surrounding the Haven is filled with
many trees and plants which are natural herbal medicines and are not
found in Elephant Nature Park. Collected by our guide and the mahouts
with the help of volunteers, these medicines are used to treat any
ailments our rescued elephants may develop. Furthermore, by bringing
tourists on overnight stays to the jungle, we are putting the government
land to use and placing an economic value on elephant habitat.
With Elephant Haven, we are leading the way for a different style of
trekking: volunteers walk with the elephants during the climb to the
haven, rather than sitting on top of them. Volunteers are able to see
and hear them as they amble through the jungle, uninhibited by harnesses
or wooden chairs. Finally, no chains or hooks are used. Instead, the
elephants are guided by their mahouts up to the forested sanctuary with
little need for verbal encouragement.
A truly magical place, Elephant Haven offers our elephants time to
explore the jungle and our volunteers an experience they will never
forget.
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