Ayutthaya, Elephant Sanctuary
Elephants have been domesticated in Thailand for about 4000 years, that's longer than horses. They were used in much the same way as westerners use a JCB, moving, lifting, pulling, carrying, especially in the logging trade.
Logging was banned in the late '80s, leaving a large number of unemployed elephants. Some ended up begging on the streets, and many ended up giving tourist rides.
Giving tourist rides is easy work for a 3 ton elephant, but as they age, they are unable to earn their keep, and the owners cannot usually afford to look after a non-working elephant that may need special diets or medical care due to it's age. As they can live to 80+ years, retirement can be for a long time.
This is where Elephantstay comes in.
At Elephantstay you are able to work alongside retired elephants, and the money you pay goes towards keeping these magnificent animals comfortable, as they can no longer work to provide for their own upkeep.
Cleaning, feeding, and washing them in the river is an unforgettable experience, and one I would recommend to anybody.
Elephantstay is based at the Royal Elephant Kraal and Village in Ayutthaya, about 1hr from Bangkok. Whilst the mainstay of your time will be looking after the retired elephants, there are also a lot of working elephants.
The bulls earn their keep by providing tourist rides around some of the local temples, and by helping out in the village, loading and unloading trailers full of grass for the other elephants to eat. The money earned from the rides also provides for the rest of the elephants.
The nursery is where some of the mothers and their young are kept. The breeding program at The Kraal is the most successful Asian Elephant breeding program in the world. They have had 40+ births in 7 years.
Then there are The Youngsters. These playful babies like nothing better than charging around and getting into trouble. They are totally at ease with people and know who they can be naughty around.
The Grandmothers, as the retirees are known, cannot earn their keep, so by staying at Elephantstay you provide much needed funds for the care of these animals, and will gain a unique insight into an animal that shows such intelligence it is hard not to get attached, even in 3 days.
There are currently over 90 elephants, ranging from a few months old, to 82.
The Kraal used to be used for an annual round up of Elephants, and up until the 1800s they were used as a tool of war. Now, they breed from and retire working elephants.
Another important role is the rehabilitation of elephants who have gone on a rampage. This is caused by mistreatment of the elephant, including, in one case, tying firecrackers to it. Some of the elephants there have killed people, and in some cases several people. At The Kraal, these 'rogue' elephants are rehabilitated and retrained, often becoming a very calm and stable elephant used for public demonstrations and rides. Were it not for the never ending efforts of all of those at The Village and Kraal, these elephants would have been killed.
I really cannot stress just what a great experience this was. It was tiring, with long days, but the experience is unrepeatable anywhere else. By staying with Elephantstay you not only have a once in a lifetime chance to get up close and personal with a 3 ton elephant, but you will also be helping these grand old girls have a more comfortable retirement.