By his third gag, it was evident he couldn’t read the very visible sign. We were the last two to pile into the van on its way to Kerchor Eco Elephant Park and I noticed it right away.
“NO PUKING – 200 baht fine”
It struck me as odd, as though anyone would waste an ounce of their free will on vomit. But less than 10 minutes into our drive and the boy’s mother held a plastic bag to his face. And then again. Apparently the bumpy roads didn’t agree with him, and many others. At least often enough to elicit the posting of the sign.
Nevertheless, we were on our way to visit the elephants. It was a day I had been dreaming about for years and no amount of vomit was going to ruin my mood.
Why Kerchor Eco Elephant Park?
Whether or not they are the most majestic creatures is up for debate. They have some stiff competition among the whale, tiger, and horse populations. But as a personal favorite, the elephant secures the title – hands down.
With our love for elephants, the most important thing was choosing to visit them in a place that respects, loves, and cares for them in an ethical manner. A place free of elephant rides, chains, and bull hooks. Any sighting of an elephant being mistreated surely would’ve ended up in us causing a scene. Aside from that, the last thing we wanted to do was give a single dollar towards a company demonstrating abuse for the sake of profit.
We simply wanted to be in the company of the elephants, enjoy their presence, and to learn more about them from their caretakers. Kerchor Eco Elephant Park was recommended to us by our hosts at Home at Nine and delivered exactly the experience we were hoping for.
Arriving to Kerchor Eco Elephant Park
Set in the Mae Win district, the park is located about 1 hour from downtown Chiang Mai. It would probably be an enjoyable scooter ride, but luckily for us scooter challenged people, round trip transportation is included.
When the van with the puking child finally came to a halt, we were ushered into our next vehicle. It was an open air songathaew capable of making the final ascent. This stretch of road to meet the elephants was dusty, dirty and felt like a near vertical climb.
Finally, we arrived and were greeted by our cheerful hosts.
A Brief Introduction
The owners of Kerchor Eco Elephant Park are members of the local Karen Tribe community. They welcomed us with a quick snack of coffee, tea, and fruit.
We were the only two English speakers visiting on this particular day so we were treated to our own private guide; A sweet, young girl from the tribe who humored my husband with all of his curious questions. Upon greeting us, she handed out our new outfits. A loose red shirt and pants comprised the traditional mahout clothing. The clothing was dual purpose – to keep our own clothes clean and dry, but most importantly to be recognized by the elephants. Just by wearing this outfit we were seen as friends.
Before we could be introduced to the elephants, we had to learn a few words. Our guide pulled out her white board and taught us what to say when we wanted to feed the elephants or tell them they are a good boy/girl. They were phrases we would later repeat again and again. When we were deemed proficient, we were rewarded with a bag of sugarcane and a bucket of bananas. Elephant snacks!
Meeting The Elephants
Now that we were properly dressed and armed with the knowledge and snacks to make a good first impression, we were ready to meet our new friends. Our guide led us down the hill, across a muddy river, and into elephant territory.
There they stood – at varying heights but each with swinging ears, wagging tails, and trunks in search of food. My general instinct to take photos went immediately out the window as I became enamored with these magical creatures. Kerchor Eco Elephant Park is the home to seven elephants ranging in age from 50 to less than 2 years old. It didn’t take long for baby Fufu to come say hello and try his best to steal our bananas. Our guide warned us he was a bit naughty but Matt and I found his antics to be charming.
We made our rounds to each of the gentle giants, giving their tough skin a hearty pat, sometimes receiving our own wet welcome in the form of elephant kisses. As we became acquainted with one another, the elephants’ trunks would mercilessly sniff our belongings hoping for a sweet snack.
Remembering our brief lesson, we instructed the elephants to “bon” meaning to open their mouths. Sometimes they would allow us to toss the fruit straight into their mouth while other times their trunks would lose patience and pull the sugarcane straight from our hands. Either way, we were delighted in their indulgence.
Bathing The Elephants
At Kerchor Eco Elephant Park, the elephants roam about on their own volition with little coercion from their owners. When they were fully satisfied that they had eaten all snacks in sight, the elephants meandered over to the water’s edge. As baby Fufu collapsed onto his side, he sent a colossal wave of muddy water in our direction. Worried he would soon have the idea to get up and dry off, Matt and I hurried over to join him.
We scrubbed his tough skin and poured buckets of water over his head. He enjoyed it – until he didn’t – and then decided to get up and walk away. There was no one holding him in place and making him perform. A few other elephants took their turn in the water. The ones who opted not to just relaxed in the shade of the trees instead.
Because we visited in the morning, we did not experience a mud bath with the elephants. It is their preference to enjoy the mud in the late afternoon when they can cool off from the hot sun. Instead, we were given tools to help massage their muscles. Once again, the elephants were in total control. If they were not enjoying the process, they determined they no longer wanted to participate and were able to move away.
Saying Goodbye to the Elephants
After we fed them, splashed in the water with them, and told them how intelligent they were 50,000 times (exaggeration? You decide.) it was time to bid our new friends farewell.
We trekked back up the hill to where we arrived from and changed back into our clothing. As the remainder of our group made their return, we all sat down to enjoy a lunch prepared by the Karen tribe members. It was simple but filling : steamed rice in a banana leaf with a hard-boiled egg and fresh fruit.
We had the best seats in the house and were joined by the resident cat. He must have made friends with Fufu because, he too, was a naughty boy looking for scraps of our lunch. We may or may not have obliged him.
Before too long we were back in the open aired songathaew making our way down the dusty path from which we had appeared.
Earning Their Keep
The elephants at this park are happy, healthy, and well looked after. That being said, it is evident their life wasn’t always as simple as it is today. Our guide explained that the elephants have been in the Karen tribe for many years. While they have always been viewed as a part of the family, caring for elephants is expensive business! Just the amount of bananas they consume in one morning for snacks is enough to make Chiquita Banana envious.
Before the Kerchor Eco Elephant Park was established, the elephants used to work the land. Helping to earn their keep with laborious jobs for the tribe. Unfortunately, when their help around the land wasn’t producing enough money to keep them cared for, the elephants were sent to work in circus settings. Performing tricks, saddled up for rides, and competing in competitions – anything necessary to earn the money.
But the tribe members could see how unhappy these elephants became. The elephants were never meant to live their lives under these conditions. And so, the idea of the current park came to fruition. Now, offering two tours per day to visit the elephants, the tribe is able to make enough money to provide a safe, healthy environment for the elephants to live a happy life.
Final Thoughts
Occasionally we noticed an elephant in what seemed to be an unnatural position, as if it had been trained to behave a certain way. It made me raise my eyebrows at first, wondering what happened to these beautiful creatures behind the scenes. But the sad truth is that these “acts” are just remnants from their forced work in the past. Today, the Karen tribe members are well versed in all the signs of their elephants’ happiness and make every effort to keep them so.
If you’re in search of a sanctuary in which to spend a morning or an afternoon hanging out with some of the earth’s coolest mammals, Kerchor Eco Elephant Park is a good choice. After spending a year on the road, this remains one of the top highlights of our trip!
But still, one question remains. Did they actually charge that little boy the 200 baht fine? I guess we will never know.
Cheers friends,
Megan + Matt
