Adventure & Comfort in Bhutan & Thailand
Two countries - one faith. From the Himalayas in the north down to the Andaman Sea, here’s your chance to experience two beautiful countries sharing similar, yet contrasting Buddhist traditions.
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ChangChill is an ethical elephant sanctuary in the hills, roughly 90 minutes West of Chiang Mai. The sanctuary has a strictly hands-off policy, meaning guests can observe the elephants relax, eat, play and interact exactly as they would in the wild.
Many visitors to Thailand want to experience elephants on their trip but don’t know how to do so in an ethical way. Although there has been much progress in prioritising elephant welfare in Thailand over the past decade, there are still parks with questionable practices, such as riding the elephants or chaining them up when not in public. ChangChill’s philosophy is that elephants should be elephants so they are free to roam around their eight acres of land without being disturbed by humans.
ChangChill (meaning ‘elephant chill’) offers half-day or full-day packages, including plenty of chances to see the sanctuary’s elephants in their natural environment. After a quick introduction to the organisation and a safety briefing, guests are led into the forest searching for the elephants. This trekking can be challenging, so not suitable for anyone with mobility issues. The expert guides will teach you about elephant behaviour and conservation as you trek through the jungle before reaching a mud pit, where elephants like to roll around and cool down on hot days.
The day continues with more chances to see the elephants going about their business and getting to know the mahouts and the Karen tribe they originate from. In between observing the elephants, your guides will show you how to prepare some healthy snacks for them and give you a crash course in Thai herbs picked straight from their organic garden.
We thoroughly recommend ChangChill to anyone who wants an educational elephant experience with the confidence of knowing that both the elephants and their carers are well-treated.
You can include this experience as part of an Experience Travel Group holiday designed exclusively for you.
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Map centered on ChangChill Elephant Sanctuary. Zoom out to view other hotels (H) and experiences (E) in the area.
