For kids to see elephants in a natural setting is an experience – eating, bath time, playing in the mud, afternoon snacks. After reading the children's book "Tua and the Elephant," we knew we had to visit this elephant nature sanctuary, Elephant Nature Park. .
The Elephant Nature Park is an elephant sanctuary where elephants are rescued, brought to the park, cared for, fed, washed and medically treated. When we visited, the oldest elephant was 80 years old, the youngest, a baby elephant, just 3 months old.
It's a whole day trip to the sanctuary, but there's lots of free time, and plenty for little kids to enjoy (we had a 4 year old in our group).
During the day, kids will learn about the habits of elephants, e.g. babies are born after 18 - 20 months, have a keen sense of smell but poor eyesight, and watch the elephants walking through the open fields, taking mud baths and tossing dirt on their backs (this is elephant "air conditioning"). Best of all is getting very close to the elephants, so near you can see all the hairs on their trunks.
Kids will have plenty of opportunity to feed the elephants (they eat about 300kg of fruits and vegetables a day) and watch the elephants using their trunks to pick up and eat bananas, watermelons, pineapple and sugar cane, elephants have a sweet tooth too. The elephants could eat a whole basket, then still look hungry.
After lunch, take a bucket and help wash the elephants in the river. The elephants are quite tall, but don't worry if the buckets of water don't quite wash the elephants' backs.
Tip: Bring water shoes (river is shallow, but a bit rocky) and change of clothes in case kids get soaked in the process.
