PHOTO
Unlike other tourist
outfits in Thailand,
Elephant Nature Park
delivers something
unique — a chance to
interact with elephants
without exploiting them.
ADVENTURE SPOTLIGHT
AS
1
2
WASH ELEPHANTS
IN THAILAND
If you dream of hand-feeding bananas to Earth’s
largest land animal, head to Elephant Nature
Park (
) in
Northern Thailand. Located on the waters of
the Mae Taeng River, near Chang Mai, this
park is a refuge for abused domestic-working
Asian elephants. Volunteers can choose from
a variety of programs, from a day visit to
extended monthly stays. Guests can live on
the premises, working daily to help bathe baby
elephants, build new fences and prepare fruit
for morning meals. Sadly, many companies
selling elephant treks to tourists don’t treat
their animals very well, so for travelers who
want to connect with these sacred animals
and give back, this conservation project is a
responsible alternative.
SAVE GIANT PANDAS
IN CHINA
While the iconic panda image may be
plastered in zoo gift shops across the
world, there are actually only 1,000 giant
panda bears left in the wild. These
endangered, bamboo-eating animals are
tucked away in the remote mountainous
region of central China. There are several
organizations, among them International
Working Holidays, that have programs
where you can volunteer with these
disappearing teddy bears. The project
takes place in the remote foothills of the
Wolong Nature Reserve in the Sichuan
Province. Here you’ll help with the
feeding, monitoring and maintenance of
the Giant Panda.
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THE AFFLUENT TRAVELER
|
Adventure Spotlight
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