Is Glamping the New Wave of Ecotourism – Our Experience at Elephant Hills Thailand
The more we travel, the more we see the importance of Ecotourism. This is a term that you hear often but what exactly does it mean? The International Ecotourism Society’s definition is “responsible travel to natural areas that conserves the environment, sustains the well-being of the local people and involves interpretation and education”. They offer eight principles of ecotourism by which we chose to judge our glamping tour.
What is Glamping?
Glamping, or glamorous camping, seems like a natural way to travel to natural areas. Pitching a tent in the wilderness is the iconic image of returning to nature but can it be glamorous? Even more than glamorous, can it be green?
Glamping at Elephant Hills
We chose Elephant Hills, in Khao Sok Thailand because it is a highly regarded and award-winning ecotourism operator in Thailand. We knew that we wanted an ethical elephant encounter, a real jungle experience, and a kayak tour of Cheow Lan Lake. Their three-day, two-night Jungle Lake Safari offered all of these things and much, much more. We loved Elephant Hills so much that we paired them with a our favorite Thailand bike tour to make an epic 13-day adventure itinerary.
Ecotourism Principle: Minimize Impact
We found glamping greener than other options naturally. In the rainforest camp, our tent was set on a concrete pad with a metal roof overhead. It presented a very low footprint in nature. Plus, none of the surrounding vegetation had to be removed to build the structure. The lake camp was built on floating docks and powered with solar and wind for an even smaller footprint. Plus, being in a tent, we didn’t need air conditioning.
Now this is camping. Extra roof – check. Concrete pad- check. Comfy bed – check. Electricity – check. Indoor plumbing – check. I could get used to this.
This was our view from the dining room. It’s like eating a gourmet meal in the rain forest.
Kong was amazing. She knew so much about Khao Sok, Cheow Lan Lake and the beautiful elephants of Elephant Hills.
Being in an eco camp means that you stay further outside of town and get to see foggy mornings like this.
Elephant Hills Forest Camp was located in the rainforest against these dramatic karst cliffs. Glamping allows you to get right up to nature.
I don’t know why Tintin is in the foyer. There were a lot of non-Americans here so a European adventurer wasn’t a bad choice. Everybody seems to be posting their Tintin at Elephant Hills photo so this is ours.
Ecotourism Principle: Build Environmental Awareness
We were very excited to meet the elephants. Our bus pulled off an unmarked turnoff and soon we were in Elephant Camp. It wasn’t like any zoo we had ever been to. The enclosures were huge and the elephant was so far away it was tiny. We walked (and walked and walked) into what looked like a picnic area beside the enclosure. We realized the fences were keeping us in more than the elephants out. It was here that Kong (think Ricardo Montalban from Fantasy Island) began our elephant education.
The first thing everybody should be aware of is that there is no ethical way to ride elephants in Thailand. Indian elephants aren’t as large as their African counterparts so the average American is close to their weight limit and that doesn’t include any kind of a saddle. However, it’s much more than that. If you ever want to cry, google “Elephant Breaking”. It’s a physical and psychological conditioning program that is used to make elephants submit to being ridden, and it isn’t pretty. A small/slight mahout (elephant trainer) can ride their elephant based on years of trust and minimal equipment that no tourist will replicate.
Notice I said their elephant. Elephant Hills employs one mahout per elephant and they spend each day, every day with their elephant. They have a special rapport and know when she isn’t feeling well. This kind of relationship allows the elephants to feel safe and not need the abusive conditioning for human interaction. It also allows for immediate intervention if the elephant needs medical attention or needs to take a day off for their emotional state. Much like the minimal impact initiatives, I could spend this entire post talking about how well they treat their elephants. For brevity sake, let’s just leave it at these might be the happiest elephants in Thailand.
If we didn’t ride the elephants, what did we do? First we watched them jump in a small pond and take a bath. When they got tired of that, they climbed out and went over for a good washing. I think we got the dirtiest elephant of the bunch but we weren’t going to complain. It’s hard not to smile when you are cleaning elephants. After they were cleaned, we prepared an elephant lunch. There was a lot of chopping, then we could hand feed our new friends.
We felt like washing and feeding our elephant built a deeper connection than simply riding an elephant through the jungle. In a ride, you are bonding with the saddle. During our encounter, we could look these magnificent animals in their eyes and know we were making them happy.
Somewhere in this picture is an elephant. She certainly has plenty of elbow room.
Before we washed our elephants, the mahouts made sure they were good and dirty. Doesn’t the little guy on the left look like she’s smiling?
Here comes our dirty elephant for bath time. I think we had the dirtiest one of the bunch. That just means we get to wash more.
It takes a village to clean an elephant (or something like that). Matilda and Alex helped us out. Alex is not the smiliest of chaps, quite serious and driven, but look at that smile on his face. Joyous work indeed.
The next step in pampering elephants was snack time. We chopped up a bucket of fresh fruit and got to feed our beauties by hand. They knew the drill and were happy to play along.
True to ecotourism education principles, Kong gave us a class in elephant 101.
These two girls loved each other. Elephant Hills only keeps female elephants because they are more docile and friendly. However, like any group of girls. They don’t all get along. There was one girl in the back who didn’t like these two.
The first step in cleaning an elephant is good thorough hose down. I guess it might only wet the mud down a bit but it helps us bond before moving in with the hand tools.
I’ll give us a b+ for cleaning. She’s looking better but I think we missed a couple spots on the back fender.
You know that one photo op that you have to take. You know everybody else has the same photo but you have to do it anyway. This is it. You, your love and a whole lot of elephant.
Ecotourism Principle: Provide direct financial benefits for conservation
Everything around the Elephant Camp was first class from the enclosures to the buildings where the vets would come to visit. This kind of facility isn’t cheap, and neither was our tour. I think it might even be an oxymoron to have a budget ethical animal encounter. Five-star service is a company philosophy and it extended to all levels of Elephant Hill’s operations. We might be a bit salty from our gap year encounters on Koh Tao when we wrote this but it still rings true 18 months later as I am re-reading it. It’s one thing for a backpacker to choose to spend a gap year bouncing around hostels. It’s another thing to subject an animal to a lifetime of impoverishment and want. As ecotourists, you get to choose. It is important to learn the truths about traveling ethically before spending your tourist dollars. We posit that you’ll make a greater statement spending money to take ethical tours than whining about materialism and greed over pancakes and cheap beer.
Ecotourism Principle: Provide benefit for the community
The elephants and their mahouts were remnants of the region’s logging past. In the late 70’s, industrialists were getting ready for a large-scale logging effort. Before that could happen, the government made a forward-thinking decision to preserve this unique ecosystem by creating the Khao Sok National Forest. This was great for the trees, but mahouts were out of a job and an elephant has to eat. Luckily, places like Elephant Hills could provide quality employment for the men and a balanced diet for the beasts. We met a second set of hill tribesmen that day who were also benefiting from our tour. They were our guides on a river run through the karst towers. I’m not going to lie. I was a little disappointed we weren’t going to paddle our own canoes. However, that changed one we got underway. Soon the guides were pointing out snakes and turtles we would have undoubtedly missed. They spun the boats at the exact time for us to see stunning views of the mountains behind us. They added another dimension to the paddle, a deeper and local knowledge where they showed us all the hidden gems. Did I get my millennial buzzwords in? I should have because the guides added value and were extremely accommodating. Case and point – I dropped a cheap pair of sunglasses into the river. No big deal, they only cost a dollar and I had a spare at the hotel. Not for our guides. They dove in once, twice, three times and emerged with my glasses. Now that’s dedication to the cause.
This is the way we kayaked down the river. One or two people in the kayak and the guide / wildlife spotter /engine sat all the way in back.
This is a fairly typical section of river. There were a couple of boats ahead of us. The water was flat with jungles and farms right up to the banks.
Around each bend there were new hills to look at. I imagine that hillside is full of caves waiting to be explored.
Towers that characterize tower karst can only develop in the tropics because it is only there that the right conditions of rock and climate – development requires a minimum of 120 cm of precipitation per year and an average temperature of 18 °C – interact to create these magnificent features.
Tower karst is a spectacular variety of kart landscape dominated by steep or vertical sided limestone towers. Towers originate as residual cones and are then steepened by water table undercutting from surround alluviated plains.
Ecotourism Principle: Provide Cultural awareness
Apart from the WOW! scenery on the river, we learned a lot about the area from our boat guides. We watched local kids spearfishing with homemade prongs and plastic masks. We floated by rubber plantations and asked what crops were planted in the fields by the river. We learned so much more from our guides that we would have gleamed on our own playing in the river.
The cultural education continued when we got back to camp. There was an afternoon cooking class available where people learned to make spicy green mango salad and, after dinner, kids came in from the local school to put on a traditional dance presentation. Dinner itself was glamourous and cultural. Every meal we ate with Elephant Hills was masterfully crafted from local ingredients to highlight Thai cuisine. It wasn’t just one dish either. There was a choice of appetizers, mains, desserts and even drinks that were all prepared with the same skill and attention.
After a day of washing elephants, running rivers and gorging on amazing food we were ready for bed. Before we retired, we popped online to post elephant photos. We were surprised that our tent in the jungle had the fastest wifi yet in Thailand. We were more surprised that it was the most comfortable bed in Thailand (even above the Conrad Bangkok). Glamping at it’s finest! As for mosquitos, the well-crafted tent with its built-in mesh did a better job at keeping bugs out than our treehouse lodges Khao Sok. There was no need for a mosquito net at night. Who says camping can’t be glamorous?
The next morning (after another fabulous breakfast) we headed out to Chow Lan Lake, but not before stopping by the local market to see a slice of local life. We tasted fresh fruit and specialty treats as we strolled through the stalls. Our guide Kong was there to answer all our questions and explain the barrage of sights, sounds and smells we were experiencing.
Kong also stopped at a lookout high above Ratchaprapha Dam to explain the history of Chow Lan Lake. The lake and Khao Sok National Park are very much related. First rugged isolation and then a band of student rebels (more of this story here) kept logging from decimating the forests. The Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (EGAT), created the lake in 1982 to supply hydroelectric power.
The lake took five years to fill and displaced five villages and many animals. The ecology was protected by creating and protecting Khao Sok National Park along with the building of the dam. The displaced villagers; they are given exclusive rights to operate tours on the lake.
The tours on the lake were special too. Hiking through jungles is hard, but you don’t have to do that at Chow Lan Lake. You can ride in longtail boats through amazing karst formations and next to dense jungles. Previously inaccessible landscapes are opened up to you. We took about an hour detour to explore these sights on the way to Lake Camp.
Even the buses felt like adventure. Doesn’t this look like something we should be storming the beach in? Thanks to the lovely Jenn for posing.
Have you ever tried dragon fruit? It tastes a little like melon. Every morning for breakfast at Elephant Hills there was some dragon fruit available.
Hmm sticky rice and candies. I could go for some mango sticky rice right now. Nothing says Thailand like sticky rice.
You can’t always find egg-sactly what you are looking for at the market. They had little eggs, brown eggs, and even fermented almost hatched eggs. I love making tiny little fried egg platter with the quail eggs.
Look at all these amazing vegetables! The broccoli looks bright and green and I am missing those hot chili peppers already. What a wonderful way to get your groceries.
I can’t tell you how many times I went to the grocery store in San Diego and couldn’t find whole pig heads. Actually I can. Never. I can’t think of a single recipe for whole pig head.
Jenn thought this was just as scary as pig head but I disagree. The fresh fish in Thailand was super yummy. Interesting enough, there was fresh water fish from Cheow Lan Lake at the market that usually isn’t found in Thailand.
I don’t know if we just have a thing for tropical flowers but these look just like something we would buy at the florist back home.
Eco Glamping at Cheow Lan Lake
Our Lake Camp was just as plush and comfortable as the Jungle Camp. Every tent had a bed and even ¾ bathroom. The shower was heated by on-demand propane tanks. The electricity was gathered by rechargeable solar cells and the plumbing flowed out of sight under the floating walkways. Every tent came with its own kayak and you could jump in and swim right out of your front door. Somehow, the meals here were just as diverse, yummy and culturally relevant as the mainland resort.
We had a couple of hours to relax, play and eat lunch before the afternoon activities started. I choose to take a guided jungle trek up a steep trail. The local ranger pointed out spiders, shelf fungus, and exotic trees along the way. My favorite was the sandalwood. He passed around a piece of bark from a fallen branch for us to smell. It smelled like fine incense only fresher.
When we got to the cave, we placed a little offering at the spirit house for the cave spirits and entered the dark beyond. As far as caves go, I was a little disappointed but then again, I have been on real expedition caving before, pushing into the deep unknown where no man has ever walked.
The entry room for the Cheow Lan cave was neat. It was in a west facing bell dome collapse that got afternoon sun. Green algae covered enormous speleothems. We got to see the sunlight streaming in when we exited too.
We passed by a beautiful rimstone dam/calcite waterfall and into the dark zone. This was a huge, borehole passage with a dirt floor. There was more than ample room to walk around which made it easy to avoid the more than ample supply of crickets and spiders living here. We took the time to observe some particularly venomous spiders who made this cave their home. After about five minutes of walking, we reached the end of the line. The huge passage just ended so we turned around walked back out.
The descent down the steep, slippery trail was more fun than the lung busting climb. We actually took a different trail back and exited the forest in a little bay where our boats were waiting. The fading sunlight on the lake was nothing short of magical.
You can tell how deep the lake is by looking at the dam. It’s well over 100 meters deep in spots. I imagined diving down the submerged villages but I don’t think I could make it that deep.
There were other long tail boats out taking tours of the karst. Our boat looked almost exactly like this one.
There was a lot of lake, we toured this small back bay. I don’t know how many other bays there were with their own unique view. This was the closest bay to the boat dock in the deepest section of the lake. I am not sure which aspect was drawing all the guides here.
Everything you need to know about glamping is right here. Comfy bed – check. Special extras – check. Indoor plumbing (you can see the bathroom) – check. Even some kick ass mosquito nets, which weren’t really needed on the lake.
The ribbons on the bow are blessings from Buddhist monks. We bristled with excitement and anticipation as we crossed the lake. We were promised a lake tour and here it comes.
Thirty years ago this was a mountain. Now, it’s a island. This is another karst tower like we were seeing from the river, with a lot higher water.
Our floating camp was far enough off shore to keep us safe and in deep enough water to allow swimming from anywhere on the platform. A lot of the lake had submerged trees lurking just under the water and swimming was strongly discouraged outside of camp.
A huge school of fish were living under the dock. Perhaps they were here to recycle food scraps. Perhaps they were here for our entertainment. Note for the guys, don’t help your fish phobic wife by feeding the fish when she’s taking a GoPro movie.
Ed’s afternoon adventure was the cave and jungle trek. The first obstacle was navigating the crazy dock at the ranger station. I am surprised that nobody fell in.
Kong helped guide too. Here she is showing us some cool fungus. Fungus, spiders, flora, fauna there was so much to see and experience in the jungle.
This is the entry room to the cave. It’s big with big formations but the passage ended quickly. Still, I am claiming caving in Thailand baby.
Our guide didn’t speak much English but he knew the secrets of the jungle. He was also an armed government official in charge of keeping out trespassers. Here he is chopping Sandalwood samples for us to smell. Good smells transcends language.
Outside of the cave was a spirit house. Our guide stopped to pay homage to the cave spirits. Not for us and not for show but because he wanted the good luck and blessings he believed they would provide.
After our hike, we came out on a different trail. Our boats were waiting for us and we got to take the ranger home. I love loop hikes and boat rides.
Glamping means sleeping in nature
Something magical happens as night falls in the forest. Jenn experienced this by taking a twilight kayak trip around camp. We met up at the camp’s dock and immediately rushed for the camera. A still had settled on the lake and the water and the glassy surface reflected a burning sunset.
Sunrise was amazing too. Thick clouds obscured the mountains and invigorated the imagination. There are five families of gibbons that live around the camp. Their shrill call and answer rituals pierced through the morning calm. There is no other sound like it. It sounds like a jungle.
We went on to visit a couple of the gibbon families by kayak. Their aerial prowess astounded us. Even mothers carrying little babies would leap from branches and go sailing 30’ through the air before catching another branch mid-air. I remembered how much I always wanted to be a monkey.
Glamping Naturally Supports Ecotourism
It’s easy for glamping to be green. Tents, the camping part, take less space and energy to build than a hotel and you don’t expect air conditioning. The glamorous part means more than nice bath soap and high thread counts. It means that there is enough funding and professionalism to afford proper animal care, ecological initiatives and support for the local community.
It seems like camping attracts people who really love nature and are searching for an authentic experience. Glamping offers all of the above, but with a side of comfort and luxury that can enchant even the most discerning traveler. Just be careful. After a bed like we had, it will be hard to get excited about a sleeping bag and Thermarest. Best of all, if you do it right, like the team at Elephant Hills have, it can also be green. Glamping is a trend in ecotourism we hope continues to grow and we can wholeheartedly endorse.
This is the view of camp from across the lake. No need to take a long tail. The kayak worked just fine.
The lake was much narrower at camp. It was about a 10 minute paddle across the lake to a series of small bays. Jenn got to explore two or three of these hidden bays.
As Ed was caving, Jenn was kayaking. She took the kayak out from in front of the tent and set off across the lake.
Golden hour was coming for Jenn too. The shadows are getting longer and the reflections more intense.
Glamping means sleeping in nature. This is the view from our front porch at the tent. We had to grab a camera and start shooting.
I promised no more sunsets here but how about sunrises? Different pinks. More clouds. Surprising there was a little blue sky poking through.
Last sunset picture, I promise. The reflections on the water was something special. Also, no mosquitoes. I don’t know if it was the carp eating all the larva;or just another benefit of being 100′ from the shore (and undergrowth). Either way, I’ll take it
Ok, it’s not just an excuse for more sunrise pictures. This looks decidedly different because we focused on the reflections.
What the Blogosphere is saying:
- Alex in Wanderland says “They [Elephant Hills] designed is an interaction that is far more rewarding and respectful than simply sitting on an elephant’s back.”
- E is for Emma says “After some careful research, I came across a few camps that promote ethical elephant experiences, where the animal’s welfare is considered more important than the tourist’s enjoyment.”
- A Cruising Couple says “An incredible ethical encounter with elephant in Thailand“
- Minority Nomad says “Elephant Hills gives guest an opportunity to not only observe, but to interact with Asian elephants in a natural setting.”
- Wanderlust Us says “We soon got used to the simplicity [of Glamping] of living out here, it was refreshing and made us feel so close to all the nature that was surrounding us.”
- Where to Next says ” we watch a documentary about elephants, followed by a dance recital by some local school kids.” (they included pictures of the dance recital and the cooking demonstration too)
- Have you been to Elephant Hills or another elephant encounter, gone glamping or tried Ecotourism? Let us know in the comments below.
We are excited to share our journey with you
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The cicada were going off there for sure. We were super in love with the kayak out the door. Having immediate access to water is pretty special.
There are some places where the elephants aren’t respected for sure. Do you homework ahead of time and put your money (and your memories) with the happy elephants.
The comment thread there is interesting. We actually chimed in about a month ago. When you get it updated we’ll definitely like to know. It sounds like there where a lot of good comments from first hand sources to help promote the ethical treatment of elephants.
Ko Sumai seems like a very small and busy island to have enough space for elephant encounters. Elephant Hills actually provides transportation from Ko Sumai up to their facility in Khao Sok. (same from the Phuket side too). If you’re ever in that neck of the woods again, I would recommend making the trip.
That sounds great, thank you.
These guys really seem to know what they’re doing. For one, I’m so happy that people are finally seeming to come to a higher level of consciousness when it comes to riding magnificent animals. Thanks god. But I’m really loving their dedication to service ecotourists. They’re setting a great model and I hope other organizations continue to follow the same path, especially in Southeast Asia and other third world nations.
We couldn’t agree more. We just have to keep spreading the word so people can make the right choice.
Ah! I’ve always wanted to try glamping, and after reading your post, it definitely confirms that this is something I need to do! (: I also love your portion about ecotourism and how important it is now
You absolutely should try glamping. You get to be in nature and have a comfy bed.
Sustainable tourism is so important! The responsibility for protecting our environment shouldn’t be something that we leave at home.
Elephant Hill looks absolutely stunning, exactly the sort of place I’d like to visit. Not sure about the glamoing though, I’ve been roughing it quite a bit in hostels and on Counchsurfing so this glamourising camping looks like pure luxury!
It is pretty luxurious and probably more expensive that a South American hostel on Christmas but that does provide funds for animal care.
Oh my, that washing the elephant looks so exciting! I am going to have one similar trip to Sumatra, Indonesia next month which will allow me to have close encounter with the Sumatran elephants, too! I am excited! 😀
That should be a lot of fun. Even our couple of hour encounter with these elephants showed us that they have their own unique personalities.
You really should. You can be out, surrounded by nature and still have a comfortable bed and yummy food. I think you might really like it.
That’s a weird feeling to have done something taboo and regrettable. I think you should go a step further and volunteer at an elephant sanctuary for a couple of days. Then, you can feel completely absolved of quilt and know what real interaction can be.
We tell people that we are activity driven travelers. That is to say, we put activities first and build vacations around that. Some times, you need to be in a tent for budget or proximity. Other times, you want a day at a five star hotel to recover (or use their private access to beaches or facilities). Glamping is an interesting combination of the two and it worked quite well here.
Definitely there are corner cases of any trends and you are spot on with the word “platform”. It’s up to us consumers to take the time and double check the ecotourism piece if that is something we care about. That word can get thrown around lightly in some circles.
Glamping is the way to go for me too. I do love the outdoors, don’t get me wrong. But it would be nice to lay down to something comfortable by the end of the day! I do see this trend rising over the years and I am so excited about that.
Agreed, we are in our mid forties. We love the outdoors but sleeping on the ground is starting to loose its appeal.
I cannot stand watching animals suffer. I am very happy that recently a lot of initiatives like this exist. It must have been a very nice experience bathing and feeding the elephants. I would also like to do glamping. I much prefer it to camping.
It was magical interacting with elephants and I would recommend it to anybody (as long as they pick an ethical provider).
Wow, sounds like an incredible experience you guys had! Totally agree with your inputs on Eco-tourism and also makes us super-excited about our first glamping experience when we visit Yellowstone NP in June.
PS: liked the web layout of pictures through a slider with descriptions.
I have heard that Yellowstone is a tough place to visit since a lot of the infrastructure is pretty far from the park. A friend of ours took her RV there and couldn’t stay in the park. As a result, she drove nearly 100 miles a day during her visit. If glamping can get you in the park and in a bed that might be the perfect solution.
Glad you liked the slider too. We are working making our writing accessible on multiple levels since not everybody can grind through a 4000 word post. We hope that the sliders and H2 headers will tell the story if people want a condensed version.
Yeah, true information about Yellowstone. We’re doing the glamping stay on the last night of the trip, which is near the NW entrance and close to WYS airport from where we are flying back- so that works well. Otherwise, we managed to book 04 nights inside the park using nps reservation system months in advance 🙂
That’s awesome. The reservation system favors the planners at the NPS
Thank you for sharing this! <3 It sounds like a truly lovely enlightening and special experience. I've always been an actual hardcore camper, but I think when it comes down to it, glamping is better than a hotel or camping in the wilderness on my own, in areas I am not familiar with. Thank you for supporting elephant right as well. I am inspired to go back to Thailand for this type of experience.
Sleeping on the ground get’s less appealing the I’ve become. If I am backpacking, I much prefer a hammock. However, I’ll take car camping with my car Autohome car top camper with the extra memory foam. And full size pillows too. I can own my middle age soft core camping.
Elephant Hills sounds like a great option for those wanting to get close to elephants. It’s great that places like this have started to become more popular – it’s important the people know the negative effects of riding elephants. And I’m glad the resort is glamping, I’m not much of a traditional camper!
Agreed. It’s a beautiful thing when ethical is cool and people make money doing the right thing.
Glamping has always intrigued me so may need to plan a trip soon! Elephant Hills looks fantastic and I love how detailed you have documented your trip 🙂 Would love to visit a place along the rive like this!
Thank you. We’re glad you liked the detail. It’s always scary when you put out a 4000 word post to think that you’ve added to much but there was just so much to see and do there we felt it suited the material. We’re actually planning a 500 word post in two weeks. We’ll see if we can hit that limit.
I love glamping. I’ve been just twice (once in the US, and once in Slovenia) and found it such an interesting and unique way to spend time in a new place. It’s interesting that both places I went don’t mention (too much) about how sustainable they are. I think I need to be careful of associating ‘glamping’ with ‘ecotourism’ – I could see that these things wouldn’t always bee connected. Plenty of fancy tents, not much to help the environment. But I do love that yours also had the added benefits of WiFi, amazing bed, and NO mosquitoes 🙂
Agreed, you have to always read the fine print when shopping for eco-tours. Everybody makes promises, but not everything is truly helpful. There are generalizations and trends but every organization is different.
I’m so happy that the ethics of elephant tourism are coming to light. Washing an elephant would be so fun. I remember seeing them being scrubbed by their mahouts when I was in Thailand long ago. Thank you for this important post and conscious reporting.
You’re welcome. Thanks for stopping by.
We love glamping, our last experience was in Dinosaur Provincial Park in Alberta, Canada. It is good to see that it is available in other places in the world. The Elephant Hills Safari in Thailand sounds awesome, getting to hang out with elephants would be great! So glad that the organization is ethical in the way treat their elephants. I wish more places recognized that they can be successful without harming these wonderful animals.
The more educated we can be as consumers the more we will for the issue of ethics. When businesses will respond to what we are shopping for.
So much indepth information about ecoglamping and being responsible tourists visiting elephants..everyone should take the time to find places like this! Loved your photos and the very organized manner in which you led us through your experience; it must have been wonderful hand-feeding and being eye-to-eye with the elephants!
It was amazing and scary looking into an elephant’s eye. They are completely gentle but so powerful. Eventually, we settled into the experience but I don’t think we ever scrubbed hard enough for our girl.
Elephant Hills sounds like a lovely glamping experience. Not all glamping options we’ve found have been as environmentally friendly as I’d like them to be so it’s great to hear your experience here. The evening kayaking would be fabulous to try.
Agreed, labels don’t always make a product eco friendly. It’s up to the consumer to do their research so they support the people doing it right.
Wow! Thanks for giving me this idea for a destination! I haven’t been to Elephant Hill but I’ve seen some elephants in the wild in Sabah on Borneo whilst on a river cruise along Kinabatangan River near the town of Sandakan. We stayed at a National Geographic Eco-Lodge there and saw so many unique animals by the river as well as in some of the sanctuaries there.
That Borneo adventure sounds fantastic. I have seen some pretty amazing river cruise options that let you get deep into the wilderness.
I love this! And wish I had read this a week ago. I was just in Thailand and went to Elephant Jungle Sanctuary outside Chiang Mai and loved it. I’d love to stay overnight though, and I think it’s so cool that each elephant has its own mahout there. Elephants are amazing and deserve the best!
There were some nice places around Chiang Mai as well. We didn’t get to hang out overnight with the elephants but we did stay in some amazing places.
I’ve always wanted to go glamping. I would love to sleep in that tent and wake up to the views of mountains and fog. And the elephants!! Don’t get me started on the elephants!
We came for the morning fog and stayed for the elephants…. They’re so cute.
Such a wonderfully informative and engaging post on ecotourism. I must admit, it’s something that I’m becoming a lot more conscious of as a traveller and it just shows from your post, how many amazing experiences you can have and how many interesting ways to travel there are by thinking about your impact on the environment. We all have to share this planet and it’s nice to know in a small way you can make a difference <3
Travel is becoming a major source of income for developing nations. I really believe that eco tourism can be a significant source of good in the world.
Excellent post! I’ve worked with the Elephant Nature Park foundation in Surin, Thailand and Cambodia, but I haven’t heard of Elephant Hills. I’m definitely going to check them out the next time I’m in the area! I LOVE the idea of glamping and am bookmarking this article for my next Thai trip! Also, great photos!
If you’re thinking about returning to Thailand you should definitely enter the giveaway for January 15. It’s the Elephant Hills trip we wrote about, for two people, for free. Somebody is going to win it and it’s something to anchor a trip around for sure.
Glad you liked the photos.
Wow.. Never even heard of glamping! thanks for the info!
I love everything about this, and totally want to visit Elephant Hills. I’ve never been into camping but I am all about glamping, which we did in Africa, and am so happy that this is actually considered eco-tourism.
I just love this! Ecotourism is so important to me, so I’m glad that not only did they treat elephants well, but they really work on minimizing their impact of the lodge.
This looks like my kind of travel! Glamping is the only way I have camped, I definitely enjoyed it. I definitely need to check this out more, I love elephants. I would love to check this out for the elephants!
Elephants are really as cute as they look. We just got back from elephant safari in Sri Lanka and it was breathtaking being surronded by hundreds of elephants in the wild. Really, one of our favorite animals.
What a wonderful informative post! We have always wanted to go to Thailand but haven’t been able to yet. We are DEFINITELY looking up Elephant Hills when we go! I am a hiker and a camper and this looks like it would be exactly my cup of tea. It is really important to support organizations that give directly back to the community and act in an ethical manner. Thanks for sharing this! It was a fantastic read!
If you’re even thinking about going to Thailand you should enter the giveaway on our site for Elephant Hills. Entry is free and the giveaway occurs January 15. It’s something that you could anchor your trip around if you win.
Hiking, and kayaking, & Elephants OH MY! I love this adventure though I have to admit I am not a fan of the concept of Glamping. I mean I appreciate it getting certain people outdoors who normally wouldnt go but I think the luxuries are just not my idea of camping. Perhaps you just have to sell it to me differently like an outdoor Swiss Family Robinson Resort adventure!
I think the important principle of camping is what it enables. It allows you to go places that otherwise might not be accessible. Sleeping in a tent in your backyard instead of your warm cozy bed doesn’t really enable new adventures like packing a tent into the back country. Glamping was a combination of the two. The tents could be built onto the lake or tucked into natural jungle but you still had a comfy bed. It’s not the same as backpacking in the wilderness for sure but it’s a unique trip in its own right,
Reading this post I have realized that without my knowledge I was practicing ecotourism on my recent solo trip.Will continue to follow such as practices hereafter
My kids had the same observations about my minimalist (re:cheap) lifestyle. Because I was avoiding excess whenever possible, I also avoided waste and consumption. Things have a way of all working together in the end.
It’s nice to hear about glamping in Thailand. I went glamping in Slovenia and it was absolutely amazing. There is definitely a huge rise in ecotourism and I can see it becoming even more popular in the coming years!
Glamping in Slovenia sounds like it could be incredible. That is a beautiful part of the world with a lot to offer.
This is the kind of Thai adventure I would love. The glamps at Jungle Camp and Cheow Lan Lake offer a comfortable stay while highlighting their natural environments and the elephants at elephant hills look well cared for.
We thought the just might be the happiest elephants in all of Thailand. It felt great spending our money with an ethical company.
Elephant Hills sounds incredible! I would be in heaven spending time with them, and the landscape is gorgeous. Thanks for sharing this
You’re welcome. Glad you liked the photos.
Glamping is so much fun and ecotourism is so important. When I make it back to Thailand, I’m definitely going to check this place out! It’s such an amazing feeling to wake up to elephants too – I did that in Surin, Thailand.
It’s always good to be spending your tourism money to be part of the solution and not part of the problem. We live in an information age and I can see no reason that unethical operations should stay afloat.
I can’t tell you how much this post made me miss Thailand. I really liked how you stressed the eco side of the experience, which was a big deal for me too when I was looking for tours there. I can’t believe I’ve actually never been glamping like this, and I’m so jealous. Also of that amazing day kayaking on the river. Such beautiful landscape. I’ll be certain to look up Elephant Hills when I return to Thailand next year.
You should enter our giveaway for the three night, two days at Elephant Hills. You would love it there. Entries are free but you need to register by January 15th. If you’re heading back to Thailand, this could be just the thing to anchor your trip around.
What a great sanctuary! I don’t even want to think about the elephant videos, so heartbreaking. This is definitely the best way to interact with them, and thank you for turning us on to a reputable place! Also, I can’t think of a single recipe for a whole pig’s head either haha 🙂
We had so much more fun washing an elephant and feeding her than we every could have had riding one. The connection you make looking into their eyes can’t be replicated.
I have been reading up so much about glamping recently. Good to know that you enjoyed the experience. The sunset shots are spectacular! I’m so glad to hear that there were no mosquitos. That is my biggest fear since I had malaria last month 🙁 I will keep Elephant hills in mind if I decide to go glamping
Wow, sorry to hear about the malaria. I hear that can be very challenging. We are hoping for your speedy and full recovery.
Glamping is perfect for me as I like a mix of adventure with some comforts so this would be a really cool way to see Khao Sok – which is really high on my list of places to visit in Thailand! Awesome post and thanks for sharing! Ecotourism is a super important issue to bring up!
If you really want to go to Khao Sok, you should enter the give away we are having. We have partnered with Elephant Hills to give away the exact experience we wrote about in our piece. Entries are do by January 15 so hope you can make it back.
Big fan of glamping experiences right here! I like that it gives people a chance to connect with nature without having to sacrifice on the luxuries you usually do with camping. I feel like this new wave of glamping can highlight the importance of ecotourism to every type of traveler.
Elephant Hills sounds like an incredible safari – it seems really difficult to find an ethical tour operator offering elephant experiences in Thailand these days, so I’m glad to hear about places that do exist! So glad that they don’t promote elephant riding, but still allow you to really connect with them. The views of the rainforest from your tent are incredible.
You’ve found some incredible glamping spots here – I also hope it’s a trend which is here to stay!
Elephant Hills rocks. It’s amazing how many people just assume you should go riding elephants. It’s a good topic to spread awareness.
Glad you liked the pictures.
We were almost glamping…RVing fulltime for 8 years. It is the closest we ever got to nature. Hopefully, we had minimal impact to the land and the wildlife. I agree real glamping is the way to go to promote ecotourism.
RVing looks pretty cool too. It seems like you are having some cool adventures.
I want to make an effort to get more involved with eco-tourism next year. It’s such a positive way to travel. I’ve never been glamping, but this looks like such a genuinely authentic experience! I’m dying to get to Thailand and visit Elephant hills.
Great post!
Christina
Hopefully you signed up for the give away we have going on for a two people to experience the Elephant Hills adventure we wrote about. If you, you still have time to enter before January 15.
Wow, this is a perfect way to travel, I like the idea that eco tourism means more for the environment and the local people but actually also so much more for the traveller too, a richer and more meaningful experience. I’ve never thought of Glamping in this way but not it makes perfect sense.
It’s a win-win-win for everybody involved. We love eco tourism.
So now I not only want to go glamping because of how fun it looks but because it is in line with ecotourism too! What a great way to get out in nature and experience everything it has to offer. I would love to get that up close and personal with elephants. This is SO going on my future travel list!!
If glamping with elephants is on your future travel list, I hope that you signed up for the giveaway on our site. We are giving away this exact experience to some lucky couple on January 15. It could be you.
I’ve never been glamping and the first thing I thought before reading was *mosquitos in Thailand.* Glad you mentioned it’s not an issue. I’m in Thailand now, and this would be so great to experience! We got to spend time with elephants only a few weeks ago-where the elephants also belonged to a Mahout with no harm and we loved it! So this sounds like a great option for us to explore while we are here! 🙂
Hmm. Mosquitoes were pretty vicious all throughout Khoa Sok. Everyplace we stayed in town had a net you put over your bed which was really needed. The glamping tents had good enough netting that it kept the bugs out and the lake camp was bug free because it was far enough out onto the lake. Still, those buggers were nasty so I don’t want to understate that.
This is the kind of camping I could do- electricity and indoor plumbing! Your photos of the elephants are great – they look like they are enjoying themselves. It must have been so cool to see them in this kind of a natural environment!
Camping is better with indoor plumbing and a comfortable bed. I love sleeping out in nature. It’s just the like that with a little more style.
This ticks so many boxes for me. Eco-tourism, elephants, glamping out, kayaking and doing it all knowing the impact on the environment is minimal. I’m definitely looking further into Elephant Hills for 2018. Pinned to jog my memory. Thanks for sharing!
You should definitely sign up for the give-away on the site for a free trip for two to Elephant Hills. You will love it. Enter before Jan 15.
Okay, you two . . . I want to go now!! I thoroughly enjoyed your article, and loved reading about your whole experience. I would really like to walk in your shoes and take this trip — looks to be right up my alley, from the glamping to elephant washing to kayaking on that beautiful like. I haven’t been to Thailand, and your experience here is so much more appealing to me than many of the trips I’ve read about — will definitely be emailing you. Loved your pictures! From the beasties, to the market, to the karst formations — and the sunrises on the lake — really breathtaking :-).
Hopefully you signed up for the give away. January 15. You would absolutely love the trip.
Looks and sounds like an awesome experience! Beautiful views of the lush green terrain and the up close and personal experience with the ellies! We are also craving some mango sticky rice – we couldn’t get enough of it when we were Thailand!
It was legit. I could really go for some mango sticky rice right now too.
I must admit I am a little sceptical about any type of elephant tourism. That being said, It does look like a wonderful place to stay. I have never been glamping…. but have been camping a lot… in fact lived in a tent for a year when i travelled around Australia. I think now that I am little older glamping sounds perfect!
It’s good to be skeptical about elephant tourism. There are a lot of companies (and traditions) that just aren’t ethical. From our first hand experience, Elephant Hills was exemplary. Living in a tent for a year sounds like commitment to the cause. I could see myself enjoying that immensely as a kid, but like you, glamping sounds pretty nice too these days.
Elephant tourism is always a bit tricky when you are an animal lover. It’s nice to see that Thailand has such a place where they seem to respect the elephants. I have been to various places in Thailand and every single time the so-called mahouts were using these awful sharp hooks to control the elephants, to the point of making them bleed. I have engaged in some elephant tourism in Laos and it seemed a little more respectful to the animals, as there was no hook and they let the elephants sleep in the forest at night. And I must admit that bathing with elephants in the Mekong River, twice… will remain an incredible memory. In any case, thanks for making me discover this gorgeous region of Thailand that I haven’t visited, and that glamping concept is pretty cool!
It is so cute how much elephants love water. Joy in its purist form. Not every place in Thailand is ethical so make sure you do your homework. Elephant hills did a great job and has all kinds of awards to show for it.
Really it was a wonderful experience! They looks is great. Really it was so amazing article. Thanks for sharing your information.