Elephants

A childhood dream come true...for Karine anyways!

We spent 3 days at an elephant farm on the outskirts of Louang Prabang. We had plenty of time to observe, ride, feed and bath them. This experience was indescribable... and magical! It's hard to believe, without pinching yourself, that you are actually riding an elephant in the jungle when you are living it... so recounting it makes it seem all the more unbelievable!

The farm per say is not a large elephant farm but rather a family home where they own 4 female elephants. 2 mahouts look after them on a full time basis. One of the 4 elephants was absent, as she was vacationing for 3 months in the jungle with wild elephants in the hopes of successful reproduction ;)

Context and animal welfare

In the past, elephants were used in Loas for working purposes, primairily heaving lifting chores. This is something that is not looked upon positively in our modern times. Elephants in the wild still exist in Laos, however they are under real threat from poachers. Their numbers are truely endangered with only a hundred are so according to the last head count available. 
The dilema between keeping elephants in the wild versus domesticating elephants that should not be used as working elephants and therfore used for the tourist industry is one that is present. Animal welfare activists obviously advise against any tourist activities that involve mounting, touching or feeding the animals. On the other hand, how much are tourists willing to pay just to see the elephants and not interact with them? The balance between an ideal world and reality is not that simple. If they are left in the wild, they are in danger of  poachers. Domesticated, they come with a cost to their Mahouts that have 2 options, use them for the tourist industry or use them as working elephants. What is best for them in the end? Obviously, the tourist option  is not necessarily the best option, depending on the owners. Some Elephant farms do mistreat the animals if not only by overfeeding them foods they would not naturally eat and therefore causing obesity, or diabetes or number of other illnesses not present in wild elephants. Physical mistreatment can also be observed in some places.
We opted to go the tourist way after some debat on the question, and we did not regret it for 1 second!

Since we spent 3 full days with them, we were able to witness their daily activities but first and foremost we saw that the relationship between elephant and these Mahouts is quite impressive!
We could tell that the Mahouts really cared and adored their pachyderms! They are here treated as family members. The mahouts know everything about each one of their 4 elephants: their individual personalities, the likes and dislikes, etc. They do not encourage mass tourism on their farm and are convinced that the rate at which they do allow tourists to mount and encounter with them is no different for them than carrying around an ant or 2.
What also impressed us, honestly, was to see how agile and comfortable they are handling them... they jump from one elephant to the other as they are on the move, wearing old flip flops, as if it was all the more natural.

A day in the elephants life here is quite relaxed. The mahouts retrieve them from the forest in the morning and make their way to the farm. They spend the day here, quietly in the shade. Tourists come and go (individuals or small groups). During this time, they will ride the elephants for  about 30 minutes in the jungle. At the most, 2 tourists at a time mount the elephants, and they do so directly in the neck of the animal. We only saw them go out for a maximum of 2 walks in the morning and 1 in the afternoon. They are brought to the river where they can drink and take a bath in the morning and again in the afternoon.

During the day, they are also fed reasonable amount of  treats: bananas, sugar cane, banana tree trunks, etc.

They are extremely agile with their trunk! It is strong, yet delicate and meticulous. (this was obviously before COVID-19, and for those who might worry.. all is good, none of them were coughing!)

Finally, they make their way back to the jungle late afternoon where they will spend the night. During this time, one would think they sleep, but they actually eat most of the time sleeping an hour or so at the most. So you see, they have pretty peaceful days and are far from being overworked ;)

On their way back to the jungle for the night

Not many people spend as much time as we did with them, so we had many privileges including close encounters whenever we wanted during this time. We did ride them often as we were permitted to mount them as they waddled about the property feeding here and there, and also to and from the jungle morning and night. 

We were also allowed to mount them as they made their way to the river for drinking and bathing and yes we got to bath with them everyday!

It was surreal to be so close to them and most of the time it was just our family with the mahouts and elephants, no ne else!

The first evening, after accompanying the elephants back to the jungle, we spent our time cooking with the family and enjoying each others company. We slept in a small guest house right there on the property.
The second night was... well let's say different. Mid afternoon, we left on a small boat up the river and transferred onto a bamboo raft on which we drifted for a while. Scenery was gorgeous and kids swam along side as they pleased. We finally set foot in a small village on the opposite riverside. After a swift walk through the village we arrived at destination. Let's just say that it was not what we expected when they told us we would sleep in a bamboo house in the village! This place was just outside the village and was composed of very (now I mean really!) basic accommodations: an outdoor "kitchen", a bamboo house made of a bamboo floor on stilts and a bamboo roof... now: who needs walls right! And a bamboo floor should be comfortable enough.. who said we need a mattress? Hey we had the luxury of a mosquito net so all is great! Ok so not the most comfortable night but a night we will remember none the less :)

Kitchen in the forefront, bamboo house in the back with the nice pointy roof ;)

Just after supper, which was actually really tasty, we set out to explore the village. Small village of more or less 35 families. People where joyful and happy to see us there. Many smiles and hellos! Here, hello is "sabaidee" and it is said in a signing kind of way, it's uplifting just to say it :)
Alex got caught.. litterally, by the village men. He had no choice but to stop and share some Loas whiskey (home made, undertermined % of alcohol) with them. 1 shooter here, and another shooter there... they would let him go!! I had to tug him out of that one!!! No words were exchanged but great smiles and laughter.. it was a delicious moment (says the one who didn't actually drink the potion!)