One of the main touristy things to do in Chiang Mai is to visit an elephant sanctuary! There are a gazillion elephant excursions to pick from in Chiang Mai. We chose our excursion based on the sanctuary that involved NO RIDING (we learned that it is inhumane, and that riding them does actually hurt and exhaust them, giving tourists hour rides from the early morning to the evening. We also learned that the training it takes to “break” them in to have riders is abusive). We also liked how the property was up a mountain range and allowed the elephants to roam freely, not chained to a pole. The day package also included a hike and swim at a waterfall, as well as 45 minutes of white water rafting!!! We were so pumped!!!!
We were picked up in a red taxi (looked like a pick up truck with a covered back). It was so cool to drive like this, but the fumes from the exhaust were horrendous. As one girl from Germany described, it felt like our lungs were being poisoned. It was awful!
Our Taxi!
The view on the drive up was amazing. We picked up our tour guide on the way and he introduced himself as Daemon. He was so funny right from the beginning! He kept saying “You are on holiday and so you have big smiles all day” and he had the biggest smile!
Daemon holding elephant poo and making fun of people who buy “poo poo paper!“
The jungle was unreal to see! Such a refreshing sight from the city. There were houses built throughout the jungle made entirely of bamboo and banana leaves. It was interesting to see how people on the mountain lived. We got to our stop two hours later and were told the first thing we were going to do was the hike to the waterfall. We got bug spray on and grabbed a bamboo hiking stick to help us walk! Daemon was pulling these small ball and stick things out of the bushes and throwing them at people. It was like a burr so it would stick to your clothing. In some cases he would throw it at someone and then point at your shirt and say “SPIDER SPIDER!!!” And watch people freak out. He laughed so hard.
Daemon grabbed two big knives and strapped them to his waist. I asked him what they were for and he said for making us gifts along the way. The bamboo walking stick was for spiders and snakes… and then we were nervous…what were we in for!? Daemon then threw his bamboo stick into a tree and out falls what looks like an oversized soybean. He broke it in half and told us to smell it. He said it was tamarind; a sweet or sour fruit depending on the time of year. He bit it to taste it and told us it was sweet. We each tried a bite, and right when my tongue touched it I knew immediately that this was a SOUR one! Daemon laughed again!
We started the hike and right away Daemon was jumping off the path and into the jungle, cutting huge leaves from various plants. Throughout our walk he would come to make a different looking leaf hat for each of us!
While in the jungle, one of the most interesting plants we saw was a plant Daemon called “Touch me nots” or more scientifically known as Mimosa pudica. The fascinating thing about this plant, is that when you touch it, it wilts! It wilts right in front of your face! It reminded me of the Harry Potter movies when the dementors would float near a flower and it would instantly wilt and close up. These fern like plants did the same thing. It was crazy to see. Apparently, it is a protection mechanism against herbivores and will eventually open up again when it is not being disturbed.
Not your average jungle hike!
During our walk, Daemon pulled a spider out of a web and told us that it wasn’t poisonous, but there are certain ones that are. He held it in his hand for a bit but I was in the back so I only saw the legs, it wasn’t a very big one —I was dreading tarantulas! — We kept walking and then he stopped us to show us a beautiful yellow and black spider. He said that these were poisonous and if you were bit by one you should not fall asleep because if you do, you will die in 30 minutes. They are called Golden Orb Web Spiders. After he pointed this one out, I started to see a lot more around me… ahhhhh!!! (I trusted his knowledge and guidance throughout our journey in the jungle as he had also been bit by a cobra —bite marks on his leg to prove it— and spent 3 months in the hospital!!! CRAZY!!!! Ryan was now on the lookout! 😀 ).
Golden Orb Web Spider
After a LONG and extremely HOT hike we made it to the waterfall and couldn’t wait to get in! The water looked so refreshing! Lucky for us, everyone in a huge group had just left the waterfall so our small group had it all to ourselves!
Refreshing dip at the waterfall!
Group photo at the waterfall!
On our way back Daemon found some sort of berry that he squished in between his fingers and started drawing on our cheeks like war paint. Ryan looked like a warrior and I looked like a cat. Daemon just laughed and had fun colouring on our faces!
Ryan becoming a warrior!
View on our walk back…what a lush jungle!
Next on the agenda was white water rafting! Our guides name was Jojo. He gave us instructions on what to do when he would yell certain commands. When he yelled stop, we had to have the oars up and hold on! He said if he yelled “GET DOWN” that meant jump inside the boat and hold on TIGHT!! He showed us positioning for our feet and how to wedge them under the seat in front of us. We were both so excited! We had never done anything like this before! We walked our raft down to the river and off we went!
There was no time to relax. Moments after we started, the rapids were right in front of us! Water came crashing into the boat and IT WAS SO COLD! We had a break and we were able to catch our breath and see the wilderness around us… and boy did we ever! There were elephants in the water and on the shore! We were rafting beside ELEPHANTS IN THE WATER! IT WAS SO AMAZING! We couldn’t believe what we were seeing!
The last and most awesome rapids happened at the end. We were on our way into them when Jojo yells “GET DOWN!!!!!!!!!” We all jump into the boat and we went front end into the rapids except we must have hit something because the boat literally pinched in half! It was like one of those old beds that fold up. It was the strangest thing and we didn’t really know what was going on.
I got hit in the head from Ryan and the guy behind me at the same time and then I looked back at Jojo and he is fully extended leaning off the raft holding on by his feet. It was so insane and in seconds it was over and we were out. It was crazy awesome and afterwards were all like, “what just happened?!” It was blast and Ryan and I both want to do it again!!!!
Group Photo after we survived the rapids!
We had pad thai for lunch and pineapple for dessert! Daemon cut up some sugar cane for us to try! People in Thailand put it through a press and squeeze the juice out of the cane. It had a mildly sweet taste!
Daemon cutting sugar cane for us to try!
After a delicious Thai lunch we got to see the elephants! They were on their way down to the water where we would get to bathe them. Watching them walk was incredible. They were so big and slow but strong and powerful. You could hear the weight in their step. It was incredible. The one male elephant Daemon told us, was shot with a pellet gun in his eyes, which blinded him. The elephant has learned to follow by voice and is very trusting of the sanctuary staff. It was really hard to hear this story, and even harder to look at his damaged eyes. It is beautiful that these elephant sanctuaries are taking in abused elephants and caring for them. We really appreciated that.
Bath Time!
We watched the two elephants go into the water and once the trainers had them laying down we were able to go in and wash and scrub them. It was amazing! Their skin was so tough. You could feel the little hairs on their trucks and back. Daemon had cut off some special bark from a tree for us to use as a scrub for the elephants. They enjoyed this a lot. We also got to see them drink the water using their trunks which was super cool!
After only a short time the elephants were showing that they wanted out, so we followed them up the hill and back to their elephant hut. Lunch time!
So magestic!
Feeding them was so cool! Daemon gave us each a stick of sugar cane to feed them. They love sugar cane! It’s like their sweet treat! I immediately was drawn to the male elephant who was blind. I felt so sad and heart-broken for him. I put the sugar cane right by his mouth and he accepted it without hesitation! The crunch of his jaws on the sugar cane was INCREDIBLE to hear!
After feeding the elephants and taking some pretty awesome photos, it was time to say goodbye and start our journey back to our hostel. What a great day we had and would do it all over again!
Our last group photo!
Here is a recap of our day! Enjoy!
Carpe Vitae 
soooooo cool!!!!
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Right?! You should try white water rafting mom! You’d like it!
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