Saving the Elephants of Angkor at Kulen Elephant Sanctuary
In the foothills of the sacred Kulen Mountain, lies 1100 acres of protected forest inhabited by 14 elephants of Angkor. For 22 years, these elephants were forced to give rides to visitors in the temples of the UNESCO World Heritage Site. Today, they roam free in their natural habitat and are living testimony of a changing world.
The mission of Kulen Elephant Forest is to provide the resident elephants with a happy and comfortable retirement, but also to offer a fun, educational approach to elephant conservation and contribute to preserving Cambodia’s remaining elephant population and their natural habitat. In the forest, they can finally roam free and unburdened, rediscover relationships and natural food, and receive the best care available.
This unique conservation experience is available all year round as a half-day or full-day excursion from Siem Reap, offering guests the chance to immerse themselves in the daily life of the elephants. Spend time observing them as they enjoy their natural surroundings, walk alongside them into the forest, and witness how they choose to spend their time.
With 75 remaining captive elephants in Cambodia, the protection of these gentle giants is more critical than ever. A visit to the Kulen Elephant Forest will not only help the elephants of Angkor but all elephants in Cambodia through the KEF’s longer-term objectives.
Timber Elephant Conservation in Colonial Katha
Lying on the west side of the Irrawaddy River, the enchanting colonial town of Katha is best-known as the setting for George Orwell’s Burmese Days as well as the final resting place of over a hundred flotilla after they were scuppered in 1942. From Katha, join the exclusive conservation trip with conservationist Aung Myo Chit and his team who enable positive social and environmental impact in fragile environments.
Situated in northern Myanmar’s Sagaing Region, this programme is specifically designed to improve the well-being of one of the country’s most vulnerable timber elephant populations, their mahouts and extended families, and the remnant hardwood forests they inhabit. Explore an ancient aspect of the mahout-elephant relationship, take part in the elephants’ daily bathing routine, and trek with elephants through the forest to the next camp – Village Camp – for an overnight stay. Loosely modelled on a traditional Burmese village, Village Camp is situated around a natural creek and occupies a clearing amid hardwood forests with panoramic views of forested hills.
This trip can be arranged as an extension of our Mandalay 5D/4N programme and is recommended for a group of minimum 4 pax to maximum 10 pax.