Jungle Trekking & Elephant Baths in Chiang Mai
3 Day Jungle Trek:
At this point of my trip, I had already stepped so far outside my comfort zone, that hiking up and down a mountain into a small Thai village where the people have their own dialect, rescue elephants roam the premises and where I’d be sleeping in an open-air ‘cabin’ with 20+ people, was nothing out of the ordinary.
The hike was tiring but rewarding. We arrived at a small village, in the lush greenery at the base of the mountain. We were warmly welcomed by the locals and their adorable children. The smiles say it all. When you don’t know how to speak a single word in another person’s language, a smile can go a long way.
We spent the afternoon feeding the elephants bananas, bathing the elephants in the river, leading them back into the wilderness, followed by a home cooked Thai dinner, live acoustic guitar music beneath the stars, singing happy birthday for one of the sweet young girls in the village and passing out to the noise of frogs and other critters outdoors.
It is hard to write about this experience and do it any sort of justice. Pictures do the best job. It was an unforgettable, unbelievable memory that I will forever cherish. I spent 3-day 100% disconnected with the world; no internet, no ‘wifi’, no running hot water. Instead it was pure simplicity; taking in this world’s beauty, spending quality time with new friends, enjoying evenings under the stars with no distractions and grasping to take every second of it in.
Thank you Free and Easy Traveler + our tour leaders for a complete dream experience, with no-stress and the very best company.
