Chiang Mai Day 2 - the day I was waiting for!

Finally we visited a place that was one of my main goals and expectations of the trip to Thailand. In the Baanchang Elephants Paradise Resort we took part in a day-long training of elephants. It is important for me to mention that all the elephants in the resort were rescued from places where they were often exploited and abused. After a long training these beautiful animals become calm, relaxed and playful and its amazing to see with your own eyes how different and unique personalities each of them has and feel on your skin that just like with people, with some of them you feel the connection and 'chemistry' and with some you just don't.

There are few introduction words taken from their website Baanchang Elephant Park  :

'We are AGAINST the practice of separating baby elephants from their mother.  However, it is our policy to accept and provide care for orphaned baby elephants.  Sadly, babies are often orphaned as the cruel result of commercial exploitation (such as a practice known as "elephant begging") and mistreatment.  Fortunately, at present, all of the babies in our park have NOT been separated from their mother.
The location of our park was chosen to provide a natural habitat.  We are also AGAINST the practice of elephant painting and the training of elephants to dance and to sit or stand on two legs. We consider these practices unnatural and abusive.  Our goal is to teach visitors about the importance elephant preservation and proper eating, sleeping, bathing, and exercising methods.  One method of providing exercise for our elephants and a learning experience for our visitors is to allow visitors, to a limited extent, to ride elephants "bareback." '

Before meeting the elephants (still clean)

 Stage 1: Feeding

Stage 2: Riding

If anyone has doubts what it is, it's a HEAD of an elephant (not a hairy bottom), and a view from being on top

Our elephant didn't really care she carries extra luggage on top and freely enjoyed a mud bath and mud spraying all over us

Stage 3: Bathing

I highly recommend to visit this place if it happens that you are in Chiang Mai. It was a pure pleasure to put money for this park and these lovely people who are working and caring for elephants there.