Mae Boutong the Asian Elephant, Chiang Mai

Today me and Isabella took a trip to visit Patara Elephant Farm. At Patara they rescue elephants from unsuitable living conditions and owners who mistreat them, and bring them back to full health. The local farmers grow crops and food, which is bought by Patara Farm using the money from tourists and is then fed to the elephants... they eat 10% of their body weight every day!

The program we took was called 'An Elephant Owner For They Day' where you learn everything about looking after an elephant. We learnt how to tell an elephants mood, learnt to wash and clean them and to feed them.

First of all we were given traditional clothing made by the wives and daughters of the farmers, so that all visitors approaching the elephants are always wearing the same clothing. At this point we were introduced to our elephants trainer Sawas and our elephant  for the day Mae Boutong. She was a 28 year old female asian elephant and 3 months pregnant! To make sure we would get on OK with Mae Boutong and that she would like us we had to go and feed her and se if she would accept taking food from us, which she did no problem. I was pretty nervous at first putting my hands near an elephants mouth, but you get used to it quite quickly and soon enough our hands were covered with elephant slobber!

Patara Elephant Farm, Chiang Mai

Patara Elephant Farm, Chiang Mai

Patara Elephant Farm, Chiang Mai

Mae Boutong, Patara Elephant Farm, Chiang Mai

Sawas & Mae Boutong, Patara Elephant Farm, Chiang Mai

Pat, Owner of Patara Elephant Farm

Next we had to get Mae Boutong to lie down so we could brush the big bits of dirt before taking her down to the river for a wash. This was so there was no grit on her back as we would be riding her bare back for the morning, and grit can cause damage to the elephants skin.

Patara Elephant Farm, Chiang Mai

Patara Elephant Farm, Chiang Mai

Patara Elephant Farm

Pat the owner then taught us several ways to get on top of Mae Boutong, from the front leg, up the trunk or get her to lie down and climb up her back. We opted for the front leg as it seemed the quickest option. As well as teaching us the words to use to control the elephant and they respond to your voice... which he wrote down on our arms in case we forgot them!

Patara Elephant Farm, Chiang Mai

When we reached the waterfall, we were given a traditional Thai lunch including sticky rice with coconut and egg mustard wrapped in banana leaves, fried bananas, more sticky rice and chicken. It was all layed out on banana leaves on rocks, then any left overs we gave to Mae Boutong (apart form the chicken obivously).

Patara Elephant Farm

Mae Boutong, Patara Elephant Farm

Izzy feeding Mae Boutong, Patara Elephant Farm

Patara Elephant Farm

At this point we were able to slide down the waterfall into the water to play with the elephants, who were already and loving clearly loving splashing around.

Patara Elephant Farm

Patara Elephant Farm

Patara Elephant Farm

We headed back to the Farm for a quick break and the last part of the day... A ride through the valley past the farmers and their crops to a temple. We were taught a more advanced way to sit on a elephant, you climb up the trunk and sit on the neck with your feet out in front.

Patara Elephant Farm

Outside the temple we were able to buy bananas from local farmers to feed the elephants we had been riding.

Patara Elephant Farm

Patara Elephant Farm

Patara Elephant Farm