1. From Phuket: Elephant Sanctuary Tour with Waterfall & Lunch
Observe free-roaming elephants in a safe environment on a tour from Phuket that includes hotel transfers, an on-site photographer, and a Thai lunch. Meet an elephant and kwan-chang (elephant handler), and bathe and feed the gentle giants. Upon arrival at the wildlife sanctuary, meet your guide and learn a little about the elephants as you take a walk through the forest. Touch, feed, photograph, and interact with these majestic animals while learning about their behavior. Receive bananas and sugarcane to give them a sweet treat. Then, accompany the elephants to a nearby mud spa. Go knees-deep into the mud to apply a healthy cosmetic mud treatment to their skin. Next, walk with the elephants to a nearby river and join them in the water for a refreshing bath. Take a swim and help brush the elephants as they play in the river. After bathing the elephants and taking some final photos with them, it is time to part ways with your friends. Take a shower, change into dry clothes and savor a freshly-cooked, traditional Thai lunch with seasonal fresh fruits, tea, and coffee. You can also join a Thai cooking demonstration and see how a signature stir-fry dish, and som tam (papaya salad) are prepared. Later, end the tour with hotel drop-off.