Khao Sok Ethical Elephant Experience with commuity lunch from Khao Lak

This morning you will be collected from your Khao Lak hotel After breakfast and transfer to visit the first ethical and community-based Elephant Experience in Khao Sok for an opportunity to feed and bathe an elephant rescued from a former trekking camp, having worked long days carrying tourists in harsh conditions.

This intimate experience (only 12 visitors allowed per day) is ideal for guests who want to avoid the masses, larger camps and instead learn about the elephant's story as well as a chance to interact on a more personal level.

Guests will get the chance to meet the mahout (elephant trainer) and his family, as well as prepare the elephant's food consisting of; fruits, vegetables and handmade sticky rice medicine pies, and bathe the elephant in his "Mud Spa" whilst scrubbing him down with an organically made "coconut elephant loofah". The experience ends with guests planting sugar cane for the elephant and his friends to eat in the future.

By participating in this program, guests are helping to fund the rescue of more abused elephants and helping to send a clear message that these majestic creatures must not be exploited.

Then after waving goodbye to Giant friend, you'll be driven to a local hamlet reached via a picturesque hanging bridge that overlooks the Saeng River. Here there is a small collection of traditional Thai wooden houses set in the jungle surrounded by different fruit orchards. The area is home to a local community who are working together to protect the stunning environment that they live in (much of the proceeds of the tour go to them). You will be given a tour of the orchards (it's great fun to see which fruit you recognise!) and then you will sit down with your hosts to enjoy a typical Southern Thai lunch with the local community. After saying good bye, you will transfer back to your hotel.