02/12/2023 Chiang Mai Trekking II: Bamboo River Rafting and Elephants in Chiang Mai, Thailand

For the mistake of not packing a sweatshirt or any warm layers, the night punished me with its brisk mountain air. Despite having 5 blankets, it was a cold and tough night to sleep through. Everyone else in the group had their partner to cling onto for warmth and didn’t seem to be as cold. Regardless, the village dogs were barking and roosters were crowing at first light. Thankfully, our guide Dino had breakfast, coffee, and a fire prepared for our group upon our early waking. What a guy!

After breakfast, we packed our belongings then continued our journey and took a trip hiking through mountains to the river. Upon arrival to the river, Dino spoke to a local villager who was finishing building the bamboo raft we would be taking to a different village where we would have lunch. Once finished, our group boarded the bamboo raft, and Dino equipped Joseph and I with long bamboo poles to help steer the middle and back of the raft while Dino would steer from the front. This bamboo rafting ride is probably my favorite part of the whole trekking adventure. We spent the next 2.5 hours floating the river and passing by many villages, dogs, dancing butterflies, and cattle. I use the word “float” loosely, because while the buoyancy of our bamboo raft was immense, this wasn’t just a simple joy ride down the river. There were about a dozen rapids we had to work through, with Dino actively having to yell instructions to the two steerers in the back. We got stuck temporarily a handful of times. I have been white water rafting before and consider myself the adventurous type and a thrill-seeker, so I was pleasantly surprised by the degree of difficulty and teamwork required to make way down the river.

After we arrived to our destination village and enjoyed a filling Pad Thai lunch, we took a TukTuk to Boonlert Elephant Camp. Dino gave us some valuable information regarding the history and ethics of elephant camps and reservations in Thailand. It’s common knowledge that places where elephant riding is permissible are likely not treating the elephants as they should be. Thankfully, the camp we went to belonged to the Elephant Pride Group, supported by Elephant Nature Park, an esteemed, validated, and reputable Nature Park near Chiang Mai. From the questions we asked and what we were told by Dino, we felt comfortable with the treatment of the elephants here. Unlike the name of a popular American band, there is no cage the elephant going on here. Each day after the camp closes, bells are attached to the elephants, who then roam freely in the surrounding wild until the owner finds and returns them to camp the next day.

At the Elephant Camp, we had 3 different elephants for our group to spend time with. After feeding and petting the elephants, we then escorted them to the local river where we helped them bathe. While elephants don’t necessarily need help in this department, it was an exciting experience to help them wash dirt and rocks off their skin. The cleanliness didn’t last long. As soon as they had enough of their bathing and left the river, they immediately went to a nearby mud pit to coat their bodies. They do this for skin health and moisturization, to keep cool from the sun, and to help keep bugs away.

The Elephant Camp was an incredible experience. Elephants are a very popular animal and a large part of the appeal for people to visit Thailand, and for good reason. I would recommend doing some research on ethical treatment of elephants, especially at specific locations you’re considering to ensure you don’t accidentally support an unethical camp or reservation. Elephants are magnificent creatures with their incredible intelligence, very strong memories, long life durations (similar to humans), matriarchal power dynamics (eldest female elephant leading the tribe), and the fact they look at humans and think humans are cute, the same way we look at puppies.

Following the elephant camp was our last ride back to Chiang Mai, where pretty much the entire group slept after an action-packed adventurous weekend. Overall, I was very impressed with our Chiang Mai Trekking experience. The scenery was stunning, the activity levels were well balanced, our guide was very knowledgeable and pleasant to be around, we were fed often with high quality and quantity food, and it offered an unforgettable immersion in Thai mountain village culture. I highly recommend doing an excursion with Chiang Mai Trekking!

There’s no better way to wrap up an amazing weekend outdoors than some American calories at McDonald’s, where I refilled my caloric deficit with a Big Mac, quarter pounder with cheese, and large fries. I enjoy going to McDonald’s in other countries to see what the unique differences on menus are, in this case fried chicken wings, mozzarella sticks, and chicken/pork burgers.