Visit the Elephant Conservation Centre, Laos for a Bucket List (and Ethical) Elephant Experience!
Discovery: 2 days/1 night – Great for travellers on limited time!
Travellers short on time will love this overnight experience at the Elephant Conservation Centre. Observe these gentle giants in their natural environments as they bathe, socialise and play together.
Day 1 Itinerary
- Start: 8.00
- Highlights: Forest walk, *Hospital visit, Observe elephants bathing, Encounter elephants and Mahouts.
- Accommodation: Private wooden bungalow with shared washing facilities. (Choice to upgrade.)
- Meals included: Day 1 (L, D) Day 2 (B, L).
Your day will begin from Luang Prabang, where the minivan will pick you up and bring you to the centre. As the centre is located on the shores of Nam Tien lake and is surrounded by pristine tropical forest, you will need to take a boat to get there. There will be some time to settle into your accommodation before your guide takes you out and into the forest.
During the walk, you will see the different enclosures in which the main activities take place. Lunch will be provided in the form of a Laotian style picnic on a lakeside platform, giving you some time to observe bath time at the nursery. This is a special area in the forest that we reserve for our youngest elephants and their mothers.
After the elephants have drunk enough and returned to the forest, you will take the boat back to the centre. Here, you will head to the *hospital where you will meet our biologist or Laotian vet assistant. They will explain their process of caring for the elephants as well how they deal with the most common/uncommon injuries. Any questions that you have about the biology of elephants can be answered here. It is a very interesting experience for visitors to see the hospital and learn about the physicality of these magical creatures.
The afternoon will be spent observing one of the elephants daily baths. They love water and are surprisingly good swimmers. This is a great opportunity for guests to see an example of the elephants’ personality through play. As well as serving a practical purpose, bath time is also used to socialise with the rest of the herd.
Once the elephants have finished washing, you can see them up close whilst the guide tells you a little bit about the background of each. Before being taken in by the centre, they were all worked hard and have interesting histories. After some time observing the elephants, they will walk back to the forest. The mahouts will then decide on the best place for the elephants to graze that night.
Before dinner is served, there will be time for visitors to go for a swim or take out a canoe. Many visitors also choose to take in the surroundings of the centre and the jungle from one of our viewpoints. At 6 pm, one of the staff will give a presentation for guests on our conservation efforts. This is a great opportunity to ask any unresolved questions you have about the work that the centre does and the elephants that they help.
Dinner is provided that evening and then there is time for you to relax at the bar with the staff and try one of our delicious Lao style cocktails.
*Please note: Guests are not able to assist with the elephant’s medical care as this work is only undertaken by qualified vets. Thank you for your understanding.
Day 2 Itinerary
- End: 17.00
- Highlights: Observe elephants bathing, socialisation area.
On the morning of your second day, you will reunite with the elephants in the forest. Here you can enjoy walking with them in their natural habitat and observe their morning bathing ritual. After this, they will be bought to the socialisation area where they can freely interact as they would do in the wild. It is in this area, where the elephants can enjoy being elephants in a semi-natural living environment.
During this time, your guide will tell you more about the herd and its dynamics. There are different platforms where you can see how a new herd is being formed. This is a rare opportunity which will bring you closer to observing the elephant’s natural life. It is an experience which is very difficult to find elsewhere.
Lunch will be served at the centre and there will also be some time to relax before you return to Luang Prabang via minivan.
Exploration: 3 days/2 nights – Get a Comprehensive Overview of the Centre’s Work!
Travellers looking for a comprehensive overview of what the centre does will find that the exploration package suits them well. In this package, you will get to observe the elephants in their natural habitat as well as assisting the staff with enrichment activities to keep their brains stimulated. It is an unforgettable opportunity!
Day 1 Itinerary
- Start: 8.00
- Highlights: Forest walk, *Hospital visit, Observe elephants bathing, Encounter elephants and Mahouts.
- Accommodation: Private wooden bungalow with shared washing facilities. (Choice to upgrade.)
- Meals included: meals: Day 1 (L, D), Day 2 (B, L, D), Day 3 (B, L).
Your exploration experience will start in Luang Prabang where you will travel by minivan to Nam Tien Lake. Here you can enjoy a boat ride whilst you travel to the centre. There will be some time to settle into your private bungalow before your guide takes you to the forest.
You can enjoy a Laotian style picnic on a platform with beautiful lakeside views before observing bath time for the elephants at the nursery. This area caters for the youngest elephants and their mothers. After you have finished observing bath time, the elephants will return to the forest and you will take the boat back to the Conservation Centre. At this time, you can visit the *hospital and meet our veterinary assistant or biologist. They will introduce their roles within the centre and tell you about the most common injuries suffered by the elephants. This is a great time for you to ask any questions you may have about the elephant’s biology.
The next part of the day allows you to observe one of the elephant’s daily baths and learn about how they all differ in character. Bath time is also used as an opportunity for the herd to socialise and strengthen their ties. They are very good swimmers and adore water, so visitors love this experience. After bath time, you can see the elephants up close which will allow you to see how they use their trunks and flap their ears.
At this point, your knowledgeable guide will tell you about the past of each elephant and how they came to be at the centre. After this discussion, the elephants will head back to the forest to graze for the night. You can spend the time before dinner taking in the scenery from great viewing platforms, swim in the lake or visit the museum. There will be a presentation at 18.00 about the work that the centre does and their conservation efforts. Questions from guests are of course welcome.
After dinner has been served, you can get to know the staff and share one of the tasty Lao style cocktails on offer!
*Please note: Guests are not able to assist with the elephant’s medical care as this work is only undertaken by qualified vets. Thank you for your understanding.
Day 2 Itinerary
- Highlights: Observe elephants bathing, socialisation area, Target Training session.
The day will start with you meeting the elephants in the jungle. You can enjoy walking with them in their natural habitat and watch them as they bathe. After bath time is over, they will be brought to the socialisation area. This is an area dedicated to encouraging interaction between the elephants, allowing them to enjoy being together in a semi-natural environment.
During this time, you will follow the guide as they explain more about the group and its dynamics. There are different platforms which will give you a new perspective on the group and show you how a new herd is being formed. This is a rare opportunity which gives you valuable insight into the elephants’ natural life, a very special thing for visitors.
Lunch will be served at the Conservation Centre and there will be some time to relax before the elephants arrive for their afternoon bath. You will have the opportunity to meet the veterinary assistant or the biologist again as they will deliver a ‘Target Training Session’. The elephants are being trained using positive reinforcement techniques to facilitate any necessary treatments. This training aims to reduce the stress that these routine checks or treatments can give them. You can observe this work happening from a safe distance.
Day 3 Itinerary
- End: 17.00
- Highlights: Get involved in the enrichment programme.
After breakfast, your guide and biologist will explain the enrichment activities and what they involve. This dynamic process enhances the animal’s environment within the context of their behavioural biology. Examples of the types of cognitive enrichment provided include, hidden food, toys and mud baths. This all aims to keep the elephants’ minds active and relieve boredom. It is very popular with the residents!
You will have the opportunity to get involved in this process by helping the team to assemble the enclosure for enrichment. By preparing and hiding the food, the elephants will be challenged to find it. Once the elephants arrive, you will be able to observe how they try to find the tasty treats you have hidden. It is an unforgettable way to interact with the elephants and you will contribute directly to their wellbeing.
Lunch will be served at the on-site restaurant. There will also be some time to relax before you return to Luang Prabang. This will allow you the chance to say your goodbyes to the staff and take in the views around the centre one final time.
Eco Volunteering: 7 days/6 nights – Become Part of the Elephant Conservation Team!
Eco volunteering is great for animal enthusiasts who really want to know how it feels to work at the Elephant Conservation Centre. As a part of this immersive programme, visitors will learn more about Lao culture and become involved in current on-site projects. It is sure to be an unforgettable experience, that’s for sure!
Eco Volunteering Itinerary
- Start: 8.00
- End: 17.00
- Highlights: Forest walk, *Hospital visit, Observe elephants bathing, Encounter elephants and Mahouts, get involved in current projects.
- Accommodation:Private wooden bungalow with shared washing facilities. (Choice to upgrade.)
- Meals included: Day 1 (L,D), Day 2 to 6 (B,L,D) Day 7 (B,L).
As per the other programmes, the eco volunteering package begins with your pick-up from Luang Prabang at around 8.00. The first three days will follow the same itinerary as the Exploration programme (3 days, 2 nights) listed above. After lunch and when those on the exploration programme return to Luang Prabang, you will officially become a volunteer!
The following days will be spent supporting the work that the Elephant Conservation Centre does. You will work with the staff on current projects and although these projects will not be directly with the elephants, you will help them keep the centre running and the conservation work going.
It is important to remember that Laos is a developing country and there is not always access to western tools. Activities and projects can be impacted by the weather or heat. Therefore, volunteers need to be flexible, autonomous and not afraid to get their hands dirty! The Conservation Centre is always open to new project ideas so don’t be shy!
Examples of potential projects could include:
- Producing elephant dung paper (dry season)
- Tree nursery and reforestation
- Create handicrafts to sell in the shop
- Maintenance work (e.g. construction, cleaning, gardening, painting)
- Observing and recording of elephant behaviour
- Enrichment activities
On the final morning of your volunteering experience, you will complete your last volunteering session before having lunch. At this point, the boat will return you to the Nam Tien Lake pier where you will catch the minivan back to Luang Prabang. If you are moving on from the town, it is also possible to drop you off at the Sayaboury bus station so you can head to your next destination. You will be back in Luang Prabang at around 17.00.
*Please note: Guests are not able to assist with the elephant’s medical care as this work is only undertaken by qualified vets. Thank you for your understanding.
Accommodation
- Lakeside Bungalows (Standard): You will stay in private wooden bungalow with shared washing facilities. See example of wooden bungalows with balconies below:
Hi, I’m Nikki and I started South East Asia Backpacker in 2008 after my own first solo backpacking trip! My vision was to create a travel diary for everyone, a place for travellers to share their experiences from the road. After backpacking and writing about Southeast Asia for over 10 years, I saw the opportunity to provide backpackers with the kind of experiences that I’d treasured myself in the region! 
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