Elephant encounter in Luang Prabang

Your trip to Luang Prabang would not be complete without meeting the elephants, symbols of Laos once called the "kingdom of a million elephants". However, we invite you to choose your elephant camp carefully to encourage the practice of responsible and reasoned tourism, thinking first of all about the well-being and respect of the animal.

The elephant, an emblem of Laos

Lang Xang or "the kingdom of a million elephants", this mythical name was given to the kingdom of Laos by ancient monarchs and is still used today to describe the natural beauty of this Southeast Asian nation. For thousands of years, elephants have populated most of the forest regions of Laos.

In Luang Prabang, elephants are everywhere on the walls of the red chapel of Wat Xieng Thong, one of the oldest Buddhist temples in Laos. Elephants in glass mosaics are less fragile, however, than their flesh-and-blood counterparts. In the country once called "the kingdom of a million elephants" which still had 40,000 a century ago, the pachyderms are now thought to number fewer than 1,000. That’s an alarming decline. In forty years, the emblematic animal could have completely disappeared from the country.

There is, therefore, an urgent need to protect the remaining elephants and create a breeding program. If Laos wants to maintain a stable population and avoid the extinction of its elephants, the number of births must increase dramatically. This will ensure the survival of the national domestic population and reduce pressure on the wild population. It is also important to support the reconversion of elephants towards economically viable alternative activities, such as eco-tourism.

Elephant rides are a very questionable practice

More and more elephant camps in Laos and more generally in Southeast Asia have made the good resolution to no longer offer elephant rides to tourists. It should be noted that the elephant is a wild animal and that even if it is born in captivity, its domestication involves a very particular and very cruel ritual, called "phajaan". It consists of breaking the spirit of the elephant so that it becomes submissive to man. This method is supposed to crush the spirit of the elephant by locking it in a cage and using corporal punishment and mistreatment. This practice is nothing more than torture pushed to the point where the elephant would accept anything to never relive this traumatic moment.
The temptation to take an elephant ride in Laos is great, especially if you are traveling with your family and children, but this activity amounts to encouraging the mistreatment of elephants. Fortunately, in recent years, elephant sanctuaries have been created where tourists interact with the pachyderms without riding on their backs. It’s a great way to meet and experience a unique relationship with the elephant while ensuring its well-being.

Have a unique experience with elephants

Instead of riding on the backs of elephants and unwittingly participating in the mistreatment of pachyderms, why not spend time with them and have a unique and moving experience in their company? This is what two elephant camps offer you, both located on the banks of the Nam Khan River about twenty kilometers from Luang Prabang. Elephant Village and Mandalao have chosen to practice responsible and reasoned tourism, thinking first of all about the well-being and respect of the animals. Elephant Village and Mandalao offer rescued elephants a safe place where they are not subjected to abusive work and where they are not exploited for tourist purposes.

Elephant Village and Mandalao offer tourists the opportunity to get to know these very special animals, observe them and spend time with them. Elephant Village and Mandalao allow elephants to roam freely in the jungle, regroup in herds, mate and find new families.

Elephant Village and Mandalao provide access to a professional veterinarian to care for the elephants and train staff and mahouts to ensure that the elephants receive continuous, high-quality medical attention. They also support the local community and improve the welfare of the population while working towards the survival and safety of the elephants.

Over a half-day or a full day, Elephant Village and Mandalao offer their visitors a rich, intimate and interactive encounter with elephants. On the program: awareness of the dangers faced by elephants in Laos, particularly because of deforestation which is destroying their natural habitat. Meeting with the elephants during which you feed the elephants and then bath them. After getting to know them, you will go hiking in the jungle, walking alongside the elephants while giving them some “sweets”: corn, sugar cane and bananas. Depending on the formula chosen, picnic in the jungle or lunch at the camp restaurant with a breathtaking view of the Nam Khan River. A beautiful, non-polluting ecotourism activity that respects the animal and gives meaning to your trip!

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