February 23, 2013: Is this real life??!?!?  What a day!  We went to Patara Elephant Farm outside of Chiang Mai, expecting to either be extremely disappointed or extremely amazed.  It was the latter.  So many elephant shows in Chiang Mai are the same… watch the elephant paint and kick a ball, walk up to it and get a photo, maybe ride on the back for a few minutes, but not like a mahout… so we went on a limb and tried a place that ranked very well on Tripadvisor.

SO GLAD WE DID! We joked that we paid to do someone else’s job… but what a blast it was.  We arrived and got assigned our elephant for the day.  I got assigned a female and her 4 month old baby for the day. What a blast! Rather than try to recall everything we did, I just copied this from their website :)  Simply an incredible day with these gentle beasts!

08.15 AM. - Arrive at the farm. Get changed to your training outfit. Prepare for training. 08.30 AM. - Training session includes, hiking to find the elephant in the bush. Learn about elephant farm management and our breeding program. Train to approach and be near elephant. Learn to observe elephant temperament. Introducing to every of our elephants. Morning feed. Daily health care for elephant. Pregnancy test for elephant and care taking for mother with small baby. Train to unchain and walk your elephant to the river. Learn about elephant skin care and bath your elephant in the river. Instructed training to get on the elephant neck with difference technique, sitting on the elephant, basic riding skill and spoken commands for elephant Practice on getting upon and coming down from the elephant. 10.00 AM. - Bare-back riding session. Practice on easy riding trip within the farm and a short trip to visit local temple. Learn about elephant the Buddhism and the believe of the Thais people relate to elephant. 11.00 AM. - Setting up for a long up hill trip to visit waterfall for picnic lunch and refreshing in the water with your elephant. 14.00 PM. - Elephant riding trip back to the farm for evening feed.