Being with elephants was something our whole family wanted to do on our trip this year, but we had some concerns about where to do that and how to reconcile the sadness we feel for caged animals. Thankfully our friends found us the perfect place to visit. The
Elephant Nature Park was founded by a Thai woman with a passion and love for elephants named Sangduen Chailert (Lek). She has been named Asian Hero of the year and her work has been recognized by the Smithsonian and beyond. This beautiful property of over 300 acres was donated by a man from Texas who was so impressed by her work at her former rescue, Elephant Heaven. At ENP elephants are not chained up, are free to roam and no violence is used in their keeping. Most of the elephants are female and are leftover from the now illegal logging industry in Thailand. Some were blind, deformed or victims of beatings, broken bones or landmines. We learned so much on our day at the park - some of it sad and most of it absolutely breathtaking.
