E Asia Travel

It’s called Elephant-Hills.com and as the name implies, it is a trekking company, working in the National Park area of Khao Lak in Southern Thailand. From their base at Khao Sok they organize treks from 1-2 days and 1--4 days in luxury safari tents with attached bathrooms. Pickups can be organized from hotels in Phuket, Krabi and Suran Thani.

Tea and coffee makers are available in the tents for the early risers and for those who want to sit outside and listen to the dawn chorus of birds, the gibbons scolding from tree to tree, and other early morning jungle noises. Breakfast is at leisure before heading off to the elephant camp to meet the “jungle tractors”. Or lie back in your canoe paddled by a local guide, as you glide up a silent river into dense green jungle before emerging to have lunch on a converted Burmese junk moored near a deserted beach. Those who want to explore the smaller creeks and rivers may do so in self-paddle canoes (life-jackets provided).

The owners of Elephant Hills operate a responsible travel policy with regard to the surroundings. Aware that tourism has a direct impact on the community they provide a large percentage of jobs to locals as an alternative to the harsh work on the rubber plantations, formerly the only other available occupation. From Cooks to Bar Staff, Cleaners to Tour Guides and Carpenters to Canoe Paddlers, they are all people from the Khao Sok area, enabling the money to remain in the local community.

Food is bought on a daily basis at various local shops within the area. This means that the profits from these tours eventually filters back into the community.

Check out my article of 21st August 2008 on the company and what they offer.