My 3rd day in Chiang Mai was the highlight of the trip, with the all day visit to both Tiger Kingdom and the Maetaman Elephant camp. My wonderful Thai guide and her driver picked me up at 8 am and we drove north for most of an hour to arrive at the Tiger Kingdom by its 9 am opening. There I bought my tickets for entry, for 15 minutes in the small tigers enclosure, 15 minutes in the large tiger enclosure and for a photographer to take photos in each of the two tiger enclosures, as I was there alone. By doing this 1st thing after they opened in the morning, then when we returned about 2:30 that afternoon, I would not have to wait and could immediately start the time with the tigers.
We then drove about another 30 minutes into the mountains to the elephant camp for an amazing half day of adventure and show. First we were seated in a small enclosure and viewed a wonderful elephant show. There were many elephants and handlers, who had the elephants performing many tricks and tasks. Three of them did elaborate paintings, and another played soccer. It was fascinating to see how intelligent they were and what all they could be trained to do. I was able to be photographed with one and then we watched while they marched down into the river to have the handlers give them a scrub and bath in the river. Then, the highlight was climbing aboard a large elephant with a handler and having an hour elephant ride down across the river and up into the mountains. We then came down to the river again and crossed it to an oxen camp. Since I was alone, I ended up with an oxen handler who offered to let me drive the ox cart back to the elephant camp while he ran ahead and photographed me. That was quite a unique experience !!
We then drove back to the Tiger Kingdom for a late lunch and later the adventure of the trip with the interaction with the magnificent tigers. As I was alone, I had hired a Thai photographer to enter first the small tigers enclosure for 15 minutes and then a second 15 minutes with the large tigers. There were 4 couples or singles allowed into the enclosures, each with 4 tigers of size that you had chosen. I had a handler, my photographer and myself and got to pet or interact with 3 different tigers in each of the enclosures. The most exciting was near the end of the time with the largest tigers when I was with a 2 to 3 year old that weighed about 440 pounds . While I was petting it, they gave it a coconut and it suddenly crunched it into pieces with a rending sound. Then it raised its head and growled ! I just froze, but all was well. They are so magnificent and the coats were perfect, with the animals in very healthy condition. I will never forget the experience, and clowned with some of the tigers, while following the instructions of my little Thai photographer. He took photos with his fancy camera, as well as pics with both my I-phone and my digital camera. Then I wandered the Tiger Kingdom, viewing many more of the 80 tigers that they had, including 2 new white Siberian Tigers and 6 new Bengal Tigers. It was fun to watch them play and run in some of the larger enclosures and jump into and out of the water pools they had. They are breeding the Indo/Asian tigers and had 10 females and 2 males that they were currently using. Then it was back to Chiang Mi, after a day I will never forget.
The last full day there started out early again, with another drive north into the mountains to the Queen Sirikit Botanical Gardens. They were magnificent and were located on a mountain far to the north. We first started viewing the extensive banana plantation, where they had one of the most complete displays of different bananas in the world. Then it was on to the main grounds, with the rose gardens, wonderful grounds, and the many green houses, each with a different plant theme. My favorite was the "Rain Forest" with its elevated walkway thru the tree tops.
We then drove down to visit a well known area of the Doi Suthep National Park and I hiked into the park along a small river to view and photograph some of the lovely Mae Sa water falls. This park is a favorite of the locals for picnics.
Then it was on to a stop at a well known orchid farm for orchid viewing, after having a late lunch there. The vanda and cattleya orchids were stunning. I have never seen such a variety or so many vivid colors. It was truly lovely. Finally, we drove back into the city and back to my hotel, before my departure the next morning to fly to the far south of Thailand and Koh Samui island in the Gulf of Thailand for my final 8 days.
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| sharing a snooze with my lst small tiger. |
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| another small tiger just waking up |
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| Holding the tails of 2 of the small tigers, who did not seem to mind |
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| this guy seemed to really love being stroked and petted |
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| my lst of the largest tigers. Truly a magnificent animal ! |
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| I called this one of my newest Thai friends ! |
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| another of the largest tigers and another magnificent tiger ! |
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| I was hearing the coconut crunched as I was with the largest of the tigers, a 440 pounder giant |
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| And then this guy let out a roar that chilled me to the bone !!! Look at those teeth !! |
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| The elephants performing at the Maetaman Elephant Camp |
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| One of the paintings that the 3 elephants painted |
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| The handlers scrubbing and bathing the elephants in the river |
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| Me as I was about to start my hour ride across the river and up into the mountains |
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| the party ahead of me heading down to cross the river |
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| riding into the mountains on the elephants |
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| I got to drive the ox cart back to to the elephant camp, yet another new experience ! |
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| leaving the elephant camp by bamboo raft down the jungle river |
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| The beautiful grounds and rain forest green house in the Queen Sirikit Botanical Gardens |
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| a Map of the extensive variety of bananas grown in the Botanical Gardens Banana Ave. |
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| wonderful illustration of the banana flowers and stalk |
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| one of the living examples of the flower and fruit on a large banana plant |
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| A colorful banana flower and fruit |
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| Wonderful colorful tropical plants in one of the many greenhouses |
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| a scene in the rain forest greenhouse, my favorite |
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| another colorful display of phalaenopsis orchids in the orchid greenhouse |
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| surrounded by beautiful phalaenopsis orchids in a stunning display |
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| I have never seen such glorious blooming phalaenopsis orchid displays |
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| one of the Mae Sa waterfalls viewed after a hike into the well known part of the Doi Suthep National Park |
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| another lovely spot and one of the water falls along the river. |
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| The Mae Sa waterfalls in the Doi Suthep National park are a favorite of locals for hikes and picnics |
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| A stunning set of cattleya orchids in bloom |
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| The orchid farms and the many colorful vanda orchids |
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| displays of blooming cattleya orchids in the orchid farm like I have never seen before. |
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| A lovely secluded garden spot near the restaurant in the orchid farm where we had lunch |
