Elephant & Wildlife Tours in Mondulkiri, Cambodia

Elephant and Wildlife tours at the Mondulkiri Gibbon and Wildlife Safari give you the opportunity to spend time with our majestic friendly Bunong elephants and to enjoy the rich flora and fauna jungle surroundings. The area boasts wonderful rivers, breathtaking waterfalls with swimming holes, is rich in bird life and has many types of wild animal.

On one of our tours you will get to meet, wash, and feed elephants, following them as they walk through the forest eating and relaxing in their natural habitat. We do not allow tourists to ride elephants. On the Jungle trekking tour you will have the opportunity to view many other animals and get to stay overnight at the Jahoo Gibbon Camp.

This ethical project was formed in the aim of to help promote the welfare of Bunong elephants in their community. To save them we signed a contract with the owners to keep the elephants at the sanctuary. This is to ensure that elephants will never return to the village to have to work again. Now four of those six elephants are rescued at our sanctuary and spend all their time in our project’s forest and will not be exploited commercially or put under stress with elephant rides, heavy farm work or logging.

Our elephant tours are lead by an English speaking guide with over ten years experience in guiding tours within the Mondulkiri forests. Torn, a Cambodian founder of the Bunong Elephant Project has extensive knowledge about the elephants. He worked and volunteered for the Elephant Livelihood Initiative Environment (E.L.I.E) together with Elephant Valley Project (E.V.P) in Mondulkiri province, Cambodia from 2006-2010. Feel free to ask Torn all about these initiatives on your visit day at the Mondulkiri Gibbon and Wildlife Safari in Cambodia.

Elephant Community Project – Ethical Elephant Forest Sanctuary Day Visit

Hike level: Moderate | Family friendly & suitable for children over 8 years

Group Size: 2-15 persons

Day Tour Prices: Adults: $50, Children (8-12 years): $20. (Please note that children must be supervised by an accompanying adult at all times).

Code: ECP-1DAY

Day tour highlights & Community Benefits:

Spend a day at the working elephant rescue sanctuary & hike through local forest & natural habitats.
Contribute to working elephant’s rehabilitation & community based conservation project in Mondulkiri.
Hand feed elephants and observe them in their natural habitat. You won’t see any performance tricks or elephant riding here.
Lunch break at the sanctuary’s base camp by O’tey river & waterfall swimming.
Visit an indigenous village where you can learn about their unique culture & traditions.

Your $50 is well spent as it is a donation to this important community development project which supports the Bunong People who care for the elephants in a humane way. Additionally, meals, drinking water, an expert English speaking guide and transport from Sen Monorom is also included.

Book Elephant Tour

Detailed Itinery

Day 1 – FULL DAY TOUR ITINERARY:

Please note that occasionally this schedule may change in the case of extreme weather conditions, or other unusual circumstances.

8.30am – 9.00am

Introduction & Transport

Meet at your guesthouse in Sen Monorom, for an introductory talk. We will then head south to the Elephant Sanctuary Forest (12km, about 20 minutes from Sen Monorom). The drive offers lovely views over the community forests our project is helping protect.

9.00am – 12.00pm

Morning hike through the Sanctuary’s rainforest & elephant discovery walk.

We begin with a short scenic hike into the valley. Before meeting the elephants, our guide, will explain the project goals & the importance of protecting Mondulkiri’s wildlife & habitats.

Next, we’ll meet, greet, feed and follow the elephants & their mahouts (elephant care takers) as they freely walk and eat in the jungle. We will follow them to observe the elephants’ natural behaviors for example the way in which they consume bamboo, grasses and different plant roots as natural medicine. This is an ideal opportunity to take lots of photos of the elephants enjoying life in their natural environment.

12.00 – 2.00pm : Lunch at the visitor hut:

Time to hike to the Sanctuary’s visitor hut, which is located by the river to enjoy a local Khmer lunch. Following lunch, you can relax in a hammock while enjoying the wild jungle views. It may be possible to spot birds & other wildlife in this area.

2:00 – 3:00 : Elephant bath & water fun:

In the afternoon, we hike back into the forest & make our way to the Sanctuary’s natural river pool. The mahouts will slowly walk the elephants into the water, for their daily shower & mud bath. The elephants love grooming each other, scratching against trees and playing in the mud.- Swimming with the elephants is an unforgettable experience and can be messy! Mud coating is important in order to keep an elephant’s skin moist, protected, and healthy.

3:00 – 4.00pm : Bunong

2 – Day Elephant + Trekking to Keo Seima Wildlife Sanctuary of Mondulkiri

Hike level: Moderate – Family friendly – (Please note all children must be supervised by accompanying adult at all times).

Groups: 2-15 persons

Code: 2D : Contribution: $130 per adult.

Day tour highlights & community benefits:

Spend a day at the working elephant rescue forest sanctuary, hike through local forest & natural habitats.
Contribute to working elephants rehabilitation & community based conservation project in Mondulkiri.
Ethical wildlife program: Observe free elephants naturally, (no preforming tricks or elephant riding).
Learn about Mondulkiri’s unique indigenous culture and traditions and visit an indigenous Village.
Lunch break at the Sanctuary base camp with swimming at a rainforest river.
Spend a day at the Gibbon Camp of Keo Seima Wildlife Sanctuary (KSWS), hike through primary growth in the Seima Protected Forest, observing wild animals in natural habitats such as Gibbon, Black-Shanked Douc monkey, Possum, Great Hornbill bird plus many others!
Contribute to the rehabilitation of endangered wildlife & community based conservation projects in Mondulkiri.
Campfire dinner eating traditional hill tribe food and rice win
One night’s accommodation sleeping in hammocks / tent at the Jungle Lodge

Head to the Contact Page to book at tour with us.

Your $130 is well spent as it is a donation to this important community development project which supports the Bunong People who care for the elephants and wild animals in a humane way. Additionally, meals, drinking water, an expert English speaking guide and transport from Sen Monorom is also included.

Book Elephant Tour

Detailed Itinery

DAY 1 – ELEPHANT TOUR ITINERARY:

Please note occasionally, this schedule may change in case of extreme weather conditions, emergency or other unusual circumstance.

8.30am – 9.00am: Introduction & Transport

9.00am – 12.00pm: Morning hike through the Sanctuary’s rainforest & elephant discovery walk.

We begin with a short scenic hike into the valley. Before meeting the elephants, our guide, will explain the project goals & the importance of protecting Mondulkiri’s wildlife & habitats.

12.00 – 2.00pm: Lunch at the visitor hut:

Time to hike for a local specialty lunch at the sanctuary visitor hut, afterwards you can enjoy relaxing hammock time, while taking in the surrounding wild jungle views. This is an excellent opportunity to look local birds & other wildlife in this area.

2:00 – 4:00pm: Elephant bath & water fun

In the afternoon, we hike back into the forest & make our way to the Sanctuary’s natural river pool. The mahouts will slowly walk the elephants into the water, for their daily shower & mud bath. The elephants love grooming each other, scratching against trees and playing in the mud. Swimming with the elephants is an unforgettable experience and can be messy! (Mud coating is important in order to keep an elephant’s skin moist, protected, and healthy).

4:00 – 4:30pm: Say “Goodbye” to the elephants and head back to the Jungle Lodge

4:30pm Onwards

After returning to the Jungle Lodge it is time to spot birds & other wildlife in this area and relax by the fire. You will meet your Bunong guide who will prepare traditional Bunong soup cooked inside bamboo. After dinner it is time for trying rice wine with pork/chicken BBQ and sleep time in hammocks.

DAY 2 – ELEPHANT TOUR ITINERARY:

7.30 – 11:30 am: Wake up then be ready to head to the Seima Forest 35km, (about 40 mins from your jungle lodge).
A Morning hike through the Seima Protected Forest & animal discovery walk.

Arriving at the ‘Seima Protected Forest’, meet your Bunong local Ranger and begin the day with a short scenic hike into the rain forest. Listening to Gibbon voice, following and having the chance to potentially observe a rare viewing to see them in wild. You take a break for a small breakfast of bread, fruit and then continue to explore other animals and the nature around you. There is also a chance to spot birds, insects, and rare flora and fauna on the hike.

11.30am – 1.00pm: Lunch by a scenic spot in the jungle:

Time for a lunch picnic by a scenic spot in the jungle. While enjoying lunch and relax, there is also a fair chance to spot birds & other wildlife in this area.

1:30 – 4:00

1:00pm – 3:30pm: Afternoon trek through the jungle:

After lunch, you continue your trek through the jungle to continue to observe the wildlife and jungle scenery. Your local guide will show you bats living inside the tree holes and bear print climbed up on tree. Trek through a stunning bamboo forest and head back to the drop off point. You will be met, picked-up and head back to Sen monorom.

Additional | Useful Information

Occasionally, this schedule may change in case of extreme weather conditions, emergency or other unusual circumstance.

What you need to bring with you in preparation for day hikes and visits:

Comfortable footwear for hiking (shoes might get wet during river crossings).
Swimming costumes and towel or sarong.
Binoculars
Light, long sleeved cloths to wear during the day (clothes that you don’t mind getting dirty).
A hat and sun cream/protection.
Insect repellent.
Rain coat or poncho.
Lunch is included, however you may bring additional snacks.

All entry fees, transportation, guiding, lunch and drinking water are all included. Thank you for choosing responsible tourism & supporting our conservation project!