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TRAVEL – ELEPHANT HILLS, THAILAND


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KINGSOFTHEJUNGLE David Leck © Elephant Hills Co Ltd e follow the


elephants. They do not follow


us,” says Bamboo, a rotund (by Thai standards) lady who looks a decade or more youthful than her 39 years and sports a permanent smile that oozes the sort of warmth that, if you could package it, would keep a small house cosy on a chilly winter’s evening. Beneath Bamboo’s softly spoken charm though lies the sort of environmental awareness that if it was possessed by a fraction of the social media fixated eco- warriors we have in the west would represent a serious game changer. Bamboo is one of 10 guides at Elephant Hills in southern Thailand’s


Khao Sok National Park. It’s described as the country’s fi rst luxury tented jungle camp; it is, in fact, something altogether more important as a raft of awards and environmental credentials can testify. It has received a 100% rating for its animal welfare. Aerial photos of Khao Sok invite you to glimpse downward, entranced by its resemblance to some vast prehistoric playground. Covered by the oldest


evergreen rainforest in the world, towering limestone mountains soar, deep valleys slice into mangrove swamps and lakes perform horizon-busting feats cast in hues of blue, green and turquoise. That the vista is often sprinkled with low-lying marshmallow clouds and wafting mists does much to add to the atmosphere. Short stays, typically of two nights/three days,


are the staple of the Elephant Hills’ programme offering introductions to a stunning national park that sprawls an astounding 739sq km and boasts a rainforest believed to be older than the Amazon.


Base camp


The first part of our stay is spent at Elephant Camp itself, a network of spacious tents where


the aim is blending luxury with those award- winning environmental credentials. Proper beds and “western-style” bathrooms are matched with handmade furniture produced by the camp’s own craftsmen using natural materials. We gather in the main communal area which


consists of reception, a semi open-air restaurant, bar and small souvenir shop. There’s also a local herb garden producing pineapple, papaya, peppers, galangal and chilli. And further beyond, nestled among the tents, is a pool beautifully framed by a spectacular limestone cliff backdrop. Despite the business of allocating a large number of guests into groups, the atmosphere is one of typically Thai calm and quiet effi ciency. There’s no feeling of being “herded” and it’s


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