Wild Elephant Preserve in China

Most people have heard about the Wolong Panda Preserve that was destroyed during the latest earthquake but few know about the Wild Elephant Preserve. Located outside Jinghong in Xiahuangbanna district of southern Yunnan province of China, it is a preserve of the few remaining wild elephants in China. I have been to Xishuangbanna many times as it is semi-tropical with many minority peoples in colorful dress as well as tropical floral and palm tree preserves. Few foreigners go to this area and I do send many people there each year as part of my Tours to China business. The Wild Elephant Preserve has a tropical basic hotel and you can also stay in cottages set above the jungle as you see above if you desire. There is a walk way about 50 feet above the jungle floor where you can hike as well as a ski lift that goes for several miles above the jungle where you can hopefully see some of the elephants in their nature habitat. There is a daily show of tamed elephants in the village too. You do not have to stay overnight in the village but can return to Jinghong for the night. Most sites are outside of the city in the rural areas where you can visit many of the families in their homes and villages. I seldom see foreign tourists there. The area has over 20 different tribes all with their own cultures which is really interesting. One culture, the men do not work once they are married. The women controls the purse strings however. A marriage is broken by the tribe leader by just breaking a stick in half. It takes about 3 or 4 days to visit this area and there is an airport in this remote area with daily flights as it is in the middle of the jungle about 2 days by bus south of Kunming. Check my web site for more interesting places to visit in remote China. www.interlakechinatours.com