Page 72 - WINE DINE AND TRAVEL SUMMER 2025 THAILAND
P. 72
Then came our first hands-on task: mak- The mahouts demonstrated how to position
ing nutritious food balls - a mix of bananas, the treats so the elephants could grasp
carrots, tamarind, salt, and herbs designed them with their trunks to shove into their
to keep the elephants healthy and happy. months. In minutes, everything edible was
We manned a rustic wooden mortar and gone.
pestle to crush the ingredients and shape But the highlight of the day? Bath time.
them into mouth-size bites. The brave in our group stripped down to
A feeding frenzy followed as the entire bathing suits and waded into a shallow pool
group lumbered over to snack. The ele- along with three elephants and their ma-
phants - especially a towering bull with houts. The elephants rolled on their sides as
magnificent tusks - devoured banana we sloshed next to them to scrub and rinse
bunches and the food balls from our hands. their leathery skin. We laughed as we
72 WINE DINE & TRAVEL MAGAZINE SUMMER 2025
