Number of local visitors increases at Nat Pauk elephant camp

The number of local visitors has significantly increased at Nat Pauk elephant camp, which was opened in 2008 in Indaw Township, Katha District, Sagaing Region. Since 2016, Nat Pauk camp has been entertaining visitors with elephant shows, said Dr. Htoo Htoo Aung, the doctor in charge of Nat Pauk elephant camp.

“The number of visitors started to increase in October. If there are only a few visitors, we operate elephant shows with only nine elephants. We also reserve some elephants for those visitors who want to ride them. We have some other costs for the elephants, so we just run elephant shows with nine elephants. The remaining 13 elephants are kept at another elephant camp, which is one mile from Nat Pauk elephant camp. Initially, the camp operated the elephant shows for only foreign visitors, but since November 2016 we have been holding elephant shows for local visitors, as well,” said Dr. Htoo Htoo Aung.

Also, the camp has planted Navier grass on 1.5 acres of land, in a bid to become self-sufficient in feeding their 22 elephants, he added. Nat Pauk elephant camp is a natural habitat in Phat Sout forest reserve 33 in Indaw Township, which is drawing the attention of tourists.

Nat Pauk elephant camp was opened for visitors to watch elephants in their natural surroundings, as well as for local residents to earn an income from visitor arrivals.

Recently, the camp was unable to provide accommodations for overnight tourists, Dr. Htoo Htoo Aung said.

Myo Win Tun (Monywa)

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Elephant camp in Mandalay aims to emulate Thai tourism success

The first elephant camp providing tourist attractions opened in Pyin Oo Lwin township, Mandalay Region, on Saturday.

Myanma Timber Enterprise, under the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental

Conservation, opened the Dee Doke Waterfall Elephant Camp nine miles from Ye Ywar Hydro Power Project Road near Kyauk Chaw Vullage.

It will start welcoming tourists soon, said U Nandar Soe, deputy general manager of Pyin Oo Lwin Timber Production Area, on Saturday.

“We have made this a pilot project on how to live in harmony with elephants in nature. Thailand started to attract travellers with elephants that can draw pictures, and we will try to achieve that same level. We have been making preparations for the past four months,” he said.

The camp is aimed at helping elephants and staff who previously worked in the timber industry because the government has reduced timber production. It also aims to create income from elephant-related tourism, said U Nandar Soe.

“The camp covers 74 acres. We also have an estimated 100 acres for grazing land. We currently have only six elephants, and we can only add four more because of the limited grazing area,” he said.

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Elephant camp reopens for travel season

The Nathmaw elephant camp.

The highest earning elephant camp in Bago Region reopened yesterday for the travel season.

The Nathmaw camp in Pyay District opened for the first time between December and March and earned over Ks26 million. The elephants are reportedly released to the Bago Range during the rainy season when visitors are fewer in number.

Htun Htun Oo, deputy general manager of the Bago Region timber enterprise, said: “The camp is near the ports and its service fee is lower than that of other camps. So we can say it is the highest earning elephant camp in the country.”

Visitors can ride the elephants around the jungle and interact with them.

“We keep two males and one female and have ordered a mother and her baby,” said Tin Min Oo, deputy general manager of the Pyay timber enterprise. “An elephant ride lasts around 15 to 30 minutes.”

Foreign tourists are charged Ks20,000 for a ride and local visitors Ks2,000. The camp closes on Mondays. (US$1 = Ks1,350)

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Number of visitors to Wingabaw Elephant Camp increased by 80 %

HE number of visitors to Wingabaw Elephant Camp in Bago Region has increased by 80 per cent when compared with its opening in late 2016, said U Myint Soe, in-charge of the camp.

According to the Myawady Daily’s Sunday issue, the camp hosts 50 visitors in average on every weekday beginning from this financial year. At the weekend, the number of visitors increased to about 100 the most.

Located near Wingabaw Village in Phayagyi Town, Bago Region, the elephant camp has been opened to the public since 3 November, 2016. The 86.2-acre wide camp is situated nearly 40 miles from Yangon. There are seven orphaned baby elephants plus 10 adult elephants.

The admission fees for local visitor is Ks1,000 per head and Ks5,000 for those who want to ride an elephant while a foreigner have to Ks20,000 for elephant trekking.

Elephant bathing watch is also available between 7 a.m. and 8.30 p.m. daily. “We widely explain the natural characters and movements of the large mammal to the visitors while they visiting around the camp for observation purpose between 12 to 3 p.m. on a daily basis,” said U Myint Soe.—GNLM

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Pho Kyar elephant camp faces difficulties attracting tourists

The Pho Kyar elephant camp is struggling to attract visitors, despite the country enjoying the high season for tourists.

The camp, in the foothills of the Bago Yoma mountain range, lies within tropical forest. It is 16 km from the town of Thargaya on the Yangon-Mandalay highway, 330 km from Yangon and 389 km from Mandalay. The camp was established in 2005 on 25 acres of land.

 The place has emerged as an attractive ecotourism spot and enjoys a spectacular location, surrounded by a meandering stream and full of the fragrance of wild orchids and seasonal flowers. For tourists, the trip provides an opportunity to visit an elephant village, where they can see the skilful manner in which the mahout communicates with his charge.

“Visitors can be seen on weekends but rarely so on week days. Most come in as families or in groups,” said an official in charge of the camp, Ye Myint.


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Myanmar’s elephant camp turned into tourist attraction

YANGON, Jan. 16 (Xinhua) — The Thitgatoeaing Elephant Camp in Pathein-South, Myanmar’s Ayayawaddy region, has been turned into an elephant conservation camp for attracting tourists, the official Global New Light of Myanmar reported Monday.

Located on Pathein- Mawtin Road, only about one hour away from Pathein, the region’s capital, by car, the camp is also on the way to famous Ngwe Saung Beach, Goringi Beach Resort and Mawtinsun Pagoda.

Among the 18 elephants in the camp, six have been chosen for tourism as they are clever enough to pose photos with tourists who can also feed them and wash them as well as travel on them to study the natural environment of the camp.

Safety measures for tourists have also been taken, the report said.

The elephants at the camp once belonged to the state-run Myanmar Timber Enterprise and are now retired from logging activities. They were able to carry 2,000 logs a year through the region’s Sin Mon Forest.

The number of elephants from Bago and Ayeyawaddy regions are reportedly depleting as hunters target the animals for their ivory and skin for exporting for a high price

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