This is the wild animal that makes people take pictures continuously in the 115,000ha forest in Dak Lak.

Instead of riding elephants, visitors to Yok Don National Park, Buon Don District, Dak Lak Province will go into the forest to visit, learn about the daily activities of giant wild animals, watch elephants from afar, watch them eat, bathe, and walk in the forest...

Tourists can approach elephants - a giant wild animal in the forest in Yok Don National Park, Buon Don district, Dak Lak province at a safe distance.

While walking on a trail in the Yok Don National Park forest, in Krong Na commune, Buon Don district, Dak Lak province, female elephant H'Blú saw food and immediately signaled to her fellow elephants.

Following elephant H'Blú, female elephant Kham Phanh also quickly moved forward to enjoy the banana trees that had been cut down. After finishing eating, they leisurely walked to the river bank to drink water and bathe for tourists to watch.

All activities of the two elephants take place naturally, without being forced or commanded by the mahouts. Visitors stand at a safe distance, watching the elephants' activities and listening to the tour guide introduce the characteristics, information and history of training and care of each elephant.

Ms. Phan Ngoc Que Lam, a tourist in District 11, Ho Chi Minh City, who participated in the experience, shared: "When elephants are in the wild, they feel comfortable, and I myself also feel comfortable when I see such a scene.

Elephant activities take place naturally, without pressure or command from the mahout at Yok Don National Park, Buon Don district, Dak Lak province.

Elephants are wild animals that feel more natural in the forest. The tour guide shared a lot of interesting information about elephants and I wish I could learn more about them.

This experience is an elephant-friendly eco-tour jointly implemented by Yok Don National Park and Animals Asia since mid-2018.

With the goal of preserving the domesticated elephant herd in Dak Lak in the face of the fact that elephants are increasingly old, weak, losing their freedom, and exhausted. There are currently 10 elephants participating in the model, including 6 female elephants that regularly interact with tourists.

According to Mr. Pham Xuan Quynh, project officer of Animals Asia, the elephants participating in the program were truly free in a semi-wild environment, free from human chains and control.

Instead of sitting on the elephant's back, visitors can watch elephants from afar, watch them eat, bathe, sleep, and walk in the forest... without directly affecting their lives.

Visitors stand at a safe distance, watch the elephants' activities and listen to the tour guide introduce elephants at Yok Don forest, Buon Don district (Dak Lak province).

'Using these methods will gradually help the elephants return to their natural instincts. They will know where to find food, how to heal themselves, and how to take care of each other.

Gradually, the elephant's psychology becomes more comfortable and its health improves. Food and drink are exactly what it needs; the elephant's welfare is improved,' said Mr. Pham Xuan Quynh.

Over the past 6 years, Yok Don National Park has welcomed tourists to visit and experience elephant-friendly eco-tours. In 2023, this experience tour was announced by the Vietnam Record Organization as one of the 20 most unique tours in Vietnam.

Mr. Y Siem Hđơk, a tour guide at Yok Don National Park, said that this recognition shows that the model not only has a positive impact on elephants and the natural environment but is also extremely loved and supported by tourists.

All elephant activities are very natural in Yok Don forest (Buon Don district, Dak Lak province).

“Elephant experience tours are currently attracting domestic and foreign tourists, bringing humanistic values ​​to individual elephants. During the elephant experience, I will convey messages to tourists to love elephants more.”

Mr. Vu Duc Gioi, Deputy Director of the Center for Environmental Education and Services, Yok Don National Park, said that the unit is making efforts to diversify the forms of experience as well as existing products to attract tourists.

“The park has also divided into half-day or full-day elephant tours, or shorter tours to suit the time, conditions, and needs of visitors.

After the tourism project is completed, Yok Don National Park will call for investors to form joint ventures, partnerships or rent forest environments for people to invest in developing the park's ecotourism.

With this model, elephants are truly free in a semi-wild environment, free from human chains and control.

With its rich biodiversity and many rare species of flora and fauna, Yok Don National Park is home to food, water and suitable habitat conditions for the domesticated elephants in Dak Lak to adapt and return to semi-wild living conditions.

Thereby, creating opportunities for them to be preserved for a long time, healthier and freer, and also creating a unique type of experiential tourism, exclusive to visitors when coming to Dak Lak.

Source: https://danviet.vn/day-la-con-dong-vat-hoang-da-khien-dan-tinh-chup-anh-lia-lia-o-khu-rung-rong-115000ha-tai-dak-lak-2025012620011859.htm