"Kuala Gandah Jungle Book" Lancang by Audrey118

Lancang Travel Guide: 16 reviews and 32 photos

Getting there.....Karak Highway

My mates from Melbourne were coming up for their ritual holidays to Malaysia.
As they are dog lovers and also WWF friends I thought they would enjoy a trip to the one and only elephant orphange sanctuary in Malaysia.

I discovered the conservation park from our VTer Banditleader AKA Razali - but we should fondly call him our ele man!!!

Our day started with a pickup at Ritz Calrton where my friends were staying. I had gotten up earlier in the day to prepare for our trip out - cooked some garlic prawns with tomato sauce, and also prepared an ice box filled with Japanese jello and all kinds of canned drinks.

Sami our driver was very punctual, we left the hotel at 8:45 am, and picked up our ele man and his friend, Robert somewhere along Jalan Pahang.

From there we hit off to Gombak toll, and off we drove along the Karak Highway, passing through Selesa Hill homes, Kota Tinggi which houses the theme villages, and also passing by Janda Baik which apparently has a nice park and home to a famous writer who has this flair to write on the 'inside news' our politicians.

After about an hour drive we reached a smallish town, in Karak and had breakfast at a small Malay shop, Fajar. To our delight we were served with sumptuous roti canai, but I was greedy and had roti telor, and mum had nasi lemak with goreng ayam. And our dear ele man, could never stop at one of his many snacking of curry puffs, and green coloured pancakes, kuih ketayap, which was extremely light and not too sweet. Malays and the Indians have extreme sweet tooth which could send you to a surge in sugar levels...but hmhmhm - this was just right - now I understand why he kept tucking away with all the local delights!!!

After our breakfast, we took a walk to some stores nearby to buy some bananas - a treat to our elephants at the sanctuary. While ele man bought some small oranges for his mates there.

Another hour hour drive, exiting at Lanchang town we reached the elephant conservation park. On route there we passed by Deerland....which apparently has a baby sunbear which I wanted to see, but ele man said the owner was a weird-o who supports the PAS political team - hahaha - he calls them the panadol team!!! looks for clue at the PAS logo.

elephants in the wild or orphaned

We sometimes read in the newspapers of elephants and sometimes tigers, or any other wild animals running wild in the village, plantation...etc and then we take pity on the villagers who could have lost their lives, lost their fruit trees or their chooks or God knows what.

But actually we should sometimes question ourselves that it is us human beings who have encroached into the wild animals natural habitat that they have to move on with their lives in search of better and safer homes....they too are equally afraid of us potential harmer to them.

The elephant sanctuary we visited to is sort of a home for such elephants found by villagers, and quite often in plantations. The 'rescue team' will try to work with the villagers (for free) to perhaps capture the supposedly harmful wild elephants who could be a lost tramp, or could have been left out in the migrating herd becos it is a baby.... who could have lost sight of mummy... but the rescuers would first try to give it some days to see if the mummy comes back for the lost one. Only if there are no remote chances for them to return to the herd, then the rescue team would capture the animal and house them in the sanctuary.

If the elephants are found causing havoc in a plantations, a fee of Rm20k is chargeable to the plantation owner to remove the wondering and also very destructive elephants. Prior to the set up of this sanctuary, elephants were just gunned down to address the problem of wild elephants in plantations area.

At the sanctuary, the elephants are disciplined, fed and bathed, and some are used as working elephants to locate other wild elephants, while many were sent to zoos and safari parks.

My favourite elephant - Chepor

Of all the elephants - this one has won my heart over!!!

CHEPOR - is such sweet young thing....at least for now - he is a baby!!! And I will be counting Chepors to sleep!!!

Last visit to Lancang: Oct 2003
Intro Updated Oct 14, 2003
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Reviews (27)

down by the river with elephants Things to Do (25)

you may want to opt ot play with the eles in the water....bring along a t shirt and shorts - and no sunnies and no specs... more travel advice

baby elephant rides Things to Do (25)

Now you wished you were small to ride this baby Mawar!!! more travel advice

baby elephant rides Things to Do (25)

Now you wished you were small to ride this baby Mawar!!! more travel advice

elephant rides Things to Do (25)

After the scrub and the feasting...the eles offer rides.... and her is my friend Maria riding the ele more travel advice

Restaurants (2)
See All Local styled home food

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Comments (4)

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Wild_Orchid Jul 3, 2005 at 11:30 PM

nice stories, including about the bears and politicians and writers. you really know everything and everyone!!
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kenyneo Jan 26, 2005 at 11:31 PM

wow ...this is really a nice place and excellent way to get nearer to these wild Jumbos ...hey fren , but need you to teach me how to get there lah ...hmm nanti got lost pulak :-)
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awayhome Feb 14, 2004 at 8:20 PM

What a lovely page!!! still have so much more in your country that I have not seen yet, soon I have to go back there and see more, happy travel=))))
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jenniferchin Oct 14, 2003 at 9:35 PM

Wow !!!!!! A great trip ... an inspiration to all of us here :-) Thanks !