Holidaymakers flock to Wanet Elephant Camp during Dec holidays

Wanet Elephant Camp in Mandalay Region was packed with holidaymakers during the Christmas holidays (24 and 25 December), attracting approximately 100 visitors in two days.
Wanet Elephant Camp is located by the roadside of Yeywa Dam between Mandalay and PyinOoLwin. Thanks to maintaining the campgrounds, the homegrown visitors and tourists come to the camp to relax under the shade trees, enjoy the elephant ride and the natural scenic beauty and fed the elephant, said U Toe Aung, assistant manager, in his capacity as in-charge of the elephant camp conservation.
The camp is crowded with the visitors during December holidays. It was a coincidence that the PyinOoLwin flower festival is being held. The bikers’ groups and other family group travellers also visit these recreation sites, he added.
The camp received 54 visitors on Christmas day yet the number of visitors was the highest during Tazaungdine Festival. It is because of the cold weather. The camp offers great service with three male elephants and five female elephants on the holidays. Normally, visitors can interact with only four.
“Visitors enjoy the natural fresh air, elephant ride and feeding elephants returning from waterfall camps. Elephant feedstuffs are banana, watermelon, sugarcane and pumpkin,” he continued.
Visitors can observe the natural scene on elephant rides, watch elephant theme shows and take documentary photos with the elephants. The entrance fee is K1,000 per person. A short trip is estimated at K3,000 while the elephant ride for a long-distance trip costs K5,000. — Maung Aye Chan/EMM