Your idea of elephant interactions might be a visit to a sanctuary wherein you can see them, get close to them or even touch and feed them. But spotting them in their natural habitat, sashaying across a forest, is incomparable. Lovingly known as jumbos, they are massive, highly intelligent and utterly wild. Being with a free wild herd just for a few minutes will endow you with much more knowledge than indulging in a safari experience for days. You can espy their behavior—free of chains and with no human interaction. Following is a list of top places that will let you see elephants in the wild—read on.

Thailand

The dense jungles of Thailand are home to an estimated 2000 to 3000 elephants that roam freely in the wild. Khao Sok, Kuiburi and Khao Yai National Parks are a few examples. The Khao Yai is also a UNESCO site. Because capturing them here is illegal, it allows the number to recover. Some of the reserves here have treehouses for the guests to spend the night, giving a chance to catch a glance of this elusive species. Book cheap New Delhi to Bangkok flights and enjoy some time with the jumbos. Please check out our Thailand tours.

Kenya

Kenya bestows travelers with some of the most exemplary elephant backdrops in the world, starting from Amboseli at the foot of Kilimanjaro to the stretch of the Masai Mara. You can witness massive herds of elephants along with some great interactions with the researchers. Kenya lost almost half of the elephant population in 1970s but with time the numbers have increased. Poaching is still a practice that continues here but with tourism on the rise, this exercise is being curbed.

Nepal

All thanks to the intensive conservation efforts, wild elephants returning to the national parks in Nepal is increasing. Number of actions have been taken to protect elephants and other species like rhinos and tigers. You can spot the jumbos at Chitwan and Bardiya National Parks. These are the two best places in the world where going on an elephant safari will only do good to them and cause no harm.

Zimbabwe

Zimbabwe is home to around 60,000 elephants, even though poaching is a serious threat here. Hwange, the largest national park, is unfenced, which means large herds are free to migrate and roam across national borders. There are volunteer projects in central Zimbabwe and Victoria Falls that support the population of wild elephants and rhinos by observing their behaviors and through conservation education to children and communities.

Sri Lanka

Elephant is the national animal of Sri Lanka and this country has gripped onto its population of wild elephants, which is the largest of all Asian elephants and an acknowledged subspecies. Yala, Minneriya, Udawalawe and Wilpattu are the famous national parks that protect them. The best time to visit these places is at the end of the dry season to enjoy herds of elephants gathering at the waterholes.

Excited much? We are sure you have already started to plan a vacation with the beautiful jumbos. Let us know your experience!