Kuala Gandah Elephant Sanctuary, located about 80km NE of KL, is a fantastic day trip from KL for the whole family. I takes approximately 1h 30 mins to drive to the sanctuary from the centre of KL. The centre opens to the public at 2pm but I would recommend you arrive around 1:30pm to ensure you are one of the first 200 visitors who will receive the yellow sticker (ticket) The yellow sticker gives you a free ride of the elephants at the end of the day. The centre is funded by the Malay Government and entry is free although you are encouraged to make a donation to either support the relocation of elephants or towards the upkeep of the elephants in the sanctuary. The sanctuary appears to be very well managed and the elephants are well cared for. The big elephants arrive at 2pm, after a morning working in the Jungle. Baskets fo fruit and vegetable are provided by the centre to give everyone a chance of hand feeding the elephants – quite an experience. After, the elephants are led to the river where they are washed and bathed. On both our visits the water levels in the river were too high to allow visitors to participate in swimming with the elephants. Nonetheless it is quite a spectacle to see these magnificent animals graciously swim. After the swim the elephants are led back to the main arena area and washed with a pressure hose – they certainly seem to enjoy the stimulation. Finally, those visitors with a yellow sticker have the opportunity for a short ride on the elephants. This is an experience of a lifetime to see how gentle and controlled these massive animals can be. I thoroughly recommend this day trip from Kl. You won’t regret it!!
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