
Safari Tour in Khao Sok National Park
A Lumber through the Jungle
by
Sam Wilkinson - Photos by Stephan Audiger
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Khao Sok National Park is home to the worlds oldest
rainforest and its flora and fauna are even more diverse than
the Amazon Forest. At 740sq km, the park is the largest area
of virgin forest in Southern Thailand yet it is relatively
little known outside the kingdom.
Just why this should be so is one of the worlds greatest
mysteries because within Khao Soks boundaries there
is a veritable cornucopia of wildlife and scenic beauty to
rival absolutely anywhere in the world.
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Our one-night, two-day tour started with a pickup service from
Phuket that drove us in style to Phang Nga Province where we rendezvoused
with a bus that thundered through the verdant countryside up to
Earth Lodge, a sort of Khao Sok Base Camp.
Base Camp Earth Lodge
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| Adobe huts |
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From the outside, our adobe yes, adobe hut looked
a little rudimentary but once inside we discovered hot water for
showers, tea and coffee-making facilities and a comfortable double
bed. Its what some people would call minimalist
but to be honest there wasnt a lot more that we needed except
maybe a cupboard for our clothes.
Huge limestone mountains sporting vegetation and trees clinging
precariously to their steep inclines towered over the lodge. It
looked great in the morning and we could see that on a full moon
night itd be spectacular. As luck would have it, it was a
full moon night, but more on that later.
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Lunch
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| Earth Lodge's Restaurant/bar/reception
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To travel in one morning from sea level to breathing in fresh mountain
air gave us a huge appetite. Well, maybe using the word mountain
is an exaggeration, seeing as Khao Sok isnt exactly at Alpine
levels (its highest peak is 961 metres above sea level) but its
a lot fresher than humid Phuket. Soon after settling in our huts
lunch was called.
The day trippers had gone off to their canoeing and elephant trekking
so we practically had the place to ourselves and tucked in to the
mixed fried veggies, sweet n sour chicken, curried pork and
rice. Suzie, our English minder, explained that we were to go down
the River Sok, get picked up by a Land Rover and spend the next
hour or so lumbering through the jungle on the back of an elephant.
Sounded good to me.
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The River Sok
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| Canoeing on the
Sok River |
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The river had burst its banks just days before and was still somewhat
swollen from recent inundations. Everywhere there were signs of
the havoc it had wreaked: broken bamboo, bits of houses floating
downstream, drooping branches from uprooted trees and even though
it was a sorry sight it was impressive to see Mother Nature flexing
her muscles and leaving no one in doubt as to who was the boss around
here.
Our canoe guide seemed to be endowed with supernatural eyesight
as he paddled directly up to an almost invisible snake, perfectly
camouflaged on an overhanging branch, then he crossed the river
to where an equally cleverly disguised toad sat looking down at
us.
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| Sleeping toad on
a branch |
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Either these animals are made out of plastic and glued to the spot
or something remarkable was going on, but then it hit me: they stay
in particular locations and favour certain vantage points, such
as the monitor lizards that show a strong penchant for hanging over
the river bank on bare branches, ready to grab a tasty snack as
it floats by.
Halfway down, the guide steered the canoe into a little sheltered
gully under an overhanging cliff. He then managed to do the impossible
and got a fire going with some damp bamboo and promptly brewed us
some tea, serving it up in little bamboo cups, along with a custard
cookie from his bag of tricks.
As for things to be seen along the River Sok, you can focus in
on the direct close up sights while heading downriver or pan out
to the surrounding mountainous vistas. Either way is beautiful.
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Through the jungle on an elephant
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| Elephant trekking
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Some 90 minutes after we left Earth Lodge our prow nudged the riverbank
and we piled into a Land Rover to go to the elephant camp. Apparently
its a 9-5 job being an elephant and the 13 tuskers here take
turns in ferrying punters through the lush jungle a few times a
day until their five o clock shower and rubdown.
My mahout didnt speak Thai or English, being from way up
north, but seemed to be having a right old chinwag with his elephant
as we swayed and splashed through the thick undergrowth.
To perch on over three tons of elephant delicately feeling
its way through difficult terrain (dont forget, itd
been raining and the puddles were sometimes a foot deep) is an unforgettable
experience.
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| Dinner is served
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The elephant uses its trunk much the same way as a cat uses its
whiskers to sense, feel and maneuver its way around and can also
tackle gradients difficult for humans. Well, this human was finding
it a little difficult so I hung on like Billy O. To be frank, it
was a little hard on my nether regions but the fantastic views more
than compensated for it. The whole ride took ninety minutes and
we were back at the lodge by six oclock for a much anticipated
beer and down time.
One of the greatest things about staying over in a location is
to observe the nighttime character of the place. Earth Lodge under
a full moon is at the same time eerie, romantic, unexpected and
absolutely serene. Someone had lit a log fire but we elected to
stay at the table after our meal and swapped travel yarns until
11 oclock when we turned in after gawping at the moon that
silvered the entire swathe of mountainside above us accompanied
by primeval screams coming from the hills.
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Chiao Lan Reservoir wild pigs and barking deer
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| Chiao Lan lake |
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In the morning after an excellent breakfast we packed up and drove
to the Ratchaprapha Dam which holds back the enormous Chiao Lan
Reservoir. It consists of 165sq kms of windswept beauty with sheer
peaks rising out of the water towering hundreds of feet above the
reservoirs water level.
Whole trees grow out of the side of these limestone crags, forcing
open cracks and fissures as their roots seek deeper for more hold
and nourishment. Id never been there before yet the place
looked familiar and then I realised that many people have remarked
on Chiao Lans resemblance to Han Long Bay in Vietnam and Guelin
in China.
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| Limestone rocks
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Some 60 million years worth of water erosion on limestone
mountains results in the unforgettable vistas that this park offers.
In the distant hills one can see more rainforest but the sheer survival
instincts of the foliage growing from water level up is amazing
to behold.
In these hills and crags live gibbons, barking deer, kingfishers,
egrets, flying foxes, wild monkeys and a host of other wild and
exotic creatures. The waters teem with catfish, greater brook carp,
hampala barb, giant snakehead and featherback. This place should
be on everyones Thai must-do list and just why
people choose the jungle of Patong above this astounding beauty
is a question every anthropologist should address; although it is
interesting to note that wild pigs are common to both habitats.
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Civilisation
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| Floating hotel/restaurant
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This splendid sense of isolation, of detachment, of adventure even,
is dispelled when we moor our boat outside a floating restaurant
with a selection of simple bungalows built on giant bamboo floaters.
Soon, were in the water, splashing and striking out into the
deep and even though Ive never actually swum in several million
gallons of mineral water (who has?) this is what it must be like
its that clean.
We are served lunch a giant gourami that was probably swimming
in the lake not an hour before. Still, its delicious and more
than enough for the five of us. On the 40-minute boat ride back
to the dam and the jeep we run through several squalls and its
downright cold for a while until someone comes up with the brilliant
idea of wearing a lifejacket back-to-front as wind protection.
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| Rainforest's blue
fern |
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This tour is an outstanding, unforgettable and a thought-provoking
experience. Please note that due to time restrictions we only spent
one night in this extraordinary part of the world Siam Safari
offer three-day tours, the last day featuring a jungle trek.
Some Facts about Khao Sok:
It is home to one of the largest flowers in the world, Rafflesia
Kerrii, a parasite which attracts insects through its appearance
and odour similar to that of rotting meat. Raffleasia flowers from
December to April and can grow up to 100cm in diameter and weigh
up to 10kg.
There are over 100 islands in the Chiao Lan Reservoir
Parts of the park have still not yet been accurately charted
The water in the reservoir is eminently diveable but is too deep
in parts to retain visibility
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Interested in this tour?
Khao
Sok Safari
3 Days/ 2 Nights - 6,750 Baht |
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Earth Lodge provides the accommodation for these two tours which
take you to the Khao Sok National Park. Experience the oldest rainforest
in the world by canoeing down the Sok River. Marvel at the beauty
of it all while lumbering through the jungle on the back of an elephant.
Discover the amazing Chiao Lan Reservoir (in the three-day program).
Then fall asleep in the beautiful jungle-style resort to wake up
with astounding sights right outside your window. Read
more...
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Photo Gallery of the tour
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| See below for tour reviews |
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