Wild Elephant Valley lies about forty kilometres north of Jinghong, the capital of Xishuangbanna, in the far south of Yunnan. This is the northern edge of tropical Asia: hot, humid, monsoon-fed forest, quite unlike the rest of the province, and it is one of the last places in China where Asian elephants survive in the wild.
The elephants
China's wild Asian elephant population is small, numbering only a few hundred animals, and most of them live in Xishuangbanna and the neighbouring areas. They move across a landscape that has been heavily fragmented by rubber and tea plantations, and the reserve exists precisely to protect a corridor of forest they still use. Seeing elephants in the wild is possible but far from guaranteed: the animals roam widely, mostly at night, and the reserve's elephants are often some distance from the visitor areas. There is also an elephant observation and rescue station in the valley where animals that have been injured or habituated to people are kept.
The rainforest and the walkways
The valley's real attraction is the forest itself. A long system of raised boardwalks and canopy walkways runs through the trees, taking visitors above the forest floor and into the lower canopy without damaging the undergrowth. Along the way you pass strangler figs, bamboo, palms, giant ferns and a wide range of flowering plants, and the air is loud with insects and birds. There are suspended bridges over streams, watchtowers overlooking salt licks and waterholes where elephants sometimes come, and a small botanical section labelling some of the local species.
Wildlife and expectations
Besides elephants, the forest holds gibbons, macaques, civets, hornbills and a very large number of insects and reptiles. Most of it is heard rather than seen, and the density of the vegetation makes sightings difficult. The honest advice is to come for the forest and treat any elephant sighting as a bonus. The elephant shows staged for visitors, where animals perform or are ridden, are a separate commercial activity and are widely criticised on animal welfare grounds; many travellers choose to avoid them.
Practical notes
The valley is reached by road from Jinghong in about an hour, and is usually combined with the Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden and the Dai temples around Jinghong. The climate is hot and humid all year, with a wet season from May to October, so light clothing, rain gear and insect repellent are essential. Leeches and mosquitoes are present, and sun protection matters even under cloud.
