The Kuala Gandah Elephant Sanctuary is one of the most treasured natural park of Malaysia. While it was not originally marketed as a tourist destination, word of mouth will find its way out to the rest of the world, until the sanctuary became one of the go-to place for Malaysian visitors.

However, unlike other parks and tourist attractions in Malaysia, Kuala Gandah Elephant Sanctuary holds a special place in the town, as well as the Malaysian government, so it’s important to pay close attention to the regulations of the sanctuary before visiting. Doing so will ensure a memorable and safe experience for you and will also preserve the welfare of the elephants.

One of the major things to know before paying a visit to Kuala Gandah is the schedule of tours. Department of Wildlife and National Parks (DWNP) has limited the visiting hours and interaction with elephants to two times a day, in order to prevent stressing out the mammals. This means that you also need to plan your itinerary ahead to fit to the schedule of the sanctuary. It is best to call ahead prior to visiting, given that the road to the sanctuary is also not one of the easiest to take. Setting an appointment will help avoid disappointments upon reaching the sanctuary. Alternately, you can take a day tour package to avoid any mistake.

It is moreover helpful to read up about the sanctuary ahead prior to your visit, as this will make you appreciate more what they do for the elephants and the wildlife in general. Also, reading up about what the sanctuary has been doing will also give you an idea on how you can help further their operations and increase the survival of the elephants being care for there. The primary aim of the sanctuary is to prevent the decline of Asian Elephant population. It is also worth noting that the sanctuary does not allow riding on the elephant for any purposes. It is part of their information site to know the ways that you are allowed to do with the elephants.

The sanctuary is also kids-friendly. As a matter of fact, it will be one of the most memorable tours that kids can witness since in the sanctuary, they will be able to witness actual feeding and bathing of the elephants by the caretakers. The tour will also educate them on how to take care of endangered species like the Asian Elephants.

Kuala Gandah

As previously mentioned, a trip to Kuala Gandah is not particularly an easy one, so if there’s something that you need to be prepared for, it’s definitely your transportation arrangements. For families, the most convenient way to reach the sanctuary is through organized tours, which will often jump off from Kuala Lumpur. You can also book for a rent-a-car service ahead for a faster way to get to the sanctuary. Malaysia is generally safe and convenient to explore by car since the roads are well paved, and the way to the sanctuary has a lot of signage already.

As the sanctuary always remind its guest to remember to take nothing but memories and shoot only pictures. As visitors of the sanctuary, you have the chance to make the lives of the elephants better.