It is named after the three headed elephant "Erawan" of Hindu mythology - the upper level of the park's famous seven tiered waterfall is said to resemble this creature. Our field trip however focuses on the one headed elephants that inhabit the park.

Although well known for its waterfall, the backcountry protion of Erawan experiences little human traffic. Now part of an innovative plan to manage the "Western Forest complex" as a whole, Erawan supports such large mammals as tiger, elephant , gaur (the world's largest species of wild cattle), sambar deer, barking deer, serow (a mountain goat), wild boar, bears, and several primate species. The diversity of other lifeforms is awesome and each field trip proves unique in terms of what we may encounter.

This trip offers an understanding of the ecology of the Asian elephant by providing a first hand look at the natural diversity of areas that elephants use. We also look at the latest techniques being used to study these massive but secretive animals. Encounters with wild elephants in Thailand are rare, so although we strive to maximize the likelihood of a sighting, we also emphasise the importance of using good "ecological detective work" to reveal important elements of elephant ecology and behaviour.

Additionally, we explore the history of human - elephant interactions in Thailand and how current conservation efforts are attempting to address new pressures on the remaining populations. Information collected during the course of the trip will become part of the growing database that provides critical information for ongoing conservation and management efforts.

Day 1. We will meet you at the door of your Kanchanaburi hotel at 07.00 AM. After a short drive we start our journey into the heart of Erawan National Park. Our team of porters will carry both personal and group gear, leaving you free to investigate the mysteries of the tropical forest. En route to our base camp, we will get a look at some of Erawan's 300 or so bird species, and use the mammal sign we find to get an insider's view of this unique area. After a delicious lunch prepared by our field cook and served under our spacious field tent (complete with mosquito net), we will spend the afternoon getting to know the fauna and flora of one of Erawan's high ridges, before returning to base camp for a cold drink and a hot shower. After a relaxing dinner, we will peel back the darkness using a lighted insect station and headlamps to get a look at the nocturnal side of life. Overnight at deluxe tented camp. Walking distance, 5-7 kms.

Day 2. Our wake up call is a hot fresh cup of coffee or tea (it gets surprisingly chilly at 600m!) delivered to your tent by our camp staff. As the forest slowly wakes up, we will be quietly climbing into our nearby tree platform for a hearty (yet portable) breakfast and a view all the way to the Burmese border. The platform is a great place to see some of the resident great hornbills and other canopy birds, and get a bird's eye view of life in the forest canopy. From here we will also be able to hear the fascinating and complex calls of one or more gibbon family groups in the area. Next we trek deeper into the forest to a pond and wallow used by the elephants and some of the other resident wildlife. As part of our on-going elephant monitoring programme, we will take a close look at elephant activity in this area and record information on track size (an indicator of the size of individual elephants), feeding activity, and more. A pack lunch and some time to relax after a full morning of activity is followed by a leisurely walk out of the forest to meet the vehicle, which will bring us back to Kanchanaburi, where we will arrive in the late afternoon. Walking distance, 6-8 kms.