Gajah Liar Valley, Yunnan, China

4horst_8877 5:00 PM Mar 6, 2017

Exiting Wildlife Encounter
At present the Wild Elephant Valley is home for about 10 family clans of wild Asian Elephants, in total about 80 animals indigenous to the protection zone. Gajah Liar (better known in Chinese as Yexiang Gu野象谷) is a scenic area within the large Sanchahe Natural Reserve as part of the Rainforest Belt that stretches from China into neighboring Myanmar and Laos. Yexiang Gu has its own exit from highway AH3/G8511 about 40 km north of Jinghong, next exit 12 km north of Mengyang-Exit. In Jinghong are guided day tours and scheduled public busses available. Visitors should prepare for all kind of problems associated with mass tourism during rush hours from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The south gate to Yexiang Gu comes first after the highway exit. Here are a butterfly farm, a bird house, controversial circus shows with elephants doing silly things, restaurants, souvenir shops but also a first-aid station and a pharmacy. Nearby are many parking places for private cars. About 1 km from the south gate starts the 2.5 km long cable car offering breathtaking views. A wooden “Aerial Walkway” runs through the rainforest on treetop level connecting the end station of the cable car with the south gate. Most tourists take the cable car up and the walkway back down. This construction minimizes the interference of visitors with wildlife in its natural habitat. We came with our own car and arrived at the south gate after 3:00 pm in order to avoid the biggest crowd. Chances to see Elephants in wilderness are better at early evening as they start roaming through their large territory at daybreak but return to their favorite water holes at late afternoon. And we were so lucky with our timing! While still in the cable car we already could hear and see some of them. Once arrived at the top station we ran down to the well marked walkway which follows the Elephants preferred trail along a little river, so we could very closely follow the group of about 6 animals of different age and take numerous photos. They totally ignored us excited visitors on the elevated walkway above them and didn’t shy away. On the way back to our car we have seen wild monkeys, lizards, exotic birds and many interesting plants, trees and impressive flowers while following the walkway 1.5 hrs through the rain forest. Overall, a day, I would not like to miss in my life. This has been our second visit of the Wild Elephant Valley after the first time 5 years ago. There has been so much improved. Once we may have the chance we certainly will go there again.

3Tour759193 5:00 PM Nov 17, 2019

Elephants only in dry seasons. Don't bother other times.
A long cable car ride for about 25 min down to a valley then 1.5 hr walk on a well paved walkway back. Tried hard to look for elephants only to be told almost zero chance during the wet seasons as they can find food anywhere away from the streams in the valley. We saw no animal nor birds neither. Only butterflies and insects. Long boring walk in the rain forests (which incidentally is not as interesting as other sites in the area). Exhibits in the museum are just average. Arrived in the afternoon to skip the elephant and animal show which reportedly was on the edge of animal cruelty. Unfortunately our guide seemed more eager to finish early than showing us around. He tried to push us to move on all the time and explained little unless being asked to. This place has potential esp with international support inc Prince William to create a safe heaven for the under 300 wild elephants left in China. The hardware is fine but the software needs improvement.