Laos : unique elephant trekking

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Feature

Laos : unique elephant trekking Jean-Pierre DEGAS / hemis.fr


The crowning of the mahouts The procession of elephants, seemingly out of a novel by Joseph Conrad, nonchantly amble into the forest of eucalyptus trees, bordering the Mekong river. The caravan has already been on the road for several days ago after leaving the annual elephant festival held in Hongsa Laos every year in February. Dozens of mahouts with their mounts compete for the prize of the most elegant and best trained elephant. On their way back, after crossing the paddy fields now dry at the end of the wet season, the expedition stops to camp for the night. Time stands still. Only the tinkle of the bells made out of bamboo on the elephants, can be heard over the evening songs sung round the camp fire. In the cool of the early morning, the procession sets out on the road to Luang Prabang, that used to be a French colonial trading post, now a World Heritage site of Unesco. The finely chiseled temples of the former royal capital, cuddle round Mount PhuSi and the city still lives to the rhythm of the morning procession of the monks. A Feature from Jean-Pierre DEGAS for Hemis Text available by Marie-France Parra


HEMIS_566259 : Laos, Luang Prabang Province, Luang Prabang City, listed as World Heritage by UNESCO, Wat Xieng Thong Temple, detail of a fresco depicting an elephant

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Laos, Sainyabuli Province, Hongsa, Elephant Festival, elephant procession to the pagoda for the election of the most beautiful one among them

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Laos, Sainyabuli Province, Thanoon, column of elephants and their passengers during a trek along a river

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Laos, Sayabouri Province, Hongsa, trek on elephant's back with a baby elephant and its mother in the middle of rice fields, cruise on board palanquins, elephants chair

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Laos, Sainyabuli Province, Hongsa, trek on elephant's back in rice fields

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Laos, Sainyabuli Province, Mekong River, trek on elephant's back, camp on the sand along the river bank with the palanquins in the background

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Laos, Sainyabuli Province, Ban Nam Thap, trek on elephant's back, meals and camp at night

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Laos, Sainyabuli Province, Mekong River, trek on elephant's back, mahouts camp, preparation of the palanquins for departure of the caravan

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Laos, Sainyabuli Province, Hongsa men with torches at night during a performance of traditional Lao theater

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Laos, Sainyabuli Province, Hongsa, Baci Ceremony, men around the Phakhouan on which silver vases and bowls decorated with flowers are put down

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Laos, Sainyabuli Province, Hongsa, Elephant Festival, mahouts preparing their elephants in ceremonial dress for the procession

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Laos, Sainyabuli Province, Hongsa, Elephant Festival, elephant care by Bertrand Bouchard, Veterinary of the Association Elefantasia

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Laos, Sainyabuli Province, Hongsa, Elephant Festival, preparation of elephants and mahouts in ceremonial dress for the procession

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HEMIS_566241 : Laos, Sainyabuli Province, Mekong River, trek on elephant's back, return from morning bath of elephants for the departure of the caravan

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Laos, Sainyabuli Province, Hongsa, Elephant Festival, elephant preparation in ceremonial dress for the procession

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Laos, Sainyabuli Province, Hongsa, Elephant Festival, cane sugar saleswoman, elephant favorite candy

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Laos, Sainyabuli Province, Hongsa, Elephant Festival, arrival of elephants and their mahouts in ceremonial dress for the procession

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Laos, Sainyabuli Province, Hongsa, Elephant Festival, close-up on an elephant's head in ceremonial dress

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Laos, Sainyabuli Province, Hongsa, Elephant Festival, lantern bearing the image of an elephant

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Laos, Sainyabuli Province, Hongsa, child holding Bengal lights during a traditional festival

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Laos, Sainyabuli Province, Hongsa, Elephant Festival, mahout on his elephant in ceremonial dress

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Laos, Sainyabuli Province, Hongsa, Baci Ceremony, women and men around the Pha Khouan on which cups and vases decorated with silver flowers are put down

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Laos, Sainyabuli Province, Hongsa main street of the village hosting the House of Mahouts

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Laos, Sainyabuli Province, Thanoon, inside house, a young boy in front of a fire cooking sticky rice

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Laos, Sainyabuli Province, Thanoon, trek on elephant's back, settled on a palanquin, the traveler is seated behind the mahout

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Laos, Sainyabuli Province, Ban Nam Thap, caravan of elephants in tobacco fields during a trek

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HEMIS_566100 : Laos, Luang Prabang Province, Luang Prabang City, restaurant with view on Mekong river Page 11 / 19


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Laos, Sainyabuli Province, Thanoon, caravan of elephants in the forest during a trek

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Laos, Sainyabuli Province, Ban Nam Thap, trek on elephant's back, learning to ride an elephant with a mahout

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Laos, Sainyabuli Province, Thanoon, elephants and their mahouts during a trek on a path through the banana trees

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Laos, Sainyabuli Province, Hongsa, caravan of elephants in the rice fields during a trek, passagers settled in palanquins

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Laos, Sainyabuli Province, Hongsa, trek on elephant's back, elephant caravan in rice fields

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Laos, Sainyabuli Province, Thanoon, crossing through a village during a trek on elephant's back

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Laos, Sainyabuli Province, Ban Nam Thap, elephant during his bath at arrival at the bivouac

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Laos, Sainyabuli Province, Mekong River, trek on elephant's back, departure of the caravan from the bivouac

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Laos, Sainyabuli Province, Thanoon Nam Thap River, caravan of elephants and their passengers on palanquins crossing a river

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Laos, Sainyabuli Province, Mekong River, bathing elephants at the bivouac arrival

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Laos, Sainyabuli Province, Mekong River, mahouts driving their elephants for the bath upon arrival at the bivouac

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Laos, Luang Prabang Province, Luang Prabang City, Mekong River, landing flat-bottomed boats at night

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HEMIS_566077 : Laos, Sainyabuli Province, Thanoon, Nam Thap River, trek on elephant's back in palanquins, caravan along the river bed in the shade

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Laos, Luang Prabang Province, Luang Prabang City, listed as World Heritage by UNESCO, Wat Si Bun Heang Temple, walks of the monks after the Tak Bat offering ceremony

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Laos, Luang Prabang Province, Luang Prabang City, listed as World Heritage by UNESCO, Wat Sene Temple, preparation for the Tak Bat Ceremony, the offerings made to the monks every morning at sunrise

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Laos, Luang Prabang Province, Luang Prabang City, listed as World Heritage by UNESCO, Wat Phone Xai Temple, couple seated on a rug during a prayer session with a monk

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Laos, Luang Prabang Province, Luang Prabang City, listed as World Heritage by UNESCO, procession during Tak Bat Ceremony for offerings made to the monks every morning at sunrise

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Laos, Luang Prabang Province, Luang Prabang City, listed as World Heritage by UNESCO, the National Museum built by the French in 1904 seen from Phou Si Hill

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Laos, Luang Prabang Province, Luang Prabang City, listed as World Heritage by UNESCO, vintage cars at night in the main street

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Laos, Luang Prabang Province, Luang Prabang City, La Maison d'Amis Guest house in the Colonial district, woman leaning against a door

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Laos, Luang Prabang Province, Luang Prabang City, listed as World Heritage by UNESCO, pagoda within the former Royal Palace, cyclists sheltered by an umbrella

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HEMIS_566036 : Laos, Sainyabuli Province, Hongsa, Elephant Festival, elephant procession to the pagoda for the election of the most beautiful one among them, mahout in the shade of an umbrella

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Laos, Luang Prabang Province, Luang Prabang City, listed as World Heritage by UNESCO, tuk tuk, motorcycle taxis on the main street of the colonial district

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Laos, Luang Prabang Province, Luang Prabang City, listed as World Heritage by UNESCO, collector cars in the historic district

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