Thailand: On the trail of elephants, sun bears and orchids

The Greater Los Angeles Zoo Assn. sponsors a tour of Thailand that’s heavy on wildlife viewing in out-of-the-way national parks and animal sanctuaries. L.A. Zoo director John Lewis takes visitors on foot, by Jeep, long-tail boat and even kayak to see elephants, Malayan sun bears, leopards, tigers, Javan mongoose, gibbons, langurs and other indigenous animals.

Trip highlights include visits to Kaeng Krachan National Park, a lightly touristed area that’s home to many animals and birds; Pa La-U, a tiered waterfall where elephants hang out; Klong Seant Wildlife Sanctuary and Doi Inthanon Cloud Forest, each known for being home to numerous species of birds and orchids; and a camp where guests may feed and interact with elephants. The tour begins and ends in Bangkok.

Date: The trip runs Nov. 10-20.

Price: $4,298 per person, double occupancy. It includes accommodations (with an option to camp), group transportation, naturalist guides, entrance fees and permits and some meals. International and domestic airfare are extra. There also are pre- and post-tour add-ons for those who want to explore more.

Info: Greater Los Angeles Zoo Assn., (323) 644-4792