·Located in the south of Mengyang Natural Reserve, 48 kilometers from Jinghong City and 115 kilometers from Pu’er City in Xishuangbanna, the Wild Elephants Valley is the most fascinating forest park known for primeval tropical rainforest and flocks of Asia wild elephants. The Wild Elephant Valley Rainforest Scenic Area is also called Sanchahe Forest Park. It is said that currently about 130 wild elephants frequently appear in the Wild Elephant Valley. In China, Asia elephants can only be seen in the rainforests of Xishuangbanna while the Wild Elephant Valley is the sole place where wild elephants frequently show up .
Originally, People found lots of wild elephants and other animals bathing or drinking water in the "elephant pond" of the Wild Elephant Valley. Since 1980s, subordinate of National Nature Reserve Bureau has been throwing salt at the bank of the pond to entice wild elephants. Flocks of wild elephants were frequently attracted to lick the salt since then. In 1991, the Nature Reserve Bureau of Xishuangbanna established an observation tower in the park. In the following years, The Wild Elephant Valley was developed into a forest park equipped with air corridor, cableway, houses built on crotches of tress, pedestrian path and other facilities.
The Wild Elephant Valley covers a total area of 3.7 square kilometers, a water area of 8000 kilometers with an elevation of 747-1055 meters. Apart from the most eye catching rainforest and wild elephants to view, the park has been established with several scenic zones to serve tourists, such as Tree houses, Butterfly Park, Snake Park, Orchid Garden and the Bainiao Garden (where a hundred of rare birds perch in).
·
