FOLLOWING GIANTS

Krabi · Thailand · 2026

A journey into the world of Asian elephants in southern Thailand.

During our travels through Southeast Asia, we spent time with Following Giants, an ethical elephant sanctuary in Krabi, documenting the elephants and the people working to create a more responsible approach to elephant tourism.

INTO THE FOREST

We spent a morning at Following Giants, a sanctuary in Krabi home to 14 rescued elephants across more than 85 acres of forest.

After an introduction to the sanctuary, we followed our lovely guide into the forest, to learn about the elephants individual personalities and stories.

A picturesque pathway surrounded by tall palm trees leading to a structure in the background.

A woman stands in the foreground looking at an elephant wading in a small pond, surrounded by palm trees.

FOLLOWING, NOT LEADING

Rather than riding, bathing or directing the elephants, the experience centred around observing them as they moved through the forest.

For us, this created the opportunity to slow down, watch their behaviour and photograph them as they simply went about their day.

PLANTING FOR THE FUTURE

During a much needed lunch break and sit down in the shade. We made seed balls using seeds, clay and elephant dung fertiliser, before launching them off the viewing platform with slingshots, helping create future sources of food for the elephants. This was really fun! Joe was a lot better than me.

A person aiming a slingshot while standing on a wooden platform, with an elephant in the background and mountains in the distance.

THE ELEPHANTS

Meet

Mae Jahn / Moon

She’s 56 years old.

Rescued April 2025 from Logging & Riding

Hates Pineapple

Meet

Carrot

She’s 18 months old.

Rescued Nov 2025 from tourist entertainment.

Loves Banana

The elephants at Following Giants are rescued from Thailand’s tourism and logging industries.

Many spent years working in riding camps, entertainment or carrying heavy loads before being given the chance to retire.

Each elephant is accompanied by a mahout, their dedicated elephant keeper.

The mahouts know the elephants individually and help monitor their behaviour, health and wellbeing throughout the day.

Close-up of an elephant partially obscured by green foliage, highlighting its textured skin and expressive eye.

A close-up of an elephant grazing among tall grass and greenery in a natural setting.

A baby elephant walking in a natural setting, with a blue basket nearby and trees in the background.

A close-up of two elephants grazing in a lush, green landscape, with sunlight filtering through nearby foliage.

Close-up of an elephant's ear against a blurred background of trees.

Close-up of the back of an elephant standing near a tree in a forested area

Close-up of an elephant with large ears and a textured trunk, set against a lush green background.

Close-up of an elephant's head highlighting its textured skin and prominent features, with a blurred natural background.

OUR EXPERIENCE

The day gave us a glimpse into the individual lives of these elephants and strengthened our interest in wildlife photography and conservation-focused storytelling. It was amazing seeing these beautiful creatures up close and happy with their personal mahout.

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