Back

View all destinations
  • Africa

  • Asia

  • Caribbean

  • Central America

  • Europe

  • Middle East

  • North America

  • Oceania

  • South America

Africa

Through its extraordinary wildlife safaris, environmental majesty and ancient traditions, Africa is an epic storybook adventure. Experience unparalleled luxury via rainforest, coastline, dessert and mountain.

Asia

Intoxicatingly beautiful and rooted in custom, Asia reveals a heightened mysticism and generosity of spirit throughout each celebrated region. Discover centuries of culture and engaging hospitality with every step.

Caribbean

Choose from an ever-increasing portfolio of luxury resorts and private islands along the azure waters of the Caribbean. Marine adventure, culinary perfection and complete seclusion all have a spot on the day’s agenda.

Central America

Soothing vistas and diverse eco-adventure await in Central America. See the sun rise over the rim of a volcano, roam the ruins of the Mayans, ride through nature conservatories and paddle through jungle mangroves.

Europe

A multitude of environs– coast, country and city – make for a feast of diversity in Europe. The unique histories, gastronomic extravagance and cultural riches bring a deluxe profusion of Old World elegance.

Middle East

Ancient cultures and modern pleasures coalesce in the fascinating nations of the eastern Mediterranean and those ringing the Persian Gulf. Encounter pockets of immense historical significance, refined opulence and breathtaking beauty.

North America

For enjoying a stateside sojourn, drinking in Canada’s natural wonders or exploring the magnitude of Mexico, this continent offers spectacular diversion. Find flavours to arouse every taste bud and an array of cultures to match.

Oceania

A world of exotic wonder awaits in Australia, New Zealand and the South Pacific islands. Drift through romantic nights and endless days of natural splendour, aquatic adventure, decadent resorts and epicurean delights.

South America

From the beaches of northern Brazil to the southern tracts of Patagonia, this continent is the sum of a thousand parts. Experience ancient cities and heritage haciendas, volcanic hot springs and vibrant café cultures.

Explore a world of luxury

View all destinations

Cruise Destinations

Whether you dream of island-hopping your way down Caribbean island chains, connecting the ocean waters with a Panama Canal cruise, or sailing into an exotic Mediterranean port at cocktail hour, our expert Travel Designers can curate the luxury cruise vacation of a lifetime.

Explore a world of luxury cruising

Search all cruise types

Safari Destinations

What can you expect from a Tully Luxury Travel safari? In a word: magic. You will witness extraordinary wildlife amid untamed beauty and unparalleled luxury. You will take a thousand pictures – and make a thousand more memories.

Podcasts

Luxury travel’s most inspiring stories told by its most celebrated icons. From wildlife experts, fashion designers and artists, to historians, chefs and more, this inspiring podcast series is designed to show you the world’s most exclusive travel experiences through the eyes of the people that know them best.

See all Podcasts

Explore our media

View all media

Our Partners

What is the Tully Difference? The most satisfying travel experiences are the ones that captivate and transform you as a person and that deepen your connection to the world around you. It is that belief that fuels our desire to create rewarding travel experiences for people who are passionate about discovering the essence and heart of a destination.

View all Preferred Partners

The Tully Difference

Learn more

THE TORONTO STAR: Why Riding An Elephant Should Not Be On Your Bucket List

By Mary-Jean Tully | 08-12-2019 |

Safari

There’s an air of romance about riding an elephant — sitting atop its back as the gentle giant slowly meanders through the wild or around a local amusement park. Yet many Canadians are not aware of the inhumane physical and psychological abuse endured by these majestic animals and why this should never be a bucket list item.

Monday, Aug. 12, is World Elephant Day and there is an opportunity to bring much-needed awareness to the incredible dangers that elephants face. Over the past decade, the Asian and African elephant population has declined by more than 62 percent, bringing the threat of extinction closer every day — likely within the next decade.

The escalation of poaching, habitat loss, human-elephant conflict and mistreatment in captivity are just some of the threats to elephants. We have a moral and ethical responsibility to work towards protecting wild elephants, improving enforcement policies to prevent the illegal poaching and trade of ivory as well as conserving elephant habitats.

Riding an elephant is what travel wish lists are made of. However, it is essential that Canadians understand what goes on behind the scenes at some safaris and entertainment parks and how riding an elephant contributes to their merciless abuse.

Here are the top reasons why you should never ride on an elephant’s back:

- Wild elephants will not let humans ride them:

All wild animals need to be trained before they will perform for humans, but elephant training is particularly brutal. The ancient tradition of taming an elephant, called the Phajaan, translates to “the breaking of the spirit.”

- They have to be trained as babies:

Calves are so young when they enter the Phajaan they’re still suckling from their mothers. Mothers and calves are forcibly separated and never reunited while others are pulled away at the age of 2 so they can begin training.

- There is a reason it’s nicknamed “The Crush”:

A key part of the Phajaan is a tiny pen. Calves are tied in tightly, fixed in a standing position. They remain there for up to a week, deprived of food and sleep.

- Torture will continue until the spirit breaks:

The pen alone is not enough to break an elephant’s wild spirit. They will be beaten, burned and stabbed. Any object can be turned into a weapon — bullhooks and a bamboo stick with a nail through the end are popular choices.

- Elephant backs aren’t strong enough to carry humans:

Horses have rounded vertebrae joints, whereas elephants have gaps along their spine which makes carrying weight very painful.

Canadians can make a difference and spread awareness about these threats by partnering with ethical travel companies that are committed to wildlife conservation and community development. Canadians can also support charities who are committed to the protection of elephants such as the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust and the Big Life Foundation.

If you love elephants, don’t ever ride them.

Subscribe to our Newsletter

Inspiring travel ideas and advice from our travel designers delivered straight to your inbox.

Submit

Subscribe to our Newsletter

And gain access to travel promotions exclusive to Tully Luxury Travel through our vast network of some of the largest service providers in the travel industry.

We hope to show you the Tully difference on your next journey.

Tully Luxury Travel | Newsletter Subscription

  • Send

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

false