Founder of The Tuk Tuk Club aims to cycle more than 2,300 km through Thailand to raise money for a family of elephants

Bruce Haxton, the founder of The Tuk Tuk Club – which specialises in adventures to the heart of Northern Thailand – is planning to cycle more than 2,300 km in 40°C through Northern and North Eastern Thailand to raise enough money to feed a small family of elephants for three months.

Elephants spend between 12-18 hours eating around 15-20% of their body weight each day to survive. Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, Thailand has, in effect, shut its borders meaning Maevang Elephant Home, nestled in the beautiful district of Mae Wang in Northern Thailand, has had no visitors and no income to feed its family eight elephants.

Therefore, Bruce – who regularly organises trips for his guests to Maevang Elephant Home – has decided it’s time to get off his backside and do something to help.

For 20 days in May 2021, he will cycle more than 2,300 km (from Chiang Mai to Ubon Ratchathani, and back) with the goal of raising enough money to feed the family of elephants and their mahouts (the people who spend all their lives with elephants, looking after them) for three months. This equates to 121 km approx. per day, during the height of Thailand’s summer, factoring in one rest day for saddle sores…

Bruce says: “It costs around £22 a day to feed and look after each elephant. So with eight elephants at the home, they need more £5,000 a month just to make sure they are well fed, safe and cared for”.

He adds: “[The elephants] have not complained once during the pandemic and have stoically coped with the challenges thrown at them”.

For more information, and to keep up to date with this incredible challenge, please visit: https://www.thetuktukclub.com/about/help-the-elephants-of-mae-vang/

To see Bruce’s Just Giving page, please visit: https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/maevangelephants?utm_term=nR6RQMBnR 

For more details about The Tuk Tuk Club, please visit: www.thetuktukclub.com