Yexianggu, meaning “Valley of Wild Elephants”, covers an area of 369 hectares by the Sancha River in Mengyang Town, and is situated 47 kilometers north of the city of Jinghong. The valley, wide open and with hills rolling gently at an altitude ranging between 747 and 1055 metres, is covered by tropical rain forests, crisscrossed by rivers and streams, and teeming with such endangered species as Asian wild elephants, wild oxen, green peacocks and monkeys. Situated at the juncture of the two parts of the Mengyang Nature Reserve, Yexianggu provides a natural thoroughfare for all sorts of animals, and for this reason it is frequented by wild elephants. In fact this is the only place in Xishuangbanna to marvel at these giant animals. With a five-kilometer-long passageway, a 300-metre-long overhead corridor for elephant-watchers, hotels built right in the trees, as well as an elephant training school, a butterfly breeding centre, and a caged bird paradise, the Yexianggu Wildlife Valley is a favorite tourist destination in Xishuangbanna. |