ELEPHANT JUNGLE SANCTUARY
ABOUT ELEPHANT JUNGLE SANCTUARY
The Elephant Jungle Sanctuary is as one of the best elephant sanctuaries in Chiang Mai as their track record of sustainable and ethical treatment speaks for itself. Their elephant reserve in Chiang Mai has many options for visitors to experience the wonderful elephants of Thailand. Their trained English-speaking guides give visitors insight into the behaviour and personal history of their elephants. The elephant mahouts help people realize incredible life experiences such as feeding the elephants by hand or bathing elephants in Chiang Mai.
WHERE CAN I FIND ELEPHANT JUNGLE SANCTUARY?
Unfortunately, you cannot make your own way to Elephant Jungle Sanctuary, as many of their locations are far from the city, and utilise unmarked or unpaved roads, a 4×4 vehicle with a professional driver who knows the routes is essential to ensure safety and timely arrival/departure. They offer a free transfer service, and can collect you directly from your place of accommodation in Chiang Mai (within a 5km radius of Chiang Mai’s Old City). Visitors requiring transport from locations outside this area will incur a small surcharge.
our review
What an amazing day we had at the Elephant Jungle Sanctuary in Chiang Mai.
It was perfect and spectacular from start to finish. Not only are the staff here extremely kind to these gentle giants but they have saved some of the elephants from the crueller sanctuaries in Thailand. There are no cages here and it really is a place filled with love & care, you even get to make "elephant medicine balls" so that the elephants can digest their food properly.
It was a fantastic experience getting close and personal with these lovely creatures, they really did love the attention (and food) they were getting and seemed extremely happy in their environment. I wouldn't go to another sanctuary (apart from Elephant Jungle Sanctuary) if we went back to Thailand as we have heard really bad/negative things from friends about some of the others.
It was fun bathing with the elephants at the end of the day and there were some fantastic photo opportunities. Be sure to take a change of clothes, some sun screen & a swim suit as we managed to go and bathe in a waterfall with the elephants which was pretty special. Another thing we liked is that they didn't over-crowd the groups here and there was plenty of time for everyone to get their change (on numerous occasions) with the elephants.
Another thing was that the toilets/changing areas were pretty clean (considering you're in the middle of the jungle) and the transport to/from the sanctuary was safe.
Overall an amazing experience and we can't wait to go back soon and can't recommend it highly enough.
TOP TIPS
All fitness levels are welcomed at Elephant Jungle Sanctuary, however some of their locations require a moderate hiking ability. If you have mobility issues, inform them prior to your visit as they will ensure that you visit a location suited to your needs. You will never be forced to do anything you feel uncomfortable doing but it’s worth noting that unfortunately, none of our locations are currently wheelchair accessible.
We recommend that you bring the following on the day of your visit:
Bathing suit;
Change of clothes;
Walking shoes;
Hat;
Sunscreen;
Insect repellent;
Camera (optional);
Personal medication (if required).
COST
Morning visit - £66.46
Afternoon visit - £66.46
All day visit - TBC
Overnight visit - TBC
CONTACT
Telephone: +66 53 273 415
OPENING HOURS
Monday 7:00am – 10:00pm
Tuesday 7:00am – 10:00pm
Wednesday 7:00am – 10:00pm
Thursday 7:00am – 10:00pm
Friday 7:00am – 10:00pm
Saturday 7:00am – 10:00pm
Sunday 7:00am – 10:00pm