Wondering what to expect from the Jungle Elephant Sanctuary Chiang Mai, Thailand? Is it ethical? Is it suitable for families? What will you actually do on the day?
In this article, we’ll take you through our experience and answer some common questions so you know what to expect at the Jungle Elephant Sanctuary Chiang Mai.
What is the Jungle Elephant Sanctuary Chiang Mai?
The Elephant Jungle Sanctuary Chiang Mai is a unique opportunity in northern Thailand to interact with these gentle giants in their natural habitat. Home to a growing number of elephants, the residents here have been rescued from the tourism and logging industries, where they were abused and exploited.
The sanctuary provides a safe environment for the elephants. It gives visitors the opportunity to learn about, observe, photograph, feed and have a ‘mud spa’ with these magnificent animals. The money raised from visits and donations contributes to the elephants’ welfare by rescuing, feeding, and providing veterinary care. Not to mention land and infrastructure for them to live on.
You can learn more about the philosophy behind the welfare of the elephants at the Elephant Jungle Sanctuary here.
It should be noted that Jungle Elephant Sanctuary Chiang Mai has eight different ‘camps’ in different locations. Each location has at least three elephants. This ensures the elephants get a break when needed and can be adequately looked after. Usually, you don’t know which camp you are heading to until you arrive.
Is the Jungle Elephant Sanctuary Chiang Mai ethical?
Some would argue that any interaction with an animal is not ethical. On the other hand, some would say it’s fine as both their physical and mental health is being maintained. After visiting the elephant sanctuary myself, I felt extremely comfortable with the treatment and care of the elephants and their ability to roam freely.
These elephants are well and truly pampered, and while it may not be like living in the wild, it is absolutely nothing like a zoo. Here, they are free to roam, eat, bathe and access shelter, veterinary care, food and water. They do not have to give tourists rides and aren’t used for manual labour.
What can I expect on the day?
Check out our YouTube clip below for what to expect on a morning session at the Jungle Elephant Sanctuary Chiang Mai, Thailand. Alternatively, keep reading for a rundown of what to expect.
Morning visit at the Jungle Elephant Sanctuary Chiang Mai
On the morning of your visit, you will be picked up somewhere in between 6:30 – 7:00 am from your accommodation in Chiang Mai. Jump in the back of the ute and sit down on the bench seat under the shade of a canopy. The entire trip takes approximately 1.5 hours, and this includes a pit stop to use a toilet and grab snacks.
Once you arrive at the Chiang Mai Elephant Jungle Sanctuary (around 8:30 am), meet your English-speaking guide, slip on some traditional Karen clothing over your shirt or bathers, and learn a bit about the elephants.
At around 9 am, you’ll head down to interact with the beautiful giants and will be shown how to feed them bananas and sugar cane. You can touch, feed, photograph and interact with the elephants and will learn their individual stories. A staff member is on hand to take plenty of photographs. These are available to download at no extra charge a few days after your elephant experience at the Chiang Mai Jungle Sanctuary.
You may even get a chance to make elephant medicine balls (it helps them poop) and feed it to them before heading down to the waterhole.
Now for the fun part…
At around 9:45 am, you will walk down to the waterhole to give the elephants a mud spa. This is a really fun experience but don’t wear your good bathers as it’s messy. There are several staff members, so make sure to follow their advice so that everyone is safe.
The elephants decide when they have had enough of being bathed and will hop out. There is no guarantee of how long the elephants will allow you to give them a mud spa. But generally, at around 11 am, you’ll head back up to shower and change back into clean clothes.
11:30 am should see you chowing down on a fabulous traditional buffet lunch. Sadly, you’ll have to say goodbye to the elephants now. Depart around noon and return to your accommodation at around 1:30 pm.
Afternoon visit to the Elephant Jungle Sanctuary
The afternoon is exactly the same, but you’ll depart your accommodation around 11:30 am and return around 6:30 pm. However, please remember that the elephants control the timing, so every time mentioned other than pick-up and drop-off times are approximate.
Full-day tour of the Elephant Jungle Sanctuary Chiang Mai
The full-day experience is similar to the half-day but with an 8:00 – 8:30 am pick-up time. You’ll get a bit longer to enjoy lunch, and on the way home, you will stop for a unique cultural handicraft experience. Arrive back at your accommodation at around 5:00 – 5:30 pm.
Overnight visit program
The overnight visit program at the Jungle Elephant Sanctuary allows you to get to know the elephants on an individual level. The first day follows the full-day tour, but instead of heading back to Chiang Mai City, you’ll head to an Eco Lodge surrounded by mountain scenery for the night. Dinner is included.
On day two, you will have breakfast and then head to nearby farmland to assist Elephant Jungle Sanctuary staff in cutting grass. Visit another one or two sanctuary locations before heading to a local waterfall for lunch and a swim. You should arrive back at your accommodation in Chiang Mai around 5:30 pm.
Where can I get tickets?
You can book your Jungle Elephant Experience here.
The verdict on the Jungle Elephant Sanctuary in Chiang Mai
We enjoyed the experience immensely and were totally comfortable with how the elephants were treated. It’s a privilege to be able to spend a few hours learning about and interacting with these beautiful creatures.
Is it suitable for families?
The Elephant Jungle Sanctuary in Chiang Mai is a wonderful experience that I’m sure the whole family will remember forever. It’s also a great learning opportunity, not just for the kids but for adults as well.
However, families should remember that any experience that involves an animal has the potential for danger. When we visited, one of the baby elephants accidentally knocked Trillian (8 years old) over as it sat down in the water. She was only a couple of metres from Jason, so he quickly pulled her out of the way, but it could have ended badly. Staff are very clear that you need to keep children within arm’s reach at all times.
If you have children that will refuse to stay within arm’s reach or follow safety instructions, I would personally wait until they are a bit older or stand back from the action regarding the mud and water part.
This is an amazing experience that your family will remember forever!
Where to next?
Let me know what you think!