Full Day with Elephants at Thong Sanctuary – Chiang MaiExperiences and tours in Chiang Mai
Embark on a once-in-a-lifetime experience spending a day with elephants in their natural, peaceful environment at a small, family-run camp far away from the typical tourist crowds. This unique sanctuary, operated by the White Karen people, is dedicated to caring for elephants who are no longer used for work but are instead treated with the utmost love and respect.
Your day begins with a pick-up from your hotel, where you’ll be driven to the Thong Elephant Sanctuary nestled deep in the heart of the jungle. Here, you'll have the chance to interact with these majestic, kind, and gentle elephants, learning about their history, behavior, and how the sanctuary is providing them with a safe and loving home.
Please note that riding the elephants is not allowed, as it can cause harm to their spinal health. Elephants' backs are not designed to carry weight like horses, and we are committed to providing a humane and ethical experience where the well-being of the elephants is our priority.
This experience offers a true connection with these magnificent creatures, where you’ll spend the day feeding, bathing, and bonding with them in their natural habitat. Live an authentic and elephant-friendly experience that will leave you with beautiful memories and a deeper appreciation for these incredible animals.
Reviews
I was lucky enough to spend an unforgettable day with Thong's elephants. The experience was truly unique and authentic: I was able to see the elephants living in their natural environment and even had the opportunity to feed and wash them. The guides were very professional and shared lots of information about elephants and their conservation. I highly recommend this activity to anyone looking for an ethical and respectful elephant experience.
A very warm welcome and excellent advice about activities to do in Chiang Mai. We did a jungle trek; the guide was perfect and taught us lots of useful things. Then we spent a day with the elephants at a sanctuary where the staff are passionate and respectful of the animals.
With our two children aged 9 and 11, we loved the two-day trek, the day with the elephants at a sanctuary, and the French-language cooking class!!
Thank you for taking such good care of our vacation!!
My family and I visited this sanctuary in August. We had a fantastic day with the elephants and Mr. Thong himself. The food was super fresh, bought at the local market on the way to the elephants. There were 10 people in our group and 5 elephants, which is a great ratio. In fact, we spent so much time with the gentle giants that we all became completely relaxed around them. It was by far the most relaxing tour we did in Thailand. Expect to get wet and muddy! Bring towels, water, and a change of clothes. Highly recommended.
It was an intimate experience with these majestic, very curious and gentle animals. Everyone there was kind and knowledgeable, and clearly took good care of the elephants and had a good relationship with them. The trip to the sanctuary was in a comfortable minivan.
We were alone with the animals the whole time, as they prefer to split visitors into very small groups, and the elephants were free to do whatever they wanted at every moment. The trip to the waterfall afterwards was great. I couldn't recommend this experience highly enough.
