Never miss our content! Subscribe to our blog for free to receive all our latest posts, directly to your inbox. Enter your email at the bottom of the page.
Hanging out with Elephants in Thailand is a very simple thing to do. However, finding a reputable sanctuary where the elephants are correctly cared for its not so simple… Therefore here we present you with three different placed you can have fun with such an amazing animal care free!
Elephant Nature Park
Located 60km outside Chiang Mai is Elephant nature park where you’re able to bathe and feed the elephants whilst learning about each animals past. As all the Elephants here as rescued, all have a heart-warming happy ever after story to go with them. In addition you will become educated regarding the heavily discouraged culture for hunting elephants in Thailand.
Due to high demand you will have to pre book and there’s two different packages to choose from. You can either select the day package or the night package, which are priced £60 and £130 retrospectively. Both include the full elephant experience along with suitable meals, transport to, and from Chiang Mai, whilst the overnight package also includes hut accommodation.
It’s best that you bring shorts or swimming clothing along with a towel for when you are bathing the animals along with walking shoes, Mosquito repellent and a change of clothing. If staying overnight also bring a jacket for the cooler temperatures.
Boon Lott’s Elephant Sanctuary
At Boon Lott, which is roughly 5-6 hours north of Bangkok by bus, you are encouraged to get closer to the elephants by helping with their rehabilitation and management of facilities. Therefore actives also include managing where they stay as well as bathing them. The sanctuary is ran more like a B&B than just a visiting centre which certainly gives you a unique experience of being close to the elephants at all times.
There is only one package that costs £140, as this includes an overnight stay. This is the case so you get the full experience of playing with and caring for the animals. Also in the package you get meals and non alcoholic drinks with the accommodation being in a cottage, rather than a hut.
Likewise, it is suggested that you bring the same clothes as the above, with the jacket being more necessary with the overnight stay included.
Wildlife Friends Foundation Thailand
So unlike the two above options, the WFFT also care for a range of different animals as well as elephants therefore the focus is not so heavy on them. Nevertheless, you can decide just to see and work with the elephants just like the rest of the sanctuaries. As the sanctuary is part of a wider organisation there is more scope to help out and work with the elephants. This is due to the week long package that is on offer which includes you being in the life of a elephant handler for a whole week. Within the package you get accommodation and food along with the opportunity to work with lots of different elephants, rather than just one, which allows you to experience different personalities elephants have!
The sanctuary is located around two and a half hours from Bangkok by car and transport is not included therefore you will have to make your own way there. Reservations are required therefore it is essential that you book in advance to make sure you get the week slot that works best for you!
What do we think?
Overall, we think that Boon Lott’s sanctuary is probably the best to visit as it has very chilled, B&B vibes with the chance to stay with the elephants for extended periods of time in the overnight stay. Although the nature park also offers a nights stay Boon Lott is more specialised in it therefore have the finer details more to perfection.
As always, let us know what you think and if this post has helped or inspired you! Have your say in the comments below.
73 Park Avenue 
I love elephants 🥰. Rode one in Thailand. They weren’t treated very well where I went though unfortunately.
LikeLike