Thailand · ELEPHANT SANCTUARY TOURS

The 15 Best Elephant Sanctuary Tours in Thailand

56 tours  ·  from $22

No riding, small groups and elephants free to walk away from you: that is the short version of what to look for. These 15 are compared on group size, contact time, transfers and price.

Chiang Mai: Elephant Sanctuary, Waterfall & Bamboo Rafting - Cooling off at Mae Wang Waterfalls
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Chiang Mai: Elephant Sanctuary, Waterfall & Bamboo Rafting

1.Elephant Sanctuary, Waterfall & Bamboo Rafting

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 9,160 reviews · 9 hours · from $60Our pick

Meet rescued elephants at Pon Elephant Thailand, feed them bananas, walk through the forest, and bathe with them under staff guidance. Add a waterfall swim, Thai lunch, and a gentle Mae Wang River bamboo raft ride. English-speaking guides such as Nop, Paul, Yaya, and Sunny lead the day.

“Fantastic experience, beautiful ethical elephant sanctuary who prioritises the Elephants well being and happiness. We had a wonderful guide”

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Chiang Mai: Elephant Sanctuary & Waterfall Group Tour - Meeting Pon’s rescued elephants
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Chiang Mai: Elephant Sanctuary & Waterfall Group Tour

2.Elephant Sanctuary & Waterfall Group Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 5,780 reviews · 7 hours · from $50

Spend seven hours from Chiang Mai with rescued elephants at Pon Elephant Thailand in Mae Wang. Feed, walk beside, and bathe them in the river, then hike to Mae Wang Waterfall. Guides such as Beer, Yaya, Nop, and Amy lead the day in English, with lunch and hotel transfers included.

“Elephants were incredible to see and feed. The mountains and waterfall are gorgeous. As a solo traveler, I wish I booked with people more my age, I was with a bunch of 19 year olds and would have enjoyed being with more adults.”

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Chiang Mai: Elephant Sanctuary Feeding Program Half-Day Tour - The 1.5-hour journey south of Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai: Elephant Sanctuary Feeding Program Half-Day Tour

3.Elephant Sanctuary Feeding Program Half-Day Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 4,527 reviews · 5 hours - 330 minutes · from $27

Travel south from Chiang Mai to Pon Elephant Thailand for a five-hour visit with English or Thai-speaking guides such as Pat, Toto, Jackie, and Tuto. Feed elephants bananas, sugarcane, and Napier grass, prepare herbal treats, walk through the forest, and join them at the river if they choose to bathe.

“The best day!! The team at the elephant sanctuary are so lovely and truly love the animals. It is 100% ethical and would definitely recommend”

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Phuket: Elephant Jungle Sanctuary Ethical Feeding Experience - What happens during the one-hour visit
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Phuket: Elephant Jungle Sanctuary Ethical Feeding Experience

4.Elephant Jungle Sanctuary Ethical Feeding Experience

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 4,359 reviews · 1 day · from $28

Spend one hour at Elephant Jungle Sanctuary Phuket feeding rescued elephants with fruit or grass supplied by the elephant vet. Your English or Thai-speaking guide explains their stories, behavior, and safe boundaries. Meet at Elephant Jungle Cafe, with no transport included, and finish with a soft drink.

“The guide(english guy)- very cool guy. Also petting the elephants.”

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Chiang Mai: Elephant Sanctuary, Long Neck & Sticky Waterfall - The road to the elephant sanctuary
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Chiang Mai: Elephant Sanctuary, Long Neck & Sticky Waterfall

5.Elephant Sanctuary, Long Neck & Sticky Waterfall

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 2,262 reviews · 9 hours · from $63

This $63 day trip pairs hands-on elephant care with a Long Neck village visit and Buatong Sticky Waterfall. You will make herbal treats, feed and bathe elephants, eat Thai food, and climb the limestone falls. Guides such as Fluke, Amy, and Tiger are known for clear English and careful time management.

“This trip is totally worth it and absolutely well worth going! Everything was just perfect. The most interesting part was interacting with the friendly elephants, which was an unforgettable experience. Our guide, Fluke, was very professional and responsible. His knowledgeable explanations and considerate planning made the trip even better. Highly appreciated!”

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Phuket: Elephant Sanctuary Guided Tour with Hotel Transfers - What happens during the one-hour visit
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Phuket: Elephant Sanctuary Guided Tour with Hotel Transfers

6.Elephant Sanctuary Guided Tour with Hotel Transfers

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 2,020 reviews · 1 hour · from $41

Spend one hour at Patong Hill Tribe Elephant Village with rescued and retired elephants. Your English-speaking guide explains each elephant’s story, prepares herbal food, and helps you feed and photograph them. Choose a morning or afternoon visit, with optional pickup from many Phuket hotels.

“Absolutely lovely and a very helpful and friendly tour guide”

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From Chiang Mai: Elephant Care Program and Nursery Tour - Changing into local clothes and meeting the care team
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From Chiang Mai: Elephant Care Program and Nursery Tour

7.Elephant Care Program and Nursery Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 1,899 reviews · 5 - 6 hours · from $53

Travel from Chiang Mai to Mae Tang for a hands-on elephant care day. Feed rescued elephants, prepare medicine balls, walk with them, join the mud and bath sessions, and meet baby elephants. English-speaking guides such as Francesco, Tin, and Disney explain elephant behavior, while lunch and hotel transfers are included.

“The guides weee great and the whole experience was amazing!! Great value for money, elephants seemed very well cared for”

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A Morning with the Elephants at Phuket Elephant Sanctuary - Watching elephants without taking over
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A Morning with the Elephants at Phuket Elephant Sanctuary

8.A Morning with the Elephants at Phuket Elephant Sanctuary

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 1,693 reviews · from $97Top rated

Spend about three and a half hours at Phuket Elephant Sanctuary watching rescued elephants roam, bathe, eat, and socialize without riding or forced bathing. Begin with an educational film, walk through the 30-acre grounds and canopy walkway, then enjoy a 15-choice Thai vegetarian buffet. Hotel transfers are optional.

“We had an amazing experience. The driver was very punctual, polite, and the ride to the sanctuary was smooth. Upon arrival we were greeted by wonderful food, snacks, coffee, juice, etc. The host was very knowledgeable about elephants, their environment and their behavior. Truly one for the books. Definitely worth the price.”

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From Bangkok: Living Green Elephant Sanctuary Day Trip - Choosing the morning or afternoon session
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From Bangkok: Living Green Elephant Sanctuary Day Trip

9.Living Green Elephant Sanctuary Day Trip

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 1,541 reviews · 3 hours - 450 minutes · from $57

Spend time with rescued elephants at Living Green Sanctuary with guides such as Lulu, Mod, and Jumbo. Feed them, walk forest paths, watch natural bathing, and join them in the pond if conditions allow. Round-trip transport, Mo Hom clothing, a local meal, and elephant-care talks are included.

“I highly recommend Living Green Elephant — not only because you get incredibly close to these amazing, intelligent, and gentle animals, but also because this center is doing important and meaningful work rescuing elephants. From the moment of booking, everything was perfectly organized. We immediately received detailed information via email and WhatsApp. We ordered a hotel pickup, and the driver arrived exactly on time. The park is about 2 hours outside Bangkok, but the journey is absolutely worth it. Upon arrival, we were warmly welcomed with cold water and a tasty lunch. Our instructor, Lulu, was wonderful — kind, professional, and extremely knowledgeable. He explained the mission of the c...”

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Koh Samui: Elephant Sanctuary Entry and Feeding Experience - A sanctuary visit built around choice
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Koh Samui: Elephant Sanctuary Entry and Feeding Experience

10.Elephant Sanctuary Entry and Feeding Experience

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 1,446 reviews · 1 hour · from $28

Spend one hour at Elephant Jungle Sanctuary Samui feeding rescued elephants with fruit, watching them roam, and taking photos. English and Thai-speaking guides explain their care and past, while groups are limited to 10. There are no rides or washing sessions, just feeding and respectful observation.

“Great. Elephant were free and they looked healthy and cared for.”

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Koh Samui: Elephant Sanctuary and Jungle Tour with Lunch - Na Muang Waterfall is a quick, useful first stop
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Koh Samui: Elephant Sanctuary and Jungle Tour with Lunch

11.Elephant Sanctuary and Jungle Tour with Lunch

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 1,328 reviews · from $57

Spend six hours exploring Koh Samui by 4WD, from Na Muang Waterfall to the Secret Buddha Garden and Wat Teepangkorn. You’ll prepare elephant food, feed the animals, and eat Thai lunch above the island. Guides such as Emma, Fifa, Lucy, and Mai have earned praise for friendly service.

“This was an amazing experience, I highly recommend. Our tour gide Luci was amazing and very helpful.”

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3-in-1: Doi Inthanon Tour, Elephant Sanctuary, and Trekking Trail - The King and Queen Pagodas
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3-in-1: Doi Inthanon Tour, Elephant Sanctuary, and Trekking Trail

12.3-in-1: Doi Inthanon Tour, Elephant Sanctuary, and Trekking Trail

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 1,087 reviews · from $48

You’ll visit the Living Green Elephant Sanctuary, reach Doi Inthanon’s 2,565-meter summit, see the King and Queen Pagodas, hike the Pha Dok Seaw trail, and taste coffee in Ban Mae Klang Luang. Guides such as John, Jon, Note, Rainbow, and Sandy have received special praise.

“Prepare to do a bit of exercise, but the view along the hiking trail makes it worth every bit. Elephants in the sanctuary were well taken care of, and shoutout to the villagers who joined us on the hike and served us amazing coffee/tea at the end. Visit to the peak and 2 Pagodas was also great, a must join for any first time visitors to Chiang Mai!”

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From Phuket: Elephant Jungle Sanctuary Feed and Shower Trip - The short lesson that makes the encounter better
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From Phuket: Elephant Jungle Sanctuary Feed and Shower Trip

13.Elephant Jungle Sanctuary Feed and Shower Trip

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 1,056 reviews · 1h 30m · from $61

Spend 90 minutes at Elephant Jungle Sanctuary Phuket feeding elephants seasonal fruit, learning about their anatomy and past, and joining them under an outdoor rain shower. Guides such as Hannah, Anna, Reindeer, and Mr. Chao have been praised for clear explanations, safety help, and friendly photos.

“The whole experience was amazing. The Sanctuary staff were friendly, professional and knew their subject. It was a fabulous few hours in the company of these beautiful, serene animals x”

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Krabi: Elephant Sanctuary (near Ao Nang) Visit - What happens during the 30-minute program
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Krabi: Elephant Sanctuary (near Ao Nang) Visit

14.Elephant Sanctuary (near Ao Nang) Visit

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 1,036 reviews · 30 min · from $22Best value

Spend 30 minutes at Love Elephant Sanctuary Krabi near Ao Nang, meeting rescued elephants, learning about old elephant tools, and feeding seasonal fruit. Your guide explains safe behavior and each animal’s story. Hotel pickup, drinks, coffee, a locker, snacks, and return transport are included.

“what a fantastic experience the crazy elephant lady knows her stuff, we got cold water on arrival got to see the elephant roaming about and taken a swim them we got to feed the elephants and touch them and were allowed to have our picture taken”

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Chiang Mai Elephant Sanctuary, Bamboo Rafting and Waterfall Tour - Bua Tong Waterfall: climb the Sticky Waterfall barefoot
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Chiang Mai Elephant Sanctuary, Bamboo Rafting and Waterfall Tour

15.Chiang Mai Elephant Sanctuary, Bamboo Rafting and Waterfall Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 870 reviews · from $58

Spend about eight hours outside Chiang Mai climbing Bua Tong’s sticky waterfall, visiting New Elephant Home, and rafting through forested Mae Tang Valley. Guides such as Paul, Fluke, Poppy, and Dam lead the day, with lunch, admission, pickup, and return to Three Kings Monument included.

“We had a wonderful experience on this tour! Our guide, Mr. Poppy was amazing, and would take great pictures of our family. My kids said that this was their favorite day of our entire trip, everything was beautiful and we had so much fun.”

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