Visit Elephant Nature Park (Chiang Mai)

The Elephant Nature Park is clearly THE elephant sanctuary of reference in Thailand. It was with its fondation and fights that mentalities and practices began to change and that step by step people got aware of the dark side of elephnant tourism industry. Founded by Lek Chailert, this sanctuary located in the mountains of Chiang Mai, now hosts more than 70 elephants rescued from the tourism industry and its drifts and offers them a respectful end of life where they are pampered and do not have anyone riding on their back, no longer have to do tours and participate to ridiculous shows that will only amuse tourists who do not ask themself the question of how they are trained to do that. Living free in the immense space covered by the park, they are no longer forced to do anything.

By coming here, you are sure to live a respectful encounter with elephants, which is not the case in still too many elephant camps in Thailand. You also support the action of the Save Elephant Foundation, which works to redeem the elephants that it saves to their owners, finances and supports other ethical projects or transformations of elephant trekking camps into respectful sanctuaries.

The Elephant Nature Park offers several formulas to visit the sanctuary itself, ranging from the single day visit (2500 THB per person and half-price for children under 12 years) to volunteering housed and fed or the formula with a night there. It also supports small projects in the surrounding mountains just as respectful but with contact with elephants that are perhaps a little more intimate and often including an exchange with the Karen minority. You will find all these formulas and can book online (it is strongly recommended to book weeks in advance because the number of visitors per day is limited) on sur Elephant Nature Park's website.

The rates all include a pick up at your hotel in Chiang Mai by minivan, insurance cover, meals and guides fee and of course the van ride back to your hotel.