Experience the magic of our half-day day in the mountains of Chiang Mai. Start the program with an authentic Thai lunch at the sanctuary. This elephant tour features an elephant river hike, Mahout elephant bathing and swimming, and a Mahout elephant feeding experience in the afternoon. Learn how to prepare the elephants’ vitamins and supplements. Enjoy a hike to the Mae Wang Waterfall.
About this activity
Free cancellation
Cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund
Tour Pick Up at 10:15 AM – 10:45 AM
Duration 4 hours
You may check online for availability or contact us
Live tour guide
English, Thai
Pickup included
The driver will exit the vehicle and look for the guest at the reception.
Highlights
- Round-trip A/C transportation from Chiang Mai City available (small surcharge).
- Our guest reviews rave about our elephant sanctuary and English-speaking guides.
- Amazing Mahout Experience. 100% ethical and compliant with international standards.
- Mahout Hike, swim and bathe with the elephants.
- Witness the Mahout feeding these majestic creatures.
Tour Highlights
Includes
- Complimentary Thai lunch in a tranquil setting
- Elephant Jungle Hike
- Mahout Feeding Experience
- Prepare vitamin balls and supplements
- Elephant River Hike
- Mahout River Experience
- Observe elephant swimming
- Hike to the Mae Wang Waterfall
NOT INCLUDED
- Gratuities
- Towels
- Shoes
- Hat
- Sun Glasses
- Sun Screen
- Bug Repellant
- Umbrella
Not suitable for
- Children under one years
- Wheelchair users
- Visually impaired people
- People over 309 lbs (140 kg)
Important information
What to bring
- Sun hat
- Swimwear
- Sunscreen
- Insect repellent
Not allowed
- Pets
- Flash photography
- Riding the animals
Tour Overview
Few things in life are truly once-in-a-lifetime experiences, our sanctuary will provide just an experience. Spending an awe-inspiring day with these gentle giants is certainly an experience you will never forget.
Elephant Retreat Half Day Afternoon
- Mahout Educational Chat
- Elephant Cooking Class
- Prepare The Elephants Feast
- Mahout Feeding Experience
- Authentic Thai Lunch In Tranquil Setting
- Elephant River Hike
- Mahout Swim & Bathing Experience
- Hike To The Mae Wang Waterfall
- Access to Free Pictures & Videos of The Experience
Elephant Freedom Half Day Afternoon
Looking for a truly authentic Thai experience? You will find that as we offer you an authentic Thai lunch prepared by sanctuary staff. You can’t get more local than this. Now sit back, relax, and enjoy yourself. Spend time with your newfound friends while having lunch and watching the elephants.
Our guests will prepare servings of supplements and vitamins for the elephants. The Mahout will explain elephant health and diet and the benefits of each added ingredient. Mahouts will join this activity so visitors get to know the elephant they’re “cooking” for and the mahout who cares for him/her.
This is a hands-on event that prepares food in traditional Thai fashion.
Now it’s time to feed your prepared supplements and vitamins to our majestic creatures. Learn the importance of why we feed the elephants the supplements and vitamins daily. It is a fantastic experience to have these gentle giants eating out of your hands.
Hiking along the river is very peaceful. The scenery is beautiful, and the river’s water flows endlessly. Hiking with the elephants in such a majestic area adds to the fun.
As we do not control the elephants in any way, it’s great fun to see them entertain themselves along the way. They say elephants never forget. They know exactly where we are headed. To the river to cool off & swim. This is a natural elephant activity.
Most visitors don’t realize how much elephants love water. Watch as the elephants gladly take to the water. Elephants love to submerge themselves completely in water, splash around, and use their trunks to spray water on one another. We ask that you observe the elephant in this natural activity with the Mahouts. The opportunity to witness this activity in a natural setting may very well not present itself.
You will finish this experience shaking your head in awe. You will think, “Gee, I never have observed anything quite like this.” Enjoy the moment!
Let’s hike to the waterfall Thai-style. This journey will take about fifteen minutes, and parts of it will cut deep into the forest. Once we arrive, we will enjoy the most serine environment.
The waterfall experience is always a highlight of the day. The surroundings are peaceful. You feel connected to nature. This is another spot you would never find on your own. Feel free to jump in for a refreshing waterfall swim.
It’s been a fulfilling day, great fun. It’s time to say farewell to all your new friends. The journey back to Chiang Mai should take about one hour. Please sit back, relax, and leave the driving to us—a small surcharge for roundtrip transport.
Elephant Retreat Half-Day Afternoon Program
What's Included
- Coffee and snacks when you arrive
- Use of Karen clothes (optional)
- Lunch with the elephants
- Food needed to For Mahout To Feed the elephants
- Elephant River Hike
- Mahout Elephant Swim & Bathing Experience
- Mae Wang Waterfall experience
- Onsite restrooms
- Onsite locker room to store personal items
- Free download of all photos and videos
Items Not Included
- Towels
- Shoes
- Hat
- Sun Glasses
- Sun Screen
- Bug Repellant
- Umbrella
- Roundtrip Transport (small surcharge)
Join Our Fixed Trip Starting Date
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GuaranteedThursdayApr 3, 2025ThursdayApr 3, 2025฿249525Available
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GuaranteedFridayApr 4, 2025FridayApr 4, 2025฿249525Available
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GuaranteedSaturdayApr 5, 2025SaturdayApr 5, 2025฿249525Available
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GuaranteedSundayApr 6, 2025SundayApr 6, 2025฿249525Available
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GuaranteedMondayApr 7, 2025MondayApr 7, 2025฿249525Available
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GuaranteedTuesdayApr 8, 2025TuesdayApr 8, 2025฿249525Available
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GuaranteedWednesdayApr 9, 2025WednesdayApr 9, 2025฿249525Available
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GuaranteedThursdayApr 10, 2025ThursdayApr 10, 2025฿249525Available
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GuaranteedFridayApr 11, 2025FridayApr 11, 2025฿249525Available
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GuaranteedSaturdayApr 12, 2025SaturdayApr 12, 2025฿249525Available
FAQs
No, at Elephant Retreat, we do not allow riding or direct contact with the elephants. Our sanctuary is focused on providing an ethical and respectful environment for the elephants, allowing them to live in a natural and stress-free setting. Riding elephants is harmful to their physical health, and direct contact, while tempting, can disrupt their natural behavior and well-being.
Instead, we offer opportunities for you to observe the elephants in their natural habitat, watch the Mahouts bathe the elephants, and learn about their care from a safe and respectful distance. Our mission is to foster understanding and support for elephant conservation, prioritizing the animals’ welfare above all else.
We recommend footwear such as all-terrain flip-flops or sandals. Sneakers are acceptable, but they will likely get wet and dirty. You can manage in flip-flops; however, certain parts of the trail are better suited for an open sandal with straps. Crocs can also work. Certain parts of the river hike will require you to cross the river. The depth of the water is approximately 6″ to 18″ and has large rocks on the river bed. These crossings are very small and only take 30 seconds to cross, but your feet will get wet.
The travel time to the sanctuary is about 1 hour.
There is a small surcharge for transportation for the Half-Day Tours. If you have any questions, please email us at [email protected] or call/text or WhatsApp at 66 95 560-2569. We are available daily from 8 AM to 10 PM Thai time.
Our tour is suitable for families with young children. If you have children younger than 6, please call/text or WhatsApp us at 66 95 560-2569 for more information. You may also check out the following webpage; please click here for more details.
Yes, you may book your reservation from this page. To start the booking process please click “Check Availability”. You have the option to pay in full online or place a deposit and the balance in Thai Baht upon pickup. Please call/text or WhatsApp 66 95 560-2569 with any questions.
The group is typically between 15-20 guests per day. We aim for there to be no more than 3-4 people per elephant. This may vary depending on the tour you select. Our smallest groups are typically for the feeding experience. Our full-day or half-day afternoon tours are normally the most popular. Either way will maintain a good ratio of guests to elephants to ensure everyone has the opportunity to personally interact with the elephants.
Guests are welcome to bring one day pack or a standard check-in-sized backpack.
If you book our full-day or half-day afternoon tour, we recommend bringing a bathing suit. We will offer you Karen clothes (Thai outfits) for your day trip. Some guests will wear a bathing suit underneath to swim in the Mae Wang waterfall. The Karen clothes do dry quickly. We have a locker room for you to store your clothes.
Our elephant tour will still go ahead if it is raining. Elephants love the rain, and ponchos will be provided. However, the tour may be canceled if weather conditions are severe enough to place our guests in danger. If this were to happen, you would receive a 100% refund.
Yes, we will send you an email within 24 hours of your tour date directing you to your tour photos and videos. You may download photos and videos free of charge.
There is never a fee to reschedule your tour. Our stated cancellation policy requests that you cancel your booking or reschedule requests no less than 24 hours before your tour date. For more information, please visit https://sqk.nfa.temporary.site/website_61a7bfef/cancellation-policy/ to read our cancellation policy
A Thai-style buffet lunch with drinks is provided. Don’t hesitate to get in touch with us if you have special dietary needs. We also provide water, coffee, and snacks upon arrival to the sanctuary. Lunch is included in all tours with the exception of the feeding experience.
ou will be in the open during part of your journey, we do recommend wearing a hat to protect from the sun. Bug repellent really depends on the person and the time of year you visit. Most of the journey is bug-free, but you may encounter some pesky friends during the jungle hike. A small amount of repellent for your feet, legs, and arms is recommended. Depending on the person you may wish to apply some sunscreen as well.
