15 Elephant Sanctuaries in Chiang Mai Worth Booking

1.Chiang Mai: Elephant Sanctuary, Waterfall & Bamboo Rafting

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

Join PON Elephant Thailand for a nine-hour day outside Chiang Mai. Feed and bathe rescued elephants, walk with them through forest, swim at Mae Wang Waterfalls, eat a Thai lunch, and raft the river. Guides such as Nop, Paul, Yaya, and Sunny add useful elephant facts and help with photos.

“We had the best day - everything was perfect from pick up to drop off. Our guide Nop was amazing - so knowledgeable and friendly. The bamboo rafting was brilliant fun and the elephant sanctuary was amazing 🤩”

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2.Chiang Mai: Elephant Sanctuary & Waterfall Group Tour

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

Travel 80 minutes from Chiang Mai to Pon Elephant Thailand, where guides such as Beer, Yaya, and Nop introduce rescued elephants through feeding, walking, and river bathing. After a Thai lunch, hike to Mae Wang Waterfall for a cool swim before returning to the city.

“It was a great day with a lot of wonderful and emotional impressions. The tour was well organized and Dew was a great guide!”

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3.Chiang Mai: Elephant Sanctuary Feeding Program Half-Day Tour

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

Travel about 1.5 hours south of Chiang Mai to Pon Elephant Thailand, where guides such as Pat, Toto, Jackie, and Tuto explain elephant care before you feed them, prepare herbal treats, walk through the forest, and join them at the river if they choose to bathe.

“Fab day at the Sanctuary, great to see all the hard work looking after these elephants, some rescued from being tortured or made to work in chains. To see Mum with three daughters was lovely. Well done to all who save and look after them”

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4.Chiang Mai: Elephant Sanctuary, Long Neck & Sticky Waterfall

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

Leave Chiang Mai for a private elephant sanctuary, where you make herbal treats, feed and bathe elephants, then visit a Karen long-neck village and eat a Thai lunch. Finish at Buatong Sticky Waterfall. Guides such as Fluke, Amy, Tiger, and Paul are known for clear English and careful timing.

“Fluke was an excellent guide. His English is excellent and he was fun. The driver was also great. Very well organized trip and the elephant sanctuary is awesome. The only thing we would change about the trip was the lunch. It was pretty gross and my food had flies in it so we didn’t eat too much. Sticky waterfalls and the long neck village were great also. Highly recommend this trip for everyone, especially at this price point.”

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5.Chiang Mai: Small Group Ethical Elephant Sanctuary Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 1,572 reviews · 5 hours - 510 minutes · from $77

Travel by air-conditioned van from Chiang Mai to Lanna Kingdom Elephant Sanctuary, where a small group of up to 10 meets five rescued elephants. Guides such as Kon, Alex, Taylor, and Gorn explain elephant care, then lead you through feeding, herbal vitamin-ball making, walking, mud bathing, river bathing, and lunch.

“What a great experience. From start to finish we had the best morning. The sanctuary is really well kept and the elephants are happy out with lots of acres to roam free. Highly recommend if you’re in changmai”

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6.Chiang Mai: Doi Inthanon and Elephant Sanctuary Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 1,091 reviews · 1 day · from $81

Spend a full day from Chiang Mai visiting Doi Inthanon, Thailand’s highest point, Wachirathan Waterfall, the Twin Royal Pagodas, and a Karen-run elephant sanctuary. Feed and walk with elephants, then bathe with them at a waterfall. Guides such as Nop, Apo, Paul, and Ronnie are known for warm, informative hosting.

“Solo traveller from the UK here. I honestly can’t believe how great this day-trip was compared to its cost! It was amazing! Our tour guide Apo was absolutely lovely and her English was fantastic. From the moment she picked me up in a lovely and clean minivan, she looked after our group and gave me one of the most surreal experiences of my life! Plenty of walking and socialising, beautiful elephants, sites and scenery. Thank you Apo and her team!”

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

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

Spend a full day outside Chiang Mai with rescued elephants at Living Green Foundation, Thailand’s highest mountain, royal pagodas, and the Pha Dok Seaw trail. You’ll feed elephants, hike to a waterfall, eat Thai lunch, and sample local coffee. Guides such as John, Jon, Rainbow, and Note are praised for clear, friendly help.

“Very enjoyable full day tour beginning with a visit to Living Green Elephant Sanctuary. Two tour groups combine together (approximately 24 people total) to feed the elephants and follow them to the river. Delicious lunch (vegetarian Pad Thai) aRead more”

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

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

Spend about eight hours visiting Bua Thong’s climbable Sticky Waterfall, New Elephant Home Sanctuary, and a bamboo rafting camp near Chiang Mai. Guides such as Paul, Fluke, and Mr. Poppy lead the day, which includes lunch, entry fees, hotel-area pickup arrangements, and a return to Three Kings Monument.

“Paul was very good guide, he was funny and helpful. I would specifically ask for him again in the future.”

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9.Chiang Mai: Elephant Sanctuary, Monk Trail & Doi Suthep Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 563 reviews · 1 day · from $57

Combine Chiang Mai’s forest temples with a hands-on visit to Pon Elephant Thailand. Walk the Monk Trail, see Wat Doi Suthep, feed and bathe elephants without riding, and enjoy a local Thai lunch. Guides such as Sumit, Paul, Ronnie, and Suriya add cultural context throughout the day.

“The tour was great! We were lucky enough to be only me and my husband so we got a private tour! Paul, our guide, and Ten, our driver, have been great! We really enjoyed each moment, from the elephant sanctuary to the temples..a lot of interestinf info from Paul about both elephants, buddhism, and thailand overall! Thanks a lot for such a great day..definitely recommend it! :)”

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10.Chiang Mai: Ethical Half Day Elephant Sanctuary & Waterfall

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 450 reviews · 7 hours · from $54

Spend seven hours with Joy Elephant Sanctuary in Mae Wang, including round-trip pickup from Chiang Mai, elephant feeding and observation, a jungle walk, waterfall time, lunch, herbal tea, and a handmade Thai inhaler. Expect respectful rules, no riding, no touching, and no elephant bathing.

“We enjoyed the day, saw the countryside and how well the elephants were well cared for.”

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11.Chiang Mai: Elephant Sanctuary Bamboo Raft & Padthai Cooking

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 245 reviews · 10 hours · from $54

Travel 1.5 hours from Chiang Mai to Living Green Elephant Sanctuary, where you feed and walk with rescued elephants without riding or performances. Learn to cook vegetarian Pad Thai, raft the Wang River with a local guide, and hear each elephant’s story from English-speaking guides such as Rainbow, Mark, and Jon.

“This day was just incredible. Bamboo Rafting was so much fun, I'd definitely do it again. and the elephants? It's hard to describe. I'd like to change my carrier and become elephant carer. We had vegetarian Pad Thai and fruit for lunch. It was good.”

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12.Chiang Mai: Living Green Elephant Sanctuary Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 144 reviews · 7 - 10 hours · from $46

Spend 6 to 10 hours with rescued elephants at Living Green Sanctuary, about 1.5 hours from Chiang Mai. Feed them, walk through forest, watch natural river bathing, and choose a full-day Pad Thai workshop, herbal medicine balls, and seed planting. Guides include Pao, Rainbow, John, and Mr Su.

“Good trip - elephants look happy and well looked after - no concrete or enclosures around. The guide was lovely”

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13.Chiang Mai Half Day Elephant Sanctuary Observation and Waterfall

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 88 reviews · from $58

Travel from Chiang Mai into the northern hills to observe elephants at Joy Elephant Sanctuary. Feed them without touching, walk through forest, swim at a waterfall, enjoy lunch, and make a Thai cultural souvenir. Guides such as Jade and Shay may lead the activities.

“So 45 minutes into the excursion the driver being on his phone the entire and talking loudly is not only annoying but highly distracting from trying to appreciate the views on the ride. Why doesn’t the tour company better train the drivers about the guests’ total experience? Hoping it improves.”

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14.Experience Elephant Sanctuary + Sticky Waterfall

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 84 reviews · from $94

From Chiang Mai, ride in a private air-conditioned vehicle to a sanctuary where guides such as Moon or Cookie introduce you to rescued elephants, food preparation, feeding, and bathing. After lunch, climb the Sticky Waterfall, swim, and return by door-to-door transfer.

“Was a magical experience, the places were amazing and hands on, it was truly a fun and magical experience. Our driver Lee was amazing and explained so much on the way, you can tell that he is truly passionate about his job”

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15.Chiang Mai: Elephant Sanctuary Guided Tour in Spanish

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 77 reviews · 6 hours · from $109

You’ll leave Chiang Mai early with a Spanish-speaking guide for a six-hour sanctuary visit. Feed elephants bananas, prepare their breakfast, walk beside them through the jungle, bathe with them near the river, then eat Pad Thai and seasonal fruit before returning to your hotel.

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