Elephant Nature Park offers visitors a different kind of experience with Asian elephants. Instead of watching elephants perform circus tricks or riding on their backs, visitors will see the Park's elephants grazing, playing, and communicating as they might in the wild. And as a non-profit organization, the cost of every visit to Elephant Nature Park directly supports the elephants and makes our work possible.

Walk next to the gentle giants on your way down to the river, look into their eyes as you bathe them, feel the strength of their trunk when you hand them a bunch of bananas, watch them as they scratch their bodies on trees and when they flip their ears and flick their tails, see how they carefully caress their young… at Elephant Nature Park you'll quickly see why these majestic creatures are so special.

To learn more about the experiences you would have during a day visit or an overnight stay, please read below. And don't forget to check out our volunteer opportunities and internships too.

— Day Visits —

A full day visit to Elephant Nature Park is a wonderful introduction to the Asian elephant. You will learn about the plight of these elephants and the personal stories of our resident elephants. All the while, you will be able to observe them from our viewing platform as they explore the Park with their family groups.

A visit to Elephant Nature Park begins in the morning at the local market in Chiang Mai. After being picked up at your hotel or guesthouse around 8:00am - 8:30am, you'll accompany our staff to help load food into the trucks for the elephants at the Park.

After a picturesque drive through the Thai countryside, the Mae Taeng Valley and Elephant Nature Park will appear before you. Upon arrival, you will immediately be greeted by our resident dogs (most of whom have also been rescued) who will be eager for a scratch behind the ears from the new visitors.

Over the next several hours you will hear the personal stories of our rescued elephants as told by one of our expert guides. You will also have a chance to view Vanishing Giants, the award-winning National Geographic documentary profiling the work Lek is doing on behalf of Asian elephants in Thailand. Throughout the day you will learn about the problems elephants face in Southeast Asia, as well as the changes advocated by Elephant Nature Foundation regarding the treatment, care, and training of domestic and wild elephants. Occasionally the stories will be interrupted by the noises and interactions between the Park's elephants, at which time it is most fun to sit back and watch everything unfold before your eyes.

One of the biggest highlights of a day visit to the Park is bath time. An hour or two after arriving at the Park (and again prior to your departure), the elephants and their mahouts will begin walking down to the Mae Taeng River.

After learning how to safely and properly bathe an elephant, you will get a chance to go into the river with the elephants to test out your new skills. Our guide and volunteers can take pictures for you from the shore so you can focus on getting that bit of dirt off the elephant's back. But if going into the river is not for you, it's equally fun to watch the elephants bathe and play while you stay dry on the sandy shore.

While visitors are down at the river, the volunteers and mahouts (elephant handlers/ caretakers) unload and prepare fresh fruit and vegetables for the elephants. This work is in preparation for one of the other highlights of a visit to the Park: feeding time. When you return to the main hut after bath time, you will have a chance to feed the elephants from the viewing platform. You can expect to have some wonderful photo opportunities during this time.

After the elephants have had their snacks, it's time for you to eat too. On the viewing platform with the elephants walking around nearby it's difficult not to enjoy the fantastic Thai cuisine prepared by our kitchen staff. And chatting with your guide as well as Park volunteers during lunch is a nice way to learn even more about the elephants at the Park.

Around 5pm it's time for goodbyes to the elephants and to Elephant Nature Park. After that, all that remains is the hour-long drive back to Chiang Mai where you will be dropped off at your hotel or guesthouse. But rest assured that day visitors are welcome to come back again and, if you like, there's always the option to stay overnight as well (depending on availability).

Price: 2,500 Thai Baht ($77.41 or £39.71)*

*Currency conversions are based on the rates published by the European Central Bank and are updated continuously throughout the day. The exchange rate used by your bank or credit card may vary slightly.

What's Provided: Roundtrip transportation to your hotel or guesthouse, an expert guide, a buffet lunch and bottled water, and of course plenty of time to watch elephants are all included in the cost of a day visit to Elephant Nature Park.

What To Bring: Other than your camera and some sunscreen, the only thing you might want to bring is a change of clothes so you have something dry to wear after bath time. (Please keep in mind that because Thai culture has conservative traditions for dress, bathing suits or bikinis are not appropriate. Typically volunteers and staff wear shorts and t-shirts into the water.) Depending on the time of year of your visit, rain gear might also be appropriate. You may also want to bring a little spending money to do some shopping in our gift shop. All proceeds from gift shop sales go directly to helping our elephants or the mahouts who care for them.

— Overnight Visits —

For those visitors wishing to have extra time at Elephant Nature Park, we offer a two day/one night stay or a three day/two night stay. Either option will allow you to have more time to observe and interact with the elephants at Elephant Nature Park.

Overnight visitors will have the same schedule as our day visitors on their first day at the Park. The next morning, before the fruit trucks arrive, you will have the opportunity to go on an elephant walk (weather permitting). Following the elephants through the nearby jungle and fields will certainly give you many lasting memories and fantastic photos.

Upon returning to the Park with the elephants and their mahouts, you will be able to partake in the feeding and bath times again. With each interaction you'll begin to be able to identify different elephants by their markings. And with more time at the Park you'll have more chances to witness some of the truly spectacular communications and interactions between the elephants.

Dinner at the Park will be a casual affair. You can expect the same high quality food as was served at lunch, as well as nice conversation with Park volunteers. The accommodation for our overnight visitors are traditional bamboo rooms with fans: rustic but beautiful. Mosquito nets are provided so you may wish to sleep with your windows open. Throughout the night you may hear the elephants snore and even give the occasional trumpet.

The Park's location in the Mae Taeng Valley is simply breathtaking. While observing our elephants from your room or the observation platform you will also see gorgeous sunrises and sunsets over the surrounding mountains. Undoubtedly several of your photos will be of the beautiful landscape with a few elephants scattered about in the foreground too.

Don't be surprised if during your overnight stay you find yourself wishing you could spend more time with the elephants. If that's the case, you may be interested in volunteering at the Park.

Price:
5,800 Thai Baht ($179.59 or £92.14)* for 2 days/1 night
7,100 Thai Baht ($219.85 or £112.79)* for 3 days/2 nights

*Currency conversions are based on the rates published by the European Central Bank and are updated continuously throughout the day. The exchange rate used by your bank or credit card may vary slightly.

What's Provided: In addition to the items provided to day visitors, the price for our overnight visits includes breakfast, lunch, and dinner (as well as coffee, tea, and bottled water available throughout the day). Your room will be equipped with a fan, bedding and pillows, and a mosquito net, and it will be located near a shared western-style bathroom.

What To Bring: In addition to the items listed above for day visits, overnight visitors should bring a towel and toiletries, a flashlight/torch, and mosquito repellent. Depending on the time of year of your visit, rain gear and/or warm clothes might also be appropriate.