Elephant Nature Park in Thailand is a renowned sanctuary dedicated to the rescue and rehabilitation of elephants. Visitors can engage in eco-friendly activities while learning about the importance of wildlife conservation and the ethical treatment of these majestic creatures.
Nestled in the lush landscapes of Thailand, Elephant Nature Park stands as a beacon of hope for rescued elephants who have endured hardship. As a sanctuary focused on healing and rehabilitation, the park provides a safe haven for these gentle giants while also offering educational experiences that promote awareness about elephant welfare and conservation. Guests are invited to witness and participate in daily activities that include feeding the elephants, walking alongside them in their natural habitat, and observing their daily routines. By visiting the park, individuals contribute to the ongoing protection of these animals and support the vital work being done in their care. With a strong commitment to ethical tourism, Elephant Nature Park emphasizes the importance of kindness, respect, and understanding in every interaction with these magnificent animals. Come and create lasting memories while making a positive impact on the lives of elephants.
เอเลเฟ่น เนเจอร์ พาร์ค (เมืองเชียงใหม่, ไทย) - รีวิว - ThailandAgoda.com
Attractions
6 miles
0.00 miles
0.23 miles
0.61 miles
0.94 miles
1.32 miles
1.32 miles
1.41 miles
1.46 miles
2.11 miles
2.11 miles
Elephant Nature Park is perched on a picturesque hilltop overlooking Thailand
I loved our experience at ENP. The guides are knowledgeable and can answer any question you ask them. One of the only ethical parks in Thailand, so if you’d like to see the creatures, be sure to stop here.
I volunteered just after the flood/mudslide disaster in the autumn of 2024. It was a time of extreme circumstances but still I felt that communication could have been a little more forthcoming. I e-mailed from Europe and asked if I should cancel my trip and got no real reply. I e-mailed again and did not get my questions answered, so I decided to travel but booked a hotel in Chiang Mai just in case.The website is not updated and little guidance is found there. In the end everything worked out but maybe I can help future volunteers with some information here I had liked having before I came.1. Payment is in cash when they pick you up. They take you to the ENP-office and you must have the full amount in cash.2. It is possible to leave the park earlier than 1 PM on Sunday and they will arrange for you to get back to Chiang Mai if you for instance have an early flight.3. They do laundry at the park. I had no idea and brought clothes to last a week but could really have packed less.4. You need at least one skirt/trousers that cover your knees and one top that covers your shoulders. There are visits to the local schools during the week plus, in my case, a buddhist ceremony with monks where you must dress modestly.5. Be prepared for mud and dirt. If you can’t stand it don’t go. Again, exceptional circumstances now but even minus the mud the area is dusty and there are animals everywhere. Dogs roam all areas, are allowed on tables at the eating area and pee EVERYWHERE. Enjoy your experience!
We went on a hastily arranged walking tour following the devastation of October’s floods. We needed to ask many questions beforehand (because of the potential cancellation possibilities). they responded calmly and with patience – even thought their world had literally been turned upside down of late.The day itself was fabulous. Picked up on time then guided by Kon – a great chap and very knowledgeable. We fed animals by hand and prepared their food then tracked in the jungle to watch them demolish trees to eat. All topped of with a great lunch with lots to choose – all made by busy ladies in the sheltered base beforehand. As ever in this country, the people are wonderful and there was no exception here. It was such an authentic, non-touristy experience.You must visit. Beware of the elephant parks that dont treat the animals as well as here…do your research then book here!
I visited Journey to Freedom, which is part of the Elephant Nature Park project. This week was incredible, and Sumo was an amazing tour guide. He was kind, funny, and very knowledgeable. He made this week an even more wonderful experience!
Had the best day ever at this wonderful place. We did the care for elephants and our guide was Bancha. You can see just how passionate the staff are and how much they care about the wellbeing of the animals and changing the elephant trade for the better. I’ve followed ENP for years so this was the only place I was going to see them in the freedom they now have since being rescued by ENP. We spent the day with 2 recently rescued elephants, feeding them, walking with them and generally observing them just wandering round. We also got to visit other elephants and learn about their stories which were horrific but you can find some comfort now that they are here. Don’t hesitate to book here, it was a highlight of our trip and a dream come true for me personally! Thank you ENP for everything that you do!
Seeing elephants was on the “things to do” list but we were adamant that we would do so with an ethical company. After hours of searching, reading reviews and articles, we came across the Elephant Nature Park. Elephant Nature Park (ENP) is an elephant rescue and rehabilitation centre in Northern Thailand, founded by renowned elephant rights advocate, Saengduean Chailert, known by her nickname Lek.With 400 staff, more than 5000 animals of which there are 113 elephants rescued from logging, circus shows and street begging. The sanctuary also rescued dogs, cats, water buffaloes, guinea pigs and monkeys. We saw first hand the cruelty of humans and also saw how love, care and kindness can lead to healing even if it takes years. You can forget about riding elephants, swimming or washing them because this tour implicitly forbids such activities as it causes more harm to elephants. Instead you will meet each elephant, learn about their past, their fav food, their friendships and much more. We both learnt so much about elephants, such majestic creatures of the Earth.
Wi was a fantastic guide on the half morning tour. We loved walking among the elephants and above them on the SkyWalk, hearing their stories and learning about elephant behavior and personality! It’s a fabulous organization taking in over a hundred elephants from logging, riding, and performing industries to enjoy a safe place. The way they take care of the “grannies” with soft prepared foods is amazing. We also loved that they reduce dogs and cats. They are rebuilding after extreme flooding this year, so while there was a lot of construction happening, I was glad to support their rebuilding efforts.
I would like a refund please. We visited on the “first day the park was open after floods” and was only told this when we were already in the car on the way to the park. In the car we were not provided with refreshments for the long journey from Chiang Mai centre and we thought we were meant to be shown an introductory video as we travelled, but this did not take place. On arrival, it seemed positive – we observed elephants from the safe side of a large enclosure at distance and then walked around a Sky Walk platform where the “guide” (I’ll use that term loosely) told us a limited amount of information about the elephants we were looking at.. mainly just about how they keep themselves cool.Following the Sky walk – we entered a cattery… yes a cattery with cats.. not elephants. We spent about 15 minutes in here stroking cats whilst it seemed like the guide wasted a bit of time for other things to be prepared at the second bit of the park.We then were ushered back into the vehicle to drive a couple minutes into the construction zone near the river. Here is where the disappointment started. We were guided to pay the remaining amounts at a desk and given some food in a dim muddy area next to some diggers (the food was poor, but let’s ignore that and stay on point about the elephants). Whilst we ate a bit of the poor food, next to a digger moving mud, we could just about see elephants in the background moving about the space being guided by local workers. The workers touched and talked to the elephants and guided them into enclosures but we could hardly see this. The only reason I know what they were doing was because I walked away from the eating table to actually try have an experience.After food, which took way too long. We probably wasted about half an hour or so there, we were walked into the open area where elephants were in a bit of a sulk because they were being split from each other and decided to charge at our group a bit. This was terrifying for one lady and as I am a bit wreckless, I enjoyed the adrenaline. Whilst this was happening we had to avoid dogs with red bandannas on as they were dangerous and I did have to shout at one as it tried to snap at my leg.Following this encouraging we were taken to an open area where the elephants were led to under the guise of getting fed. Let’s be clear here, the only reason the elephants were going to this area was to be fed and there only thing the guide wanted was to get people stood in front of the elephant for a photo. The whole experience was just to get tourists to have a photo. There was no learning, it wasn’t intimate and there wasn’t any interaction with the elephants. I know it is a NO TOUCH elephant park, but what’s the point if the workers are doing so anyway? We wouldn’t even hold out a banana. The photos on Tripadvisor make it look more intimate, but really it was 30 tourists trying to dive in front of a camera whilst elephants were getting overly excited about lots of bananas and watermelon thrown down on a platform.And that was it. Drive back to chiang mai. I have left this review because I would like the experience provided to provide a refund. After this experience I have had a better one at Phang Nga Elephant Park near Khao Lak. This was much more intimate, half of the price and more educational.
After a long research about different places, we found this one and for sure it wasn’t a mistake! It was by far the best experience in our holiday. We did Care for the elephanta. Our guide mr Tee is very passionate about his job and very careful with the group. We fed the elephants, walked with them in the jungle, observed their daily spa routine and then visited the elephant nature park. We did not feel for one second that the elephants were forced to do something for us! Amaizing experience! (food also very good at a place with a view!!)
An unforgettable experience and an absolute lifetime highlight! This truly is an ethical sanctuary for the rescued elephants (no riding, no bathing) and the passion and care at the camp is palpable in every way. My husband and I did the ‘Walking with Elephants’ full day tour and the flow of the day from the punctual hotel-pick up, quality of our tour guide, delicious lunch and of course, up-close and memorable time with the elephants, rest stops and ride back to Chiang Mai, was seamless. The small group size really made the experience so intimate. Really happy to have been able to be a part of this magical experience – highly recommend!
I spent a very nice afternoon in the sanctuary. The grounds are spacious and tourists are divided into small groups, allowing intimate encounters with these giants. The guide was very nice, and continuously offered to take pictures of me. The place does holy work of rescuing and caring for the elephants and money other animals, and thetefore deserves to be supported by your visit. Finally, the day ended with a buffet that was both plentiful and delicious
I am generally sceptical of animal experiences as someone who has worked with wild animals, but the Elephant Nature Park truly delivers – the volunteers and mahouts truly care and respect the elephants in their park, and they have a nuanced view of how to positively shift culture away from elephant logging and riding. Absolutely support their cause and the aspirations for the park are admirable.
This place is magical! I had the privilege of spending a week over there as a volunteer. You can read about the concept of the ENP in thousands of other comments. So let me focus on the experience. ENP gives you the best psychotherapy you can imagine. In the beginning you feel sadness and even anger when you see what humans (if you can call them humans…) are capable of doing to animals. But during the next days this sadness turns into pure happiness when you realize that even a small effort from your side can bring a big result for elephants, water buffalos, dogs, cats and many other animals.I was truly amazed at how well ENP and our volunteer activities were organized. We had two young but incredibly experienced, responsible and dedicated guides – GR and Archa. GR is a wonderful woman who pays great attention to the details of the volunteer experience. Also, fantastic photographer, storyteller, and very patient to answer all the questions (and we had a lot!). Archa is a young spirit gentleman whose priority is to make everyone feel relaxed and comfortable. His dancing and singing skills are legendary! Really, I have no words to say how privileged I was to spend some time with these two friendly people, along with wonderful animals.And what did we do over there? In general, the schedule varies and depends on the needs of the project at the time. We made snacks for the elephants (bananas with sticky rice), cleaned up the park (they were still struggling after a terrible flood in October 2024), cut down banana trees, collected hay, collected elephant dung (in total they deliver a full truck in one day!!), and much, much more. It’s a lot of fun, and you don’t have to worry about your physical abilities – there’s always something to do for everyone! Just remember, if you want to come, bring clothes and shoes that can get really dirty (laundry service available). Ah, and in your free time you can walk handicapped dogs and play with the cats :)And one thing I can guarantee you! Once you leave ENP, probably with tears in your eyes, you will not be thinking if you will ever come back, but WHEN 🙂
We had a wonderful morning at the park. Our guide Joe was very knowledgeable about the elephants & was able to answer all questions. You were allowed to wonder without disturbing the elephants. The vegan lunch buffet had a ton of delicious options.
Wow! What a spectacular day we had at the Elephant Nature Park. You can instantly see why this sanctuary is beheld as the top sanctuary in all of Southeast Asia. The care put into the upkeep of these elephants is stunning. Korn, our guide, was the star of the show (second to the elephants, of course). His commitment and compassion for his craft was clear from the second we arrived. I can’t recommend this destination enough!
The elephants camp where the animals come first. Wonderful, uplifting and incredibly fun experience, this multi award winning centre is a must for anyone who really cares about animals. No elephant riding, no elephant bathing and no touching of the elephants unless they make the initial contact. Instead you get up close and personal with the elephants in the company of incredibly caring and well trained handlers who appreciate the personalities, back stories and needs of each individual elephant. It’s worth staying overnight to spend more time with the elephants and absorb the peace and tranquility of this very special place. The best thing we have ever done in Thailand
After much research, this is the only elephant experience I would suggest in Chiang Mai because of their philosophy and approach to saving and caring for these animals. This is a mostly “no touch” sanctuary. We did the full day Care For Elephants program. We prepped food, fed them, walked through the jungle and simply experienced elephants being elephants. The Care for Elephants day includes trekking up a few steep inclines and muddy paths, so wear sturdy shoes and be prepared to get a little dirty. The guides and caretakers truly love these creatures and you will learn so much. As an added bonus, the lunch was delicious!
Wonderful morning with the rescue elephants. Didn’t stop smiling and marvelling at the opportunity to spend time with them and hear their stories. Our guide was called Oh and her love for the elephants was clear. I would recommend this tour so highly – there is no exploitation, just care and affection. If you are in Chiang Mai this is the elephant tour to choose.
Absolutely fantastic experience. Such a good cause. No touching the elephants. Great volunteers and guides with a wealth of knowledge. Food fantastic. Accommodation also good. Great value for money in the cafe/bar and shop. DO NOT visit any so called sanctuaries if you can touch or bath or ride the animals. This one is a unique experience. And one of a kind. They roam freely. Lovely staff