We went on an adventure to Thailand with Phil's family and while in Chiang Mai made a quick stop to meet some elephants! Since we care a lot about animals, we went to a park that was not just a tourist attraction but an elephant sanctuary.

They save elephants in horrible situations and rehabilitate them to give them a beautiful life. The sanctuary is called Elephant Nature Park and it is a must-see while visiting Chiang Mai.

We didn't want to leave Thailand without seeing an elephant and we're glad we found a way to help out these amazing animals.  It was such a cool experience and we are glad we got to check it off our bucket list.

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Elephant Sanctuary

Thailand is famous for elephants and is often a tourist must for those visiting. However, with such a popular industry it's easy for the elephants to be mistreated to give the consumer the "experience" they want.

Not to mention, elephants were already being used and abused to help with Thailand's economic growth. Elephant Nature Park, first and foremost, is a sanctuary where they find animals in horrible situations and save them from a life of maltreatment.

So where do tourists come in? As with any type of business, there are costs to run the park, tourists can come and observe these beautiful creatures but in a more friendly habitat for them.

Think of it as a way to let the elephants live their normal day to days lives but with you hanging out nearby.

There is interaction with the elephants but in a safe way and without infringing on their rights. You do not ride or bathe the elephants.

How it Works

You get picked up by a van and they take you to the park where you get to hang out in an open lodge where the elephants can come right on up and say hi. You are put into groups and taken by guides to meet the elephants throughout the day.

Feeding the Elephants

With guides nearby, you get a chance to feed the elephants some fruit. This is the perfect opportunity for photos and you even get to pet the elephants.

Keep in mind you are in a group of about 10 so you have to wait your turn and will probably have extras in the backgrounds of some of the pictures. You may even get the chance to help them drink some water from a hose.

Watching the Elephants bathe

As we mentioned before, you do not bathe the elephants as having so many people in the water would require stifling of the elephants. Instead, they get to play around in the water freely while the guides help them to get clean.

You get to be on the river bank watching them splash around, then walk back out to IMMEDIATELY throw dirt on themselves. It is so amazing to watch and even just being that close to them is more than enough.

Exploring

You will walk around the entire park with your guide seeing all of the elephants and other animals at the sanctuary. The place has the perfect Thailand backdrop with mountains and nature all around you and you get to see plenty of elephants.

There is also time to explore the main lodge which gives you plenty of open views to continue watching the elephants. You also have time to check out the cafe and gift shop.

Lunch

Lunch is provided between all of the elephant watching. It's a vegetarian buffet since it's an animal sanctuary after all.

There are a lot of choices to choose from so even picky eaters can find something. Plus lots of water so you can stay hydrated.

Tips

Dress Appropriately

Thailand is often hot and humid. You will be outside basically the entire day and doing a lot of walking. Make sure to wear athletic clothes that are comfortable and breathe well.

Gym shoes are also a good choice since you are walking a lot outside. We would also suggest a hat and sunglasses.

Bring a Bag with Essentials

Bring a cheap beach bag with a water bottle and sunscreen. There is an assigned table to you in the lodge where you can leave your belongings.

There is time for resting at the table where you can reapply sunscreen and rest. Coolers are located throughout the lodge to refill your reusable water bottle.

Buy From the Cafe

Since the proceeds help support all of the animals located at the park, buying a drink from the cafe not only gives you a quick pick me-up but helps out the elephants. It's not expensive and with a long day of elephant watching the drink is appreciated.

Since seeing elephants while in Thailand seems to be the thing to do please check out the Elephant Nature Park. It's a more ethical and humane way to see these beautiful creatures while also supporting the sanctuary.