5 Elephant Sanctuaries to Visit in Chiang Mai

Elephants play a crucial role in cultural protection of Thailand for its strength and longevity. However, the number of elephants has significantly decreased as they have been being killed for ivory tusks. To prevent elephants from becoming extinct, the Thailand government has built elephant sanctuaries to protect these animals. If you have the opportunity to come to Thailand, do not forget to discover the top 5 best Elephant Sanctuaries in Chiang Mai.

1. Chiang Mai Elephant Sanctuary and Trekking

Visiting Chiang Mai Elephant Sanctuary is a chance for tourists to unwind and get away from the hustle of city life. This is an ideal destination to visit if you would like to look for a tour which not only has full activities with elephants but also give a chance for tourists to discover jungle wonders.

Come to Chiang Mai Elephant Sanctuary, tourists can find local tour guides to help them learn about the destination. Visitors will be provided with information about Thai elephants’ history and activities in the sanctuary. Elephants here are really gentle and friendly, which is the reason why they are also called “gentle giants”. Tourists can use mud to put on elephants’ skin. Actually, mud can help them avoid bad effects from the sun. Moreover, activities such as bathing with elephants, cuddling or feeding them are also interesting.

In addition, visitors can enjoy jungle wonder here by floating down a river safari using a bamboo raft or trekking along the jungle trail. Then, tasting some delicious Thai foods is the best choice after experiencing exciting activities of Chiang Mai elephant sanctuary.

Chiang Mai Elephant Sanctuary is a chance for tourists to unwind and get away from the hustle of city life

2. Kanta Elephant Sanctuary

Kanta Elephant Sanctuary is one of the best Chiang Mai elephant nature parks, which is not only a place to protect elephants but also a home for these “giants” to  enjoy a peaceful and harmless life. Visitors coming here will have a chance to take part in daily activities with elephants such as feeding, bathing or walking with them.

Besides, learning how to make food for elephants is one of the highlights of the trip here. Tourists will be taught the way to use some kinds of fruits to make snacks and use natural herbs to make medicine balls for the elephants. Actually, visitors can choose to self-organize the trip or book tours from service providers to have the best experiences at Kanta Elephant Sanctuary.

Kanta Elephant Sanctuary is one of the best Chiang Mai elephant nature parks

3. Hug Elephant Sanctuary

Hug Elephant Sanctuary is a natural elephant sanctuary, where elephants are living with the community. Tourists will definitely have a great time if they join the tour to this destination. This is an opportunity for people to visit and learn about daily life of elephants in the natural environment. Furthermore, interacting and playing with elephants here will help you to relax in a special way.

After taking part in different activities such as feeding the elephants, enjoying mud spa and bathing in a local river with them, tourists will taste some traditional foods of Thailand. After that, do not forget to visit the nearby hillside and take some pictures to record your experiences here. 

Hug Elephant Sanctuary is a natural elephant sanctuary, where elephants are living with the community

4. Elephant Nature Park

It takes only one hour to drive from Chiang Mai center to Elephant Nature Park. This is a place where mahouts, veterinarians and volunteers take care of elephants that have been physically and mentally mistreated.

After the elephants recovered, people moved them to Haven, a 800-ha resort. Apart from nurturing and protecting elephants, the park is also a place where visitors can learn about the life of elephants and life of mountainous people here. Moreover, travelers can also enjoy the most wonderful views in the northern mountain of Thailand.

Elephant Nature Park is a place where mahouts, veterinarians and volunteers take care of elephants

5. Elephant Rescue Park

Elephant Rescue Park is one of the recently established elephant sanctuaries in Chiang Mai. This place is actually a peaceful home for rescued elephants, which help them have safe life in a very natural habitat. Most elephants here have been rescued from elephant riding or circus shows in which they had been mistreated.

Like visiting other elephant sanctuaries, tourists can feed and walk with elephants or join in the mud bath when travelling to Elephant Rescue Park. Moreover, planting trees is an interesting activity which not only provides food for the elephants but also contributes to protect the green environment.

Elephant Rescue Park is one of the recently established elephant sanctuaries in Chiang Mai

Actually, visiting elephant sanctuaries in Chiang Mai is a perfect way for visitors to relax and get away from busy life. It is also an opportunity to learn about Thai culture and the symbol of this country. So, refer to the top 5 best elephant sanctuaries mentioned above to plan your coming trip to Thailand.

Hang Moon

Image sources: Internet