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Ethical Elephant Sanctuary and Thai Cooking Class in Chiang Mai

Top rated
4.9
Activity provider: Joy Elephant Sanctuary
Ethical Elephant Sanctuary and Thai Cooking Class in Chiang Mai
Ethical Elephant Sanctuary and Thai Cooking Class in Chiang Mai 2
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Full-day tour in Chiang Mai, taking in Muang Chiang Mai and Mae Wang District. Run by Joy Elephant Sanctuary, booked direct rather than through a reseller.

Highlights

  • Muang Chiang Mai
  • Mae Wang District
  • Runs 11 hours
  • 1. Round trip transfer service to/from all places of accommodation within a 5km radius of Chiang Mai’s Old City
  • 2. Entry tickets to the Elephant sanctuary and cooking class
  • 3. English-Speaking Tour Guide

Ethical Elephant Sanctuary and Thai Cooking Class in Chiang Mai: Key Facts

PriceFrom $107.5 per person
Duration11 hours
LanguagesEnglish
Tour typeGuided Tour
BookingDirect with the local operator — no OTA markup

Full description

This is a 11-hour experience in Chiang Mai, built around Muang Chiang Mai and Mae Wang District. It is run by Joy Elephant Sanctuary, an operator we book with directly rather than through a reseller, which is why we can hold your place with them before we treat your booking as final.

Japanese cooking classes usually build a meal around dashi, the kombu and bonito stock that sits under miso soup, simmered dishes and noodle broths, and then one or two headline dishes: rolled sushi or nigiri, gyoza, tempura, okonomiyaki, or a bento box. Wagashi classes make the seasonal sweets served with tea from sweet bean paste. Most classes run two to three hours in a home kitchen or a small studio, and vegetarian versions replace the bonito with a kombu-shiitake dashi. You eat what you make, and Japanese teachers are precise about technique.

The price covers 1. Round trip transfer service to/from all places of, 2. Entry tickets to the Elephant sanctuary and cooking class, 3. English-Speaking Tour Guide, 4. Complimentary Local Meal and 5. Drinking Water. It does not cover 1. Accommodation, 2. Other personal expenses and 3. Tips and gratuities, so budget for those separately. Everything included is listed in full on this page; if something is not on that list, assume it is not in the price.

Mueang Chiang Mai District. We need at least one day's notice, and we confirm the date with Joy Elephant Sanctuary before treating your booking as final. If they cannot take your date we tell you and refund you rather than leave you waiting.

Tour Itinerary

Itineraries are customisable as per your request

The schedule below is a suggested plan and can be adjusted to suit your preferences.

Pickup location

Mueang Chiang Mai District

Van

(30 minutes)

Muang Chiang Mai

Food market visit (30 minutes)

Muang Chiang Mai

Lunch, Cooking class (3 hours)

Van

(1 hour)

Mae Wang District

Tea, Guided tour, Walk, Wildlife viewing, Workshop (3 hours)

Mae Wang District

Dinner (30 minutes)

Van

(1.5 hours)

Arrive back at

Mueang Chiang Mai District

Detailed Itinerary

Pickup location: Mueang Chiang Mai District

Van: (30 minutes)

Muang Chiang Mai: Food market visit (30 minutes)

Muang Chiang Mai: Lunch, Cooking class (3 hours)

Van: (1 hour)

Mae Wang District: Tea, Guided tour, Walk, Wildlife viewing, Workshop (3 hours)

Mae Wang District: Dinner (30 minutes)

Van: (1.5 hours)

Includes

  • 1. Round trip transfer service to/from all places of accommodation within a 5km radius of Chiang Mai’s Old City.
  • 2. Entry tickets to the Elephant sanctuary and cooking class.
  • 3. English-Speaking Tour Guide
  • 4. Complimentary Local Meal
  • 5. Drinking Water
  • 6. Elephant's Food & Snacks
  • 7. Insurance
  • 8. Towel
  • 9. All necessary Ingredients for cooking
  • 10. Vegan & Vegetarian options available
  • 11. E-book recipes for cooking

Excludes

  • 1. Accommodation
  • 2. Other personal expenses
  • 3. Tips and gratuities

Important information

Meeting point

Mueang Chiang Mai District

Know before you go

  • Free cancellation available up to 24 hours before the activity starts

About this activity

Free cancellation
Cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund
Secure payment
Complete your booking safely with Razorpay. Full refund if you cancel 24h prior. Read more
Duration 11 hours
Check availability to see starting times
Live tour guide
English
Wheelchair accessible

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Main Tour Price
Starting from $107.5
$107.5
Need a custom booking or have a larger group?Contact Support via WhatsApp
Free cancellation
Cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund
Secure payment
Complete your booking safely with Razorpay. Full refund if you cancel 24h prior. Read more

Traveler Reviews

4.9/5
based on 15 reviews
Guide
5/5
Value for money
5/5
Verified reviews from travelers on this operator’s experience
4
R
Ronald
November 6, 2025

same same but different - eigene Fehlplanung (hatte alles schonmal) aber trotzdem Neues gelernt und entdeckt, tolle Menschen getroffen und viel Spaß gehabt 😉

Review photo 1Review photo 2Review photo 3
5
L
Lucy
January 31, 2026

A fantastic day trip - the cooking class was so much fun and interactive, giving you the options to choose from several options for most of the courses. And the elephant sanctuary/experience was just beautiful. Cannot recommend enough!

5
T
Traveller
September 11, 2026

everything was perfect, highly recomend, love the guide spirit

5
T
Traveller
April 7, 2026

The cooking class was amazing! Great range of dishes to choose from and the teacher was great! Going to the local market at the beginning was lovely. Joy elephant sanctuary was an amazing experience! The elephants are clearly well cared for and free to roam—no riding or forced interaction. Just observation. The staff are knowledgeable and genuinely care about the animals. A great place to learn and see elephants in a natural, respectful environment. Highly recommend!

5
T
Traveller
February 13, 2025

La lezione di cucina con Aim è stata molto divertente! ilInoltre, il santuario degli elefanti è un vero santuario etico!

Frequently Asked Questions

Mueang Chiang Mai District
The price does not cover 1. accommodation, 2. other personal expenses and 3. tips and gratuities. Everything it does cover is listed in full on this page, so if something is not on that list, budget for it separately.
No riding. This camp lets you feed, walk beside and bathe the elephants without riding, hooks or chains, which is the line we draw before listing a camp. Wear clothes you do not mind getting muddy; a change of clothes and a towel are usually provided, and the mud is part of the day.
We confirm your booking with the operator before we treat it as final, and we need at least one day's notice. Once it is confirmed you get the meeting point, the time and a contact number for the day. If the operator cannot take your date we tell you and refund you rather than leave you waiting.
1. Round trip transfer service to/from all places of accommodation within a 5km radius of Chiang Mai’s Old City., 2. Entry tickets to the Elephant sanctuary and cooking class., 3. English-Speaking Tour Guide, 4. Complimentary Local Meal, 5. Drinking Water, 6. Elephant's Food & Snacks, 7. Insurance, 8. Towel, 9. All necessary Ingredients for cooking, 10. Vegan & Vegetarian options available, 11. E-book recipes for cooking
The duration of the Ethical Elephant Sanctuary and Thai Cooking Class in Chiang Mai is typically 11 hours. We recommend arriving 15 minutes before the scheduled start time for a smooth check-in. Your guide will meet you at the designated meeting point and ensure the experience runs on schedule while remaining flexible to your pace.
For most experiences, we highly recommend an early morning start. This allows you to avoid the midday heat, bypass the largest crowds, and capture the best lighting for photography. Your guide can advise on the optimal timing based on the season and specific attractions included.
Yes, once your booking is completed via our secure payment gateway, you will receive an instant confirmation email with your tour details, meeting point address, guide's name, and direct contact information. You can also view and manage your booking through your AsiaByLocals account dashboard.
Yes! All our private tours are fully customizable. Whether you want to add extra stops, skip certain locations, change the pace, or adjust the start time — simply let your guide know in advance or on the day. We aim to create a personalized experience tailored to your interests and energy level.
We offer free cancellation up to 24 hours before the scheduled start time for a full refund. Cancellations within 24 hours may be subject to a partial charge depending on the tour type. Weather-related cancellations for outdoor and boat tours are handled on a case-by-case basis, with full refunds or free rebooking offered when safety is a concern.
Most of our experiences are family-friendly and suitable for children of all ages. However, some tours involving extensive walking, water activities, or early morning starts may be better suited for children aged 5 and above. Please check the specific tour description for age recommendations, or contact us for personalized family itinerary advice.
After booking, you will receive detailed meeting point instructions via email. Most tours include complimentary hotel pickup within the central area. For tours without pickup, your confirmation email will include the exact address, Google Maps pin, and your guide's phone number for easy coordination. Guides typically arrive 10 minutes early and will message you on WhatsApp.
We accept all major credit and debit cards (Visa, Mastercard, American Express), PayPal, Apple Pay, and Razorpay for Indian cards. All payments are processed through a PCI-compliant secure gateway with 256-bit encryption. You can also pay in multiple currencies — the price is automatically converted to your local currency at checkout.
Yes, all AsiaByLocals guides are licensed professionals who have been rigorously vetted through background checks, skill assessments, and customer reviews. Many hold government-issued tourism licenses, university degrees in history or cultural studies, and have years of experience leading tours for international travelers. Every guide maintains a minimum 4.5-star rating to remain active on our platform.
Starting from$107.5