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View all Chiang Mai toursFull Day Ethical Elephant Sanctuary and Waterfall in Chiang Mai
Full-day tour in Chiang Mai, taking in Mae Wang District. Run by Joy Elephant Sanctuary, booked direct rather than through a reseller.
Highlights
- Mae Wang District
- Runs 9 hours
- Hotel pickup and drop-off
- Tour guide
- Lunch
- Water
Full Day Ethical Elephant Sanctuary and Waterfall in Chiang Mai: Key Facts
| Price | From $86 per person |
|---|---|
| Duration | 9 hours |
| Languages | English |
| Tour type | Guided Tour |
| Booking | Direct with the local operator — no OTA markup |
Full description
This is a 9-hour experience from Chiang Mai, built around 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.
A private day with a driver-guide is the way to see the most of a Japanese city or region in one day, because it removes the transfers between sights that eat a third of the day on public transport. Prices are usually per vehicle for up to a set number of guests rather than per person, and cover the car, fuel, tolls and the guide; entrance fees and lunch are paid as you go unless the listing says otherwise. Japanese guides are licensed for the work and typically punctual to the minute. Give the operator your priorities, and expect them to reorder the day around opening hours and crowds; that is what you are paying for.
The price covers Hotel pickup and drop-off, Tour guide, Lunch, Water and Elephant's food and snacks. It does not cover Tips, 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
The schedule below is a suggested plan and can be adjusted to suit your preferences.
Pickup location
Mueang Chiang Mai District
Van
(1.5 hours)
Mae Wang District
Guided tour, Wildlife viewing (2.5 hours)
Mae Wang District
Lunch (30 minutes)
Mae Wang District
Tea, Guided tour, Sightseeing, Walk, Wildlife viewing, Workshop (2.5 hours)
Arrive back at
Mueang Chiang Mai District
Detailed Itinerary
Pickup location: Mueang Chiang Mai District
Van: (1.5 hours)
Mae Wang District: Guided tour, Wildlife viewing (2.5 hours)
Mae Wang District: Lunch (30 minutes)
Mae Wang District: Tea, Guided tour, Sightseeing, Walk, Wildlife viewing, Workshop (2.5 hours)
Arrive back at: Mueang Chiang Mai District
Includes
- Hotel pickup and drop-off
- Tour guide
- Lunch
- Water
- Elephant's food and snacks
- Insurance
- Towel
Excludes
- Tips
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
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Traveler Reviews
This new ethical sanctuary is fantastic. Respect for the elephants is important; they are not mistreated and domesticated to satisfy tourist’s expectations, such as being able to touch them, swim with them, sit on their backs, etc. I was able to feed them, and we walked alongside them in the jungle, while respecting the necessary distances. They roam freely on 44 acres of land. I don't think a full day is necessary; the after-dinner activity didn't add much to this wonderful excursion. In the end, I would have preferred to pay only for the morning excursion.
Me gusto muchísimo la experiencia, pude estar de cerca con los elefantes, caminar con ellos, alimentarlos y aprender sobre ellos. Me gustó que el día fue relajado y sin apuros. El guia estaba muy bien preparado y era muy amable asi como todos en el santuario. Realmente recomiendo esta experiencia.
Transfer hat super geklappt. Nette Guides. Spaziergang mit den Elefanten war toll, konnten beim Schlammbaden beobachtet werden. War super, sie so frei beobachten zu können. Tolles Essen. Würde es sofort wieder machen.
Hermosa experiencia en todos los sentidos =) El camino tiene muchas curvas. Lo único que recomendaría a este proveedor es que sus conductores manejen con mayor precaución, más lento y no rebasen coches en carriles de doble sentido.
An amazing day we absolutely loved it! Best day in Chiang Mai!
I couldn’t go on this trip as I was poorly, but my friend did and said it was lovely, up close with the elephants but only feeding them. They made some breathing inhaler which we’d nearly bought in a shop the day before, so she was happy about that. She said the day was cut short due to a shorter lunch, which wasn’t very much, good job she’d taken snacks too.
The information on how to take care of the elephants, the making of medicine balls to feed the elephants was great The individuals taking care of the elephants are very caring
Staff great. Transfer on time. Very ethical So fun
C’est un sanctuaire très récent qui a ouvert il y a moins d’un an et qui est est réellement « éthique ». La plupart des autres sanctuaires laissent les touristes interagir avec les éléphants, les toucher, se baigner avec eux, ce qui est très mauvais pour eux. Même domestiqués, les seuls interactions qui ne sont pas nocives pour eux sont celles avec ceux qui s’occupent d’eux, qui sont avec eux tous les jours. Une relation de confiance doit s’établir avant tout, comme dans toute relation… C’est pourquoi je recommande vraiment la visite de ce sanctuaire. On est quand même amenés à les nourrir et