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View all Chiang Mai toursInthanon, Ethical Elephant Sanctuary and Waterfall in Chiang Mai
Full-day tour in Chiang Mai, taking in Mae Wang District and Doi Inthanon National Park. Run by Joy Elephant Sanctuary, booked direct rather than through a reseller.
Highlights
- Mae Wang District
- Doi Inthanon National Park
- Runs 12 hours
- 1. Round trip transfer service to/from all places of accommodation within a 5km radius of Chiang Mai’s Old City
- 2. English-Speaking Tour Guide
- 3. Complimentary Local Meal
Inthanon, Ethical Elephant Sanctuary and Waterfall in Chiang Mai: Key Facts
| Price | From $97.5 per person |
|---|---|
| Duration | 12 hours |
| Languages | English |
| Tour type | Guided Tour |
| Booking | Direct with the local operator — no OTA markup |
Full description
This is a 12-hour experience from Chiang Mai, built around Mae Wang District and Doi Inthanon National Park. 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.
The price covers 1. Round trip transfer service to/from all places of, 2. English-Speaking Tour Guide, 3. Complimentary Local Meal, 4. Drinking Water and 5. Elephant's Food & Snacks. 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
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
Tea, Guided tour, Walk, Wildlife viewing, Workshop (3 hours)
Mae Wang District
Lunch (30 minutes)
Van
(1 hour)
Doi Inthanon National Park
Guided tour, Walk, Hiking, Scenic views on the way (4.5 hours)
Arrive back at
Mueang Chiang Mai District
Detailed Itinerary
Pickup location: Mueang Chiang Mai District
Van: (1.5 hours)
Mae Wang District: Tea, Guided tour, Walk, Wildlife viewing, Workshop (3 hours)
Mae Wang District: Lunch (30 minutes)
Van: (1 hour)
Doi Inthanon National Park: Guided tour, Walk, Hiking, Scenic views on the way (4.5 hours)
Arrive back at: Mueang Chiang Mai District
Includes
- 1. Round trip transfer service to/from all places of accommodation within a 5km radius of Chiang Mai’s Old City.
- 2. English-Speaking Tour Guide
- 3. Complimentary Local Meal
- 4. Drinking Water
- 5. Elephant's Food & Snacks
- 6. Insurance
- 7. Towel
- 8. Inthanon National Park & Twin Pagodas Ticket
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
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Traveler Reviews
The weather was great in the morning and we really enjoyed our time at the elephant sanctuary. The owners are taking good care of and especially no touching or bathing is allowed. We just observed them from a distance and it was so special as well as less stressful for them. In the afternoon we got quite a bit of rain and that didn’t help our tour at the pagodas since we couldn’t see much but the scenery around was marvelous! So lush, green and peaceful. The trail was beautiful. Highly recommend the tour and our guide was very helpful and knowledgeable!
Excellent and varied day. To set expectations, our guide explained that the elephants are domestic (not wild). We fed them bananas then trekked with them through the forest. The elephants are free to wander as they pleased and it was an amazing experience. After lunch, we visited Doi Inthanon (rainy season - so cloudy we couldn't even see the top of the pagodas!), then brief walk around the highest point. Finally, a jungle hike along beautiful waterfalls and paddy fields, finishing at a coffee tasting shop with handicrafts. Great day out. Tip - muddy and slippy, take good shoes!
This was such an amazing experience. The staff at the sanctuary were so informative and kind and made it such an experience for us. Ethical and kind. I feel so grateful. And then the hiking + waterfalls + the Coffee village was even MORE amazing. Thank you to our guide Show, and all the amazing drivers and elders who walked with us on this journey
One of the best days of my life!!! I loved feeding the Elephants and walking with them. Truly an amazing experience. I love the fact that it’s an ethical sanctuary and doesn’t do bathing or touching. The elephants are adorable. The hiking part was also amazing. We were in awe the whole time. If you love nature, this one is for you!!
Fantastic! Such a good day out, our guide was amazing and so informative and it was just such a fun day - highly recommend!
Had an amazing day spent with the elephants followed by a hike through the beautiful nature trail. Would highly recommend.
Our guide, Chai, was a great tour guide and was very knowledgeable about all aspects throughout the day. Watching the elephants trek through the jungle whilst maintaining our distance was definitely a highlight for us. The lunch provided was a Pad Thai and was delicious. In the afternoon, the hike through the Karen village lasted 1.5 hours and was also good fun. I would definitely recommend this trip.
Amazing experience, guide was super knowledgeable on Thailands history and the wildlife. Ethical elephant sanctuary which is hard to find, beautiful waterfall and hiking trails. Got lots of great photos
This sanctuary is ACTUALLY ethical. Places that allow you to bathe and touch the elephants are not ethical. Joy sanctuary prioritises the wellbeing of the elephants and allows them to roam and experience life as they should. They are truly free and happy. I couldn’t recommend it more! When in chiang mai make a positive impact and support this great cause. The guides were fantastic and the hike was such a unique experience. We were even given a selection of local teas and coffees to try. Don’t be fooled by sanctuaries that claim to be ‘ethical’ and instead choose joy sanctuary.
Wonderful time with the elephants in their natural habitat! It was so fun to feed them then hike with them. Hike to the waterfall was also enjoyable - we were blessed with good weather despite the rainy season
I have been looking forward to seeing elephants up close in person for a long time and knowing we were doing so ethically made this trip even more meaningful. We loved walking with them in the jungle environment and seeing them eat and drink in a natural environment.
Great experience, I definitely recommend it, the guides, the community, the nature was top. They are very respectful with elephants and in their habitat, whole full day experience you can't miss!