Elephant Jungle Sanctuary

Elephant Jungle Sanctuary in Thailand is an ethical elephant park who doesn't offer riding elephant activities but accompanying elephants in a friendly way. It was set up in July 2014 and since now (2019) it has already owned 4 locations in Chiang Mai, Phuket, Pattaya and Koh Samui.

Understand

Elephant Jungle Sanctuary is an ethical unit between the members of Karen hill tribe who initially start work with elephants, and people who is concerned with elephant welfare in Thailand. It functions as a "retirement home" for elephants that have been ill-treated before either in the logging industry or entertaining camp. The sanctuary is now getting famous for its ethical elephant program. The purpose of the sanctuary is “Do Not Ride Elephants” because elephant’s spine is weak and cannot bear heavy loads. Travelers to Elephant Jungle Sanctuary can view elephants in their natural habitat, take care of dozens of elephants (depends on the location), walk with them through the dense mountains and communicate with Karen tribes and their students.
The park now are divided into four locations:
Chiang Mai Elephant Jungle Sanctuary: 119 10 Thapae Rd, Tambon Chang Moi, Mueang Chiang Mai District, Chiang Mai 50100 Thailand
Phuket Elephant Jungle Sanctuary: Kathu, Kathu District, Phuket 83120 Thailand
Pattaya: 3 347 Pattaya 3rd Rd, Muang Pattaya, Bang Lamung District, Chon Buri 20150Thailand
Koh Samui: 64/35 Moo 3, Koh Samui, Surat Thani 84320 Thailand

Get in

The sanctuary offers round-way free shuttle from downtown hotels to the park. The pick-up time may vary slightly with the hotel position. There will be a surcharge for transfer from locations outside the downtown area.

Fees and permits

The sanctuary now has 4 locations in Thailand. Different location price varies slightly because of distance and activities. There are several options for groups staying from half day to a week with a group transfer service and join-in program.

Chiang Mai

Chiang Mai Half Day Program
Adults: 1,700 Baht
Children (4-10): 1,300 Baht
Infant (under 3): Free of charge
Chiang Mai Full Day Program
Adults: 2,400 Baht
Children (4-10): 1,800 Baht
Infant (under 3): Free of charge
Chiang Mai Full Day Walking with Elephants Program
Adults: 3,500 Baht
Children (4-10): 2,900 Baht
Infant (under 3): 2,000 Baht
Chiang Mai Overnight Program
Adults: 4,900 Baht
Children (4-10): 3,900 Baht
Infant (under 3): 3,000 Baht
Chiang Mai 5-Day Program
Adults: 13,500 Baht

Phuket

Phuket Half Day Program
Adults: 2,500 Baht
Children (4-10): 1,900 Baht
Infant (under 3): Free of charge
Phuket Full Day Walking with Elephants Program
Adults: 4,900 Baht
Children (7-10): 3,500 Baht
Doesn’t allow kids under 7 year old
Phuket Camp 4 Feed & Shower Program
Adults: 2,000 Baht
Children (4-10): 1,500 Baht
Infant (under 3): Free of charge
Phuket Camp 4 Feed Program
Adults: 900 Baht
Children < 3: Free of charge
Phuket Camp 4 Poop Paper & Soap DIY Program
All Ages: Free for add on other Camp 4 program
Phuket Camp 4 Overnight Program
Adults: 8,500 Baht
Children (4-10): 7,500 Baht
Doesn’t allow kids under 7 year old
Phuket 5-Day Program
Adults: 13,500 Baht

Pattaya

Pattaya Half Day Program:
Adults: 2,500 Baht
Children (4-10): 1,900 Baht
Infant (under 3): Free of charge
Pattaya Feed Program
Adults: 650 Baht
Children < 3: Free of charge
Pattaya Poop Fibers DIY Program
All Ages: Free for add on other program

Koh Samui

Samui Half Day Program:
Adults: 3,000 Baht
Children (4-10): 1,900 Baht
Infant (under 3): Free of charge
Pattaya Feed Program
Adults: 900 Baht
Children < 3: Free of charge

Do

Elephant Tour Programs

-Half Day Program: 
Elephant Jungle Sanctuary sets two sessions for half day program. Morning visit starts at 06:30am and afternoon at 11:30am.
Full Day Program: One day program enables you have 9 hours interacting with elephants, from 08:00am to 17:00pm.
-Overnight Program:
Two-day overnight Elephant Jungle Sanctuary Program provides visitors with an opportunity to deep interact and understand elephant. More personal time with elephants and local people.
-Week Program:
Five-day week program is operated for visitors who love immersive experience with elephants and Karon tribes in completely local environment. It will be tough but lots of fun.
-“Play with Fiber Poop” DIY Program:
This program can only be operated in Phuket Elephant Jungle Sanctuary Camp 4 and Pattaya locations.

Activities:

Your experience here will give you a fascinating insight to the life of the elephant and how these magnificent creatures think, live and react.
-Understand the mission of the sanctuary
Learn the history behind Thailand elephant tourism and also the current situation of ethical elephant sanctuary. Give visitors insight into the personal history of each elephant in the camp. Also learn their incredible life behavior from mahouts and some “elephant language”.
-Prepare food and Feed the elephants
Learn as much as possible about the elephant’s diet & eating habits. Clean fruit and vegetables, cook sticky rice & pumpkin and feeding them by hand.
-Have a mud bath and swimming with elephants
Accompany elephants to a nearby mud spa where you can swim, help bathe and brush elephants, while they paddle and play in the water. You can take your camera or phone to take photos with them. If you worry about being wet, the park also offer free photographers to shoot for you throughout the day. All photos will be upload to Dropbox and Facebook.
-Karen Tribe & Wear Karen traditional costumes
The Elephant Jungle Sanctuary is a joint reserve between the Karen hill tribe groups and the Thai local people who care about the welfare of the Thai elephants. The sanctuary will have enough time to meet and interact with Karen villagers and to speak with the elephant mahouts. Also wear traditional Karen clothes.
- Making paper from elephant dung
Elephant’s poop is full of plant fiber which is the main part of regular wood-pulp paper. An elephant eats 250kg of food every day and 1/5 part of that will convert into dung. In Elephant Jungle Sanctuary, you will learn how to make an elephant poop paper in a traditional way, Including collecting, cleaning, mixing, screening and drying.
-Making a Donation
Monthly or one-off donation can be made on the official site of Elephant Jungle Sanctuary. Your donation will goes straightly to the daily work of the sanctuary helping to saving elephant from suffering tourism, increase elephant living environment and give proper medical treatment. Ten percent of donations are also being used to mahouts and their communities for local development.

Eat

Since Elephant Jungle Sanctuary is located in jungle and far away from any business centers, There are scarcely any restaurants outside the park. Most of the programs in the park include a buffet lunch. Visitors can enjoy traditional Thai food and fresh fruit here.

Sleep

Half day and full day program can be drop off to the downtown hotel at the same day. Overnight and week program need to stay on the sanctuary. Rooms are equipped with public bathroom and shower room, hot water, fans and mosquito net. Each apartment has 4-5 bunk beds for under 10 person.