What to Expect for a Trip to Elephant Nature Park

You might be wondering what to expect during an elephant sanctuary visit—what activities are included and what should you know beforehand? Let's take Elephant Nature Park, one of Thailand's top ethical sanctuaries, as an example.

Just 1½ hours from Chiang Mai, the park is famous for its no-contact policy with rescued elephants, earning over 10,000 5-star reviews.

With 9 programs available, how do you choose the right one? Here's a quick guide to help you pick the perfect experience based on your interests and physical ability.

What Does Elephant Nature Park Offer for Elephant Interactions?

Elephant Nature Park is dedicated to a hands-off philosophy. When you're visiting this park, you mainly observe elephants from an undisturbed distance.

In contrast to other camps, where feeding and bathing are common, Elephant Nature Park limits such interactions. Feeding is only allowed in projects with limited participants.

Bathing is strictly prohibited as elephants need space to splash and roll freely during their bath time. Having people around causes them stress and prevents them from simply being themselves.

How to Choose the Right Program for You

The right program for you will depend on how much interaction you want with the elephants and how physically demanding you want it to be. Here's a quick guide to help you decide.

For Minimal Interaction—Observation-Only Programs

These programs offer the most ethical and hands-off way to interact with the elephants. They are also ideal for families with elders and little kids, as these activities require little physical effort.

• Half-Day Tour (Morning or Afternoon)

This program is perfect if you're short on time but still want to experience the sanctuary. You would get to watch the elephants interact naturally with each other and their environment.

• Full-Day SkyWalk

This program offers a more in-depth look at the elephants' natural behavior, with a bird's-eye view from elevated walkways. It's ideal for animal lovers who want to observe the elephants from a respectful distance without any disturbances.

• 2-Day Overnight Trip

If you want more time to connect with the elephants, this overnight option combines the highlights of the SkyWalk with extra time to see elephants and relax at the park.

For More Interaction—Elephant Care and Volunteer Programs

If you're looking for hands-on experience and are physically fit, these programs offer you the opportunity to care for the elephants like a mahout (elephant caretaker).

Note that these programs have age restrictions, especially for younger children under 12.

• 1-Day Programs

Choose from Sunshine for Elephants, Elephant Highland, Care for Elephants, and Walking Elephants.

During these activities, you would take care of 2–3 elephants at offsite locations, including feeding the elephants and preparing their food, as well as walking with them. The walks last 2–3 hours, and you might encounter uneven or slippery terrain, which might be challenging for those with mobility issues.

Additionally, you would meet the herd of elephants at Elephant Nature Park, except for the Elephant Highland program.

• Weekly Volunteer Program

For a more immersive experience, you would mainly work alongside the ENP team, assisting with elephant care, preparing food, and maintaining the park. So it requires the highest physical fitness, and no kids below 12 are available.

Our Top 4 Recommended Programs

Based on our visit, here are the four programs we recommend for different types of travelers.

1. Afternoon Half-Day Tour: Ideal for a Short Visit

The afternoon tour is similar to the morning one, with the added bonus of watching elephants return to the river in the evening, crossing the water as they head back to their shelters.

Elephant Nature Park includes a hotel collection service from Chiang Mai, but with the shared van option, you might have to wait for other guests. For a smoother experience, you could book a private transfer like we did.

After your arrival, you would walk through the food preparation area where the guide would explain the elephants' diet.

Then, enjoy a 2-hour walk around the park. During the walk, your guide would introduce every elephant and their heartbreaking stories. You could also see elephants doing all of the things they like: roaming, eating, scratching, or socializing with each other.

During our visit, we were lucky to see four elephants happily bathing in the water. They were rolling around in the water, going underwater, splashing, and spraying.

At about 4pm, you would enjoy a snack break with crackers, spring rolls, fruit, and drinks. Then wait for the most impressive scene of elephants backing to their night shelters.

2. Full-Day Sky Walk: a Bird's-Eye Perspective of Elephants

The SkyWalk offers a unique way to experience Elephant Nature Park from above. You observe the elephants' behavior and interactions from angles you couldn't experience in other programs.

This program builds on elephant observation from the half-day tour and a skywalk. But it's not just about the elephants. The park is home to other rescued animals, such as buffalo, dogs, and cats. One of the highlights is the Cat Kingdom, where over 1,500 rescued cats live. It's an added bonus if you're an animal lover.

If you're looking for more time with the elephants, consider the overnight trip. After spending your day on the SkyWalk, you would head offsite the next morning to see the elephants in their natural habitat. But please note that the accommodation is quite basic without air-conditioning.

3. 1-Day Sunshine for Elephants: Most Exclusive and Moderate Elephant Care Experience

The Sunshine for Elephants program offers a serene and respectful way to care for elephants, limited to only 8 guests a day. With a more moderate jungle walk than other care programs, it is suitable for people of all ages, starting from over 4 years old.

Sunshine for Elephants is based on a short visit to Elephant Nature Park, with the addition of the following offsite activities:

Walk with the elephants along winding dirt paths through the lush jungle. As you go, you could feed them bananas and watch them forage, moving calmly through the trees.

When arriving at a wooden hut atop the hill, enjoy your hands-on experience. Cook your som tum (Thai green papaya salad) with a mahout and enjoy it during your brief lunch in the forest. After lunch, engage in preparing banana health balls for the elephants and feed them.

Finally, walk downhill with the elephants back to their sanctuary. You might have the chance to watch them enjoy a refreshing bath if they choose to have one.

4. Volunteer Program: a Week of Hands-On Elephant Care

For those looking for a deeper, more immersive experience, the Volunteer Program offers a week-long commitment. But you have to prepare for quite basic homestay accommodations (with no air-conditioning), and a full-week vegan diet.

As a volunteer, you have to be ready to get your hands dirty. You could partake in the mahouts' daily routine, including delivering fruits, cutting grass, preparing rice balls, cleaning elephant poop, caring for other rescued animals, and helping with maintenance. The volunteer work might change or repeat, depending on the park's needs.

What are the rewards? You could have abundant chances to wander around the grounds and see more of the elephants' natural behaviors when the day trippers are gone. You could also sleep with the sounds of elephants nearby, as your dormitory is next to their shelter.

Additional Tips for Your Elephant Nature Park Visit

1. What to Pack

Sun protection is necessary as the temperature of Chiang Mai would reach about 30°C (86°F), even in the cool season (November to March). Therefore, take sunscreen, a hat, sunglasses, and plenty of water. Also, wear shoes that you're okay with getting dirty, as the ground could be dusty and muddy.

2. Booking Tips

Plan ahead as their programs are often fully booked! Half-day tours are the easiest to book, but be sure to do this about a month in advance. Full-day and overnight trips need to be booked at least 3 months in advance. The volunteer program is the hardest to book, often requiring a booking up to 6 months in advance.

3. Meals

All programs offer vegetarian meals only, so be prepared for plant-based dishes. If you have dietary restrictions, be sure to inform the park in advance.

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