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Elephant Sanctuary: Rescue and Learn in Chiang Mai
Experience a memorable half day at the Ran-Tong Sanctuary in Chiang Mai, where abused elephants are rescued and cared for with passion. Learn about elephant welfare and Thai culture.
Experience a memorable half day at the Ran-Tong Sanctuary in Chiang Mai, where abused elephants are rescued and cared for with passion. Learn about elephant welfare and Thai culture.
Duration:
5 hours
Cancellation:
24 hours
Highlights
- Ran-Tong Save & Rescue Elephant Centre - ITINERARY
- Pick you up from your hotel/accommodation in Chiang Mai city.
- Drives approximately 1 hour to Ran-Tong Save & Rescue Elephant Centre in Mae Taeng District.
- On arrival, you will change to Mahout Style Karen clothes and start your elephant school where you will learn all about the centre and…
- Ran-Tong Save & Rescue Elephant Centre - ITINERARY
- Pick you up from your hotel/accommodation in Chiang Mai city.
- Drives approximately 1 hour to Ran-Tong Save & Rescue Elephant Centre in Mae Taeng District.
- On arrival, you will change to Mahout Style Karen clothes and start your elephant school where you will learn all about the centre and these incredible creatures.
- Make vitamins for the elephants including pregnant, injured, and old elephants.
- Meet the elephants, walk with them, take a bath for them and observe them in their natural habitat.
- Say goodbye to the elephants and change your clothes.
- Lunch/Dinner - Thai food, seasonal fruits, and drinking water.
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Leave Ran-Tong Save & Rescue Elephant Centre and go back to your hotel/accommodation in Chiang Mai city.
**You should bring spare clothes, comfortable shoes, sandals that you do not mind getting wet and dirty, shampoo and soap, a camera, mosquito spray or insect repellent.
What's Included
- Air-conditioned transportation
- Included lunch
- Traditional Karen clothing provided
- Travel insurance
- Air-conditioned transportation
- Included lunch
- Traditional Karen clothing provided
- Travel insurance
Additional Information
Ran-Tong is devoted to rescuing abused elephants from all over Thailand and surrounding countries. Every elephant rescued is brought to the sanctuary in Chiang Mai and cared for with great passion and enthusiasm. Our mission is not only geared towards the protection and prevention of abused Elephants in Thailand but also to educate the public about…
Ran-Tong is devoted to rescuing abused elephants from all over Thailand and surrounding countries. Every elephant rescued is brought to the sanctuary in Chiang Mai and cared for with great passion and enthusiasm. Our mission is not only geared towards the protection and prevention of abused Elephants in Thailand but also to educate the public about their long history within Thai culture. Founded in 2009, Ran-Tong has rescued over 40 elephants to date with the help of public generosity, support, and private donation they can continue their ongoing vital work. Our priority is animal welfare. At Ran-Tong Save & Rescue Elephant Centre, you will completely get to learn a lot about elephants and have a memorable experience with them.
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Customer Ratings
4.8
(640 Ratings)
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Jane_m
Jan 26, 2026
Morning with Elephants - It was an amazing experience from the minute we drove into the sanctuary. This is something that we had never experienced before. I still can’t believe that I fed, walked around with and got into the water with the most amazing animals I have ever seen. “Slightly” out of my comfort zone (to say the least😂). I would highly recommend this experience and also, it helps to give these amazing creatures a better life. Yes, I’m using the word amazing a lot… it can’t be helped.
Review provided by Viator
J8651wkleonardoa
Jan 25, 2026
Top experience - The experience was very interesting, constructive, beautiful and sweet!
The people who work there are very polite and kind, the elephants are very sweet.
Also fundamental is an ETHICAL place, not to be underestimated!
I highly recommend it 😉
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Fionah1195
Jan 25, 2026
Half day with the elephants. - We did the half day tour as we just wanted to see the elephants. We had a fantastic time. Being able to be so close and feed the elephants was absolutely wonderful. Our guide was so knowledgeable and made sure we all had lots of photos taken. The dinner afterwards was very tasty. Overall I would highly recommend this tour.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Boardingpass495609
Jan 24, 2026
Great experience for my husband and I. - The elephant sanctuary was a great experience. If felt very peaceful—not rushed. Our guide Terry was awesome!
They provided clothes, boots, showers, towels, and a meal. We were able to feed the elephants and shower them, too.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Karl_s
Jan 22, 2026
A beautiful spot to engage with the elephants - We loved this trip. It is a fairly large facility, maybe 10-20 acres in size hosing about 20 elephants. Our group size was about 10-15 people. Our guide, Seven, was very engaging and informative. We each had time with multiple elephants to feed them and touch them. What gentle giants ... the was no tension or stress. Afterwards we had a good Pad Thai lunch. The trip was about 4-5 hours from our hotel pick-up to drop off. There were more groups that arrived after we got there, so I'd recommend to get the earlier tour times. By the time we left there were probably 100 people being rotated in to contact the elephants.
Review provided by Viator
Darlana_b
Jan 20, 2026
A Great Way to Spend a Morning…. - We enjoyed a half day which was spent with a number of female elephants. We were able to feed, process sugar cane, and feed same to the elephants. Our guide Seven? was very knowledgeable and provided information as to how the elephants came to be at the Reserve. The elephants are very food driven and as long as we were providing it, they were our ‘best’ friends! 😂 We were also invited to watch them bathe and invited to enter the water to splash water on them. We then returned for more sugar cane and a specially made food ball prepared for an elephant with digestive issues. He seemed happy to be fed both items. We finished with a tasty meal of Pad Thai and fruit. Overall, a good experience. It was obvious that these elephants are cared for.
Review provided by Viator
Paradise51994791290
Jan 27, 2026
Good experience but uncomfortable at times - We have really mixed feelings about this experience. We did have a nice time and good experience however there were times we felt a bit uncomfortable. Everything was included: transfers, clothes, lockers, boots, lunch etc. It was also really magical being up close with the elephants however we question how ethical this sanctuary really is. The description states the sanctuary meets ethical standards however we were able to wash, feed and touch the elephants. The elephants were being encouraged by the handlers to do what the tourists wanted. The guide was encouraging us to lean on the elephants and lift their tails and trunks for photos which we felt completely uncomfortable with. Some of the elephants were also locked away in pens as they were ‘aggressive’. The transfer was also over 30 mins late to pick us up and I didn’t receive any updates to inform me of this.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Katieposh
Jan 12, 2026
Tourist conveyor belt . - Not convinced that this is an ethical experience. Felt a bit tourist conveyor belt. We had booked another experience but the driver turned up at the wrong time & we ended up on this one . This wasn't our decision it was forced upon us .
Elephants at times seem to be bribed to do things to entertain tourists.
Our guide told us some of the back stories of the Elephants but really don't know how genuine it all was .
Do lots of research before you book ! Things aren't always what they are sold as.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Julie_h
Jan 31, 2026
Pay more for a better experience - Getting up close to elephants anywhere is amazing but this was a disappointing experience. The ride took 2 hours in a gross old bumpy crowded van with a maniac speeding driver. When we arrived there were other tour groups there, so each elephant is crowded around by at least 10 tourists so the other people are in the background of all your pictures and the experience feels very touristy. there is a lot of sitting around while other groups are with the elephants, and our tour guide spoke abysmal English so it was impossible to understand him which was a missed opportunity to learn about these amazing animals. On my last visit to Chiang Mai 10 years ago I did the elephant keeper for a day at Patara, it's 3x the price of this experience but it's worth it. you get your own elephant and a very special unique un-touristy experience and you're bathing the elephant in a river in a beautiful setting, not the dirty water with the parking lot in the background here. If you're price sensitive go with this one but lower your expectations.
Review provided by Viator
Annecj8432su
Jan 27, 2026
elephantsanctuary.org IS A HUGE SCAM, PLEASE READ - elephantsanctuary.org is a huge scam I wish I had looked up the reviews. The website promised such an ethical experience but instead you go to this place where there’s 100 or more tourists. The elephants aren’t chained down but they might as well be. Tour guides asking the elephants to perform in return for sugar cane and repeatedly asking you to touch the elephants even though these animals are not wired for constant human touch and phone cameras staring at them for multiple hours. They also lock up the “naughty” male and only keep him around so they can mate more elephants once the male is old enough. So sad to see this and wish I had looked up reviews here, it made me sick that I was scammed like this and once we were way out there dropped off, we were stuck. Really hoping I save others from paying for this unethical circus.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
