Ran-Tong Save & Rescue Elephant Centre: Full Day Experience with Rescued Elephants in Chiang Mai
4.3
34 Ratings

Experience a full day at Ran-Tong Save & Rescue Elephant Centre in Chiang Mai. Learn about and interact with rescued elephants while supporting their welfare and conservation efforts.

Duration: 8 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…
see more
What's Included
  • Lunch included
  • Air-conditioned transportation
  • Traditional Mahout Karen attire provided
  • Travel insurance covered
Additional Information

Join an Authentic Elephant Observation Experience
Escape the crowds and embark on a meaningful journey into the world of rescued elephants. At Ran-Tong Save & Rescue Elephant Centre, the Elephant Observation program allows participants to walk alongside these magnificent creatures, learn their stories, and observe their natural behaviors — all without…

see more
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
4.3
(34 Ratings)
5 stars
4 stars
3 stars
2 stars
1 star
Leopoldob516
Oct 31, 2025
Highly recommended - Can't miss a wonderful experience coexists with elephants in complete freedom without chairs and with total respect for them
Review provided by Tripadvisor
681lupitam
Oct 28, 2025
BEST DAY OF MY LIFE - BEST DAY OF MY LIFE! 🥹 Full day is such an experience. Elephants are magistical, and the staff was the best. Thank you Nikom for being the nicest guide. Best place to be on the world
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Mimip131
Oct 28, 2025
EXCELLENT - It really is a once-in-a-lifetime experience, very complete and respectful of elephants, you don’t do anything they don’t want, you feed them, pet them and bathe them if they allow you to. Without a doubt a real sanctuary and its people are friendly, respectful and always aware that you are having an excellent day.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Q5087gystevens
Jul 30, 2025
Amazing - thank you! - We had such a wonderful day at the elephant sanctuary. The guide took us around, showed us all the elephants, they know them so well and we got so up close and personal with them! They were so great at answering all of our questions, explaining about everyday life of the elephants and we’re all so warm and friendly. The food was also amazing! Thanks so much, we could come back in a heartbeat!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Kyles_porter
Dec 31, 2025
Good, but recommend the half day - I am caveating this review with the acknowledgment that it’s very special being able to get this close to Asian elephants. Being able to touch them, feed them and watch them walk around and play together is not something we can experience in most parts of the world. There is a lot of tenderness shown towards the elephants and, from what we can tell, they are all very happy and well looked after. I also stayed at an elephant sanctuary in Chiang Mai about 20 years ago which was a far more intimate experience and I am perhaps comparing it to that. For those who are booking, the Elephant Sanctuary website which is actually the Ran-Tong Elephant Centre. Their websites are very different and Ran-Tong website charges less for the trip. We booked through the Elephant Sanctuary website. The place is quite crowded - when we arrived there were at least four other sizeable groups. It felt like a huge tourist trap rather than an intimate experience. However, it was far more pleasant after lunch when the morning crowd left. Further, the explanation of what you get on the day is not entirely accurate and oversells what happens. The website states that they are small groups (max 10-12 people) - our group was 26 people for half of the day, reducing to 18. There were multiple breaks - all of which were too long. We did not, despite what the itinerary stated, go for a walk through the forest and hill paths (which was one of the things we were looking forward to) and we didn’t give the elephants a “skin spa” or “mud bath”. My family (4 kids, 2 adults) however enjoyed the day overall. They were bored in parts but absolutely loved washing and feeding the elephants. If you’re going to go, I think a half day is sufficient.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
631ga_llek
Dec 4, 2025
The wrong center - Scam. We wait for the driver more than 30 minutes in the morning. We book on a site, the Sanctuary Elephant and we're taken to Ran Tong Center. Groups are large, those who booked for the sanctuary are smaller but everyone expected otherwise. The guide is nice but it doesn't detract from the bitter taste of being fooled. Elephants are moderately respected by large groups, they are motivated only by food. The so-called bath is actually done in a very filthy pool, while indicated river on the site. No walk as advertised either accompanying the elephants. A parody of what we were hoping to see.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
88keirap
Jan 2, 2026
I wish I had researched better for this scam! - I have never felt more compelled to write a negative review. I wish I had checked the reviews here before booking on elephantsanctuary.org. The website is a complete scam and shame on Ran Tong for allowing bookings through this site. That website does not accurately list what Ran Tong even offers. I thought this would be done in a small group, and once arriving, the site was full of tourists. There were so many groups, and my particular group ended up with 21 people. I could perhaps forgive the people working at Ran Tong, but the guide I had wasn’t very welcoming for one reason or another. When changing outfits, she hadn’t given me a shirt for the full-day program. I had just grabbed the closest shirt I saw, which ended up being a half day outfit. She wasn’t friendly and asked why I had gotten the other outfit. I told her she had never given me one. If she cannot manage 21 people to be sure they all get the information, then perhaps she shouldn’t have a group this big. As the day continued, she was still unfriendly, maybe because I simply told her she hadn’t done her job to give me the correct shirt. I have been on several other tours in Chiang Mai and always felt welcomed as a solo traveller and tipped my guides. I simply couldn’t tip her because of her treatment of me. The website also said the following: “ No saddles, no hooks, no pressure. Just a slow walk through open forest and hill paths. The elephants roam. You follow.” Instead the keepers of the elephants force them to stay in a confined area for feeding, photos, and bathing. I expected to do more observing than anything. Once again wrong. I am very disappointed. Unfortunately Elephant Nature Park was fully booked when I checked for my Chiang Mai trip. I will come back to see that one, which is done more ethically. Simply stay away from elephantsanctuary.org and Ran Tong!!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
17mathildeh
Nov 10, 2025
This sanctuary is a big scam and is not ethical !!! - Too many people ! On the website, it's written "group of ten" and we were over 30 people. I felt like the elephants were working to entertain us. Why should they blow water on us like in a circus ??? I felt very sad for them and I think this sanctuary is a big scam. They give corn to the elephants despite the fact that it's not the best food for them ! Don't go there .
Review provided by Tripadvisor
E7308ilclaudiab
Nov 6, 2025
Scam - Huge scam!!! You book on a site named elephant sanctuary.org ethical in small group that does not force elephants in any way you just have to observe and accompany them.... And the result is that we bring you to rantong elephant which is another center where you end up at 30 with vans everywhere for a well organized business. Thieves' liars because we force elephants to take baths, stop them from moving for tourists come to touch them, we cut corn to feed them and be able to approach them the only food we have seen all day or almost when they are supposed to eat fruits and vegetables!! A male elephant is locked in a park mahouts smoke among elephants!!!! Flee this center!!!!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Sophievr7987ub
Nov 4, 2025
To flee!!!!! - Flee from this centre which is nothing of what it claims to be. First we booked on the elephantsanctuary.org site supposed to be one of the most etiquette of Chiang Mai we end up in rantong and without being explained why the so-called group of 10 turns into 30!!! Horror we were told that we went to observe elephants in no way we forced them to do anything!!! We stateless them with corn all day long we force them to go in the water mahous leaves them almost no freedom!! And worse one of them taught his elephant a trick!! it's a business
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Check Availability
From $86
From $86
up to 10 guests
1 - Adult
Select a date
Cancellation: Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start of your experience (local time).
More activities from this operator
From $55
4.8
640 Ratings
Elephant Sanctuary: Rescue and Learn in Chiang Mai