Elephant Nature Park

Holiable's review of Elephant Nature Park

What to expect

Elephant Nature Park is one of the most ethical sanctuaries in Thailand according to the World Animal Protection report. In 2017, there were only 8 on the organizations list in Thailand.

For our one day volunteering experience, we opted for "Pamper a pachyderm" program. This option consists in taking care of an elephant for 1 day, in a group limited to a maximum of 8 people.

Before arriving, the guide took care to brief us on the instructions to be respected for the safety of all as well as to preserve the well-being of the elephants.

The day begins with the preparation of the meal and some explanations about the elephants' diet. What could be better than a piece of watermelon for the first contact with our elephants of the day.

With 7 volunteers for every 2 adult elephants, everyone was able to enjoy full observation of the animals in complete peace of mind.

After breakfast, comes the time for a walk.

Accompanied by the guide and healers, we followed the pachyderms to the elephant banana plantation. An impressive experience to walk close to these majestic.

The lunch break is located near the banana plantation for the elephants. The meal was really delicious, and the view was magnificent.

Then, it is time for the elephants to "bathe" in the river. The bathing is an observation experience unlike in some other parks. After that you will return to the base which can sometimes be done by rafting depending on the level of the river. A fun and refreshing moment.

Our day ended with a visit to the park on the backstage side. A very educational moment where the approach and philosophy of the sanctuary are explained.

We discovered the kitchens reserved for meal preparation, the parts reserved for eco-volunteers, the zone dedicated for new coming elephants that are quarantined before they can join the group, and the final sweet touch was seeing the area reserved for the youngest elephants.

Our opinion

A magical experience and a privileged moment to observe these majestic animals while respecting them and ensuring their well-being.

We also felt that we were contributing to a worthwhile cause and to the ongoing efforts of the park and its teams to safeguard animals and keep them away from the so called 'parks' where they are used as an attraction for tourists.

Our tip: On the practical side, as the park is located outside Chiang Mai city, we appreciated the shuttles provided by the park to and from our accommodation.