Elephant Nature Park

About

Lek Chailert's sanctuary in northern Thailand, where elephants rescued from tourism, logging and the streets recover in open, natural surroundings.

How to visit

Book on the park's website. Options include a half-day visit in the morning or afternoon (2,500 THB), the full-day SkyWalk (3,500 THB), an overnight stay (5,800 THB) and a one-week programme living alongside the elephants (15,000 THB, Monday starts). Children aged 3–11 pay half. Bring Thai baht to settle the balance, as the park has no card payments or ATM.

Getting there

The park lies roughly 65 km north of Chiang Mai, about an hour and a half by van. Day and overnight trips collect guests from hotels in the city, but not from the airport or bus and train stations, so spend the previous night in Chiang Mai.

Booking

Book only through the sanctuary’s official website. Never pay through social media messages or resellers. Book on their website ↗

• Navaan

  Navaan was born at the park before dawn on 28 October 2012. Navaan's whole life has been spent in safety, free of chains and work.

  Asian elephant

• ThongAe

  ThongAe was conceived through forced breeding, with her mother chained while a bull was made to mate with her. Born into that cruelty, she now has a gentler life at the park, far from the chains her mother knew.

  Resident since 2017

• Mae Sri Nuan

  Sri Nuan and Dok Ngern were brought from Surin Province together at the end of 2005, and Sri Nuan has been healing from her past at the park since.

  Resident since 2005

• Medo

  Medo was put to work in logging as a youngster. Hauling a log, she broke her right ankle; it never healed properly, and her working days ended. At the park she never has to haul another log, and can move at her own pace.

  Resident since 2006

• Meet them all on Elephant Nature Park’s website ↗

• No buying or selling animals for profitMeets
• No breeding for tourism or tradeMeets
• No chaining or confinementMeets
• No ridingMeets

  The park says its elephants are never ridden and don't have to work.

  Source ↗

• No shows or performancesMeets

  The park says its elephants aren't made to do tricks.

  Source ↗

• No bathing with visitorsMeets

  Visitors can't bathe with the elephants. The elephants have bathed without visitor involvement since 16 April 2018.

  Source ↗

• Observation-based visitsMeets
• Rescue, rehabilitation and release where possibleMeets
• Donations fund animal careMeets