Thailand
Ethical Elephant Encounters
14 nights from £6,860 pp*
Includes: Flights, all transport, accommodation, immersive experiences, guides, drivers & their tips.
Wild Adventures & Secret Sanctuaries
This unique and immersive Elephant Encounters holiday, in Thailand shows just what is possible in Thailand for genuinely ethical and immersive elephant encounters and off-the-beaten-track cultural and wildlife experiences.
Taking you to the north of Thailand your ‘Mountain Adventure’ at the heart of this trip is an extraordinary experience is based in a Karen village. Here you will be tracking rescue elephants in their natural habitat on foot.
Your stay will directly contribute to the rescue of more elephants, too. Not just ‘off-the-beaten-track,’ the location is 100s of miles from the tourist trail and all the better for it – a unique and memorable once in a lifetime experience.
Along with walking with rescue elephants in the wild and visiting several gorgeous hotels, we will tailor make your holiday to include time to explore Chiang Mai, see the ancient Thai capital of Sukhothai and spend time relaxing on one of Thailand’s incredible coastal locations.
Highlights include:
- Track and follow rescue elephants in their natural habitat
- Stay as a guest of the Karen community in northern Thailand
- Elephants & Mahouts Experience, Mae Sot
- Thai Cooking School, Chiang Mai
- ChangChill Elephant Sanctuary, Chiang Mai
- Chiang Rai Tour by Tuk Tuk
- Train journey to Sukhothai and explore UNESCO ancient capital
“The Mahout’s Mountain Experience is as much about the local community as it is about the elephants they look after; stay with a rural Karen Hilltribe village getting to know the people and experiencing life in the mountains.
This really is the best way to see elephants in Thailand and the conservation work done by Mahouts Elephant Foundation is helping secure the future of these majestic creatures and change and improve the current practices of elephant tourism.”
Ethical Elephant Experiences
This holiday (and many other Asia holidays featured on my website) are booked with ETG; Experience Travel Group. Working closely with the ETG team who are our friends and AITO partners, we ensure that you only visit ethical, sustainable and protective locations to view Asian Elephants. Funds from tourism are essential for the conservation of both the elephants and the communities who look after them.
Guide to Elephants in Thailand
When travelling to Thailand, an experience with elephants is often at the top of visitors’ wish lists. Travellers come to us wanting to know the best way to fit this into their trip, considering ethics and the time they have available. The topic of wildlife tourism and animal welfare in Thailand is emotive and complicated. So, we decided to put together this guide (link above) with some information about how elephants exist in Thailand and some advice on how to choose an ethical elephant experience.
This is a sample itinerary of Elephant Encounters including the Mahout’s Elephant Foundation, which we will tailor to suit you.
- Day 1: Depart the UK on your overnight flight to Chiang Rai via Bangkok.
- Days 2-3: Meet your guide on arrival and transfer to your hotel in the Golden Triangle region. Positioned at the confluence of the Mekong and Ruak Rivers, this mountainous region is the meeting point of Laos, Myanmar and Thailand. It is a beautiful place to relax and enjoy the Northern Thai countryside. Stay here for two nights in a luxury resort with top-notch facilities in a lovely rural setting. During your stay, you can connect with elephants and help to prepare medicinal food for older rescued ones while learning the traditions of their mahouts. Discover ‘Canopy’, a unique treetop dining experience 52 metres up, offering breathtaking jungle views and unforgettable culinary moments.
- Days 4-6: Transfer with your guide to Chiang Mai, stopping en route to see the sights along the way and passing beautiful scenery, a journey that takes three to five hours. On arrival, check in to your hotel, a beautiful, peaceful retreat outside the city on the banks of the Ping River, for a 3-night stay. You’ll have a chance to explore the city sights, take a local street food tour and learn a little about Thai culture and tradition.
- Days 7 & 8: Depart Chiang Mai on a train journey of around 6 hours, heading south through the countryside to Phitsanalok. Continue to Sukhothai by road and check in to your hotel for a 2-night stay. Spend a day exploring the sites of Thailand’s ancient capital, where serene temples and Buddha statues stand amidst tranquil landscapes. Explore this UNESCO World Heritage Site, a fascinating glimpse into the origins of Thai art, culture, and history.
- Days 9-12: Mahout’s Mountain Adventure Heading west from Sukhothai enjoy a 4-day immersive journey into the heart of a Karen community near the Thailand-Myanmar border. Live alongside your host family in simple accommodation and discover their rich culture through traditional weaving, basket-making, and community activities. The highlight is spending time with rescued elephants, learning from expert mahouts as you trek through untouched cloud forests to observe these gentle giants in their natural habitat (note that zero interaction is allowed: you are encouraged to watch and learn from a space distance). Explore organic rice fields and coffee plantations and savour breathtaking views over Myanmar from a mountaintop village.
- Days 13-15: Depart Mae Sot and fly south via Bangkok to Krabi. Then check in at Tubkaak, a lovely, relaxed resort with views of the picture-perfect Hong Islands. Spend your time here enjoying the beach and the pool and reflecting on your Thai adventure.
- Day 16: Transfer to the airport for your flight back to the UK.
This is just one example of a two week tailor made itinerary to Thailand, including ethical, immersive experiences with elephants and rural cultures. Contact me to create your own bespoke itinerary.
* the guide price is a typically low season and the final price will be dependent on where and when you wish to travel and where you stay.
Bespoke ETG Holidays start from £4,500 – £8,500pp
Bespoke ETG Luxury Holidays start from £8,500 – £14,500pp
Bespoke ETG Family Holidays start from £4,000 – £7,500pp
A few impressions…
“Lovely people, lovely food …. Fascinating culture. We were truly in the jungle, the landscape was incredible, the canoe trip on the river was great fun. A huge thank you to you for putting it all together and making it happen. It was EXACTLY what we were looking for – and it was done in style. It was the unforgettable family experience it was always meant to be…”
Family H – Thailand
Let us begin the journey that will create memories to last a lifetime.
