Ethical Elephant Sanctuaries - Chiang Mai, Thailand

Asian Elephant Projects offers single day trips to ethical elephant sanctuary projects near Chiang Mai, in Northern Thailand. Visit one of our ethical elephant sanctuaries as part of a small group for an unforgettable, intimate adventure with rescued elephants in nature. Observe elephants living in beautiful natural habitats – foraging in the forest, interacting with each other, playing in the mud and swimming in the river – freed from the burden of elephant riding, performances, and other unnatural behavior. We support independent elephant projects that have adopted ethical practices for the well-being of elephants under their care and are providing a better life for these gentle giants through responsible elephant tourism.

Choose from a variety of ethical elephant tours suitable for all ages and fitness levels, from challenging mountain jungle hikes with the elephants and whitewater rafting to scenic forest walks at a relaxed pace, watching the elephants forage along the way.
Our Saddle Off projects provide a caring home for between 2 to 5 elephants and limit guests to 3 people per elephant.
We offer full day visits as well as one week volunteer programs with elephants. Our trips include local transportation, vegetarian meals, qualified tour guides, and rafting where available. We can also arrange private tours for 6 or more people.
All of our Saddle Off projects share a commitment to the well-being of the elephants and provide visitors with a safe and rewarding experience.

Ethical Elephant Tours

Be Part of the Solution

By visiting one of our ethical elephant sanctuaries you are supporting a kinder form of elephant tourism, where the focus is on observing the elephants doing what comes naturally. Elephants are intelligent, social, empathic beings deserving of our respect, care, and admiration. Our Saddle Off projects are home to over 30 elephants, now enjoying a healthier, happier, more natural life, thanks to responsible, eco-conscious travelers choosing Asian Elephant Projects. Check Availability and Search Projects to find the right adventure for you.

Volunteer with Elephants

Journey to Freedom

Cambodia Wildlife Sanctuauary

Spend an Amazing Day with Elephants in Nature

at one of our Ethical Elephant Projects

Saddle Off Projects

Our model is based on ensuring the well-being of the elephants. All ethical elephant projects follow guidelines designed to improve the quality of the lives of the elephants – freeing them from elephant riding and allowing them to live more naturally. Read more…

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Walk with Elephants in Nature

Walk with elephants along scenic jungle, forest, and mountain trails at a relaxed pace, stopping while they forage on native plants. Observing elephants in their natural habitat is a fascinating experience – seeing how at home they are navigating the jungle slopes while carefully selecting plants to eat and using their remarkably strong and dexterous trunks to uproot tubers and clean off the dirt, snap branches, and communicate with each other.

Prepare Food & Feed the Elephants

Asian elephants can easily eat more than 200 kg of food a day. A healthy diet includes grasses, shrubs, bamboo, jungle leaves, tree bark and roots. Elephants also love to eat a variety of fruit and vegetables including watermelon, pumpkin, sugarcane, and of course bananas. A good way to get acquainted with the elephants is to offer them fruit as well as health balls containing medicinal herbs. It’s quite a thrill to have an elephant pluck food from your hand with their trunk.

Elephant Bathing

Elephants are very much at home in the water and are excellent swimmers. Surprisingly, their large bodies float easily and they love to relax together in rivers, streams, and pools. Watch the elephants cooling off in the water, submerging their bodies and using their trunks as snorkels. Sometimes the older elephants prefer to stand in the river and will often have a drink, sucking water into their trunks before squirting it into their mouths.

Watch the Elephants Play in the Mud

Mud baths are one of the all-time favorite activities of elephants. They love to roll around in the mud giving themselves and each other a full body mask as it cools and nourishes their skin, protecting it from insects and the sun. Their antics in the mud pools provides some great photo opportunities as they fling mud high into the air in giant swirls with their trunks.