Elephant Sanctuary Phuket — Attraction in Kathu

As part of our holiday to Thailand my wife very kindly booked for us to go to the Elephant Jungle Sanctuary in Phuket. It was my 60th birthday and we were both very excited about seeing more elephants. The one thing we were hesitant about was being with many other people. What a surprise we were in for. Picked up from our hotel we began the journey, to, what we thought, were other hotels. No! Instead we were driven straight to the smaller sanctuary and there was the two of us. At this sanctuary we met just four elephants. Two of them were teenagers and two older ladies, one of which had been rescued from from somewhere where she had been abused and chained up. Clearly she had come from a place that bore no love for her as she was clearly rocking from side to side (a sign of mental instability). After around 20 minutes of us being there she had stopped the rocking, clearly feeling more comfort about us being with her 👍🏻. All four girls then came down for some breakfast which we were kindly invited to give them, consisting of loads and loads of watermelon 🍉, and then pumpkins 🎃. After hosing them down from there mudbath the night before, we’re able to feed them rice balls packed with lots of lovely things to help them remain healthy. These beautiful and precious creatures seemed very happy with no signs of distress. We then made a souvenir of a tye dyed bandana/hanky which we did ourselves. After making our own Pad Thai lunch and eating other beautiful food we watched two of the girls eat bamboo shoots. Unfortunately the morning finished with us having to say goodbye to the Ellies. Minh T, the guide, was amazing. Very knowledgeable, friendly and cheekily humorous. Of course there was merchandise for purchasing, but it was such good quality and so cheap and I did not for one minute hesitate to buying two T-shirts and a cap to support the fantastic work of not only the sanctuary, Ellie’s and staff, but also to support the Mahouts, as without them the Ellie's would be “lost”. One Mahout was so so dedicated that he lived within the sanctuary with his wife and child. Some people have put comments and few stars saying that it is “commercial”, and that the Ellies are being used to bring in guys like us. Well, of course it has to be commercial, as without us paying money to support the Ellies they would not have a safe place to spend the rest of their days in peace, free from vile abusive people who abuse them for self profit and treat these gorgeous gentle, intelligent creatures with disrespect and harm them terribly. Without us helping, the Ellies would die horrible painful deaths through torture and abuse or be killed by encroaching into areas where they should not go (man’s greed again, but understandable). Do your research and see just how many truly wild elephants there once were (250,000) in the 1950’s to a mere 4,500 now. The Thai people are doing an amazing job and service by realising the error of ways and helping them and they are being supported and taught to respect and care for the Ellie’s by the Thai 🇹🇭 government. Well done to you all and continue your amazing work. Amazing day and one we shall never forget....

Me and my husband decided to take the half day program and were very pleased by all the services. First of all we were picked up at our hotel on time and headed to the sanctuary. I love that the program was organised very well, we were lead to the animals right away after the short and fun description of the facts about the place and safety rules. The guide Annie was helping us to enjoy every moment along with Khun KK and Nom (the photographer) , who took amazing pictures of us. Btw all of them are free and you are able to download them through the link you will be provided in the end. So you can leave your phone in the locker and enjoy your time fully, be sure you will get the best quality pictures in the end done by Khun Non. We had a blast feeding the elephants, washing them , playing in the mud together (omg I never did it even in my childhood but I was so happy) , then we swam together with the elephants and their caregivers in the pool and even showered together. Afterwards we even got a chance to cook real pad Thai , with the help of Khun KK. I was amazed by how easy it turned out to be. And then we had a good tasty Thai meal , btw there were 4 vegetarians in the group and staff made sure to cook the vegetarian options of Tom kha and some other dish as well for them. I think it’s very nice . I need to say that all of the elephants have their own sad story about their life before getting to the sanctuary, when they were forced to work in circus and entertainment. The staff will be happy to tell you all of this stories. And I am sure you will be happy to know that all the money that you pay for the ticket goes to keep those animals happy and healthy. Of course there is no riding here ! And that’s right , they are not ours to own them. We can just try to earn their trust being respectful and kind to them. The feeling when the elephant comes close to you and you can see that it is not afraid is the best. Thank you so much guys! Definitely would love...

Amazing Experience at Elephant Jungle Sanctuary Phuket!

We recently visited the Elephant Jungle Sanctuary in the heart of Phuket and had an incredible experience! We booked the half-day package for three people, and it was well worth it. The cost was reasonable, and the best part was that it included hotel pickup and drop-off, which was on time and hassle-free.

The program started early in the morning right on schedule, and we were welcomed with wristbands upon entry. Our guide for the day, Mint Tea (or Min T – not sure of the exact spelling), was fantastic. He was knowledgeable, engaging, and explained everything in detail, including the dos and don’ts when interacting with the elephants.

The Experience We started by feeding the elephants bananas, which was an absolute delight. The staff was extremely friendly and even offered to take our photos. Plus, there was an official photographer, so we didn’t have to worry about capturing memories. We learned about elephant care, including their diet and medical check-ups. The "Elephant Poop Paper" activity was quite interesting and a unique eco-friendly initiative. The mud spa and bathing session with the elephants was the highlight of the day! It was so much fun getting up close with these gentle giants. After cleaning up in the provided facilities, we participated in a Pad-Thai cooking demonstration before enjoying a delicious traditional Thai lunch with fresh seasonal fruits. Saying goodbye to the elephants was tough after such an immersive experience, but we left with wonderful memories and a newfound appreciation for these majestic animals.

Final Thoughts The Elephant Jungle Sanctuary in Phuket is a must-visit for animal lovers! The entire experience was well-organized, ethical, and interactive. The staff was amazing, and it felt great to support a place that prioritizes elephant welfare.

If you're looking for a fun, educational, and ethical elephant encounter, this is the perfect place! Highly...