ELEPHANT SANCTUARY IN PHUKET (NO RIDING OR BATHING)
A smiling young woman wearing gloves puts a rice ball into an elephant's mouth, next to a caretaker holding a bowl
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Collage of elephants by a lake and four Polaroids: an elephant among rocks, on a path, with a caretaker, and spraying water

ELEPHANT SANCTUARY IN PHUKET (NO RIDING OR BATHING)

Elephant sanctuary in Phuket with no bathing: travelers watch the elephants and their caretakers from a distance beside the lake

ELEPHANT SANCTUARY IN PHUKET WITH NO BATHING

ELEPHANTS (NO RIDING OR BATHING)

With Panda Phuket Tour, you'll visit an elephant sanctuary in Phuket with no bathing or riding and spend time with the elephants in a peaceful place, treating them with respect. With more than twenty years of experience, the sanctuary's guides and mahouts (their caretakers) put the elephants' well-being above everything else. There, they have created a safe haven where the elephants can roam freely and live in their natural habitat, without being exploited. Under its own rules, the sanctuary does not offer elephant rides or bathing with the elephants. Its mission is to promote responsible, respectful treatment of elephants. We take you on an incredible adventure to get to know the elephants and their stories.
MORE INFORMATION

GET TO KNOW THE PARK

This park opened in March 2022. Its guides and mahouts are professionals who know the elephants very well: they have been working with them for more than 20 years. Below, we tell you the story of the park and how it came into the hands of its new owners.

The new owners are a group of people from Bangkok. They met when the former owners asked them for help.

The sanctuary used to have a different name. Its owners at the time were struggling to keep it going for several reasons, and the impact of COVID-19 was one of the factors that brought the park to the brink of closure, putting the elephants' survival at risk. The sanctuary is home to 6 elephants, who live there with their beloved mahouts. On top of that, the guides and the rest of the staff were losing their jobs. All of them, including the elephants, have lived there for many years: it is their home. The mahouts and guides love the elephants and do their work with affection.

Unfortunately, no other sanctuary could take these animals in: keeping them cost too much, because elephants eat an enormous amount every day, so it was impossible for others to rescue all six. That was when one of the former members got in touch with the group from Bangkok.

When the group learned about the situation, they decided to get involved and help. They shared the same goals: protecting the elephants and the workers. That is how they became the new owners of the former sanctuary. They want it to be a home for the elephants, where they can live happily and peacefully in the park, and they also want to keep the jobs of the guides and mahouts, who are happy there with the elephants.

Although they are the new owners, they saw the professionalism and care that the mahouts and guides, who have been there for more than 20 years, bring to their work, and they want to help keep that tradition alive. They are very happy to have met them and to have the chance to save the lives of these elephants. Opportunities like this do not come easily, but they have been lucky and are committed to rescuing this sanctuary.

It is a young park working hard to make itself known. That is why we at Panda Phuket Tour would love to take you to visit its elephants, mahouts, and guides: your visit is a great help, so the park can carry on with this project and the elephants can have the best possible life there.

An elephant cools off in the water, splashing with its trunk raised, inside a blue brushstroke frame

WHY THIS SANCTUARY DOES NOT OFFER RIDING, BATHING, OR TOUCHING THE ELEPHANTS

ELEPHANT PARK

ELEPHANTS (NO RIDING OR BATHING): The sanctuary does not offer bathing with the elephants or riding them.
At the sanctuary, they explain that elephants need time alone to splash around, roll about, and enjoy the mud.

MORE INFORMATION

MORE INFORMATION

At the sanctuary, they consider the elephants their family and love and respect them deeply. They believe it is best to let them live naturally. That is why they have also stopped allowing any direct physical contact (no touching). With this decision, they aim to give the elephants more autonomy and encourage their natural behavior. That said, supervised feeding activities will continue, always under the watchful guidance of their mahouts and guides. Their goal is to offer a respectful, educational, and safe experience, and they hope you will support it too.

Elephant walking through the grass and rocks of the elephant sanctuary, framed by a blue brushstroke on a white background

WHY DOESN'T THIS SANCTUARY OFFER ELEPHANT RIDES OR BATHING WITH THEM?

ELEPHANTS IN PHUKET

ELEPHANT PARK: The sanctuary has decided not to offer either activity. As they explain there, elephants are like people: sometimes they want to be alone. They want to bathe on their own and move around as they please, alone or with their favorite herd.

MORE INFORMATION
MORE INFORMATION
 
      According to the sanctuary, elephants like to bathe alone so they can enjoy the mud in the pond and immerse themselves in it, and the sanctuary prefers to give them that time to themselves.
 
      Remember that elephants are huge animals and much stronger than we are, so during the visit you should always follow the instructions of the guides and caretakers. The sanctuary wants its visitors to enjoy themselves, stay safe, and return to their hotel with a smile.
Caretaker in a hat and yellow shirt walking behind an elephant grazing in a green meadow next to the jungle

NATURE AND ELEPHANTS

ELEPHANT SANCTUARY

HALF DAY: Guided half-day program, in the morning (09:00 – 12:00 Hrs.) or in the afternoon (14:00 – 17:00 Hrs.): you feed the elephants, watch them up close in their natural environment, learn about their history, and finish with a Thai lunch or dinner.

MORE INFORMATION

PICKUP TIMES AND ITINERARY 

HALF DAY

Morning: 09:00 – 12:00 Hrs.
Afternoon: 14:00 – 17:00 Hrs.

Guided half-day program, available in the morning or afternoon.

ACTIVITIES

1. Feed the elephants a basket of bananas
2. Watch their natural behavior up close and immerse yourself in their world
3. Learn about their fascinating history and habits
4. Take unforgettable photos with the elephants
5. Demonstration of how latex is tapped from rubber trees and made into rubber sheets
6. Demonstration of coconut milk making and Thai cooking
7. Thai lunch or dinner surrounded by nature

Traveler in a hat and gloves gives a food ball to an elephant while a caretaker holds a tray with more

WALK AND FEED

ELEPHANT PARK

WALK AND FEED: Short guided program (an hour and a half) with three time slots: morning, late morning, or afternoon. You feed the elephants, watch them up close, and make rice balls with their favorite fruit to feed them.

MORE INFORMATION

PICKUP TIMES AND ITINERARY 

Morning: 09:00 – 10:30 Hrs.
Late morning: 11:00 – 12:30 Hrs.
Afternoon: 14:00 – 15:30 Hrs.

Short guided program (an hour and a half), available in the morning, late morning, or afternoon.

ACTIVITIES

1. Feed the elephants a basket of bananas.
2. Watch their natural behavior up close and immerse yourself in their world.
3. Learn about their fascinating history and habits.
4. Take unforgettable photos with the elephants.
5. Make tasty rice balls with their favorite fruits and put them right into the elephants' mouths.

Four adults and three children in rubber boots pose in a meadow next to a young elephant, in a blue brushstroke frame

NATURE AND ELEPHANTS (SHORT VERSION)

ELEPHANT PARK

ELEPHANT SANCTUARY: Short version (an hour and a half) of the Nature and Elephants program, with three time slots: morning, late morning, or afternoon. You feed the elephants, watch them up close, learn about their history, and see how latex is tapped from rubber trees.

MORE INFORMATION
PICKUP TIMES AND ITINERARY 
 
Morning: 09:00 – 10:30 Hrs.
Late morning: 11:00 – 12:30 Hrs.
Afternoon: 14:00 – 15:30 Hrs.
 
Short guided program (an hour and a half), available in the morning, late morning, or afternoon.
 

ACTIVITIES

1. Feed the elephants a basket of bananas.
2. Watch their natural behavior up close and immerse yourself in their world.
3. Learn about their fascinating history and habits.
4. Take unforgettable photos with the elephants.
5. Demonstration of how latex is tapped from rubber trees and made into rubber sheets.

Elephants graze beside a lake with turquoise water as caretakers in yellow and travelers with green umbrellas look on

GROUP TOUR

A half-day experience with elephants in Phuket: you feed them, watch them in their natural environment, and learn about their history, without riding or bathing with them. A peaceful way to get to know the elephants of Thailand.

Still deciding? Find out which sanctuary to choose or check out the Elephant Jungle Sanctuary visit.

MORE ABOUT WHAT IS INCLUDED
INCLUDES:
  • Round-trip hotel transfer
  • Travel accident insurance
  • Professional guide
  • Taxes and fees
NOT INCLUDED:
  • Additional activities or services not specified in the program
IMPORTANT INFORMATION 

  • The tour itinerary may change without prior notice depending on the weather.

  • Children and babies must be accompanied by an adult at all times. 

Elephants graze beside a lake with turquoise water as caretakers in yellow and travelers with green umbrellas look on
Elephant walks toward the camera along a dirt path with wooden railings, between meadows and thatched huts
Elephant pulls up grass with its trunk next to a pile of straw, surrounded by tropical vegetation
Elephant seen from behind eating tall grass among rocks, facing a jungle-covered hill under a blue sky
Elephant strolls alone across a meadow dotted with large rocks at the foot of a jungle-covered hill in Phuket
Elephant steps into a pond from the grassy bank and is reflected in the calm water
Half-submerged elephant sprays a fan of water with its trunk raised, next to a dirt bank
Group of travelers in rubber boots crosses a small log bridge in the jungle next to a warning sign
A female traveler leads a boy in an orange cap by the hand along a dirt path, followed by a group in rubber boots
A female guide in a hat cuts the bark of a rubber tree and white latex flows out as children and travelers watch
A female guide in a hat feeds a latex sheet through an old roller press as a colleague smiles behind her
A female traveler turns the wheel of a rubber press as a boy in an orange cap and a lady in a hat watch
A woman presses a rubber sheet under a thatched roof while another explains next to a rubber tree with a bowl of latex
A family with a girl poses with a smile in front of two elephants on the grass at the elephant sanctuary
Two families with children in rubber boots pose on some rocks while a baby elephant wanders across the meadow
A smiling young woman wearing gloves puts a rice ball into an elephant's mouth, next to a caretaker holding a bowl
Family with a girl watches a cooking demonstration by a female cook wearing gloves, on a porch with a wooden railing
Two people in gloves knead rice with pieces of fruit over a blue tub to make balls for the elephants
Gloved hand placing rice balls with pieces of fruit on a turquoise plate, ready for the elephants
Rice balls with fruit on a plate next to another plate with small bananas, watermelon, and chopped fruit
A traveler in a hat and gloves feeds a food ball to an elephant as a caretaker holds a green tray
Elephant eating tall grass in a clearing at the elephant sanctuary, its caretaker behind and large rocks in the background
Two elephants stretch their trunks over a brown railing, with caretakers dressed in blue behind them
Traveler in a blue apron cooks in a frying pan while a local female cook adds an ingredient under a thatched roof
Collage of Polaroids with seashells: latex tapping, a traveler feeding an elephant, a cooking class, and a walk

ELEPHANT SANCTUARY IN PHUKET (NO RIDING OR BATHING)

Elephant strolls alone across a meadow dotted with large rocks at the foot of a jungle-covered hill in Phuket
Elephant walks toward the camera along a dirt path with wooden railings, between meadows and thatched huts
ELEPHANT SANCTUARY IN PHUKET WITH NO BATHING

ELEPHANTS (NO RIDING OR BATHING)

With Panda Phuket Tour, you'll visit an elephant sanctuary in Phuket with no bathing or riding and spend time with the elephants in a peaceful place, treating them with respect. With more than twenty years of experience, the sanctuary's guides and mahouts (their caretakers) put the elephants' well-being above everything else. There, they have created a safe haven where the elephants can roam freely and live in their natural habitat, without being exploited. Under its own rules, the sanctuary does not offer elephant rides or bathing with the elephants. Its mission is to promote responsible, respectful treatment of elephants. We take you on an incredible adventure to get to know the elephants and their stories.
MORE INFORMATION

GET TO KNOW THE PARK

This park opened in March 2022. Its guides and mahouts are professionals who know the elephants very well: they have been working with them for more than 20 years. Below, we tell you the story of the park and how it came into the hands of its new owners.

The new owners are a group of people from Bangkok. They met when the former owners asked them for help.

The sanctuary used to have a different name. Its owners at the time were struggling to keep it going for several reasons, and the impact of COVID-19 was one of the factors that brought the park to the brink of closure, putting the elephants' survival at risk. The sanctuary is home to 6 elephants, who live there with their beloved mahouts. On top of that, the guides and the rest of the staff were losing their jobs. All of them, including the elephants, have lived there for many years: it is their home. The mahouts and guides love the elephants and do their work with affection.

Unfortunately, no other sanctuary could take these animals in: keeping them cost too much, because elephants eat an enormous amount every day, so it was impossible for others to rescue all six. That was when one of the former members got in touch with the group from Bangkok.

When the group learned about the situation, they decided to get involved and help. They shared the same goals: protecting the elephants and the workers. That is how they became the new owners of the former sanctuary. They want it to be a home for the elephants, where they can live happily and peacefully in the park, and they also want to keep the jobs of the guides and mahouts, who are happy there with the elephants.

Although they are the new owners, they saw the professionalism and care that the mahouts and guides, who have been there for more than 20 years, bring to their work, and they want to help keep that tradition alive. They are very happy to have met them and to have the chance to save the lives of these elephants. Opportunities like this do not come easily, but they have been lucky and are committed to rescuing this sanctuary.

It is a young park working hard to make itself known. That is why we at Panda Phuket Tour would love to take you to visit its elephants, mahouts, and guides: your visit is a great help, so the park can carry on with this project and the elephants can have the best possible life there.

WHY THIS SANCTUARY DOES NOT OFFER RIDING, BATHING, OR TOUCHING THE ELEPHANTS

ELEPHANT PARK

ELEPHANTS (NO RIDING OR BATHING): The sanctuary does not offer bathing with the elephants or riding them.

At the sanctuary, they explain that elephants need time alone to splash around, roll about, and enjoy the mud.

MORE INFORMATION

MORE INFORMATION

At the sanctuary, they consider the elephants their family and love and respect them deeply. They believe it is best to let them live naturally. That is why they have also stopped allowing any direct physical contact (no touching). With this decision, they aim to give the elephants more autonomy and encourage their natural behavior. That said, supervised feeding activities will continue, always under the watchful guidance of their mahouts and guides. Their goal is to offer a respectful, educational, and safe experience, and they hope you will support it too.

Elephant walks toward the camera along a dirt path with wooden railings, between meadows and thatched huts
Elephant seen from behind eating tall grass among rocks, facing a jungle-covered hill under a blue sky
Elephant pulls up grass with its trunk next to a pile of straw, surrounded by tropical vegetation
Half-submerged elephant sprays a fan of water with its trunk raised, next to a dirt bank
Elephant steps into a pond from the grassy bank and is reflected in the calm water
WHY DOESN'T THIS SANCTUARY OFFER ELEPHANT RIDES OR BATHING WITH THEM?

ELEPHANTS IN PHUKET

ELEPHANT PARK: The sanctuary has decided not to offer either activity. As they explain there, elephants are like people: sometimes they want to be alone. They want to bathe on their own and move around as they please, alone or with their favorite herd.
MORE INFORMATION
MORE INFORMATION
 
      According to the sanctuary, elephants like to bathe alone so they can enjoy the mud in the pond and immerse themselves in it, and the sanctuary prefers to give them that time to themselves.
 
      Remember that elephants are huge animals and much stronger than we are, so during the visit you should always follow the instructions of the guides and caretakers. The sanctuary wants its visitors to enjoy themselves, stay safe, and return to their hotel with a smile.
NATURE AND ELEPHANTS

ELEPHANT SANCTUARY HALF DAY: Guided half-day program, in the morning (09:00 – 12:00 Hrs.) or in the afternoon (14:00 – 17:00 Hrs.): you feed the elephants, watch them up close in their natural environment, learn about their history, and finish with a Thai lunch or dinner.

MORE INFORMATION

PICKUP TIMES AND ITINERARY 

HALF DAY

Morning: 09:00 – 12:00 Hrs.
Afternoon: 14:00 – 17:00 Hrs.

Guided half-day program, available in the morning or afternoon.

ACTIVITIES

1. Feed the elephants a basket of bananas
2. Watch their natural behavior up close and immerse yourself in their world
3. Learn about their fascinating history and habits
4. Take unforgettable photos with the elephants
5. Demonstration of how latex is tapped from rubber trees and made into rubber sheets
6. Demonstration of coconut milk making and Thai cooking
7. Thai lunch or dinner surrounded by nature

Elephant eating tall grass in a clearing at the elephant sanctuary, its caretaker behind and large rocks in the background
Two people in gloves knead rice with pieces of fruit over a blue tub to make balls for the elephants
Gloved hand placing rice balls with pieces of fruit on a turquoise plate, ready for the elephants
Family with a girl watches a cooking demonstration by a female cook wearing gloves, on a porch with a wooden railing
A female guide in a hat feeds a latex sheet through an old roller press as a colleague smiles behind her
A female guide in a hat cuts the bark of a rubber tree and white latex flows out as children and travelers watch
A female traveler turns the wheel of a rubber press as a boy in an orange cap and a lady in a hat watch
A woman presses a rubber sheet under a thatched roof while another explains next to a rubber tree with a bowl of latex
A smiling young woman wearing gloves puts a rice ball into an elephant's mouth, next to a caretaker holding a bowl
Two elephants stretch their trunks over a brown railing, with caretakers dressed in blue behind them
A female traveler leads a boy in an orange cap by the hand along a dirt path, followed by a group in rubber boots
Group of travelers in rubber boots crosses a small log bridge in the jungle next to a warning sign
Two families with children in rubber boots pose on some rocks while a baby elephant wanders across the meadow
A family with a girl poses with a smile in front of two elephants on the grass at the elephant sanctuary
Elephant emerging from the dense Phuket jungle among ferns, with tree-covered hills in the background
WALK AND FEED

ELEPHANT PARK WALK AND FEED: Short guided program (an hour and a half) with three time slots: morning, late morning, or afternoon. You feed the elephants, watch them up close, and make rice balls with their favorite fruit to feed them.

MORE INFORMATION

PICKUP TIMES AND ITINERARY 

Morning: 09:00 – 10:30 Hrs.
Late morning: 11:00 – 12:30 Hrs.
Afternoon: 14:00 – 15:30 Hrs.

Short guided program (an hour and a half), available in the morning, late morning, or afternoon.

ACTIVITIES

1. Feed the elephants a basket of bananas.
2. Watch their natural behavior up close and immerse yourself in their world.
3. Learn about their fascinating history and habits.
4. Take unforgettable photos with the elephants.
5. Make tasty rice balls with their favorite fruits and put them right into the elephants' mouths.

NATURE AND ELEPHANTS (SHORT VERSION)

ELEPHANT SANCTUARY: Short version (an hour and a half) of the Nature and Elephants program, with three time slots: morning, late morning, or afternoon. You feed the elephants, watch them up close, learn about their history, and see how latex is tapped from rubber trees.

MORE INFORMATION
PICKUP TIMES AND ITINERARY 
 
Morning: 09:00 – 10:30 Hrs.
Late morning: 11:00 – 12:30 Hrs.
Afternoon: 14:00 – 15:30 Hrs.
 
Short guided program (an hour and a half), available in the morning, late morning, or afternoon.
 

ACTIVITIES

1. Feed the elephants a basket of bananas.
2. Watch their natural behavior up close and immerse yourself in their world.
3. Learn about their fascinating history and habits.
4. Take unforgettable photos with the elephants.
5. Demonstration of how latex is tapped from rubber trees and made into rubber sheets.

A traveler in a hat and gloves feeds a food ball to an elephant as a caretaker holds a green tray
Rice balls with fruit on a plate next to another plate with small bananas, watermelon, and chopped fruit
Elephant eating tall grass in a clearing at the elephant sanctuary, its caretaker behind and large rocks in the background
Elephants graze beside a lake with turquoise water as caretakers in yellow and travelers with green umbrellas look on
ELEPHANTS IN PHUKET

GROUP TOUR

A half-day experience with elephants in Phuket: you feed them, watch them in their natural environment, and learn about their history, without riding or bathing with them. A peaceful way to get to know the elephants of Thailand.

Still deciding? Find out which sanctuary to choose or check out the Elephant Jungle Sanctuary visit.

MORE ABOUT WHAT IS INCLUDED
INCLUDES:
  • Round-trip hotel transfer
  • Travel accident insurance
  • Professional guide
  • Taxes and fees
NOT INCLUDED:
  • Additional activities or services not specified in the program
IMPORTANT INFORMATION 

  • The tour itinerary may change without prior notice depending on the weather.

  • Children and babies must be accompanied by an adult at all times.

Half-submerged elephant sprays a fan of water with its trunk raised, next to a dirt bank
Elephant strolls alone across a meadow dotted with large rocks at the foot of a jungle-covered hill in Phuket
A traveler in a hat and gloves feeds a food ball to an elephant as a caretaker holds a green tray
A smiling young woman wearing gloves puts a rice ball into an elephant's mouth, next to a caretaker holding a bowl
Two elephants stretch their trunks over a brown railing, with caretakers dressed in blue behind them
Elephant emerging from the dense Phuket jungle among ferns, with tree-covered hills in the background
Elephant seen from behind eating tall grass among rocks, facing a jungle-covered hill under a blue sky
Elephant steps into a pond from the grassy bank and is reflected in the calm water
A female traveler leads a boy in an orange cap by the hand along a dirt path, followed by a group in rubber boots
Group of travelers in rubber boots crosses a small log bridge in the jungle next to a warning sign
A female guide in a hat cuts the bark of a rubber tree and white latex flows out as children and travelers watch
Elephant eating tall grass in a clearing at the elephant sanctuary, its caretaker behind and large rocks in the background
Elephant pulls up grass with its trunk next to a pile of straw, surrounded by tropical vegetation
Elephant walks toward the camera along a dirt path with wooden railings, between meadows and thatched huts
Two people in gloves knead rice with pieces of fruit over a blue tub to make balls for the elephants
Family with a girl watches a cooking demonstration by a female cook wearing gloves, on a porch with a wooden railing
Traveler in a blue apron cooks in a frying pan while a local female cook adds an ingredient under a thatched roof
Collage of Polaroids with seashells: latex tapping, a traveler feeding an elephant, a cooking class, and a walk

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