Green Elephant Sanctuary Park
Green Elephant Sanctuary Park
5
8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Monday
8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Tuesday
8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Wednesday
8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Thursday
8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Friday
8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Saturday
8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Sunday
8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
About
In the Elephant Sanctuary Park you can experience elephants in the most natural way. In their natural environment, where they are free and simply wonderful! It is important to us that you can experience the daily life of the animals. And that you can approach them when feeding or bathing. Briefly: it is a wonderful experience that you will remember for a long time. How much do you want to bet?
Duration: 2-3 hours
Meets animal welfare guidelines
Suggest edits to improve what we show.
Improve this listingTours & experiences
Explore different ways to experience this place.
Full view
What is Travellers’ Choice?
Tripadvisor gives a Travellers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travellers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.
Top ways to experience Green Elephant Sanctuary Park and nearby attractions
The area
Address
Reach out directly
Best nearby
Restaurants
550 within 5 kms
Attractions
89 within 10 kms
See what travellers are saying
- Helen JSydney, Australia27 contributionsGreat half day excursion for all the family.Fabulous experience from start to finish. The place was clean and well presented. It was obvious that the elephants were happy and healthy and all of the staff were committed and passionate about their cause. The food was fresh and delicious and the showers and toilets were spotless and functional. Highly recommend.Visited October 2023Travelled with familyWritten 3 October 2023
- Paula V3 contributions29 September morning visitThis place is truly amazing for a long time I have always wanted to be up close to elephants and never thought I would get this experience but wow it is an experience you will never forget. The elephants all look healthy and happy and the staff were very passionate about their elephants. The food was great and the place was very clean. Will definitely visit again.Visited September 2023Travelled as a coupleWritten 5 October 2023
- Blanche MHaverhill, United Kingdom20 contributionsAmazing DaySuch a lovely day Elephants are happy We all fed them Walked with them Learned about the Elephants Scrubbed them & washed them Got absolutely soaked , such fun . Make sure you put your change of clothes in the locker supplied. You can shower and change in the cubicles after We had a lovely lunch All the Team were amazing Thanks for a fab dayVisited September 2023Travelled as a coupleWritten 6 October 2023
- Lisa H5 contributionsAmazing experienceWhat a great experience spending time with the elephants and learning about Green Sanctuary’s mission to save these gentle giants. Our tour was done faster than expected, but likely because we didn’t go during peak season so our groups weren’t as large. People were split into two large groups and from there we were able to feed the elephants, bathe them with mud and gave them a good scrub afterwards. Photographers captured many pictures and they were uploaded quickly online to view and download for personal use. Highly recommend this excursion!Visited October 2023Travelled as a coupleWritten 7 October 2023
- jo s3 contributionsWhat an experience! 5 star day!Must visit! They way the dedicated staff look after these beautiful rescued elephants is amazing! Thank goodness for sanctuaries like this! Top morning spent feeding and bathing with these amazing animals before lunch provided is perfect! A few days later we receive via email photographs taken from professional photographer- also included in the initial cost! Wow fantastic! Highly recommend! 5 star experience and memories made for life! XVisited October 2023Travelled as a coupleWritten 7 October 2023
- PaulandKaren8 contributionsAmazing experienceAbsolutely fabulous venue. Staff are fantastic. The elephants are great. Such a great experience to be up close with elephants. Food laid on was also fab. Such a clear well kept sanctuary. Well worth a visitVisited September 2023Travelled as a coupleWritten 9 October 2023
- Anna N1 contributionBest experience everIf you are looking for both a beautiful experience with elephants and doing a good deed, this is the place for you. A very powerful experience to feed and bathe elephants in such a beautiful place as Green Elephant Sanctuary Phuket. Every single person in this place is incredible with such a good heart. Money best spent going to a very good cause. Thank you so much for everything sou do and see you soon.Visited October 2023Travelled as a coupleWritten 15 October 2023
- Katy LLondon, United Kingdom4 contributionsAmazingSo well organised and a great place to visit, spend your money supporting this sanctuary all the elephants are rescued and very well looked after. A more organic way of getting up close with the elephants but in a humane way. Would highly recommend and all the staff are brilliant.Visited October 2023Travelled with familyWritten 16 October 2023
- Lauren C4 contributionsBEST EXPERIENCE!!! Please book with green elephant sanctuary!!!One of the best experiences I’ve ever had. The way the hosts and elephant carers talk about the elephants, their past life and how they take care of them is just so heart warming. They are all so passionate about the elephants. I learnt so much and the play time with the elephants was a once in a lifetime experience. PLEASE choose this sanctuary when booking your holiday to Phuket. They are trying to open another sanctuary so they can save more elephants 🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼Visited October 2023Travelled with friendsWritten 22 October 2023
- Chloedaws614 contributionsForce free sanctuary - best day ever!!Had the absolute best morning here with the elephants, I couldn’t stop smiling the whole time!! Very educational and the lunch provided was lovely, as well as the interaction with the elephants being so so incredible. You can tell the elephants are truly loved and cared for well, they are so calm and gentle. No chains, no force and no riding!! Just the most perfect sanctuary. Thank you so much for the most memorable morning 🐘❤️Visited October 2023Travelled as a coupleWritten 24 October 2023
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Contribute
Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
Popular mentions
5.0
2,557 reviews
Excellent
2,456
Very good
64
Average
27
Poor
4
Terrible
6
Mr Gary & Mrs V
1 contribution
Feb 2020
On the 14th February 2020 my husband and I visited Green Elephant Santuary Park to celebrate our wedding anniversary. “Best Gift” ever!!! We got picked up from the hotel and on the arrival at the park we was greeted by an amazing team of staff. It is a “MUST HAVE EXPERIENCE” we had an introduction on each elephant life stories and why they there in the park. Each rescued elephant have they’re only keeper for life and they have a night enclosure to sleep. No chains, no riding, free animals and loads of food baskets for the elephants. After having that fantastic experience bathing with the giant elephants & baby elephants there are human showers to clean ourselves. And a delicious Thai lunch and all pictures taken by the park team members are free from a Facebook link. The mastermind of this project is a Swiss citizen which we had the pleasure to meet, Mr Fehr. We had a chat with him and you can really see he’s passionate about keeping the elephants safe and teach the locals to give the elephants a safe and happy life. Thank you all for the Amazing work you all doing!
Many thanks
Mr Gary & Mrs V
Many thanks
Mr Gary & Mrs V
Written 15 February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
laura
Edinburgh, UK12 contributions
Jul 2023 • Friends
It was an absolutely lovely way to start your day. A group of 9 of us were collected on time and arrived 45mins later. Immediately welcomed and shown to our seating area. Offered cold drinks whilst we waited and then the experience was explained, all with big smiles. It isn’t a zoo and it most certainly isn’t Disneyland so respecting the rules was important to everyone’s enjoyment. The pace of the experience was lovely and even though the set up was very simple, it works so well. It is good to know visitors are limited to 2 groups in the morning and 2 in the afternoon. The elephants were all healthy and free to do as they pleased…. If they wanted to!! However the baskets of cucumber and banana meant they were very happy to be company for inquisitive humans, as long as the human knew their place. These creatures were utterly beautiful and the mud bath and showering with an elephant is something I won’t forget. The food was excellent and people so friendly and helpful. The fact official photographers take pictures and upload to Facebook free of charge is a really great touch. It would be easy for them to make more money out of you by charging for the photos like other attractions.
The toilets and showers were lovely, clean, smelled nice and had soap etc for you to use after the mud baths! I’d love to do this again and would recommend it to anyone who wants to get close to these creatures without the worry of them being mistreated or shackled. There is not a chain in sight. Well done Green Elephant Sanctuary. ❤️🐘
The toilets and showers were lovely, clean, smelled nice and had soap etc for you to use after the mud baths! I’d love to do this again and would recommend it to anyone who wants to get close to these creatures without the worry of them being mistreated or shackled. There is not a chain in sight. Well done Green Elephant Sanctuary. ❤️🐘
Written 12 July 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Peter R
3 contributions
Feb 2020
The Green Elephant Sanctuary Park (the name says it all) visit was the highlight of our holiday in Thailand. We cannot praise the organization highly enough. The facilities are exceptional.
The care and attention afforded to the elephants is wonderful to behold, having rescued them from less caring organizations.
It was a privilege to spend time with these magnificent creatures and to feed them, play with them and scrub them (in their purpose-built "car wash"). We had as our guide Kitty and she is absolutely fabulous; such an enthusiastic person.
As regards the facilities, we were provided with an unlimited supply of water and soft drinks and were given a delicious buffet lunch after our session with the elephants. As we were invited to "get down and dirty" with the elephants, shower facilities are available. Lockers are also available to store bags securely whilst at play.
By all means take your own pics, but they have photographers there who will upload the pics of your visit on to their Facebook site which you can then upload yourself. You will need swimwear if you want to join the elephants in their two pools: one to get muddied and then one to splash around in - also the "car wash". Take a towel too.
By visiting the Park you will be supporting them and, hopefully, enable them to rescue more elephants.
The care and attention afforded to the elephants is wonderful to behold, having rescued them from less caring organizations.
It was a privilege to spend time with these magnificent creatures and to feed them, play with them and scrub them (in their purpose-built "car wash"). We had as our guide Kitty and she is absolutely fabulous; such an enthusiastic person.
As regards the facilities, we were provided with an unlimited supply of water and soft drinks and were given a delicious buffet lunch after our session with the elephants. As we were invited to "get down and dirty" with the elephants, shower facilities are available. Lockers are also available to store bags securely whilst at play.
By all means take your own pics, but they have photographers there who will upload the pics of your visit on to their Facebook site which you can then upload yourself. You will need swimwear if you want to join the elephants in their two pools: one to get muddied and then one to splash around in - also the "car wash". Take a towel too.
By visiting the Park you will be supporting them and, hopefully, enable them to rescue more elephants.
Written 16 February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Sliz20
Greater London, UK73 contributions
Jan 2020 • Family
Visited with my family on a morning tour in early January. We booked the trip through our tour operator Tui and were picked up from our hotel near Phuket in a minibus.
It was the highlight of our holiday, we learnt so much about the elephants and how so many have been rescued from awful conditions.
We loved being able to spend so much time with the elephants, feeding them, touching them and taking photos. Then we went into the muddy water with them and everyone had fun, including the elephants!
Finally we washed and scrubbed them in a massive overhead shower. After this we showered ourselves and had a tasty lunch with soft drinks.
Would not hesitate to recommend this place, just remember to wear an old swimsuit or t shirt as you will get wet and muddy! But it all adds to the enjoyment!
Also impressed by the hundreds of photos taken by the guys at the park, which were uploaded to Facebook and available to download free of charge a couple of days later!
Thank you! Will definitely return!
It was the highlight of our holiday, we learnt so much about the elephants and how so many have been rescued from awful conditions.
We loved being able to spend so much time with the elephants, feeding them, touching them and taking photos. Then we went into the muddy water with them and everyone had fun, including the elephants!
Finally we washed and scrubbed them in a massive overhead shower. After this we showered ourselves and had a tasty lunch with soft drinks.
Would not hesitate to recommend this place, just remember to wear an old swimsuit or t shirt as you will get wet and muddy! But it all adds to the enjoyment!
Also impressed by the hundreds of photos taken by the guys at the park, which were uploaded to Facebook and available to download free of charge a couple of days later!
Thank you! Will definitely return!
Written 3 February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Jill O
Newcastle, Australia8 contributions
Mar 2020
Went to Green Elephant Sanctuary last year and enjoyed it so much we just had to go again. The whole process is so organised from the pick up at your hotel, soft drinks/water on arrival to the pre start elephant and safety explanations. The names and life story of each animal is told followed by feeding of elephant treats (fruit or sugarcane) to each elephant, bar the very young ones. A visit to the animal night shelters and the Mahout huts follows then it's a mudbath for all, smiles on the guest faces and the elephants alike. You will get down and dirty. After the mud going on is the mud coming off by water bucket with the odd guest getting wet as well as the elephants, this is followed by everone getting into the shower but the elephants get a scrub with brooms and scrubbing brushes. We are all exhausted so it's time for a clean up and Thai lunch before the transfer back to your hotel. All in all a fantastic few hours.
Written 11 March 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Sjokoladepiken
51 contributions
Feb 2020 • Family
Here they save elephants from a life where they have been used for riding or abused. They give them a good life. The elephants has a jungle nearby where they can go and they keep their mahouts so they have the people that they trust close to them. I understand that people react on the fact that the tourists get to bathe with the elephants, but the elephants are not forced and if they want to leave they do. The tourists gets around an hour with the elephants feeding them, bathing and scrubbing. The guide we had spoke English fluently which was a huge plus and gave us a lot of information about the elephants (their history, elephants in general, about the sanctuary). The lunch was tasty and good. Thank you all for a wonderful experience!
Bring clothes or swimsuits that you don’t mind get dirty. Bring and wear Sunscreen and insect repellent. Bring a towel and soap if you would like to take a shower.
Please listen to the tourguides, the mahouts and all the people that work with the elephants every day. They tell you how to behave for your and the elephants safety.
Bring clothes or swimsuits that you don’t mind get dirty. Bring and wear Sunscreen and insect repellent. Bring a towel and soap if you would like to take a shower.
Please listen to the tourguides, the mahouts and all the people that work with the elephants every day. They tell you how to behave for your and the elephants safety.
Written 26 February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Brad C
9 contributions
Jan 2020 • Couples
My wife and I spent a lot if time trying to find places that were good to animals. This place was a home run. The elephants are loved. There is no riding, no chains, no whips. Just love. Each elephant had his or her own Mahout for life. The Mahouts slept in tiny sheds right next to their elephants. About half of the elephants were rescued from some terrible circumstances. One had stepped on a landmine, one had been used to haul lumber down from the mountain, one was used for tourists to ride on. If you go to Thailand and support places like these rather than the ones that have you ride on the elephants you are making a difference. I hope to come back with my kids.
Written 30 January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
jim b
Walla Walla, WA15 contributions
Jan 2020
This was part of our tour of Thailand, as we took our daughter, who was born in Thailand, and her family and our son, to visit the country where she grew up until age 4. We were able to help feed the animals (11 of them, all female, ranging in age from 5 to 76). They ate melons, bananas, sugar cane. Then we got into bathing suits, and got into large, muddy lagoons, where we scooped up mud from the bottom and smeared it on the elephants. From there to a little cleaner lagoon where we splashed water on them to wash them off, being careful to avoid being rolled onto. The sanctuary provided plenty of showers to clean ourselves. Be sure to bring a towel and change of clothes. They also provided a very nice lunch. This trip was well worth it to see how humans are helping provide assistance for exploited animals.
Written 14 January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
andymax7575
Bingley, UK215 contributions
Sept 2022
we went with friends after booking trough Tour East JTB. We had the best time and all of the staff and Mahoots were knownledgable and nothing was too much for them.
We started off feeding numerous elephants and then went off to see where the elephants stayed at night. It was then back to give the elephants a mad bath before washing them down and then scrubbing them under the shower .
We then saw the baby have her own bath and it was lunch, which was very tasty and we when back for seconds.
I would recommend this trip so much, as it helps the sanctuary and provide both the elephants and the mahoots a pleasurable livings, rather than lugging logs or being chained up.
I would take some swim wear, and a towel, as you will get wet, but there are showers available
One thing we would of liked to have seen, was some sort of shop, so that you could buy various things, t-shirt, key ring etc or a donation box. This would obviously help with the running costs and potentially buying more elephants
We started off feeding numerous elephants and then went off to see where the elephants stayed at night. It was then back to give the elephants a mad bath before washing them down and then scrubbing them under the shower .
We then saw the baby have her own bath and it was lunch, which was very tasty and we when back for seconds.
I would recommend this trip so much, as it helps the sanctuary and provide both the elephants and the mahoots a pleasurable livings, rather than lugging logs or being chained up.
I would take some swim wear, and a towel, as you will get wet, but there are showers available
One thing we would of liked to have seen, was some sort of shop, so that you could buy various things, t-shirt, key ring etc or a donation box. This would obviously help with the running costs and potentially buying more elephants
Written 30 September 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Wayne N Kelsey P
Brisbane Region, Australia3 contributions
Jan 2020 • Family
I can't praise this sanctuary enough the Elephants have been rescued from different environments which are not only terrible for the Elephants but also their carers called mahoots.
The sanctuary has to purchase the Elephants for $60000 US and the Mahoots and their families all live at the Sanctuary together.
There are no shackles or rough treatment and the vibe is both the Elephants and Mahoots love each other like you or I would love our pets.
There is a huge jungle area for the Elephants to free roam in and relax.
The experience you receive as a tourist is to feed them (they have to eat 300kg of food a day) then rub them with mud which they seem to love and finally wash scrub and swim with them.
Finally a very delicious buffet lunch.
There is no pressure of any degree for the Elephants to perform in any such way.
I left with mixed emotions as there are still lots of these fabulous animals being miss treated throughout Thailand but with understanding education and wonderful Sanctuaries like this one that may one day be a thing of the past.
Highly Recommended.
The sanctuary has to purchase the Elephants for $60000 US and the Mahoots and their families all live at the Sanctuary together.
There are no shackles or rough treatment and the vibe is both the Elephants and Mahoots love each other like you or I would love our pets.
There is a huge jungle area for the Elephants to free roam in and relax.
The experience you receive as a tourist is to feed them (they have to eat 300kg of food a day) then rub them with mud which they seem to love and finally wash scrub and swim with them.
Finally a very delicious buffet lunch.
There is no pressure of any degree for the Elephants to perform in any such way.
I left with mixed emotions as there are still lots of these fabulous animals being miss treated throughout Thailand but with understanding education and wonderful Sanctuaries like this one that may one day be a thing of the past.
Highly Recommended.
Written 9 January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hi my friend has a very severe peanut allergy, will this be taking into consideration for her food option?
Written 27 February 2024
I have no idea but if you contact the sanctuary directly they could probably advise you.
Written 28 February 2024
I am wanting to book online today for a morning trip tomorrow with the elephants. Because it’s less than 24hours, will the transfer still be included as I’m holding off booking it just in case they won’t collect?
Written 2 March 2023
Hi,when booking online it has option to book transfer,if this option is on there I would say its good,
I believe each session only has about 20 people so pick up shouldn't be an issue.
If in doubt email elephant sanctuary direct.
Hooe this helps and enjoy
Written 2 March 2023
Hi I’m going to the sanctuary tomorrow and wondering if to take my camera. Will there be any chance to use it?
Written 28 February 2020
Yes, as others have said, you can take your own camera - we did. However, the Sanctuary have a photographer who is constantly taking pics of you all throughout your trip and then they load these onto Facebook a couple of days later where you can choose all the ones you like and download them. Be sure to make a note of the date/code for your particular trip photos though.
Written 29 February 2020
We stayed at Villa Angelica - Baan Malinee which is very close to the Sanctuary. But since the Green Elephant Sanctuary includes free pick up around Phuket you can easily visit it from whereever you want to stay. It just might be a bit longer drive to get there. So you can decide if you prefer to stay near Phuket town or one of the beaches.
Written 23 February 2020
There is no information on the website about tour/pickup times for the morning or afternoon? I am trying to book for tomorrow :(
Written 5 February 2020
We booked via our tour operator. I do know they have a morning and a afternoon session. We did the afternoon session and we were pick up at 13:30 at our hotel Patong Merlin. Add about an hour to get there
Written 6 February 2020
Hi, what would you like to know about this attraction?
Hi can I please ask who did you book with to visit the Sanctuary?
Many thanks
Sharon
Written 21 January 2020
Hello sorry for the late delay, I just saw this now. We booked with an a tour agent in Phuket. She was in a booth outside THE BEST massage place called Number One Relaxation massage and spa. Her name is BEE. And if you have a massage at the massage place you can get a discount.
This was an amazing elephant sanctuary experience and would do it again! Enjoy!
Written 15 February 2020
We are staying at the Outrigger Laguna in Phuket in April, do we need to book a visit to see the elephants in advance or can we wait until we get to our hotel? thank you.
Written 14 January 2020
I would definitely book in advance at least a couple days in advance
Written 15 January 2020
I can't seem to find the tour that lets you do the mud bath with the elephants. What web site did you use to find the tour?
Written 13 January 2020
I booked through the sanctuary’s website. They include transportation and lunch.
Written 14 January 2020
Do you need to bring your own towel?
Written 6 January 2020
It's advisable but not completely necessary.
I just used a change of clothes and air-dried.
Written 6 January 2020
…
Showing results 1-10 of 73
Is this your Tripadvisor listing?
Own or manage this property? Claim your listing for free to respond to reviews, update your profile and much more.
Claim your listing