Hug Elephant Sanctuary

Hug Elephant Sanctuary is a park for elephants that have been rescued from all over Thailand. Please note that there is NO ELEPHANT RIDING.

Hug Elephant Sanctuary was founded in 2015 in response to the exploitative practises of using elephants in Thailand for logging, riding, being kept as pets, performing in circuses or elephants that have been injured and would not be able to survive in the wild.

There are currently 6 elephants in the sanctuary, making this park more intimate meeting between tourists and elephants. The Park states that they do not use hooks on the elephants, but note that the mahouts do carry hooks during the tour. So visitors need to make their own assessments as to whether this park is right for them. The park is operated by the local Thai people and the money from visitors goes towards food and medical care for the elephants as well as wages and transportation for the local people.

Hug Elephant Sanctuary is located south of Chiang Mai with the trip taking around 1.5 hours. Your admission ticket includes transfer to and from the park and please note that people self-driving will not be permitted entry.

There are three tour options: Half Day Tour (morning or afternoon), Full Day Tour and Two Day Project. The most popular tour is the Full Day Tour which includes viewing the elephants in a natural habitat, feeding them, bathing them in a river, walking with them, taking photos of them and enjoying a buffet-style healthy lunch. These trips depart from Chiang Mai between 8-8.30am and return you to your hotel between 5-6pm.

You should make sure to bring a hat, sunscreen, camera, insect repellent, a towel, thongs/sandals and a change of clothing if you plan to get wet with the elephants. There is a 20-minute hike through some steep forested areas as part of this tour to reach the elephants, so this tour may not be suitable for those with limited mobility.