Chiang Mai Elephant Sanctuary Observation and Bamboo Rafting

Recommended by 98% of travelers

Badge of Excellence

Chiang Mai, Thailand

Great choice

10+ bookings last month.

8 to 9 hours (approx.)
Pickup offered
Mobile ticket
Offered in: English

Overview

Perfect for nature and wildlife lovers, this guided tour combines two experiences in one day—a visit to an elephant sanctuary and bamboo rafting on the Wang River. Observe elephants, help prepare their food, and explore remote natural spots such as waterfalls, forests, and rivers with ease. Hotel pickup and seamless transport in an air-conditioned vehicle are included for your convenience.

Combine a rafting trip and an elephant sanctuary visit
Stay cool and comfortable in a vehicle with air-conditioning
No need to bring food with you: Lunch is included
A bamboo rafting trip showcases spectacular scenery

What's Included

Lunch
Bottled water
Coffee and/or Tea
Air-conditioned vehicle
Insurance
Towel
Elephant's food and snack
Free photography

Other personal expenses

Meeting and Pickup

Pickup points

Select a pickup point

Pickup details

Pick up time between : 08.00 - 08.30 a.m. (We request you to be ready at the hotel lobby by 08.00 a.m.) A free transfer service to/from all places of accommodation within a 4 k.m. radius of Chiang Mai’s Old City. Transport from locations outside this area will incur a surcharge. In that case, kindly provide us the hotel/ property name. Customers will travel in a 12-seater, air-conditioned van, switching to a roofed 4×4 truck for the last 10 minutes to reach the sanctuary.

Operating hours
.8:00 am

Itinerary

Thung Luang

4 hours • Admission Ticket Free

Mae Win

1 hour • Admission Ticket Free

Additional Info

Confirmation will be received at time of booking
Not wheelchair accessible
Stroller accessible
Infants must sit on laps
Not recommended for travelers with back problems
Not recommended for pregnant travelers
No heart problems or other serious medical conditions

Most travelers can participate
Pets are prohibited
Child seat is available up on request
Bamboo Rafting is suitable for all ages. However, young children and infants require close parental supervision for safety.
What to bring: Extra Clothes, Swimming Suit, Sandals, Trekking / Hiking Shoes Sunblock lotion, Insect Spray, Customers own allergy medication
This tour/activity will have a maximum of 48 travelers

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Cancellation Policy

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.

Traveler Photos

Gallery picture 1 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 2 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 3 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 4 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 5 (from a traveler's review)

Featured review

Grace_P

It was most amazing to be up close with the elephants in their environment and go at their pace. They took us on a walk and one of them had a mud bath right in front of us Our guide Jay for the first part was wonderful! Clear, funny and spoke English quite well and has a great personality! The trek is a bit rugged for us 50 yos so wear right shoes. We did half day and next time will do full day with elephants We had the rafting afterwards which was an adventure and quite fun but on a 5-6 piece bamboo raft so be ready for that The ride up to the mountain was curvy and survived it but was getting a bit carsick…so those who have motion sickness bring your stuff or put your patch on to avoid the nausea. It was such a beautiful experience Will do it again!

Reviews

4.9

based on 51 reviews

Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor

We perform checks on reviews

Ethical elephants and bamboo rafting

Colin_H, Feb 2026

Watching elephants walking thtough doing their own thing was a magical experience. Only direct contact was feeding them mango before they wandered off and we followed. Later, riding the bamboo raft down river and over a number off small but exciting rapids was great fun and very exhilarating.

Great experience

Grace_P, Feb 2026

I had a great time on...

Alaina_H, Jan 2026

I had a great time on this tour. feeding the elephants, walking with the elephants and the waterfall were highlights. I wish the listing description actually listed the HIKING we did with/next to the elephants. that was not clearly listed and should have been. Luckily i was wearing good walking sandals, but others in the group were not and clearly didn't understand we'd be hiking on uneven terrain either. Our guides really needed to make sure one of them was the last person to make sure everyone got down safely. I ended up tripping and falling/scraping my knee right at the end and no one knew because i was the last one down to make it to the lunch spot.

100% GO! Don't hesitate to book this, it is incredible|!

Claire_S, Jan 2026

Do not hesitate to do this amazing day out! Such a highlight of our Thailand adventure with my 3 boys ages 19, 24 and 26. From start to finish, this was such an incredible experience. The elephant sanctuary was a truly humbling and magical experience, such magnificent animals and wonderful to see them in their natural habitat and happy. Then the bamboo rafting was such a laugh, brilliant fun for all ages! Our guides were lovely and nothing was too much, we had a delicious lunch, swim in beautiful waterfalls and then made our own Thai balm which cures all! Wonderful!

Elephant sanctuary visit!

Karen_T, Jan 2026

A must do experience. Small sanctuary with only 4 females but that didn't make a difference. Rescued elephants now secure. Rules so tourists don't impact on them. Learnt much. Great fun feeding them. Combined trip with swim in waterfall & making herbal remedy plus bamboo rafting. Take advantage of day trip whilst out for the day. Take a change of clothes! It's very rustic so be prepared. I gave it a 4 star simply as we had a 20 minute break having been picked up from the hotel 35 mins previously. Was not the most celebrious coffee stop either......

Amazing jungle elephant experience

Hermina_K, Oct 2025

An amazing, immersive, respectful way to learn about the wonderful Asian Elephants. A really great day out in nature! Beautiful scenery and everything is done at a relaxed rhythm, allowing us to enjoy the experience to a max!

Must do!

Jenna_B, Jul 2025

I cannot say enough about this experience. A true once-in-a-lifetime event. You are picked up from your hotel and driven to the sanctuary. First you feed the elephants and then take a walk through the jungle with them, then cool off in the water. They made us Phad Thai for lunch which was delicious served with watermelon and pineapple. Jade was a perfect host and explained everything to us. We ended with a relaxing ride down the river in a bamboo raft. Everything was perfectly executed and timed. This is a must do experience!

Unforgettable Experience at Joy Elephant Sanctuary!

Tejani_W, Jun 2025

Our day at the Joy Elephant Sanctuary was incredible from start to finish! We were picked up right on time and the drive to the sanctuary was smooth. The location is absolutely stunning – the perfect backdrop for photos and a peaceful atmosphere. The elephants were amazing! We had so much fun feeding and interacting with them. It’s clear that the staff truly cares about these wonderful animals. Their passion for what they do really shows, and it made the experience even more special. After spending time with the elephants, we had a delicious lunch, and then we got to make our own inhalers to take home – such a cool, personal touch! Highly recommend this place if you want an authentic, heartwarming experience with elephants. The staff, the location, and the animals are all top-notch!

Elephant preser

Kristina_P, May 2025

The activity is well organized and informative. It allowed interaction with the elephants in a respectful manner to their environment. Because you go to a location that is not easily accessible, be prepared for some off road transport and walking to the elephant camp. It is all part of the adventure. Lunch was served and very good. There was also an opportunity to splash in a waterfall and/or have tea from an observation platform. The bamboo rafting takes place at another location and is a fabulous experience! It allows you to enjoy more views of elephants and, depending on conditions, a few exciting rapids to enjoy. Anyone interested in preserving ethical practices of elephant care, could in good conscience participate in this tour.

What an amazing...

Jen_N, Apr 2025

What an amazing unforgettable day! Bamboo rafting, feeding and walking with elephants, and to top it off the guides were friendly and approachable. Thank you for such a great experience

Elephants! Waterfalls! Bamboo Rafts!

Erin_L, Jan 2025

Wow. We love elephants so much and this place was awesome!!! We got to feed them snacks, walk with them and just spend time watching them be amazing and beautiful animals! This place is truly ethical- NO touching/bathing/riding (except for very light touch on the tip of their trunks where the elephants accept their snacks!) We loved it! We also did the Bamboo rafting and laughed so much and had so much fun- we were informed ahead of time that the raft guides did not speak English, but our guide still entertained us and goofed around with us and made it so, so fun! Also loved watching the young kids learning to guide the rafts- and! We saw so many elephants from other sanctuaries along the river while we rafted- such a fun first day in Chiang Mai!

Nice way to spend the day.

Donna_H, Jan 2025

What a nice day! The ride there seemed longer than I expected and some commentary along the way would have been good, but there was none of that. We just arrived somewhere, were transferred into a jeep for a bumpy ten minute ride, and we were at the sanctuary. Feeding and walking with the elephants was amazing, the dip at the little waterfall was refreshing, and making our herb inhaler was a fun craft . The lunch wasn't very tasty to me but the thought was appreciated. After our time at the sanctuary we were driven somewhere else to go bamboo rafting which was serene. The van was waiting for us at the rafting end point for the ride back to town. Even without an understanding of where we were, it was a very enjoyable, full day with kind, helpful people every step of the way.

Wonderful day! ...

Kelly_G, Jan 2025

Wonderful day! Professional, organized, safe, educational and super fun. Highly recommend this tour. We fed the elephants, with their handlers took them for a walk, swam under the waterfall and ended the day with a relaxing bamboo rafting trip.

Amazing experience

HERMAN_C, Dec 2024

What an amazing place! Love the scenery and of course the elephants. The elephants are treated kindly. The highlight of the show is feeding the elephants. Our guide is very helpful. The second part of the trip was a pleasant surprise. Bamboo rafting along the river was beautiful and serene. Seeing some elephants on the river banks along the way is a bonus.

Great elephant experience

lexyrobinson, Nov 2024

We really enjoyed this tour! The guides were very knowledgeable and friendly. We got to see elephants and hand them broken watermelons and cut up kabocha squash. The elephants were mostly behind a fence although at some points they were roaming around but at a distance. Although we were not able to raft because of high water due to rain, we really felt we got the most out of this tour. This was a fantastic tour with lots of information.

Ethical and awe-inspiring experience

Valentina_F, Nov 2024

Visiting the elephant sanctuary was an incredible experience. It was clear that the sanctuary operates with the highest ethical standards, allowing the elephants to live freely without any pressure or obligation. Watching these magnificent animals in their natural habitat, moving and behaving as they would in the wild, was truly inspiring. The respect and care shown to the elephants here is evident in every detail, making this visit both responsible and unforgettable. Highly recommend this sanctuary for anyone looking for an ethical, awe-inspiring experience with these amazing creatures!

Well worth the price

Agnes_L, Jul 2024

Super nice people, fantastic experience for a extremely reasonably price! We had an amazing time and the sanctuary seems very ethical. The elephants had loads of time to eat, walk around and swim. We were only there to observe their daily routines.

Response from Host, Sep 2024

Thank you for your enthusiastic review! We're so pleased that you enjoyed your day filled with fun activities and felt the experience was well worth it. It’s great to hear that our guides added to your enjoyment with their photography skills! We're committed to providing an ethical environment for our elephants, and it's rewarding to know that you appreciated this aspect of our sanctuary. Our team truly appreciates it. We hope to see you again soon!

The truly ethical experience 10/10

Ryan_W, Jul 2024

My whole day at Joy Elephant Sanctuary was amazing. Jade and the staff were so kind and helpful. The elephants are well cared for and respected. We got to prepare food for them and walk through the forest to see them doing their thing. The guide gave us lots of information about the elephants. We also relaxed by a waterfall with some hot tea. Lunch was Veg Pad Thai, salad, and some fruit. Before we left, they taught us how to make a Thai herb inhaler as a souvenir. Then we went bamboo rafting, which was beautiful. This place really respects the elephants and doesn't make them do tricks, entertain for tourists. I loved the day and am so glad I make the right choice! Highly recommend 100%

Response from Host, Sep 2024

Thank you for taking the time to share your experience and for the high praise! We're delighted that you had an amazing day at Joy Elephant Sanctuary and appreciated the ethical approach we take in caring for our elephants. It's wonderful to hear that Jade and our staff made your visit memorable, and that you enjoyed all aspects of the program, from preparing food for the elephants to the bamboo rafting. We're grateful for your recommendation and are happy that you felt you made the right choice in visiting us. We hope to welcome you back again soon!