Khao Lak Elephant Sanctuary Full Day Small Group Tour

Recommended by 90% of travelers

Khao Lak, Thailand

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

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Khaolak Elephant Sanctuary, Cooking Class and Waterfall Tour

Khao Lak, Southern Thailand and Andaman Coast

4.8

(17)

Khaolak Elephant Sanctuary, Cooking Class and Waterfall Tour

from $124

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Overview

What's Included

Cooking Class
Lunch
Hotel Tranfer

Personal Expense

Meeting and Pickup

You can head directly to the meeting point, or request pickup

Pickup points

Select a pickup point

Pickup details

Pickup times (Approximate) – will be confirmed with your booking confirmation. Kekkuk 08.00 - 08.15 am./12.00-12.15 pm. Bang Niang 08.15 - 08.30 am. /12.15-12.30pm. Bangsak 08.30 - 08.45 am /12.30-12.45pm. The duration of the transfer from your hotel in Phuket to Khaolak Elephant Sanctuary is approximately 2 hours. Phuket 06.30-07.00 am. / 10.30-11.00 am

Meeting point

Khaolak Ethical Elephant Sanctuary (KES)
77 ซอย น้ำตกสายรุ้ง Tambon Khuekkhak, Amphoe Takua Pa, Chang Wat Phang-nga 82220, Thailand
Meeting at Khaolak Elephant Sanctuary and show your voucher to staff. Car Park also available

End point

This activity ends back at the meeting point.

Itinerary

Khaolak Ethical Elephant Sanctuary (KES)

7 hours • Admission Ticket Included

Sai Rung Waterfall

30 minutes • Admission Ticket Included

Additional Info

Confirmation will be received at time of booking
Not wheelchair accessible
Near public transportation
Infants must sit on laps

Most travelers can participate
We do not force them to engage in any activities. If an activity cannot be conducted as planned due to the elephants' choice, no refunds can be provided. We respect the elephants' natural behavior and provide opportunities for observation and interaction based on their comfort and willingness.
This tour/activity will have a maximum of 30 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

jackiesnook

All the staff were great, very knowledgeable and respectful of the elephants. Nothing felt forced, all elephants were free to roam if they wished but they knew their daily routines of feeding and bathing and were happy for you to hand them food. Bathing is done by their handler with you watching, they really seemed to enjoy a dip in the river to clean and cool down. Lots of opportunities for photos, guides took many photos with your phones for you, no hard sell to purchase any of the ones they took, you really don’t need them. We took the full day tour which had the cooking class included, three separate dishes to cook and eat. A great day and experience highly recommended,

Reviews

4.8

based on 10 reviews

Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor

We perform checks on reviews

Great Experience with the Elephants at Khao Lok

jackiesnook, Nov 2025

Response from Host, Nov 2025

Thank you so much for your wonderful and detailed review! We’re truly happy to hear that you enjoyed the full-day experience — from meeting our elephants to joining the Thai cooking class. Our team always aims to create a natural and respectful environment where the elephants can live freely and comfortably, so it’s lovely to know you felt that during your visit. We’re also glad you appreciated our guides and the photo opportunities without any pressure to buy. Your kind words mean a lot to us and will surely encourage our team to keep doing their best every day. We hope to welcome you again for another meaningful and enjoyable experience!

Ethical Sanctuary.

NICOLA_H, Aug 2025

I had an absolutely fabulous day with Win and his colleagues. There are six beautiful female elephants that reside there, aged in their 30s-60s, from difficult histories, but thankfully, now wonderful futures. They are well cared for in an ethical way. I chose the whole day option, and I'm really glad I did. It entailed everything from observations, preparing food, feeding, planting, sourcing, cookery lessons - plus much more. Thank you so much for a very memorable day. I've not put many photos on as I think it should be seen and experienced- I don't want to spoil the surprises in store!

Response from Host, Aug 2025

Thank you so much for your kind words and for choosing our full-day experience! We’re thrilled to hear you had such a fabulous time with Win, our team, and our six beautiful rescued elephants. Your appreciation for their care and ethical treatment truly means a lot to us. We’re glad you enjoyed the wide range of activities and the chance to be part of their daily lives. And thank you for keeping the surprises for future visitors—there’s nothing quite like experiencing it in person! We hope to welcome you back again for more special moments.

Ethical elephant experience.

Debra_B, Aug 2025

A very casual day at the pace of the elephants. A great experience of simply watching elephants eat, wander and bath. A great opportunity to feed them and forage in the jungle for their food. A side experience with swimming at a beautiful waterfall and learning to cook Thai dishes. A unique experience and wonderful to see elephants being looked after and not performing for tourists. A very knowledgeable and helpful guide. Thanks 🙏

Response from Host, Aug 2025

Thank you for your beautiful and thoughtful review! We're so happy to hear that you enjoyed a relaxed day in the company of the elephants, observing them in their natural rhythm. It’s wonderful that you got to experience feeding, foraging, and even swimming at a waterfall—what a perfect combination of nature and culture. We're especially grateful for your appreciation of the ethical treatment of the elephants, as their well-being is our top priority. We'll be sure to pass your kind words along to your guide. Thank you again for joining us! 🙏

A magical day with elephants and sanctuary team.

Graeme_T, Apr 2025

We booked a full day tour, and weren’t disappointed. A truly magical day with Maesa, the mahouts, chef and the stars of the day. 5 (1 poorly and in quarantine) majestic elephants, rescued from previous logging careers. These elephants are loved and cared for by the Khao Lak team. We booked a full day, which included plenty of up close time with the elephants, constant feeding, bathing ( not in the water with them) but close enough to chuck lots of water over them, prepping food, cooking a 4 course Thai meal with chef, collecting banana leaves and water melons from the local farmers, walk in the jungle with elephant, and a visit to the local waterfall. There are plenty of other elephant experiences out there but do your research. The money goes direct to the team to care for the elephants and supports the local farmers too. A brilliant day from start to finish. Plenty of photos taken by the team and shared with us (no sneaky extra charges either)

Response from Host, Apr 2025

Thank you so much for your wonderful review! We're thrilled to hear that you had a magical day with Maesa, the mahouts, and the elephants. It's fantastic to know that you enjoyed the hands-on experiences, the delicious Thai meal, and the time spent in the jungle with the elephants. We truly appreciate your recognition of the care we provide for the elephants and the support we offer to local farmers. Thank you for sharing your experience, and we're so happy that you enjoyed the day without any extra charges. We look forward to welcoming you back for another unforgettable experience!

Magical interactive experience you don’t want to miss

Julie_L, Aug 2024

Magical experience of being up close with these magnificent elephants. Interactive and unique - one of the best days I have ever had. Sourcing their food, coming back and then feeding them, watching them swim and learning about their diet, daily routines and being able to share this time with them is extraordinary. Topped off with cooking class, waterfall and knowledgeable tour guides (thanks Tony) means it is a day not to be missed.

Response from Host, Aug 2024

Thank you for sharing your magical experience! We're thrilled to hear that being up close with the magnificent elephants made for one of the best days you've ever had. The interactive and unique nature of the tour, from sourcing their food to feeding them and learning about their routines, sounds extraordinary. We're glad the day was topped off with a cooking class, waterfall visit, and the guidance of knowledgeable tour guides like Tony. It truly sounds like a day not to be missed. We look forward to welcoming you back for more unforgettable experiences!

Private Tour zu den...

Manuela_S, Mar 2025

Private Tour zu den Elefefanten mit ganz exquisiter Betreuung durch Guide Toni!Die unmittelbare Nähe zu den Tieren und vor allem der ethisch korrekte Umgang mit den Tieren haben uns sehr gefallen. Absolut empfehlenswert,auch der private Kochkurs

Response from Host, Mar 2025

Thank you for your wonderful review! We're delighted to hear that you enjoyed your private tour with our guide Tony and appreciated the ethical care we provide for our elephants. It’s great to know that the close interaction with the elephants and the private cooking class made your experience even more special. We truly appreciate your recommendation and hope to welcome you again in the future!