Frequently Asked Questions

Unfortunately, several elephant experiences in Phuket use very similar names. When searching Google for “Phuket Elephant Sanctuary,” you may also see paid หponsored results using these keywords that lead to other elephant experiences. To make sure you are booking with us, always check that the website is our official website: phuketelephantsanctuary.org. Since you are already here, the safest and easiest option is simply to book directly here. We do not offer cheaper rates through other websites or booking platforms, so you will not find the same experience for a lower price elsewhere. If you see a different price, please double-check the name and location, as it may be a different elephant experience. You may also notice that Phuket Elephant Sanctuary does not appear among Google’s sponsored search results. We do not use paid Google search advertising and are proud to have grown through word of mouth, personal recommendations, and the thousands of reviews shared by our visitors. Before booking, please double-check that you have found the official Phuket Elephant Sanctuary in Paklok, northeast Phuket.

We are booked up in advance, usually one week in advance or for high season (November – April) up to two weeks. As soon as you know the date you wish to visit, please book.

We offer tours throughout the day, with both morning and afternoon options. Our Half Day Program runs from 09:30–13:00 and 13:30–17:00, while our 90-minute Canopy Walkway Tour starts at 09:30, 10:00, 14:00 and 14:30. Our Full Day Program runs from 09:30–17:00. Please arrive at our Meeting Point at least 15 minutes before your scheduled start time to allow sufficient time for check-in and transfer into the sanctuary.

All you need is your booking confirmation, either on your phone or printed. We also recommend keeping a photo of your passport on your phone while travelling in Thailand. We do not need to see this during registration (unless you booked a full day program).

We are open year-round, except on 13 April, Thai New Year (Songkran). On occasion, we may also be closed for private groups or fully booked on other dates. Our website always shows our live availability, so we recommend checking the booking calendar for the most up-to-date availability for your preferred date and program.

Yes absolutely. We have lockers at the sanctuary and plenty of space at our Meeting Point for larger luggage.

If you are late, we will start the tour for our other guests. Our vehicles will take you to the sanctuary as soon as you arrive so you can join the remainder of the program.

Based on guide availability, we always try to be as flexible as possible. However, we cannot guarantee availability for walk-in visitors outside our regular tour schedules, particularly during the high season. We therefore strongly recommend booking one of our scheduled tours in advance to avoid disappointment.

Yes, we are open whatever the weather conditions. Elephants love the rain and playing in the mud, and it is magical being in the forest when the rain falls. We provide large golf size umbrellas for protection from the heavy rains and strong sun, wellie boots and plastic rain coats if needed.

No, you don’t need to bring boots, however if we have had heavy rains, yes it will be muddy. We provide wellie boots up to size 12 as well as socks.

Phuket is either rainy and hot, or dry and hot! Please bring a hat, sunscreen, and if you are prone to sunburn a long sleeved shirt is also useful for extra protection. We provide chilled purified water throughout the tour.

Yes absolutely, we cater for all ages. Our program is relaxed and at any time on the walk should you wish to return to the reception our staff will take care of you. Many guests with young children find on hot sunny days that our large umbrellas are great to shade from the sun. We are a sanctuary and our tours are peaceful so if your children enjoy the tranquility of nature then they will love our program. We also have electric golf cars with drivers for families with young children, and a nursery at the Tree Top Reception to play and relax.

Yes, of course. As long as visitors are able to move from the wheelchair to a golf cart all areas are accessible, ensuring that all guests have an opportunity to see our elephants in the jungle. Our canopy walkway is also fully wheelchair-accessible.

We serve a delicious homemade Thai vegetarian and vegan buffet and can accommodate a range of dietary requirements, including gluten-free, dairy-free, and nut allergies. If you have any special dietary needs, please inform our staff upon arrival, and they will notify the kitchen.

There are hundreds of hotels in Phuket catering to a broad spectrum of travelers. Research through any online booking agent. We are in the Paklok area which is a quieter, more rural part of Phuket. There are guesthouses in this area should you wish for an overnight stay before your tour, however, the best beaches are on the west coast.

• Distances (dependent on traffic)
• Patong to Paklok – 31 kms, approx 55 mins
• Kamala to Paklok – 27 kms, approx 45 mins
• Karon to Paklok – 37 kms, approx 1 hour
• Bang Tao to Paklok – 21 kms, approx 30 mins
• Cherntalay to Paklok – 21 kms, approx 30 mins
• Rawai to Paklok – 37 kms, approx 1 hour
• Phuket Town to Paklok – 26 kms, approx 45 mins
• Maikhao to Paklok – 22 kms, approx. 35 mins
• Nai Thon beach to Paklok – 20 kms, approx 30 mins
• Phuket International Airport – 15 kms, approx 25 mins
• Khao Lak to Paklok – 90 kms, approx 1 hour 30 mins

Yes, click here to purchase gift cards/vouchers.

The pick-up time depends on your location and can be up to 90 minutes before the tour! The exact pick-up time, up to 90 minutes before the tour, will be stated in your confirmation email or advised via message or email shortly after completing your booking.

At your hotel’s lobby or in front of your accommodation.

Yes. If you have pre-arranged a roundtrip transfer with us, your driver will be waiting for you after the tour. If you booked a shared transfer, please note that the van will depart once all guests who arrived in the same van have returned to the Meeting Point.

For our shared round-trip transfers, your pick-up and drop-off location must be the same. If you would like to be picked up and dropped off at different locations, we recommend booking a private transfer, which offers greater flexibility. Please contact us at [email protected] to check the price and available pick-up times for your location.

No, you can’t. There is strictly no public access to the sanctuary for safety and insurance purposes, and also as we have free roaming elephants. Please meet at our Meeting Point in Paklok, and you will be transported to the sanctuary in our vehicles. For directions, click here.

Yes. Private transfers can be arranged, with prices depending on your pick-up and drop-off location. They offer additional flexibility and are especially recommended if you would like to be picked up and dropped off at different locations. Please contact us at [email protected] to check the price and available pick-up times for your location.

We need a copy of your passport (printed or on your phone) for insurance purposes, and your booking confirmation (printed or on your phone).

As you will be working outside in hot weather, we recommend to bring clothes you don’t mind getting dirty, closed toe shoes, a hat, sunscreen, and if you are prone to sunburn a couple of long sleeved shirts for extra protection. We provide one volunteer shirt upon arrival as well as wellie boots, socks and umbrellas in case of rain. Chilled, purified water is also provided throughout the program.

At your hotel’s lobby.

It’s between 3 and 8pm at our Meeting Point in Paklok. After registration our team will take you to your accommodation which is just a few minutes away. If you plan to arrive earlier or later, please let us know in advance.

Check-out time from your accommodation is at 1pm, and the volunteer program finishes at 5pm. You can leave your luggage at the meeting point.

No, you can’t. There is strictly no public access to the sanctuary for safety and insurance purposes, and also as we have free roaming elephants. Please meet at our Office in Paklok, and you will be transported to the sanctuary in our vehicles.

We are booked up in advance, usually one week in advance or for high season (Dec – April) up to two weeks. As soon as you know the date you wish to visit, please book.

We serve a delicious home made Thai vegetarian/vegan buffet. Should you have any special dietary requirements please advise our staff on arrival and they will inform the kitchen. Should you join our three day or one week volunteer programs, the first meal will be served on Monday morning. You will enjoy breakfast snacks, lunch and dinner at the sanctuary on every working day.

Should you join our three day or one week volunteer programs, we provide private accommodation a few minutes from our meeting point and offices. You will have your own airconditioned accommodation with a bedroom, bathroom, fridge and complimentary WiFi. There is a restaurant at the lobby as well as a 7/11 and some local restaurants in walking distance.

Our team will pick you up at 8.30am in the morning and drop you back at 5pm.

We do not require any previous volunteer experience as long as you are a passionate animal lover with a keen interest in wildlife. If you’re 18 years or older, physically fit, enthusiastic and able to work as part of the team in the hot Thai humid climate whether rain or sun – volunteer!

At Phuket Elephant Sanctuary, our mission is to let elephants live as naturally as possible — roaming, foraging, and socialising freely in a peaceful environment. Since 1 April 2026, we no longer offer any feeding interactions as part of our visitor programs, further aligning our approach with the elephants’ natural behaviours and wellbeing.

Instead, our experiences focus entirely on respectful observation, allowing visitors to witness elephants simply being elephants as they explore their natural habitat. Guests can observe them from a respectful distance, explore our Canopy Walkway, and learn more about elephant care and welfare at our on-site veterinary hospital.

This approach reflects our continued commitment to advancing ethical elephant tourism and providing a true final home where rescued elephants can live with greater freedom, dignity, and choice.

All our elephants were either born in captivity or have lived in captivity for up to 60 years prior to their rescue and relocation to Phuket Elephant Sanctuary. Unfortunately, they never had a chance to experience life in the wild and lived alongside humans for decades.

Because we do not have an elephant-proof fence around our 30-acre sanctuary, there is a risk that the elephants may wander off to nearby villages and farms, which potentially could lead to a human-wildlife conflict. This is why the elephants have a dedicated mahout to look after them while they explore the sanctuary. These mahouts are the keepers of the elephants, and they have a very special relationship with them that is based on love and trust. The mahouts feed the elephants, and guide them if necessary to ensure that the elephants do not leave the safety of our sanctuary.

At nighttime when the mahouts are sleeping, and also for a short time around noon, the elephants spend time in their large chain-free shelters with lots of food and water.

Hydrotherapy plays an important role in the recovery and rehabilitation of our elephants. Older elephants and those with leg injuries stand 24 hours a day, even while sleeping, as they do not have the strength to get back up once they lay down.

Being in the water helps the elephants balance their weight and relieve their tired muscles. We have a natural lake and several streams with fresh water from the nearby Bang Pae waterfall, as well as a dedicated hydrotherapy pool that we built for our oldest elephants who can’t step into the lake anymore.

As many of our elephants lived in trekking camps or shows without access to natural lakes for their entire lives, we lead them into the lake and pool using positive encouragements during their first months at the sanctuary. After a while the elephants understand the healing effects of being in the water and wade into the lake without encouragement.

Guests often have a chance to see the elephants enjoy time in the water, and it is one of the highlights of a visit to Phuket Elephant Sanctuary.

Elephants love to swim, cool off and splash in the water, and to cover themselves with thick mud. They like to do so alone or with fellow elephants. However, if people crowd around or interact with them during this bathing ritual, it becomes stressful for the elephants, preventing them from displaying their natural behavior.

To give the elephants the privacy they need and to enjoy their day as much as you, we built an Observation Sala overlooking our fresh water pond, from where you can witness the elephants enjoying their bathing time alone or with fellow elephants. This is a great photo opportunity and educational experience as you can observe the elephants behave naturally.