Koh Samui Elephant Sanctuary Tour

Take a trip to an ethical elephant sanctuary that is positively changing elephant tourism in Asia. The elephants are rescued from cruelty and brought to the sanctuary to recover. They’re not just looked after but pampered by highly professional employees that work hard to save the animals from abuse and neglect. Elephant riding or trekking is forbidden, but you will get the chance to feed, stroke, and interact with the animals in other ways. This sanctuary prides itself on its sustainability principles and supports small projects for the betterment of local life.

On the morning or afternoon of your visit, you will be picked up from your place of accommodation and will drive for approximately 20 minutes through scenic agricultural areas before arriving at the Sanctuary. There, you will meet your English-speaking guide and learn a little about the recent history of Asian elephants and their natural behaviours, before changing into traditional Karen clothing.

After being allocated bananas and sugar cane to feed the elephants, you will walk with your guide through the Sanctuary, where you will find free-roaming elephants and hear their individual stories. You can touch, feed, photograph, and interact with the elephants at your leisure while you learn about their lifestyle and behaviors. After you have met all the elephants, you will enjoy watching them enjoy their mud spa. The elephants apply mud on the skin for healthy sunscreen and your help with this maybe highly appreciated by the elephants.

Next, you will walk with the elephants, shower them and join them in the water for a refreshing swim. Brush the elephants while they wade through and play in the water. Once the elephants are clean, you can take some final photos with them, and then it will be time to part ways with your new friend and change into some dry clothes. Finally, eat some snacks and seasonal fresh fruit, before enjoying once again the impressive rural scenery as you drive back to the hotel.

At the Sanctuary, we will allow you to spend as much time as possible with the elephants. Therefore, there is no formal schedule and aside from pick-up times, the itinerary times shown here are approximations.

Participation in mud bathing activities during your visit is encouraged, but by no means mandatory, and you will never be forced to do anything which makes you uncomfortable.

While we support the transition from elephant trekking to elephant care as a tourism activity Kohsauitours.com only supplies the islands two organizations which have a long standing commitment to the rescue and care of elephants and have not merely just switched from one to the other for financial gain and due to the popularity One of these companies allows bathing with elephants and one doesn’t. However, the limited availability and popularity of the elephant trips in samui means we can’t guarantee any particular one. Some people really love the ability to get real close to the elephants and others appreciate the elephant’s space and natural upbringing which wouldn’t include such close interaction. Either way both organizations are highly ethical and have the best interests of the elephant in mind.