Book in advance because the Elephants Heaven: Half Day Elephant Experience at Kanta Elephant Park in Chiang Mai tour provided by Baanchang Elephant Park fills up fast. Located about 60 miles outside of Chiang Mai city center, transportation to Kanta Elephant sanctuary is included with the tour.
The family owned ethical and sustainable eco-tourism project, Kanta Elephant Sanctuary, was founded in March 2015. The sanctuary is home to 10-15 female Thai elephants. Visitors only interact with the female elephants, being less territorial and aggressive than males. Unlike Asian or African elephants, female Thai elephants do not have tusks. The sanctuary offers a healthy, free environment for elephants previously used for logging or entertainment. Riding the elephants is prohibited.
Feeding Time
Traditional mahout clothes are provided upon arrival. These adorable outfits are available to purchase for 500 Baht. After changing, we learn how to safely approach and touch the elephants and signs of happiness. We are advised to be cautious around the elephants’ legs and petting the spiky hairs on the elephants’ heads. Matching bags are handed out to fill with sugar cane to feed the elephants. After filing our bags with as much sugar cane as possible, we are free to feed, pet, take pictures, and play with the elephants.
Bath Time
The elephants are bathed and scrubbed in the sanctuary’s fresh water lagoon daily to prevent insects from laying eggs under the elephants’ thick skin, potentially leading to an infection. After collecting a pail and brush, we wade into the waist deep water.
We are extremely cautious and alert bathing the elephants. When ready to rinse off, they roll onto their side oblivious to nearby elephants or people.
Traveling Gingerbread Note: We recommend bringing swim suits, water shoes, bug spray, and a change of clothes. We were soaked at the end of the day. Towels and showers with soap and shampoo are available to visitors before leaving the sanctuary.
For more information visit: www.kantaelephantsanctuary.com or Kanta Elephant Sanctuary Facebook Page.
September 2018
The Traveling Gingerbread 
What an absolutely incredible experience!! Thank you for all the fabulous pictures!!
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Picking what photos to put in the post was the hardest part of this post. We had so many amazing photos from that afternoon!
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So cute!!! This is on my bucket list now for sure! Hehe are you guys still in Thailand now? Have an amazing time there!
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We just got home. It was an amazing trip. I definitely would visit if you can! They have full and half day tours. We didn’t get into Chiang Mai until that morning so the half day was perfect for us.
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I want to go to Chiang Mai as well, I’ve heard really good things about it!
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Chiang Mai was my favorite city we visited in Thailand. 🙂
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This looks like an incredible experience. I appreciate how you found a place where you can interact with elephants in a way that’s sustainable and ethical. Thank you for sharing!
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We did a lot of research before deciding on an place to visit elephants. Both the elephants and staff seemed very happy.
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This looks awesome and my fiancé would love this! I’m going to have to bookmark this in case we ever get to Thailand!
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It was an amazing experience and so convenient they provided the transportation. We only had time for the half day experience but they offer full days as well.
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I just read a very interesting article from National Geographic the other day about tusklessness in elephants. Apparently it is human caused due to ivory poaching. The tuskless few survive to reproduce since they don’t have any ivory to poach so the number increases from a very small naturally occurring percentage to a large amount of them. It’s happening now in Africa and the article also mentioned a possible reason for the tusklessness of Asian elephants is from ivory hunters of the past.
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Wow, what a great read. That’s very interesting. Thanks for sharing!
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[…] Bathe, Feed, and Play With Elephants at Kanta Elephant Sanctuary […]
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Just awesome! I did similar in Malaysia many years ago. They are such beautiful animals x
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[…] Traveling Gingerbread Note: Chiang Mai is a great home base for tours of Northern Thailand. Transportation is included from Chiang Mai on our tours to The Golden Triangle and the Kanta Elephant Sanctuary. […]
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