A highlight of our trip to Thailand was visiting the Living Green Elephant Sanctuary. I’d been hoping to visit an elephant sanctuary for years, so this was truly a bucket list destination for me. Elephants have always fascinated me. They’re incredibly intelligent and powerful, yet so gentle. It was the one thing we absolutely had to do while in Thailand, and the experience was unforgettable.
We booked our tour through Viator for about $60 per person, which covered an eight-hour, full-day experience. We thought it was very affordable for everything that was included. We were picked up directly from our hotel, which made the whole process really convenient.
Living Green has two locations. One in Chiang Mai and another near Pattaya. We went to the Pattaya location which had opened just a year ago. It was a beautiful place where the elephants could roam freely and were well taken care of.
The only downside was the drive. It took about two hours each way, and the van wasn’t the most comfortable. Since I’m someone who gets carsick, the ride was a bit tough, but I managed to power through. In the end, it was absolutely worth it to spend time with the elephants.
When we arrived at the sanctuary, we were served pad thai for lunch while the guides explained what we would be doing throughout the day. They gave us vests to protect our clothes because things can get pretty muddy, and the vests also helped us carry food for the elephants. Then the real fun began: feeding them.
Elephants eat a lot, around 400 kg of food each day, so they were just as excited as we were. It was funny to watch them immediately wander off once the buckets were empty. The guides told us, “they go where the food is.”
All the elephants were female, except for the baby named Charlie. Someone asked a very valid question: if all the elephants were female, who was Charlie’s father? That’s when we learned that elephants are pregnant for about two years. Since the sanctuary had only been open for a year, all the elephants had been moved from their Chiang Mai location, and Charlie’s mom was already 15 months pregnant during the move. Makes human pregnancies seem easy in comparison!
After that, we took a short hike to the top of a hill to watch the elephants roaming freely across the property. It was incredible to get up close and see how they interact with one another. They are truly gentle and sweet creatures. We finished our hike at their watering hole, where we watched the elephants cool off and enjoy a bath.
This was an experience we will never forget. The Living Green Elephant Sanctuary does incredible work rescuing elephants from lives of abuse and exploitative tourism. Elephants should never be chained, ridden, or treated as props for humans. Sadly, this kind of mistreatment still happens in many places, including parts of Thailand.
When choosing a place to see elephants, we made sure it was a true sanctuary, not a site where the animals were being exploited. There was no elephant riding here, and each elephant was well cared for with attentive caregivers by their side at all times. These are the types of places to support instead of those that abuse animals. In fact, we skipped a few attractions we had considered visiting because of concerns about animal welfare. It’s so important to do your research to ensure the place you choose truly prioritizes the well-being of the elephants. Look for places with the word sanctuary in the title and make sure you read reviews.
Visiting the Living Green Elephant Sanctuary was truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience that left a lasting impression on us. From feeding and observing the elephants up close to seeing how well they are cared for, it was a powerful reminder of the importance of ethical wildlife tourism. If you’re planning a trip to Thailand, make sure to prioritize sanctuaries like this one, where the animals’ well-being comes first. Not only will you have an unforgettable adventure, but you’ll also be supporting a place that rescues and protects these magnificent creatures.
