Elephant Sanctuary + Farm Stay
Travel like a local in Northern Thailand
Step off the tourist trail and spend the night in a peaceful farming village nestled in the cool mountains near Doi Inthanon National Park, Thailand’s highest peak.
Hosted by Karen hill tribe guide Nukul and her family, this unique farmstay invites you to slow down, breathe fresh mountain air, and experience a way of life that has remained unchanged for generations.
With only five private bungalows, the farm is quiet, intimate, and surrounded by jungle and rice fields — the perfect place to disconnect from the busy world and reconnect with nature.
Wake to mist drifting through the mountains, share home-cooked meals with your hosts, and experience authentic village life far from the crowds of Chiang Mai.
A Rare Chance to Connect With Elephants
Your stay includes an unforgettable visit to the Chai Lai Elephant Sanctuary, where you’ll meet rescued Asian elephants and learn about their lives and conservation.
Walk with elephants through the jungle, help prepare their herbal medicine, feed them by hand, and even join them for a refreshing river bath. These gentle giants live with their mahouts as family, and every visit helps support their care and protection.
Many guests say this is the moment they will remember forever.
Live Like a Local in the Mountains
This experience is about more than sightseeing — it’s about living inside the culture.
During your stay you can:
• Share traditional meals prepared by your host family
• Learn about Karen farming traditions
• Explore the surrounding forests and mountain trails
• Enjoy peaceful nights under the stars in cool mountain air
This is the kind of experience travelers dream about — authentic, meaningful, and far from mass tourism.
Travel That Gives Back
Your stay directly supports Karen families and ethical elephant conservation.
Community-based tourism ensures that local people are involved in hosting and guiding guests, helping preserve their culture while creating sustainable livelihoods.
When you stay here, your visit helps protect elephants, empower local communities, and preserve the forests of northern Thailand.
2 day 1 night 5000 THB
The Farm Stay
Elephant Care Experience
Connect With Elephants While Supporting Their Conservation
This trip offers once in a lifetime experiences such as, swimming with elephants, feeding the elephants by hand or meeting baby elephants born here in Chiang Mai. (We don’t work with elephants captured in the wild and babies get to stay with their moms) You will meet beautiful Asian elephants and learn how to approach and communicate with them, make elephant medicine, bathe them and walk with them through the jungle sanctuary to forage for fresh healthy food. Learn about their history in Thailand and how your purchase of an elephant experience with our organization helps to create a safe and permanent home for them. Chai Lai Orchid’s Elephant Sanctuary is one of the best elephant sanctuaries in Chiang Mai. Relax at the Chai Lai Orchid cafe and enjoy delicious fresh food with epic views of the valley.See the full details of the program here
Meet your Karen Hilltribe guide: Nukul
象との朝食ができるということで予約をしましたが、それ以上の体験ができました。
特に1日アクティビティでは、専属のガイドとシェフが1日同行してくれます。
移動中は、カレン族のガイドの方が、象や施設の説明、そして自分たちの歴史を丁寧に教えてくれます。
私は英語が得意ではなかったが、丁寧な英語で何度も教えてくれます。
アクティビティで非常に良い体験を経験しました。
ガイドのBOYさんとシェフのBAMBOOさん、
ありがとうございました!
また遊びに行きたいと思います。
It was even better than I expected.
I booked this because I wanted to have breakfast with the elephants, but the experience turned out to be so much more than that.
For the full-day activity, in particular, a dedicated guide and chef accompany you throughout the day.
During the transfers, the Karen guide kindly explained details about the elephants and the facility, as well as sharing the history of their people.
Although I am not very confident in English, they patiently explained things to me repeatedly using clear, polite English.
It was a truly wonderful experience.
A big thank you to our guide, Boy, and our chef, Bamboo!
I would love to visit again.
This was by far one of the best experiences we’ve ever done and easily the highlight of our trip to Chiang Mai!
We had Sunny as our tour guide, and he was absolutely incredible. He was polite, friendly, knowledgeable and genuinely went above and beyond to make the experience special. You could tell how passionate he is about his home, the local community and, most importantly, the elephants.
We started by trekking through the jungle and rice fields, visiting local villages and stopping at some amazing hidden waterfalls along the way. We were able to jump in and cool down at the waterfalls, which was perfect after hiking in the heat! The scenery was absolutely beautiful.
The elephant experience was honestly unforgettable. We were able to feed the elephants and even help bathe them. What we really appreciated was that there was no pressure on the elephants at all. They were free to do their own thing and weren’t forced to interact with us. In fact, when we brought them some food, they were more than happy to come over and see us! 🐘❤️
Sunny explained how well the elephants are cared for and how much love they have for their handlers. They looked incredibly healthy, happy and playful, and it was amazing to see them behaving naturally. We were also told how donations help support the elephants and local women, which made the experience feel even more worthwhile.
We met some lovely Karen villagers along the way too. They make handmade gifts and crafts, so I’d definitely recommend bringing some cash if you’d like to support them and take something home.
Our overnight stay was another huge highlight. We stayed in a jungle hut right next to a private waterfall, where we could actually swim. There was no phone signal, which honestly made the experience even better! It really felt like we were completely off the grid and surrounded by nature. Falling asleep next to the sound of the waterfall, with the jungle and stars around us, was incredible.
The food was fantastic too. We were given loads of traditional homemade meals throughout the trip and everything was delicious. We even got to try some of Sunny’s sister’s homemade rice wine — absolutely amazing, although VERY strong! 😂
We also did bamboo rafting down the river, which was awesome and another really fun part of the adventure.
There was always plenty of food and water provided, and everything was well organised without ever feeling rushed or overly touristy. It felt like a genuine opportunity to experience the local way of life.
Sunny genuinely made the trip. He is clearly such a hardworking and dedicated man, and his personality, knowledge and kindness made the whole experience even better.
If you’re visiting Chiang Mai, I cannot recommend this experience enough. The combination of elephants, jungle trekking, waterfalls, local culture, traditional food, bamboo rafting and staying overnight in the jungle makes this an experience we’ll never forget.
10/10 — absolutely unforgettable. 🐘❤️🌿
Recorrido y el
Co tacto con los elefantes muy bonito
El guia satit muy esmerado y pendiente de todo
Muy recomendado
Address the elephant care first: this is an eco-lodge rescue, not a 100% hands-off sanctuary. The interaction (feeding vitamin balls, river splashing) felt completely unforced and deeply respectful. The elephants are clearly loved, healthy, and happy—a total contrast to traditional exploitation camps.
As for the bad reviews: most stem from overnight room accommodations (we did a day trip, but it is an eco-lodge, so manage your expectations!) or people wanting zero contact.
Highlight of the day: I dropped my phone off a bridge straight into the river, and our guide jumped in without hesitation and somehow retrieved it! That level of care defined our whole day.
If you want a hands-off observation site, look elsewhere. If you want a respectful, close encounter supporting a fantastic cause, book here!
The scenery was amazing, the food was tasty, the people in the establishment was hospitable and friendly and the opportunity to spend time with the elephants is truly one of a kind.
The highlight of the trip was the activities with guide Wit, who is the best guide ever!
Friendly, cool guy, amazing cook with ingredients you can find in the nature and offering us sugar canes for dessert!
Absolutely recommend visiting the sanctuary 🩷
The guides were also very polite, friendly, and just really cool. They explained everything to us very well and created a relaxed atmosphere throughout the experience. Our guide Soan was especially friendly and polite.
Overall, a really great experience – absolutely recommend it!
Yes, there are insects, the roads are difficult, and getting there is not easy — but this is a place in the middle of nature, not a city hotel or an Airbnb. There were mosquito nets and insect repellent in the room, as well as a shower, toiletries, towels, a hairdryer, and everything I needed after spending the day outdoors. I personally had no issue with getting dirty or encountering insects — that's part of being in nature, and I actually enjoyed it.
The food was fine and, overall, tasty. We also had a traditional meal prepared in the mountains over a fire. It was intentionally very simple, without the salt and spices we are used to, and I saw it as part of the cultural experience rather than something to judge as “bad food.”
What mattered most to me was the experience with the elephants. I spent a lot of time observing how the guides interacted with them. During the time I was there, I did not see any sticks, whips, hitting, or other obvious forms of abuse. The guides I observed used food, such as sugarcane and bananas, to interact with the elephants. The elephants were free to move around the park and I did not see them restrained by ropes or collars.
Of course, I cannot personally guarantee what happens outside the time I observed, so I don't want to make absolute claims about the ethics of the sanctuary. But based on what I personally saw, I did not witness anything that made me uncomfortable about the way the elephants were treated.
For me, Chai Lai was not about luxury or perfect roads and rooms. It was about spending time in nature and being able to observe elephants living, bathing, playing, scratching themselves on trees, covering themselves in mud, and simply being elephants. Actually, one of the sweetest moments was when a baby elephant got a banana from a tourist, couldn’t figure out how to peel it off, and then went straight to his guide, handed him the banana, and got a peeled one back, he immediately ate it, and I was absolutely delighted watching this!
Pudimos darles de comer, compartir tiempo con ellos y bañarnos juntos en el río, además de alimentar también a los elefantes bebés. Estar tan cerca de estos increíbles animales y poder interactuar con ellos fue algo que difícilmente olvidaremos.
Queremos hacer una mención especial a nuestro guía, Satit, que fue fantástico. Muy amable, atento y cercano, nos explicó muchísimas cosas sobre los elefantes y consiguió que disfrutáramos todavía más de la experiencia.
El alojamiento también nos encantó. La cena fue excelente y el desayuno igualmente delicioso, pero uno de los momentos más mágicos fue poder dar el desayuno a los elefantes directamente desde nuestro bungalow. Despertarte y vivir algo así es difícil de describir con palabras.
Todo el conjunto —el entorno, los elefantes, el alojamiento, la comida y especialmente el trato recibido— hizo que nuestra estancia fuera realmente especial.
Una experiencia absolutamente recomendable y uno de esos recuerdos que nos llevaremos para siempre. Volveríamos sin dudarlo. 🐘❤️
We had an absolutely wonderful two-day trek with Chai Lai Orchid, definitely one of the highlights of our trip to Thailand.
A huge part of what made the experience so special was our guide, Loni. He is a fantastic guide: warm, attentive, passionate, and incredibly knowledgeable about the region. Throughout the trek, he shared so much with us about the jungle, the plants, local life and the culture of the area. We learned a lot while simply enjoying the experience, which made the trek feel very authentic and personal.
One of our favorite moments was visiting Loni’s village and getting a glimpse of local life through someone who truly knows and loves this region. We also spent the night in an absolutely beautiful place in the middle of nature, right beside a mountain water fall. Waking up there was magical.
And of course, spending time with the elephants was an unforgettable part of the experience. 🐘🌿
The whole trek felt authentic, generous and very far from a standard tourist experience. We came back with wonderful memories and the feeling that we had discovered a very special side of northern Thailand.
If you have the chance to do this trek, ask for Loni. We couldn’t recommend him more highly. Thank you, Loni, for these two fantastic days!
We took the 2 days 1 night experience package and it was worth every penny
Our guide LON was simply amazing - his teachings of the jungle and the way of life are precious and we enjoyed learning so much
We visited a sacred 700 years old temple, hiked inside the jungle, slept next to a waterfall and played with elephants in the water
Highly recommended experience
La experiencia es un 10/10. Merece la pena cada minuto que pasas en este sitio, lo recomiendo 100%.
Tienes un guía solo para ti.
Nosotros tuvimos la suerte de que nos tocara Phop y solo tengo palabras buenas hacia él, nos hizo mil fotos, nos explicaba cosas y curiosidades de la cultura tailandesa, atento y ayudándonos en el treeking, a parte de buen guía se le veía muy buena persona, nos ha dado muchísima pena el despedirnos de él, 5 estrellas por Phop, por las actividades y el buen trato que tienen hacia los elefantes.
También especial mención al guía Dom que nos amenizó la noche con juegos tras la cena. Son unos cracks! Siempre lo recomendaré a toda la gente que viaje a Tailandia, es un antes y después del viaje.
Todo al detalle, desde que te recogen en tu hotel en Chiang Mai, hasta los bonitos detalle en el desayuno.
Tuvimos como guía (porque la experiencia es individual, no en un grupo grande) a Phop, un chico encantador que estuvo siempre atento, detallista, nos enseñó juegos con plantas, nos construyó unos vasos con una caña de bambú, nos hizo millones de fotos preciosas, y mil cosas más. Phop te echaremos de menos!
La experiencia con elefantes no quiero dar muchos detalles para no hacer spoiler, pero es impresionante y única en la vida. Los elefantes se mueven sin cuerdas ni cadenas, únicamente siguiendo la voz del cuidador. Les dan de comer para intentar que puedas hacerte fotos con ellos, pero si el elefante se quiere dar media vuelta, la da y se acabó las fotos, como debe ser.
Vamos que solo tengo palabras buenas para el sueño que hemos vivido!
Why Choose Sustainable Alternative to Traditional Tourism in Chiang Mai
As the world becomes more interconnected, tourism has emerged as a significant economic driver for many countries. Thailand’s tourism industry, accounts for around 18% of GDP. Traditional tourism, characterized by large-scale operations such as all-inclusive resorts, cruise ships, and packaged tours, has been the predominant model for decades. However, a new approach, community-based tourism (CBT), is gaining traction as travelers seek more authentic and sustainable experiences.
Chai Lai Orchid and Karen homestays put the community first. Here the Karen hilltribe local communities play a central role in managing and hosting visitors. Unlike traditional tourism, which often operates with minimal input from local populations, CBT involves the community in planning, decision-making, and implementation processes. This model prioritizes local culture, heritage, and environment, ensuring that tourism benefits are equitably distributed among community members.