Bangkok Elephant Sanctuary Tour FAQ

Two programs run from Bangkok, Morning and Afternoon, and the elephant time is the same on both: feeding, walking, a hilltop viewpoint and guided water play when it suits the elephants. No riding and no shows. The sanctuary is in Chonburi near Khao Khiew, so each Bangkok program is a day trip with hotel transfer included.

The Bangkok elephant sanctuary tour costs ฿2,500 per adult and ฿1,300 per child aged 4 to 8, in Thai baht. That covers the round-trip transfer from the free pickup zones, an English-speaking guide, a local Thai meal, elephant food, drinking water, photos taken by your guide, a traditional shirt and insurance.

Plan on roughly 8 to 9 hours door to door for the Bangkok day trip. The drive takes about 1.5 hours each way, depending on traffic. Morning guests spend about 09:30 to 13:00 at the sanctuary, and Afternoon guests about 13:30 to 17:00, before the van heads back to Bangkok.

Yes. Round-trip hotel pickup is included on both Bangkok programs from three free zones across central Bangkok, which cover Sukhumvit, Silom, Siam, Khao San and Suvarnabhumi among others. Staying outside them, on the Thonburi side of the river for example? Our team offers a meeting point, a private transfer or a quoted extra charge.

Free pickup covers three Bangkok zones. Zone 1 is Bo Bae, Khao San, Yaowarat and Sathorn. Zone 2 is Phaya Thai, Huai Khwang, Sukhumvit, Lumphini, Siam, Silom and Suan Luang. Zone 3 is Bang Na and Suvarnabhumi. Hotels anywhere else in Bangkok, including the Thonburi side of the Chao Phraya, get a quote when you book.

Bangkok Morning pickup is usually between 07:00 and 08:00, and Afternoon pickup between 11:00 and 12:00. The exact time depends on your hotel and the day’s traffic, and our team confirms it before the tour. Please be in the lobby 15 minutes early, because the driver may have other guests on the same route.

The sanctuary is in Chonburi near Khao Khiew, about 1.5 hours’ drive from central Bangkok depending on traffic. It isn’t inside the city, so every Bangkok program is a day trip in an air-conditioned van. The Morning group leaves the sanctuary around 13:00 and the Afternoon group around 17:00.

On the Bangkok program you feed the elephants with your guide, walk with them around the sanctuary and stop at a mountain viewpoint with wide 180-degree views. Water play happens only when the weather is right and the elephants are comfortable. Lunch is a local Thai meal, and there’s no riding and no shows.

No, water play on the Bangkok program isn’t guaranteed. It happens only when the weather, safety and the elephants’ mood all allow it, and your guide makes the call on the day. Joining is always optional, so you can watch and take photos instead. If you plan to get wet, bring a towel and dry clothes.