Smile Elephant Chiangmai (Half day Visit)

Great communication prior, letting me know when and where they were on the way to pick me up. It was a small group so there was plenty of opportunity to talk one on one w/ the guide and learn more about the elephants. The lunch was fantastic and delicious.

Wonderful to feed the elephants, learn about their feeding habits and see them covering themselves in mud before a dip in the lovely river. Many photo ops and Boy, the guide, was friendly and could answer many questions about the elephants

We had a wonderful tour with our guide, Boy. Since we were staying inside the Old City, we were conveniently picked up right at our hotel. On the drive to the sanctuary, we made a quick stop so everyone could grab anything they might need. As we approached, we could already see the elephants from the road, which built up the excitement. Once the experience began, guests were offered a uniform shirt to protect their clothes—I’d recommend wearing it, as a precaution. At this point it’ll be good to apply mosquito spray. The first activity was feeding the elephants. The staff provided baskets filled with food, and the elephants were so gentle that feeding them felt easy and fun. Afterward, we learned more about their habits and care. Next, we helped prepare nutrient-rich food balls. One guest volunteered to use a manual machine to pound the raw ingredients, while others mixed everything together before forming the balls. We then crossed the road to the river, where the water was clean and refreshing. Watching the elephants play in the water was a highlight, and we even got to help bathe them by tossing water over their backs. Afterward, they used the dirt before heading back to the sanctuary. Before lunch, we had another chance to feed some of the elephants. The meal provided was simple but satisfying. Overall, this is a small operation that offers a more intimate and personal experience with the elephants—something we truly appreciated.

This excursion was such a memorable adventure. It was incredibly fun getting to engage with the elephants and observe the beautiful environment they live in. You can really feel how well they’re cared for, and being able to interact with them up close made the experience even more special. I also got some amazing photos with the elephants that I’ll treasure.

Our visit to Smile Elephant was an all around beautiful and impressive experience. You can tell from the first moment that the welfare of the animals is paramount here. Everything is completely transparent, respectful and animal-friendly – the elephants look relaxed, well looked after and happy. The guides were excellent: very friendly, competent and with a lot of heart in the matter. You always have the feeling of being well informed and safely accompanied. Also the food during the tour war super organized and really delicious. It is especially positive that everything is emphasized without stress or effort - it was just fun and felt good at all times. Although we booked at very short notice, it was incredibly well maintained by us. The whole process was perfectly organized. Another big plus: The photos from the tour were still provided to us in the aftermath, which is by no means self-evident and we very much strung. Many thanks to the entire team at Smile Elephant for this special experience. We can recommend it out of full conviction and would come back anytime! 🐘✨

It was a great experience! Very cool to feed the elephants up close and wash them in the river. The sanctuary is well cared for and located in beautiful nature!

Amazing time with elephants in the nature. BOY was very friendly with great sense of humour. Highly recommend this activity.

Fun and peaceful place, beautiful sanctuary with great elephants and a lovely visit! A must-see for nature lovers. Thanks for all

It was a great experience the guide(Jack) was super friendly and funny we had a lot of fun the group is not to big just the right amount

Great experience, water battle with elephants, understand how they live, feed them. The elephants are very well cared for, in a superb setting. I highly recommend it. Amazing, beautifull and respect full.