They have only been open for a few years and really understand the needs of the elephants. Steep? We were picked up from our hotel bright and early at 7 am and driven 45 minutes to the sanctuary. Thank you for taking the time to leave your kind review. Maerim Elephant Sanctuary in Chiang Mai (How to Choose Ethical Elephant You can tell the staff loves the elephants. Type of tour: Half Day - Morning (or afternoon), Number of people on tour: 30 people (full capacity). Please add this to your list of things to do in Thailand. It really is so heartwarming to hear reviews like yours. Lunch included: Yes, you get to make your own noodle soup!! VERY ETHICAL SANCTUARY.. HAPPY ELEPHANTS - Review of Maerim Elephant We are so happy that you had enlightening experience with us. We are so happy you had such a beautiful day. Football Matches in Krakow - Experience as a local! If you are a resident of another country or region, please select the appropriate version of Tripadvisor for your country or region in the drop-down menu. It was a lovely, fun, and enlightening experience and I highly recommend supporting Maerim so they can continue their good work with rescuing these lovely, sentient creatures. Just because you used to do it yourself? However, due to the fact that an elephant can harm . We are 100% against elephant riding, performances, tricks and any method of training or discipline where pain is inflicted to achieve a result. We were able to feed, bathe and get very close to the elephants, this is very much a hands-on approach. Youll get a nice breeze going but no air conditioning so dress appropriately. Maerim will give you clothes to wear when you arrive. Incredible experience hanging out with Elephants. Some only provide bananas for you to feed the elephants, while others teach you how to cook a variety of food for them such as rice with vegetables. Then we grabbed our little satchels to fill with bananas, pumpkin, and sugarcane. It was so enjoyable and the guides are very knowledgable and friendly. The elephants are very well cared for. Hi! Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Thank you for visiting and helping in the fight to save more of these magnificent creatures.All the best from Maerim Elephant Sanctuary. We are so happy that you had such a great experience with us. Ethical sanctuary - Amazing day with the Elephants! - Maerim Elephant Amazing and ethical sanctuary - Review of Maerim Elephant Sanctuary Mountains Points of Interest & Landmarks. They were rescued from various operations around Thailand, including logging companies, riding camps, and circus shows. We believe that by sharing our passion with our guests we can all contribute towards providing rescued elephants a beautiful life which they deserve. This number is based on the percentage of all Tripadvisor reviews for this product that have a bubble rating of 4 or higher. Hi Jono W. The photographer was great and captured so many magical pictures & we were allowed to take our own pics/videos but he got some unbelievable shots as well. The elephants were well treated and were left to their own devises, we just followed them, fed them and bathed them, no visible signs of cruelty. The staff are all very knowledgeable and informative and take great care of the elephants. It was an experience like never before and I would recommend it to anybody. Join the monthly newsletter for travel tips and inspiration! There are no fences and the elephants are never restrained. Maerim Elephant Sanctuary: An Ethical and Fun Experience with Elephants - See 1,761 traveler reviews, 945 candid photos, and great deals for Mae Rim, Thailand, at Tripadvisor. These elephants have been rescued from circus shows or other operations where they were mistreated and appear to have much better lives. Id recommend this as the best way to book (after youve done your research and chosen your provider) because you can ask some last minute questions and make double sure they have your correct address. They also have beer, soda, coffee, tea, and smoothies available for purchase. It takes time to add more to the crew. Incredible experience hanging out with Elephants. Your email address will not be published. more. Great ethical elephant experience! - Maerim Elephant Sanctuary - See 1,784 traveler reviews, 979 candid photos, and great deals for Mae Rim, Thailand, at Tripadvisor. But Id also suggest looking around for other ethical providers who offer tours with 15 people or less. Our guide encouraged us to ask questions about the elephants and seemed to be transparent in talking about their treatment at the sanctuary. Maerim elephant sanctuary | Chiang Mai We did the half day visit and we thought it was plenty of time with the elephants. Then finally, we got to "cook" our own lunch. This was such a great experience! This really does make our day. Thank you again for your trust and support. They might just be harder to find. Yes I feel guilt too, for the actions of my past. This article will explain what to look out for when choosing an ethical provider, what a typical day at an elephant sanctuary looks like, how much it costs, where to find and book a tour, and lastly, a more personal story with some varying opinions and experiences from people I talked to. This number is based on the percentage of all Tripadvisor reviews for this product that have a bubble rating of 4 or higher. How can I book when I cannot get to the website? All the best from Maerim Elephant Sanctuary. Early in the morning we were picked up by our lovely guide Becca, who had a great energy and a lot of knowledge about the elephants. Reading reviews really helps to get a feel for the tour provider, such as: how large the groups will be, what activities you get to do, what the elephants eat, what their environment is like, how informative the guides were, how did they treat the elephants, etc. The main guy looking after everything spoke very good English and was very knowledgeable about the elephants. 7 Awesome Things To Do in Chiang Mai, Thailand, Thailand Travel Tips: 16 Things You Need to Know. We had such a good day with the elephants and crew at Maerim! If you are a resident of another country or region, please select the appropriate version of Tripadvisor for your country or region in the drop-down menu. The second is a hands-on approach which is offered by most elephant sanctuaries in Thailand. The guides are very friendly and make the whole experience really fun. Although this may sound a lot to some, we carefully orginise the trip so you have plenty of one on one time with the gental giants. Learnt some basic commands in Thai, learning a bit about the Elephants, fed them, walked them along a track then finished off with bathing the Elephants. There are an abundance of elephant sanctuaries in Chiang Mai and I think it could be difficult to choose the right one therefore I would recommend Maerim elephant sanctuary to everyone, they are doing a wonderful job caring for these elephants. read more. Plus, they were at the lower end of the price range, at just 1600 THB/person (~$53 USD). Never once did it feel like they were unhappy or mistreated. I also felt that they really cared about the well-being of the elephants. Maerim Elephant Sanctuary. Maerim was coming up a lot as recommendations and was a lot cheaper than other recommendations. Personally, there were too many people on tour. MAERIM ELEPHANT SANCTUARY (Mae Rim) - All You Need to - Tripadvisor Thank you for your kind words. We truly had a 5 star experience and it was one of my favourite days of our holiday in Thailand! I am glad we left you with a great experience, and hopefully plenty of photos to look back on! Hi, thank you for your question and we apologise forbthe delayed response. Its so worth it and it looked like they generally care and respect the elephants. Maerim Elephant Sanctuary: Ethical, beautiful elephant sanctuary - See 1,765 traveler reviews, 952 candid photos, and great deals for Mae Rim, Thailand, at Tripadvisor. I think it wouldve been much more pleasant for both the visitors and the elephants, if each tour only had a max number of 15 people or less. Maerim Elephant Sanctuary - Full Day & Half Day - Bon Voyage Thailand How big group (more or less) attend full day visit / half day visit in last days? Their love, respect, and passion is palpable. These guys are fantastic and get you to really get involved with the elephants. Were there too many people on the tour? Thank you for your honest review, We are pleased to have given you a true, meaningful experience. That once upon a time, I indirectly supported the cause of their suffering just by going to the zoo, to Ocean Park, to watch animals do unnatural tricks for sheer human entertainment. Could not fault this place at all. Eventually, we ran out of food. Suddenly its become such a bad thing. Like most children, I loved animals, I loved being close to them and observing them. This was one of the best things we have ever experienced in our lives. We are so happy that you enjoyed your experience with us. Your email address will not be published. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. A vegetarian option is available as well. My boyfriend and I had a great time at Maerim elephant sanctuary. After changing into our elephant uniforms, we received an overview of the elephants and how to interact with them by our English-speaking guide. We will never make progress, if we allow ourselves to condone these practices simply because we are too proud to admit we were wrong. We strive to provide a loving and natural environment for the elephants to grow. The energetic, English-speaking guides spend a lot of time educating guests of the sanctuary about elephant poop, their sex lives, their eating habits, sleep cycles, and everything in between. I was concerned about the welfare of the elephants and was worried it may seem they were acting against their will or forced to do things. Would highly recommend this elephant sanctuary. It is a very well organized tour, and a lot of fun. After lunch, youll be transported back to your hotel where youll undoubtedly need a nap! We were very lucky as well since we were the only two in our group and so the experience felt more like a private one-to-one. We are so very glad that you had a wonderful time at our sanctuary. Maerim Elephant Sanctuary: Ethical & Inspiring Elephant Sanctuary - See 1,739 traveller reviews, 925 candid photos, and great deals for Mae Rim, Thailand, at Tripadvisor. Were so glad you enjoyed your experience with us here at Maerim Elephant Sanctuary. It was a noodle soup that we could customize to our own tastes. Our mission is to save as many elephants from harms way and give them a habitat where they can be loved and cared for.Thank you for choosing Maerim Elephant Sanctuary.All the best. People would rather pay and see happy elephants than to ride and assert their dominance over a broken animal. His pride got in the way of his morals. Now, most of the tours now advertise no ride, no hook. I can't recommend this sanctuary enough! It was not long ago, that elephant riding was still a widespread and very popular activity for tourists and locals to do. There wasn't a single moment where the elephants didn't look happy. All the best. Maerim Elephant Sanctuary: Ethical and enjoyable for all - See 1,776 traveler reviews, 964 candid photos, and great deals for Mae Rim, Thailand, at Tripadvisor. It was undoubtedly heavy and unnatural for the elephants and unfortunately, many received other types of abuse while in captivity. This number is based on the percentage of all Tripadvisor reviews for this product that have a bubble rating of 4 or higher. We look forward to seeing you again in the future.Thank you from the staff at Mae Rim Elephant Sanctuary!Where Elephants are loved and respected! So happy to hear that you enjoyed your experience! Thank you for you kind words.It's so rewarding when our guest recognise the true nature of our sanctuary. Photography tips, travel inspiration & tips, and featured destinations. 8,191 were here. The elephants seemed happy and playful. I am so humbled by your kind words and truly had a wonderful time with you and the tour group! Now? Maerim Elephant Sanctuary: An Ethical Elephant Encounter in Chiang Mai We were recommended this Elephant Sanctuary (experience) by a husband & wife van driver/tour guide out the front of our hotel. Read our, busabong, at Maerim Elephant Sanctuary, responded to this review. The elephants appeared well-fed, well taken care of, and happy. We hope this helps. Therefore, I cannot say much against the large tour capacity - only that, if you can find an ethical provider with fewer people per tour, then go for it. Visitors can feed, help bathe, and swim with the elephants of Maerim, with a nice meal and swim in a human pool after. Or so I was told, by an elder European man who had been visiting Thailand every year for the past ten years. You should also bring flip-flops, a towel (if you dont have one, you can rent one there for a small fee), sunscreen, bug spray, and your camera. At Maerim Elephant Sanctuary, you can choose to do a half-day, full-day, or two-day visit. They are beautiful creatures who are to be respected and you feel truly humbled to even be in their presence.You can read more about the different tours they offer here: Maerim Elephant Sanctuary, that they offered pick up and drop off, so transportation was not a stress; they come right to your door of whichever hostel or hotel you are staying at, we were given traditional clothes so our normal clothes stayed clean, the guides were fantastic, I really liked their positive energy, being up-close and interactive with the elephants was very humbling and it allowed for a deeper respect and bond to be formed; I think a lot of people walked away with much more appreciation for these animals and a more mindful perspective of our human impacts on their lives, the mud bath and pond were super fun for everyone; definitely not something you do everyday, so it was a really unique and fun experience; the elephants seemed to love having multiple personal masseuses. We have so much power in the way we choose to spend our money. Elephants Know How Dangerous We Are From How We Speak - National Geographic No tools or physical harm. VERY ETHICAL SANCTUARY.. HAPPY ELEPHANTS - Reviews, Photos - Maerim All the best. But in the years since, these riding camps have been replaced by elephant sanctuaries in Chiang Mai. what a fabulous day! There was no riding or sitting on the elephants, which would be unnatural, but we were allowed to help them cover themselves in mud to protect from the sun. Get a FREE budget printable to help you save money on any trip. It is great that there are coming more and more places like Maerim Sanctuary, I hope they can rescue more animals. I have only praise for this excellent day with the gentle giants. This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. My Experience at the Maerim Elephant Sanctuary. Hello. I had personal reservations which were erased by the well planned, fun, interactive, thoughtful and informative day we spent with the staff and elephants. I did research into the various options and I liked that this elephant experience meets ethical standards. Ethical and Informative - Review of Maerim Elephant Sanctuary, Mae Rim A beautiful day and I will be shouting it from the rooftops. You have the option of purchasing these digital files at the end (but you dont have to, of course). Towels and Swimming Suits: Not Provided so bring your own if you want to go swimming! Max our elephant guide was so great, our group size was about 16 people but you still managed to get photos of just yourself with the elephants - you do get a lot of time with them - plus there is a photographer who takes a lot of photos which you get to view & buy at the end! Review tags are currently only available for English language reviews. We hope to see you again in the future. Yes. And finally, youll head back to the reception area where you can purchase a refreshing cocktail and lounge in their pristine, elephant-free pool before lunch. Some let you wash the elephants but do not encourage mud baths with them, while others do. There was a variety of activities with the elephants and none of them seemed dangerous or harmful to the elephants. They all bear scars from their past but they are very good with human company and they do like to engage with you. Plus, there's no riding and no hooks. I didnt have the luxury of making an educated choice. Collectively, our educated decision making has led to hundreds of elephants being freed from riding camps. Thanks again for your trust and support and we hope to see you again in the future. I did the full day tour and would highly recommend this, you feed them and can take photos, then change into traditional clothing to go and spend time with them in the jungle, cut down banana trees to collect food for them, make delicious noodle soup for lunch then walk with the elephants before going in a mud bath to play with them followed by a swim with them in the water. Thank you for your lovely response.We would really love to see you back in the future and hopefully with more members of our beautiful family to meet.Thank you for choosing Maerim Elephant Sanctuary. Imam al-Haskafi (Allah have mercy on him), whilst mentioning the list of haram animals, states that it is not permissible to eat the meat of an elephant. I really recommend visiting Maerim Elephant Sanctuary! This place was amazing and does great things for the elephants, couldn't recommend more!! We hope to see you again n the future. They are very well cared for and because they are few I think they pay much more attention to them. Maerim Elephant Sanctuary has a common statement used in their marketing material where elephants are loved and respected. Now, due to the shift in mentality, there are less riding camps and more ethical elephant sanctuaries. 1600 Bht half day x 14.00 to 21.00 with transport and dinner was a really good buy xx. our group had about 15 people, but It didnt feel crowded at all. Read our, busabong, Manager at Maerim Elephant Sanctuary, responded to this review. Kind regards. 100% of travelers recommend this experience. I can walk but have an unstable ankle. We learned that it will re-grow and bear fruit in as little as 9 months! They are well treated, no hooks or prods. Many of the providers have their own websites and some allow you to book online, but some might require a phone call to confirm details. Hi, How far in the jungle do you have to walk with the elephants. We loved that Maerim had excellent reviews on both TripAdvisor and Google. You will even have time to enjoy the swimming pool after you shower all the mud off. We are so happy you enjoyed your experience with us. We were deciding whether or not to go due to the ethical considerations around elephants but decided to give it a go after a lot of research. Most elephants in sanctuaries have either come from riding camps, logging camps, or circuses and are now living a much happier life. All the best for the future. Have a quick read, take a photo of the info and put them back so they can be reused. Many new elephant sanctuaries are opening up too because its become more profitable to do so. The pace of activities was perfect. Join the monthly newsletter for travel tips and inspiration! Many simply cut out the riding part because it was giving them a bad name and making them unprofitable as a business. We changed into traditional Mahout clothing and packed our pockets with as many bananas we could carry. Maerim Elephant Sanctuary: Amazing and ethical sanctuary - See 1,776 traveler reviews, 964 candid photos, and great deals for Mae Rim, Thailand, at Tripadvisor. This experience is way better then anything else. I booked a full day tour and it was completely worth it. We learned that the group size ranges depending on the time of year. !Then say good to the elephants and clean up for a great lunch! This is the version of our website addressed to speakers of English in the United States. Maerim Elephant Sanctuary was recommended to me through word of mouth by a friend and fellow backpacker. Is it permissible to consume elephant meat? - Darul Fiqh Can you please add your prices to this information? The mahouts really care about and love the elephants, only using words and slight guided direction while we are hanging with the elephants. Here you can rent a towel if you need one or shop for small souvenirs. The animals were well cared for, and the entire experience was really fun and educational. Dee our guide was fabulous, he was very funny and knowledgeable and it was clear he and his team care for the elephants greatly. They should suckling till over five years. He made sure we enjoyed our experience and educated us about the elephants. My family of five had an amazing time at Into the Wild Elephant Camp. Think for yourself. One thing that became very important to me is that you are followed throughout the tour by a photographer dedicated to taking the best photos and so you can leave your cell phone and social networks and enjoy the 100% experience. The hook refers to the method that was once used to train elephants. That my demand contributed to their suffering. I would advise anyone to contact our team via our website and we will do our very best to accommodate you. Maerim Elephant Sanctuary in Chiang Mai (How to Choose Ethical Elephant Sanctuaries in Thailand) free wild souls Ten years ago, riding elephants in Thailand was the norm. read more, We were recommended this Elephant Sanctuary (experience) by a husband & wife van driver/tour guide Required fields are marked *. These guys here live for those elephants. I am not sure I understand the question but the baby elephant they have there is 4 years old so I think it's ok that he is being weaned off (assuming that's the case). This number is based on the percentage of all Tripadvisor reviews for this product that have a bubble rating of 4 or higher. Your money would go towards the perpetuation of the elephants suffering.Its not easy to sift through so many companies and trying to choose the most ethical one. I highly recommend it. more, Review collected in partnership with this attraction. Ask if they offer riding and if they used to offer riding. They would get a sharp poke to get them to obey. We hope the rest of your travels were equally enjoyable! MAERIM ELEPHANT SANCTUARY: All You Need to Know BEFORE - Tripadvisor We are so glad your visit was informational and enjoyable. Make sure you never ride elephants- their backs are not meant to hold much weight. We hope to see you again in the future.Thank you from the staff at Mae Rim Elephant Sanctuary!Where Elephants are loved and respected! The team was always attentive to give us the best experience. It is people like you who give us this energy and desire to give our time to creating a sanctuary space which feels happy for both our guests and our elephants. To what extent are you going to let your pride rule your thoughts and actions in the present? As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. Etc? Max was our host and he was absolutely amazing! And considering that it includes transportation and lunch its a great value! People that came in the group also prepared the lunch together at the end. Get a, How Ethical Animal Tourism Benefits Nature & Wildlife, 20 Free Things to Do in Buenos Aires, Argentina. To inspire you to 'let the bucket list flow' and see what the world has to offer. How to choose an Ethical Elephant Sanctuary? Will be back in a few years to see how big the baby boy has grown! The drive takes about 45 minutes and youll be on a bench seat in the back of a covered truck. It makes me sick to the stomach and I am disgusted at my past self. Our guide, Dee, was knowledgeable and fun. Visiting Maerim Elephant Sanctuary was an incredible experience, we really did have the most amazing day. This is why we appreciate reviews so much as they give our future guests great insight. At the time of our visit, the Maerim Elephant Sanctuary had 6 elephants and was in the process of acquiring one more. The full day obviously gives you more time to bond with our elephants and take in the whole experience, however we know many travellers have alot to fit in often a short period of time. Email Are you looking for an ethical elephant encounter while vacationing in Thailand? Planning a trip to Thailand? What a great visit! It is reviews like this that will confirm for future guests that our priority is our elephants being safe and happy. Here at Maerim Elephant Sanctuary our mission is to rescue miss-treated elephants and provide them with a beautiful environment where they are safe, loved and cared for.