Full Day Experience At Ran-tong Save & Rescue Elephant Centre

Whilst on our last trip to Thailand, we specifically wanted to spend time with elephants, in their natural habitat, so having been highly recommended to Ran-Tong as a Government approved centre, we booked. Collection was on time and the journey through the forest was in itself quite something, but nothing could prepare us for the arrival and as we entered through the gates and found ourselves in the 'compound', we were immediately at one with nature and these incredible animals. Their rules must have changed, because as part of our experience, not only did we bath with and wash members of the the herd, but we also rode them, (bareback) and sculptured huge football-size balls of goodness to feed them with. I don't recall their respective names - the elephants, not the staff - but the events, combined with a simple, but tasty lunch, ending with a makeshift rudimentary shower fashioned in a corrugated hut in the middle of a clearing, sealed the deal for my wife and I and created lasting memories that we'll treasure forever. There are a lot of elephant sanctuaries in Thailand and many employ the use of heavy chains, whips and even spikes to poke the beautiful animals with, (a tactic that we simply would not support), while Ran-Tong does anything but, with everything being 100% elephant friendly, whilst their reason d'etre is to spend their lives caring for and looking after these magnificent beasts, they really are simply stunning. Chiang May is a short flight from Bangkok, so you'll need to plan this aspect of your trip, although we promise that you'll not be disappointed, as the day we spent there was breathtaking in every respect; from the change of clothing on arrival - don't expect anything fancy - to the openness and friendliness of those that care for the herd fulltime, they are warm and friendly people who now dedicate their lives to the abject welfare of elephants, what a truly wonderful outlook to share with visiting tourists. We hope to return in 2027/8 and intend to visit the centre again. After all, one can never have too much of a good thing and spending time with these amazing beasts, in their own settings and being treated so well, is something that you'll carry with you forever!!

We had the best day at the elephant sanctuary with Dang as our tour guide! He was so friendly, informative and made the whole experience so special. We done the full day tour and got to feed and pet the elephants, walk alongside them through the hills, see an adorable baby elephant and even make their food. The lunch provided was delicious too. Such an unforgettable experience - highly recommend and thank you Dang for an amazing day.

For the price that I paid I expected a very short and brief tour that was impersonal and rushed. HOWEVER, this tour surpassed every expectation and become a highlight of my trip. Our guide Seven was informed and great at leading. The elephants were beyond amazing to behold and to see them playing within the water was a clear sign that they are very happy here. If you’re in Chiang Mai, then this is probably a no1 destination place for you to visit.

A great day. All the elephants seemed very happy, healthy and well loved. The handlers seemed to care for them as we really hoped they would. Every thing they did was voluntary. We did the full day. We fed them, walked with them and helped wash them.

I have never felt more compelled to write a negative review. I wish I had checked the reviews here before booking on elephantsanctuary.org. The website is a complete scam and shame on Ran Tong for allowing bookings through this site. That website does not accurately list what Ran Tong even offers. I thought this would be done in a small group, and once arriving, the site was full of tourists. There were so many groups, and my particular group ended up with 21 people. I could perhaps forgive the people working at Ran Tong, but the guide I had wasn’t very welcoming for one reason or another. When changing outfits, she hadn’t given me a shirt for the full-day program. I had just grabbed the closest shirt I saw, which ended up being a half day outfit. She wasn’t friendly and asked why I had gotten the other outfit. I told her she had never given me one. If she cannot manage 21 people to be sure they all get the information, then perhaps she shouldn’t have a group this big. As the day continued, she was still unfriendly, maybe because I simply told her she hadn’t done her job to give me the correct shirt. I have been on several other tours in Chiang Mai and always felt welcomed as a solo traveller and tipped my guides. I simply couldn’t tip her because of her treatment of me. The website also said the following: “ No saddles, no hooks, no pressure. Just a slow walk through open forest and hill paths. The elephants roam. You follow.” Instead the keepers of the elephants force them to stay in a confined area for feeding, photos, and bathing. I expected to do more observing than anything. Once again wrong. I am very disappointed. Unfortunately Elephant Nature Park was fully booked when I checked for my Chiang Mai trip. I will come back to see that one, which is done more ethically. Simply stay away from elephantsanctuary.org and Ran Tong!!

I am caveating this review with the acknowledgment that it’s very special being able to get this close to Asian elephants. Being able to touch them, feed them and watch them walk around and play together is not something we can experience in most parts of the world. There is a lot of tenderness shown towards the elephants and, from what we can tell, they are all very happy and well looked after. I also stayed at an elephant sanctuary in Chiang Mai about 20 years ago which was a far more intimate experience and I am perhaps comparing it to that. For those who are booking, the Elephant Sanctuary website which is actually the Ran-Tong Elephant Centre. Their websites are very different and Ran-Tong website charges less for the trip. We booked through the Elephant Sanctuary website. The place is quite crowded - when we arrived there were at least four other sizeable groups. It felt like a huge tourist trap rather than an intimate experience. However, it was far more pleasant after lunch when the morning crowd left. Further, the explanation of what you get on the day is not entirely accurate and oversells what happens. The website states that they are small groups (max 10-12 people) - our group was 26 people for half of the day, reducing to 18. There were multiple breaks - all of which were too long. We did not, despite what the itinerary stated, go for a walk through the forest and hill paths (which was one of the things we were looking forward to) and we didn’t give the elephants a “skin spa” or “mud bath”. My family (4 kids, 2 adults) however enjoyed the day overall. They were bored in parts but absolutely loved washing and feeding the elephants. If you’re going to go, I think a half day is sufficient.

Too many people ! On the website, it's written "group of ten" and we were over 30 people. I felt like the elephants were working to entertain us. Why should they blow water on us like in a circus ??? I felt very sad for them and I think this sanctuary is a big scam. They give corn to the elephants despite the fact that it's not the best food for them ! Don't go there .

BEST DAY OF MY LIFE! 🥹 Full day is such an experience. Elephants are magistical, and the staff was the best. Thank you Nikom for being the nicest guide. Best place to be on the world

We had such a wonderful day at the elephant sanctuary. The guide took us around, showed us all the elephants, they know them so well and we got so up close and personal with them! They were so great at answering all of our questions, explaining about everyday life of the elephants and we’re all so warm and friendly. The food was also amazing! Thanks so much, we could come back in a heartbeat!

They don’t force you to do anything you don’t want to. Food was good as well. They really care for the elephants. Really Nice and calm in the afternoon. Timely pick-up from hotel in Chiang Mai. We booked the evening before and they made it work.

We had the most amazing experience here in Ran - Tong Save and Rescue Elephant Centre. All the staff were so friendly and engaging, particularly our tour guide Nikom who made our whole experience so special! He was extremely informative and was a pleasure to spend the day with. I would certainly recommend this experience to people of all ages. The food provided is amazing and the transport provided is very handy. The elephants are well cared for and it’s clear the amazing bond the staff have with the elephants. Thank you so much for the most amazing day!

We had the most magical day at Ran Tong today. The staff were excellent and in particular our guide for the day Nixom, we had so much fun with him and couldn't have asked for a better guide. 10/10 experience from us!

We had the best day ever here with Nikom! From the start to finish we were treated with amazing service and everyone was so friendly. Nikom was so helpful and knowledgeable and had a great laugh with us all day. All the other guides and keepers were also amazing as they were very friendly and took many pictures for us. I would definitely recommend doing the full day tour here at Ran Tong! 10/10

Great day with the elephants. Feed, walked, made medicine and gave them a massage. Lunch and the snack were good as well.

A smaller refuge for elephants rescued from the logging industry. Shom our guide was very knowledgeable and didn't rush our experience at all. The full day tour exceeded our expectations! We got to spend such quality time with the elephants and bathing them was a memory we will cherish for life! The lunch was delicious and we even got an afternoon snack too! Cannot recommend enough!

Visiting this conservatory was an incredible highlight of our time in Thailand and of our lives. Firstly, the staff evidently take excellent care of the animals. The elephants are free to roam under the care and protection of their individually designated mahouts (caretakers). It is easy to see the elephants are very happy living here, and develop deep bonds with their mahouts and with each other in their scenic and well-maintained environment. Conversations with our tour guide, the mahouts, and the owner solidified the mutual relationships formed between staff and the elephants at the conservatory, who are passionate about providing a peaceful, caring, and nonexploitative home for these animals to thrive in (all very important considerations for us when selecting a sanctuary to visit in Chiang Mai). Additionally, I cannot recommend doing a full day tour enough. We had a much smaller group allowing for one-on-one time with the elephants and we appreciated the relaxed layout of the day, as it allowed us with enough time and energy to enjoy every part of the experience while also resting and taking breaks from the sun. My last note would be the amazing photographs we left with. As we booked the full day tour, multiple staff acted as our personal photographers and took so many incredible photos/videos of the entire day’s experience! We were so appreciative for the incredible funds of knowledge and expertise shared with us during the tour. Bring sunscreen, LOTS of bug spray, a fully charged phone, cash to tip your tour guide and get ready to enjoy an educational and once-in-a-lifetime experience!

Absolutely amazing experience our guide Shaun was full of knowledge and love for the elephants. We felt like part of the family team. Feeding. Walking the elephants and helping with there daily activities. Totally free and not forced into any experience. They loved touch and there mahoots care so much for them. We bathed them. Massaged them truly a lifetime experience

After researching the whole elephant rescue options we opted for the ran-tong due to the ethical reviews- we were not disappointed. Elephants were well looked after, all in good condition and very well fed!! Definitely no riding or making them do silly tricks. A precis of the day: changed into clothes given to us, learnt about the rescue centre and elephants, chopped up some food, fed it to them out in a field… made some more food and walked with them and fed them on the way to a pond… where we washed them and they actually squirted water at us hahaha… We then had lunch provided, which was amazing! Showers and home. This really was a trip of a lifetime that will never be forgotten! Elephants even outside our building when we made food. If you have even the slightest chance of visiting here please do not pass it up. Special thanks to “Oo Oo” our guide, she appeared to devote her life to this and other rescue centres .. amazing.

Rambo our guide was brilliant. Very funny and tried so hard to explain everything in English for us. The day started with being kitted out on tops trousers and flip flops and sunhats all your own clothes can be put on a locker . We had a talk then chopped up all the food for the elephants. Ventured out with our baskets of food and made friends with these beautiful creatures. We then made medicine balls with herbs and massaged the elephants whilst some of the group played sound bowls! Spa day for the elephants 🐘 💕. Then ended the day giving them a wash/ bath. Absolutely fantastic.

I recommend choosing the all-day tour. An incredible experience. You get a chance to be in close contact with rescued elephants. You prepare food for them, bathe them, and learn a lot of information from the excellent guides.

Me and my partner spent the day at Ran Tong learning about the care and lives of their beautiful rescue elephants. We were the only two in the group who did the full day experience, which meant we had the afternoon activities all to ourselves which was incredibly special. Our guide, Siri, was amazing. She was very knowledgeable and passionate and took so many amazing videos and photos of our experience. The elephants all appeared happy and well cared for by their mahouts. Definitely recommend Ran Tong for a more intimate experience on a beautiful property.

This place was great! They were easily able to accommodate our vegan diets for lunch. We opted to only feed the elephants (not bathe them) and Rantong was receptive to this and provided a great experience throughout the day.

This was a bucket list day for me. Worth every penny. Very knowledgeable and friendly guide. Got to feed elephants, make their food, prepare and administer herbal medicine to an elephants injured ankle, bath the elephants etc. met people from around the world that day.

Rantong was great! They picked us up and even accommodated our vegan diets! All the people are wonderful, elephants beautiful, and the dogs very friendly!

Magnificent experience with Nikom. This is a real sanctuary that takes care of the care of the elephants. If you can, donate to this center.

A unique and fantastic experience, where the animals are well treated and respected. A good day without a doubt. Our guide and caregiver was wonderful

A mess. We were picked up late. They took us in a crashed, dirty van. The driver was going very fast. The sanctuary is small. The groups were not large but there were others before, so the wait was long and the guide, whose English no one understood, was a disaster. Elephants always in the middle of people. They couldn't do what they really wanted because with food they made them go back and forth. A disgrace. I wish the shrines were really ethical. We left very upset with the whole experience.

Scam. We wait for the driver more than 30 minutes in the morning. We book on a site, the Sanctuary Elephant and we're taken to Ran Tong Center. Groups are large, those who booked for the sanctuary are smaller but everyone expected otherwise. The guide is nice but it doesn't detract from the bitter taste of being fooled. Elephants are moderately respected by large groups, they are motivated only by food. The so-called bath is actually done in a very filthy pool, while indicated river on the site. No walk as advertised either accompanying the elephants. A parody of what we were hoping to see.

Huge scam!!! You book on a site named elephant sanctuary.org ethical in small group that does not force elephants in any way you just have to observe and accompany them.... And the result is that we bring you to rantong elephant which is another center where you end up at 30 with vans everywhere for a well organized business. Thieves' liars because we force elephants to take baths, stop them from moving for tourists come to touch them, we cut corn to feed them and be able to approach them the only food we have seen all day or almost when they are supposed to eat fruits and vegetables!! A male elephant is locked in a park mahouts smoke among elephants!!!! Flee this center!!!!

Flee from this centre which is nothing of what it claims to be. First we booked on the elephantsanctuary.org site supposed to be one of the most etiquette of Chiang Mai we end up in rantong and without being explained why the so-called group of 10 turns into 30!!! Horror we were told that we went to observe elephants in no way we forced them to do anything!!! We stateless them with corn all day long we force them to go in the water mahous leaves them almost no freedom!! And worse one of them taught his elephant a trick!! it's a business

Can't miss a wonderful experience coexists with elephants in complete freedom without chairs and with total respect for them

It really is a once-in-a-lifetime experience, very complete and respectful of elephants, you don’t do anything they don’t want, you feed them, pet them and bathe them if they allow you to. Without a doubt a real sanctuary and its people are friendly, respectful and always aware that you are having an excellent day.

Our guide Siri was the best guide in the world! Thank you to her for making us discover this beautiful beautiful site and leave from there with an unforgettable experience! Everything was beautiful and kind and the people were adorable! Great to see this very happy elephant in a pouring rain, ideal time for this very warm visit and especially very pro guides and intense respect for elephants out of captivity and now free in a very pleasant setting!! The delicious food! A day filled with beautiful experiences!!

It was amazing the full day experience. We were picked up from our hostel (all very punctual), taken to the sanctuary and all the activities we did were extremely beautiful. From feeding them to bathing them. They also told us that whenever we wanted there was coffee, water and cookies. We were also fed quite well and ended up with a very appetizing collation. 100% recommend the full day experience.

An unforgettable day! The guide was really great. We were lucky enough to be 1 small group of 4. What emotions. Elephants are treated super well by mohuts.

Spend a unique day in Ran Tong with these wonderful, gentle giants. Beautiful and spacious area, the elephants have a very good time here! The carers treat them lovingly (which we witnessed). There is no horseback riding, our day's activity consisted of knowledgeable know-how, food preparation and feeding, a walk with the elephants, preparing and treating them with some kind of massage objects as well as bathing and washing the elephants. In between we enjoyed a delicious lunch and a snack. Everything was organized wonderfully, even the transfer from our hotel and back worked perfectly. Our guide “Rambo” did a great job! The only thing that was a bit difficult at times was understanding English, we didn't always understand him 100%. But it didn't bother us. We highly recommend a visit here for memories that will last forever. THANK YOU Ran Tong!

The animals are very well cared for and cared for. They approach when they consider it and you don't see them forcing interaction at any time. The part of preparing the herbal cures is a bit long but the full day is worth it because in the end you are more alone with the elephants and you interact in a more personal way than perhaps the half-day shift, Rambo, good monitor.

We wanted something that was also good for the animals. And we were in the right place. The elephants were rescued and still have a good life here. They are not chained up and that was important to us. We learned a lot about the gentle giants and overall had a great day that we will never forget. The keepers also treat their charges very well.

Wonderful experience in a beautiful place. A lot of love and patience is palpable for the adult elephants and babies. You prepare and give them food, take them for a walk and provide a (mud) bath. Very committed and knowledgeable guide named O. Lunch and snacks during the day are also very well provided, as are the facilities for showering after taking a bath with the elephants. Really worth choosing this elephant sanctuary!!