Your visit supports elephants and local communities while offering an unforgettable cultural adventure.
Elephants, Community & More
Book a visit
Ethical Elephant Treks & Karen Village Immersions near Chiang Mai
No strategy can succeed without the involvement of people. Your stay, no matter its length, directly contributes to covering our elephants' care and supporting wild gibbons, allowing them to live in the forest. Together, we can create a lasting impact.
Elephants
Visit for 2 days and 1 night
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Price: 1 person = 10,000THB (approx. $330USD/£260/470AUD/€275)
2+ persons = 5,300THB per person (approx. $175USD/£130/250AUD/€145)
This price includes all transport, accommodation and meals in the village.
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The programme includes the Elephant Hike, where you can observe elephants displaying their natural behaviours. Additionally, you will stay with a Karen family who will provide you with accommodation and meals.
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Day 1
9:00 AM: Pickup from Chiang Mai (Pick-ups from Pai or Mae Hong Son may be possible upon request).
Travel through a national park and scenic mountains with lunch en route.
Arrive at our village and meet your homestay family, staff, and interns.
Immerse yourself in Karen culture:
Village tour
Cook with your homestay family
Learn traditional basket weaving from a village elder.
Day 2
Early morning: Hike into the forest to find the elephants.
Spend the morning observing, recording, and learning about their natural behaviours.
Enjoy lunch in the forest.
Afternoon: Return to Chiang Mai.
Elephants & Community
Visit for 3 days and 2 nights
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Price: 1 person = 11,500THB (approx. $375USD/£275/540AUD/€320)
2+ persons = 7500THB per person (approx. $250USD/£180/350AUD/€210)
This price includes all transport, accommodation and meals in the village.
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The programme includes the chance to join the Elephant Hikes and learn about our Elephant Research.
Additionally, you will get closer to the Karen people by living with them, learning their handicrafts, and engaging in village life.
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Day 1
9:00 AM: Pickup from Chiang Mai (Pick-ups from Pai or Mae Hong Son may be possible upon request).
Travel through a national park and scenic mountains with lunch en route.
Arrive at our village and meet your homestay family, staff, and interns.
Immerse yourself in Karen culture:
Village Tour
Cook with your homestay family
Learn traditional basket weaving from a village elder.
Day 2
Early morning: Hike into the forest to find the elephants.
Spend the morning observing, recording, and learning about their natural behaviours.
Enjoy lunch in the forest.
Learn more about our conservation work, the local language, and culture.
Option to participate in community projects.
Day 3
Early morning: Hike into the forest to find the elephants.
Spend the morning observing, recording, and learning about their natural behaviours.
Lunch in the village.
Afternoon: Return to Chiang Mai.
Voices of the forest: Elephants & Gibbons
Visit for 5 days and 4 nights
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Price: 2+ persons = 15,000THB per person (approx. $475USD/£356/685AUD/ €408)
Solo travellers: Please get in touch to check if a group is already operating
This price includes transport, accommodation, and meals.
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The programme includes observing elephants and gibbons in their natural habitat, and learning about our conservation efforts.
You will also immerse yourself in the Karen culture by living in 2 communities, learning their handicrafts, and engaging in the village life.
-
Day 1
9:00 AM: Pickup from Chiang Mai (Pick-ups from Pai or Mae Hong Son may be possible upon request).
Travel through a national park and scenic mountains with lunch en route.
Arrive at our village and meet your homestay family, staff, and interns.
Immerse yourself in Karen culture:
Village Tour
Cook with your homestay family
Learn traditional basket weaving from a village elder.
Day 2
Early morning: Hike into the forest to find the elephants.
Spend the morning observing, recording, and learning about their natural behaviours.
Enjoy lunch in the forest.
Learn more about our conservation work, the local language, and culture.
Option to participate in community projects.
Day 3
Early morning: Hike into the forest to find the elephants.
Spend the morning observing, recording, and learning about their natural behaviours.
Lunch in the village.
Afternoon: Leaving to the Gibbon Program Village.
Evening: Dinner and explore the surroundings.
Day 4
Sunrise: Wake up to the enchanting calls of gibbons right outside your door.
Follow their calls around the village with a local expert, hoping to catch a glimpse of these agile creatures.
Breakfast.
Embark on a forest hike in search of wild gibbons.
Discover Karen culture through hands-on activities before enjoying a traditional lunch.
Afternoon: Participate in community projects, such as:
Assisting in coffee, tea, or rice plantations.
Learning the art of weaving from local artisans.
Dinner.
Day 5
Early morning: Another chance to spot gibbons near the village.
Breakfast.
Afternoon: Lunch in the village, followed by departure to Chiang Mai or Pai.
Note: While we hope to spot gibbons, they are wild animals, and sightings cannot be guaranteed. The programme might differ depending on the season.
Testimonials
Dive deeper into life at the sanctuary through the eyes of our past interns. From caring for elephants to working with the local community, they share their challenges, adventures, and unforgettable moments.
People’s stories
General & Visitor Programme Support
FAQ
General
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Kindred spirits are two people who are connected and bonded together on a higher level of consciousness. This connection is similar to the very special bond that can happen between a mahout and elephant who care for each other deeply. Although there are many people who take care of elephants just to earn an living and have no interest in connecting with them, our mahouts have grown up with their elephants, they know each other inside out and they therefore possess this now very rare connection. Despite the fact that they are animal and human, they are also kindred spirits.
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No. In many instances when an elephant is sold, the previous owner will then use this money to replace the sold elephant by buying one that has been poached from the wild (these are sold at a much cheaper rate). We at Kindred Spirit Elephant Sanctuary do not wish to encourage this. Our elephants belong to families within our local Karen communities, they have been in their families for many generations and we pay them a monthly salary to compensate the elephants. This close connection enables us to secure our elephants freedom without contributing to illegal trade.
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Elephant tourism in Thailand is very a very complex situation. The reality of it is, due to the huge deforestation, without tourism the elephants would have nowhere to go. Our elephants are very lucky to have the forest in our sanctuary to roam, but this is not possible for every elephant. This is why we work with our community and other organizations to bring better welfare and future for all captive elephants through science.
Visitor programme
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Once you sign up to visit, you will be sent an information pack which will tell you what exactly you need to bring and answer all your questions.
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We accept visitors of any age, however anyone under 18 must be accompanied by a responsible adult. Please bear in mind that hikes may be physically demanding so assess your level of fitness for yourself.
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You will stay in a private room provided by a local Karen family. We accommodate various dietary requirements, including vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free options.