About Phuket Elephant Sanctuary
Phuket Elephant Sanctuary is the island's first ethical elephant sanctuary, set on 30 acres of tropical jungle bordering Khao Phra Thaeo National Park in Pa Klok. Founded to provide a permanent retirement home for elephants rescued from the riding and logging industries, the sanctuary operates on an observation-only model — no riding, no tricks, no chains.
Visitors choose from half-day morning or afternoon programmes that include a guided walk through the jungle to observe the resident elephants foraging, bathing in mud wallows, and socialising in their natural habitat. A full-day option adds a vegetarian Thai lunch and extended time in the forest. The sanctuary also features an elevated canopy walkway that gives guests a bird's-eye view of the elephants moving through the trees below — one of only a handful of such walkways in Thailand.
What makes this sanctuary stand out is the genuine focus on elephant welfare over tourist volume. Group sizes are strictly limited, no flash photography is allowed near the animals, and all proceeds go directly to elephant care and land expansion. It is one of the highest-rated ethical wildlife experiences in Southeast Asia on TripAdvisor.
