Are there any truly ethical elephant tourist experiences in the world, with a completely hands-off approach, allowing only observation from a distance? The bad news is that most self-claimed ethical animal experiences involve a lot of greenwashing, where the animals are still forced to be somewhere or do something for our entertainment.
The good news is I found quite a few ethical elephant sanctuaries in Chiang Mai, and below is my detailed experience at Eve79 Elephant Sanctuary.
A review of my ethical elephant experience in Chiang Mai
Overview of my elephant experience
I chose Eve79 for their completely hands-off approach, their proximity to Chiang Mai (it takes about 1.5 hours one way to get there), and the waterfall at the end of the walk. I was happy to see that they’re truly hands-off and don’t allow any kind of interaction with the elephants. Even the walk was with plenty of distance. A simple but delicious vegetarian meal is offered after the morning walk, or dinner after the afternoon one.
Getting to the elephant sanctuary
Eve79 offers pick-up service in a small van as part of their package, even if you’re a bit outside of Chiang Mai’s city area, so you don’t need to worry about getting there on your own. I chose to stay in a lovely boutique hotel in a quieter area by the river, on the outskirts of Chiang Mai, and they picked me up from there.
The sanctuary’s located in the mountains, so you can expect the ride to have some twists and turns, but it wasn’t too bad. But depending on your driver, the ride can feel a bit windy and bumpy. You can always carry ginger candy to help with nausea or motion sickness; it has an immediate effect.
The actual elephant experience: trekking and seeing the elephants
Upon arrival at the elephant sanctuary
When we arrived at Eve79, we were greeted by our trek guide and then given some time to chill, use the bathroom, and enjoy the views. We were also greeted by their 2 friendly dogs and were offered complimentary drinks (tea, water, coffee).
After a few minutes, our guide shared some really cool information about the difference between Asian and African elephants (Asian elephants are generally smaller in size, but have a larger face with smaller ears compared to African elephants, who are huge and have a smaller face with large ears that have the shape of Africa when they flap them).
He also explained that they’re a completely hands-off elephant experience, meaning no touching, feeding, petting, bathing, or riding. Even the trek that we would do in the forest is at a great distance from the elephants, so that they’re not too bothered by our presence.
He offered us complimentary balm that he commissions from a local neighbour, and it’s a balm that helps if you’re feeling faint or dizzy, but also for treating mosquito bites. We then got ready to start the trek by applying natural bug and mosquito repellent (DEET-free, made only with natural oils like citronella and lemongrass).
Trekking in the jungle
We were each handed wooden walking sticks and started walking downhill toward the forests. The trek is relatively easy, though it’s best to wear proper hiking boots with good grip, as some parts can be slippery. However, I saw some people trekking with crocs, and they seemed fine.
Along the way, we saw interesting plants, including Mimosa Pudica, also known as the Sensitive Plant, Touch-Me-Not, or Shameplant, because it folds in on itself and closes up when you touch it. We also saw butterflies, and spiders in their web, which was pretty cool.
Insider tip: I visited in October, and while it wasn’t scorching hot and the air was fresh — we were in the mountains after all, and parts of our trek were in the shade — it did get quite humid and warm as you keep walking, and we were all sweating, so it’s best to wear light, breathable clothing, a hat, and sunglasses.
Seeing the elephants
We were incredibly lucky to have a baby elephant born just a month earlier, and we got to see it with its mama. While the elephants at Eve79 roam freely and aren’t usually expected to be at a specific place at any time, in this case, since there was a newborn baby, the team at Eve79 created a small natural barrier (with a lot of space to roam) in the area to prevent the baby from wandering off. They also prepared food for the mum: stacks of leaves, and placed them all over the area for easy access.
Our trek took us to that spot, and as we approached, our guide asked us to lower our voices and observe quietly. We saw the baby and mama elephant approach the area where the stack of leaves was, and we observed from a distance so that they wouldn’t feel threatened by our presence. There was a spot to sit and observe, and we hung out there while we watched them eat.
After about 30 minutes of rest and observing the elephants, we continued our trek and, at some point, encountered another adult female elephant eating. Nothing was placed there for her to eat; she was simply wandering through and found some nice trees for her lunch. We sat there quietly as she ate, but when she started walking off, we also moved on to give her space.
Cooling down at the waterfall
We finished our trek by walking down to the waterfall, where you can swim. It was incredibly cooling and refreshing to end the trek there. There’s also a small room for you to change into your bathing suit too, for privacy. We stayed at the waterfall for about 45 minutes, and then made our way back to the starting point, which wasn’t far away, and the trek back up was very easy. We basically walked in a loop, which was great because it meant we didn’t have to hike all the way back up, and the waterfall was the last stop.
After the trek
When we reached the starting point (the same place where we had arrived and had complimentary tea and coffee), we were given a simple but flavourful veggie fried rice meal, with a fresh coconut for drinks, and watermelon for dessert.
For those of us who chose a half-day experience, we were then taken back to Chiang Mai in the van. Those who chose to do a full day then did another trek after lunch with the afternoon group that arrived around 2 pm. They can also prepare food for the elephants and leave them around the forest for them to find on their own.
FAQs
Are there any worthwhile ethical elephant experiences in Chiang Mai?
There are quite a few truly ethical elephant experiences in Chiang Mai that are completely hands-off and don’t allow feeding, petting, bathing, riding, etc., as any close interaction can stress the elephants and requires them to still be harshly trained to be near us. I personally visited Eve79 and can vouch that they’re a truly ethical sanctuary.
Is trekking (hiking) with elephants ethical?
Trekking (hiking) next to elephants can be ethical only if there’s distance between us and the elephants. If we’re walking right next to them and are close enough to touch them, then it’s an unethical activity, as this means the elephants have been trained in some way to tolerate our close presence.
