You have to do this if you are an animal and nature lover! We spent all day riding the elephants and then washed them in the river. The mahouts really love their elephants and you can tell that there # 1 priority is their happiness. I would come back to Chaing Mai just to visit again.

This was an amazing day. For 150 Canadian you get: several hours of elephant riding in a lush jungle, a Phad Thai lunch, washing and mud bathing the elephants and instructions as well as feedingq them treats. They also provide clothes for you, a shower and herbal soaking for feet and hands at the end of the day. During the trip the mahout (elephant trainers/guides) will take pictures for you and give them to you at then end as well as a t shirt.

It was incredible to spend so much time with those incredible beasts. As for treatment, given their size and thick skin the mahouts used the hook sticks rarely and we didn't have many behaviour problems with the elephants either. The elephants are well taken care of and the philosophy of the home is protection and giving the elephants some work while also promoting conservation and Eco tourism. Well worth every hour and dime!

I loved my day at the Thai Elephant Home. The staff really love and care for the elephants well. I enjoyed having my own elephant to care for during the day, including the mud bath and swim in the river! A wonderful experience!

I just came back from Thailand after booking and touring three different elephant camps. I purposely chose those camps which would not do shows or have baskets for multiple people on top of elephants for riding. I chose those that were more educational and for riding, only allowed bareback riding. Patara and Thai Elephant Home were tops.
I have to say that it was a little disheartening when Joe, the person who arranges everything with you at Thai Elephant Home, gave an orientation speech and took out a bull hook. The other two camps that I was at did not have bull hooks, and I did not want to experience a bull hook used on any elephant. All of the mahouts there carried one, but he tried to explain that it was only if an elephant got out of control - for our protection. The mahouts never used them throughout the entire day, and I accepted their carrying them "just in case," but in the beginning, I was rather put off about seeing them. The staff treated the elephants very well, and I have to say that out of the 3 elephant camps that I visited, that this was the most beautiful walk by far.
The walk took you and your elephant across a river and up into the forested mountains, and after lunch, through a beautiful path into the river for washing the elephants and then through a little village with a school house and people's homes that was just magical. The scenery was spectacular, and it was my favorite experience with the elephants. The only other thing that put me off a bit was making the giant animals lie down every time to have people get on them. I did not want to make my elephant lie down because it's such an effort for them, so I insisted on either the leg up (of the elephant) climb or the trunk climb. Alot of people in the tour group were young, and there is no reason they could not have done the same. It's fine if older people can't do it, but the younger ones certainly can for the most part (I'm 59 and could do it) - give the elephants a break!