Patara Elephant Farm - Private Tours
Patara Elephant Farm - Private Tours
Patara Elephant Farm - Private Tours
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Rescue-Recovery-Reproduction-Reintroduction for elephants with education and meaningful tourism sharing.
Chiang Mai, Thailand
Does not meet animal welfare
guidelines
Tripadvisor does not provide bookings for this experience because it does not meet our animal welfare guidelines.
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Patara Elephant Farm - Private Tours
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
Popular mentions
5.0
4,395 reviews
Excellent
3,997
Very good
258
Average
58
Poor
36
Terrible
46
These reviews have been automatically translated from their original language.
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Dena
Albany, CA59 contributions
Nov 2024 • Friends
Patara Elephant Farm offered the best experience with the elephants. One-on-one elephant to guest, feeding, 45-minute elephant ride to the waterfall, elephant bathing, delicious lunch banquet, and professional pictures of each experience captured by the photographers--AMAZING!!!! This experience was by far the highlight of my 10 days in Thailand! I cannot imagine another elephant offering a fuller experience. Patara Elephant Farm is the best choice for your elephant-riding adventure!
Written December 11, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
agilnievas
Santiago, Chile9 contributions
Feb 2025 • Family
A truly unique experience. So well organized and so "social" with the elephants: getting to know them, cleaning, feeding, washing (this is espectacular) and walking with them. The team taking care of the elephants is superb and extremely professional. Lunch was a delight! The absolutely CAN´T MISS experience in Chiang Mai.
Written February 23, 2025
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Kelly W
1 contribution
May 2024 • Family
Simply cannot say enough great things about this tour and company!! We first did this tour when our oldest was 18 months old and have repeated the tour every time we've visited. Our boys are now 5 and 8 and love this place. The staff is kind and informative. The elephant caretakers (Mahouts) go out of their way to make sure you are comfortable and taken care of every step of the way. You can tell the elephants are happy and love the interaction with you. Our elephant purred with happiness (like a cat) multiple times throughout our experience. There are many elephant places to choose to visit in Thailand, some with almost the exact same company name. I cannot say how they run or how their elephants are treated but I can say my heart feels like this place is doing it right. Providing a wonderful life for the elephants while also providing a magical experience for the customer. We saw at least a dozen elephants hanging out in nature doing whatever they pleased, and interacted with 6-8 more that all seemed incredibly happy. We even played with 3 babies who enjoyed being rambunctious and playing in the water, having a sort of elephant water fight with us.
Written May 6, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
FellowTraveler398395
9 contributions
Jan 2025 • Friends
This was without a doubt, the highlight of my trip so far. Once in a lifetime experience that I’ll never forget. The guides are so professional and the elephants are just wonderful. I highly recommend this for anyone who wants to try something new and experience something you’ll never do again in your life.
Written January 26, 2025
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Steve T
45 contributions
Dec 2024 • Family
We visited Patara in December 2024 and it was everything we could've hoped for. My family enjoyed learning about the elephants themselves, the conservation efforts underway, and then the private tour. We got to spend quality, intimate, time with three different elephants, including bathing them in the river, and feeding them all the sugarcane they could eat! This was an enjoyable day in every way possible.
Written January 9, 2025
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Ellen
7 contributions
Oct 2024 • Family
My nephew and I had so much fun at the Patara Elphant Farm. The experience was fantastic being an elephant care-taker for the day. It's very humbling being next to one of these gentle giants and how well-behaved they were. Initially, we were quite scared riding on top since it was so high up. But they were as sweet can be and turned out lovely. Their primary care-taker were exceptionally kind and warm. They took great care of us and therefore you can see the tremendous bond between them and the elephants. This farm also provides great medical care for these elephants as needed. I would highly recommend the full experience of being an elephant care-taker for the day.
Written October 25, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Sandy
Bangkok, Thailand61 contributions
Jul 2024 • Couples
A fantastic morning out of Chiang Mai visiting these beautiful animals and their carers. We interacted closely with a family of two young elephants, their mums and grand mum for feeding as soon as we arrived. We then walked a trail to the pools where we scrubbed two other young elephants clean. Afterwards was morning tea where the elephants demolished a basket of bananas each and we had delicious sticky rice, fruit and water. It was then time to wander back to the farm. Such an amazing experience for all ages.
Written August 2, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
_patrick_lazzaroni
Prevost, Canada24 contributions
Nov 2023 • Couples
What a wonderful experience we had today! The Patara Elephant Farm center in Chiang Mai is dedicated to the 4 R: Rescue-Rehabilitation-Reproduction-Reintegration. We took the Elephant Day care package for a morning and we were delighted with it. This organization offers a unique close encounter and teaches us about the health, socialization and psychology of these majestic and fragile mammals. These packages are more expensive than what other “sanctuaries” offer but the up-close experience is unique. We were able to observe several baby elephants interacting with their mother and grandmother, an unforgettable experience!
Written November 14, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Yalda B
3 contributions
Dec 2023 • Couples
We booked this under the impression this was an ethical sanctuary. Unfortunately did not read into the details and were quite surprised to see the mis treatment of the elephants on arrival. The elephant “trainers” were constantly tugging at the ears of the elephants, jabbing them with screws to get them to perform. Felt more like a circus than a sanctuary. All the while they had professional photographers trying to get photos of us while hugging the elephant trunks and feeding them. Not once did anyone explain how this is a safe haven or “sanctuary” for elephants. This is a money scheme to get tourists to come for an IG photo. Please chose a better more ethical sanctuary should you decide to visit elephants.
Written December 10, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
valerie1985
florida39 contributions
Feb 2024 • Couples
If you want to experience elephants and mountain people culture, look no further. Pat’ara is the visionary for elephant farms as they are now, and have created a safe space for human’s to interact in a meaningful way with elephants (and visa-versa). We were able to care for Varom “our” elephant for the day, we fed and cleaned her, then followed her to the waterfall and bathed her. This day was amazing, unique and meaningful.
Written February 7, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
I have looked into doing some volunteer work/style holiday with elephants and there is a lot of information around 'ethical tourism' particularly with elephants. From what this activity entails it appears that it is all based around the 'tourist' even though the elephants are well cared for, I am concerned that it is not as 'ethical' as it could be? Can anyone share their thoughts on how 'ethical' it is other than a fun days activity. (Don't get me wrong, it certainly appears that they are well looked after)
Written February 17, 2020
What you need to understand is that the elephants are domesticated and not wild. They cannot go back to the wild. They have interacted with people and not always well in their earlier life. That was the mission set by Patara they look after the elephants well and stress free but still allowing them to interact with people/tourists as elephants not performers.
Some of the negative comments I have seen are unfounded and without knowledge. I also know that there is a social media discrediting attack initiated by other elephant camps in the area on Patara.
You need to make your choice from the facts presented in front of you. Understand the requirements of these magnificent animals. Having visited many elephant camps over the years around Chiang Mai there are poor to excellent and Pat and his crew are up at the top.
Written February 17, 2020
I see many people have the elephant shirt and pants on in pics. Did you buy them to wear beforehand or do they supply them?
Written February 8, 2020
We provide traditional outfit for who participated and also have whoes outfir for sale at our farm.
Written February 11, 2020
I see that some people shared elephants and others had their own elephant. Is this a choice the guest gets to make? Is the cost per person or per elephant?
Written October 7, 2019
Aunque seas dueño por un día de un elefante, estás con todos!! Son una pasada.
Written November 6, 2019
Hi,
My sole intent to visit an elephant farm is to play with baby elephants. Is it possible in your farm?
Written August 8, 2019
There were 2 young/baby elephants in our small group. Very playful.
Written August 9, 2019
Do I have to ride the elephant if I don’t want too?? On the keeper for a day experience. Looks amazing but I’m unsure as to how they are still allowing riding but yet still have good reviews? Unsure what elephant sanctuary to choose...
Written July 27, 2019
You should choose Elephant Nature Park. It is the one of the only ethical options.
Written September 4, 2019
Me gustaría saber qué actividades se hacen en el tour de media mañana o de día, para ver cuál merece más la pena. Se sigue bañando a los elefantes en el río? Hay mucha gente para pocos elefantes? Gracias, un saludo.
Written July 15, 2019
Hi,
I hope I'm not to late answering your question, but at the river, we bath the elephant that is assigned to you for a short period of time. Then the surprise, it they bathe you back. Take pictures!! It will be worth it!
Written November 17, 2019
In the pictures I see the men have batons tied to their belts, why would they have those if they don’t hit the elephants??
Also, I haven’t seen the Elephant Sanctuary in Chiang Mai tie their elephants...on some of the elephants here that don’t have ropes you can still see the indentation of them....
I want to make sure this is an ethical place....
Written February 3, 2019
Hi kelly0603, from my experience, while I was there, they never use the batons or other kind of instrument on animals or another situation. I think it’s for an urgent situation they might have to secure the area or something.
The elephants are very kind, friendly and well fed and treated. Guides and staff are very responsible and kind. I totally recommend this place.
All the activities were very relaxing, with or without, the elephants. It’s a great experience and, in my case, totally change my point of view about the elephants. Although they are huge, their kindness and emotions are amazing.
I wanted to have a different experience, those parks with elephants playing football, or painting or… other thing else, it’s not for me. I wanted something very close to typical rural/jungle kind of life. And this one, fulfilled my expectations.
Hope it helps 😉
Gi
Written February 6, 2019
Can we change into our swimsuits once were there? Or so we need to come with it on under clothing?
Written January 7, 2019
I recommend you come with your swimsuit with a cover up. I was picked up directly from the hotel and taken to the sanctuary so you need to carry minimal stuff. The bathroom is like a portable potty size.
Written January 7, 2019
Can we change into our swimsuits once were there? Or so we need to come with it on under clothing?
Written January 7, 2019
They have change rooms down near the elephant bathing area which you can use.
Written January 7, 2019
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