Maesa Elephant camp is known as the largest elephant camp in northern region of Thailand. The camp is established by Mr. Chuchat Gulmapijit since April 8, 1976. The purpose of the elephant camp was to promote travel industry in Thailand back then. In the camp, visitors are offered several amusing activities which enables them to interact with the elephants. Such activities are elephant riding, elephant show, elephant training, elephant bathing, and elephant painting. The length of elephant show time is approximately 50 minutes. The camp also houses Maesa elephant preschool containing new-born to 2-year elephants. In addition, the camp offers mahout training program, including the accommodation, allowing visitors to become and dress like an elephant trainer. You can experience the mahouts' way of living. For foreign visitors, this place is where you can learn Thai food recipe lessons.
Itinerary
The Chang (Half Day)
08:00 - 08:30 hrs. Pick-up from hotel/guest house.
09:00 hrs.
- Arrive at The Chang
- Meet the team.
- Watch short safety video.
- Walk to the feeding platform, prepare food for the elephants, make the herbal supplement and feed them.
- Take photos with the elephants.
- Enjoy a slow, easy walk with the elephants, observing their behavior, concluding at one of the elephant’s favorite places, the mud bath.
- Relax with a drink and snack, before saying goodbye to the elephants and staff.
12:00-12:30 hrs. Transfer back to your hotel/guest house.
The Chang (Full Day)
08:00 – 08:30 hrs. Pick-up from your hotel / Guest House.
09:00 hrs. Arrive at The Chang 1.
- Meet the team.
- Receive safety lecture on how to behave when around the elephants.
- Visit the Elephant Cemetery and Education Building, where you will see an elephant’s skeleton, and
learn some interesting facts about their bodies.
- Learn how to shred grass and mix it with herbal supplements and other ingredients, as a special
food for the elephants. Feed the elephants.
- Visit the Elephant Pharmacy, where you can learn about the herbs used in the elephant’s
medication, and also how to make Tamarind balls to feed the elephants with.
- Help cook sticky rice for the elephants, and wait for it to cool.
12:00 – 13:30 Lunch.
- Prepare sticky rice with herbal supplements, wrapped in a banana leaf. Meet each elephant, feed
them the sticky rice, and learn about the history of each elephant.
- Observe the elephants as they bathe in the stream, and take a mud bath. Then take a walk with the
elephants.
16:00 – Transfer back to your hotel / Guest House.
Handicapped facilities
• Free wheelchair service.
• Slopes, bathrooms and parking spaces for wheelchair users.
Other facilities
• Krungthai ATMs available.
• Parking lots.
• Accommodations
• Free shuttle tranfer service
Maesa Elephant camp
Chiang Mai is located in Mueng District, Chiang Mai. It is about 750 km. away from Bangkok or 9 hour driving time.
BY BUS
You can take a bus to Chiang Mai at Mochit bus terminal and then take a taxi to the camp.
Tips: the easiest way to get to Maesa Elephant camp
Chiang Mai is using our car rental service so that you can drop by at interesting tourist attractions nearby.
Address Information
119/9 Tapae Road, Mueng District, Chiang Mai 50100
