Welcome to Phuket Elephant Nature Reserve

An Accredited, Sustainable, Award-winning, and Ethical Elephant Sanctuary in Phuket, Thailand

Over 1,000 5 Star Reviews

5 star reviews

An absolutely unforgettable experience! The outstanding staff made our experience even more enjoyable! 

Mel

5 star reviews

Absolute gem of a place!! Wonderful to observe the rescue elephants in such a relaxed atmosphere, just being elephants.

Corallie

5 star reviews

An unforgettable and relaxing day with elephants in an amazing camp to protect them – no riding (and) no plastic!

Raja

Elephant care in Phuket is our priority

Located on 30 Rai of lush jungle land, near the tropical beaches of west Phuket, we are an ethical elephant sanctuary with a strong focus on high welfare standards for our elephants. Feed, meet, and observe our rescued elephants as they play in the mud, splash in the water, and roam our land.

Our elephant activities in Phuket aren’t just unforgettable — they’re an enlightening journey of learning, care, and adventure. Please don’t hesitate to get in touch if you have any questions about the experiences we provide at our elephant sanctuary in Phuket or how we operate.

Bow walking at the Phuket Elephant Nature Reserve
Highly Recommended

Half-Day Elephant Adventure in Phuket

FromTHB ฿3,000
Looking for an ethical program for elephant care in Phuket? Find out more about Phuket Elephant Nature Reserve's unforgettable half-day adventure.
Perfect for Younger Children

Short 90-Minute Elephant Adventure in Phuket

FromTHB ฿1,200
PENR’s Short 90-Minute Elephant Adventure in Phuket is ideal for visitors pushed for time. Find out more about this ethical elephant experience.
Just you, your Guide & the Elephants

Private Half-Day Phuket Elephant Adventure

Find out how you can support PENR's ethical, award-winning Phuket elephant care on this Private Half-Day Phuket Elephant Adventure.

Accredited

Elephant welfare is the top priority at our ethical elephant sanctuary in Phuket, Thailand, so we follow strict guidelines for welfare, nutrition, & vet care set out by international standards. Learn more about our accreditations and awards.

Educational

Learn about making biodegradable paper & biogas on our elephant dung recycling program, our hydroponic vegetable & herb gardens, strict recycling policies, & utilisation of solar power.

Sustainable

We have a strong focus on visitor education, providing love and care to our rescued elephants in a sustainable manner that eliminates stress while allowing visitors to enjoy a genuine connection & experience.

Ethical

No riding!
No chains!
No bathing!
No bull hooks!

At our ethical elephant sanctuary in Phuket, Thailand, you experience elephants as nature intended.

Welcome to the Most Ethical Elephant Sanctuary in Phuket, Thailand

The Phuket Elephant Nature Reserve is an accredited and sustainable elephant sanctuary located on the west coast of the tropical island of Phuket, Thailand. Founded in 2019, elephant conservation is of the utmost importance to us, and the welfare of our rescued animals is our primary focus.

What to Expect at Phuket Elephant Nature Reserve

  • Meet & feed our rescued elephants
  • Beautiful nature jungle hike with the elephants
  • Amazing natural photo opportunities
  • Lush 30 rai protected sanctuary
  • Strong focus on elephant welfare & education
  • Vitamin Ball preparation and cooking area. Learn about the elephant's diet and why we need to supply supplementary vitamins to our elephants (Half-Day Elephant Adventure)
  • Natural water features for our elephants to enjoy
  • Bathrooms & lockers available

Our Professional Milestones and Distinctions

  • Currently home to 4 beautiful rescued elephants, Lotus, Bow, Thonglor & Nong Tang, with a 5th rescue planned for 2024. Our elephants have been rescued from elephant riding and circus shows
  • Member of WISE (Welfare Initiatives for Sustainability of Elephants) Network and strategic partner with World Animal Protection (Thailand)
  • Winner of the APAC Insider Endangered Species Protection Champions 2023 with the prestigious award Elephant Sanctuary of the Year 2023
  • Accredited by SGS Thailand (passed with distinction with an overall score of 98%), ensuring the highest standards in animal welfare practices
  • Audited by Asian Captive Elephant Standards (ACES) passed with distinction with an overall score of 86%
  • Strong customer reviews 4.8/5 on Google and 5/5 on TripAdvisor & awarded TripAdvisor Travelers Choice 2023 & 2024
  • Strong focus on visitor education, sustainability and natural, ethical experiences with 100% no riding, bathing and a hands-off elephant policy

Why Phuket Elephant Nature Reserve doesn’t allow bathing with our elephants

In the wild, elephants love to bathe in rivers, ponds, streams, and muddy wallows. They need space to splash, roll around, submerge, and cover themselves in mud. Elephants like peace and quiet, not loud groups of visitors throwing mud or buckets of water at them.

When people crowd around elephants, they find it very stressful. And to allow this to happen in the first place, the mahout needs to control the elephant by forcing it to stand still or lie down. this denies the elephant’s natural behaviour, instincts, and freedoms.

Bathing is also unhygienic for visitors as the elephants urinate and defecate when entering the water, which may cause eye infections and sickness. There are also accidents with people slipping in the mud which is dangerous when there is a three-tonne elephant close by.

Our elephant activities in Phuket limit contact for many reasons, but mostly so our elephants can be free of constant human touch. We want our elephants to enjoy their day just as much as you.

By standing back, you can take the most amazing photos and videos, allowing you to remember your special day with our elephants while playing your part in promoting better standards for elephant care in Phuket. Meet our elephants before your visit and get to know these gentle giants a little better.

Read more on this topic in our blog Why Bathing with Elephants is Unhygienic and Unethical.

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