Eco Friendly The Green Elephant Sanctuary

Eco Friendly Green Elephant Sanctuary Phuket Thailand:

Have you ever dreamed of hanging out with baby elephants? I know we sure did. However we wanted to ensure our visit was with an ethical rescue. We decided to go with The Green Elephant Sanctuary in Phuket, Thailand. We must say it was the perfect choice. Many elephants in thailand still live in terrible conditions. Elephants are in danger and they need our help. The number of elephants has decreased drastically. From the 1950s until now 50,000 elephants existed to now an estimated 3,500. This is also a result of forest clearing which destroys the elephant’s natural habitat.  

The Green Elephant Sanctuary in Phuket. Is a cruelty free No Riding Elephant Sanctuary. Elephants still remain an endangered species. Many people don’t know that elephant’s bodies are not meant for constant human riding of elephants. Elephants are put through abuse when they are conditioned and taught to carry people. These elephants are usually kept in terrible conditions. Baby elephants are taken away from their mother and tortured with bullhooks and bamboo sticks spiked with nails. 

At The Green Elephant Sanctuary they do not believe in abuse. There are no chains and beatings. The elephants are truly given a second chance at life. Elephants are an important figure of Thailand as they protected it from invaders. However, elephants are still being used for construction and it truly broke our heart to see elephants in humid hot weather lugging around tons of concrete. Some chained in the hot sun with no access to water. Every visit to the Elephant Green Sanctuary brings them closer to rescuing another elephant and giving them the life they deserve. 

In Thailand an  elephant caretaker (owner) is referred to as a Mahout. Unfortunately, some Mahouts are captivated by the possibility of making big money. These defenseless elephants are put to work in circus and tourist attractions. We chose this Elephant Sanctuary because of their Ethical practices. The Green Elephant Sanctuary truly believes in the safety and well being of the elephants that they rescue. All they expect from the public is a visit. There are no pushy gift shops or requests for donations. 

We recommend you book your visit in advance as the slots fill up quickly. There are different time slots available for your preference. A private driver that works for the Sanctuary will pick you up at your hotel during the shift of your choice Morning or Afternoon. Once the trip is complete the driver will take you back to your hotel. We really enjoyed the convenience and the safety they provide. 

The guide for the day will give you a breakdown of the day's activities. Lockers are provided (free of charge) to put any extra belongings away.  You get to feed the elephants fresh food provided by the staff. The elephants consider this a little snack. After the elephants are done snacking. It is play time! One thing you shouldn’t forget to pack. Is  water shoes it’s very important if you want to play and bathe with the elephants in the mud. The mud can be very slippery. The experience is magical! 

The conditions of the Sanctuary are clean and big with plenty of space for the elephants to enjoy. They are organized, friendly, informative and most importantly fun. Be prepared to get wet and dirty! Bring extra dry clothes to change into. There are showers provided after completion of all the activities. Also no one really enjoys sitting wet and muddy to have lunch. Everything is thought out to ensure a pleasant visit. Remember to pack a towel!

If you are worried about bringing food or snacks. You won’t need to.  The mahouts wives will prepare a fresh authentic thai lunch. The food is delicious.  There are different food options for everyone’s different dietary needs.You will be directed to sit at picnic tables under the shade to enjoy your lunch. Everything I have mentioned is included in the ticket price. How Awesome is that! Worried that you won’t be able to get some amazing photos while playing in the mud and bathing the elephants? Don’t worry the mahouts are also great behind a camera. During our trip there were at least two professional cameras provided by the sanctuary to the mahouts. In order to capture those special moments. Check some of our photos out! Please make sure you follow buildtoblossomtravel on Instagram for updates. We were not paid in any way for this blog. This is our experience and opinion. If you do visit. Please say hi to a baby elephant named Peter for us. He is super adorable and loads of fun. Below is a picture of baby peter and us. Enjoy!

Check them out: https://www.green-elephantsanctuarypark.com/en/