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Elephant Sanctuary: Hidden Forest Reserve in Phuket
4.9
64 Ratings
Tambon Chalong
Experience the Hidden Forest Elephant Reserve in Phuket. Meet and feed rescued elephants, take a scenic walk through the forest, and enjoy a vegetarian meal by the pond.
Experience the Hidden Forest Elephant Reserve in Phuket. Meet and feed rescued elephants, take a scenic walk through the forest, and enjoy a vegetarian meal by the pond.
Duration:
3 hours, 30 minutes
Cancellation:
24 hours
Highlights
- Hidden Forest Elephant Reserve - On arrival enjoy complimentary refreshments before we watch an informative introduction video. We then meet and feed our elephants before going on a scenic walk through the forest observing and learning about their history, their stories, and their unique personalities. We don’t follow a set route, our elephants…
- Hidden Forest Elephant Reserve - On arrival enjoy complimentary refreshments before we watch an informative introduction video. We then meet and feed our elephants before going on a scenic walk through the forest observing and learning about their history, their stories, and their unique personalities. We don’t follow a set route, our elephants are free to roam and forage, and if our elephants stop, we stop! Relax in our Bamboo Observation Huts as the elephant’s graze, play in the mud or bathe nearby with stunning views of the forest and a view over the valley to Big Buddha.
So many fabulous photo and video opportunities!
You will end your visit with a delicious vegetarian Thai buffet at our fabulous bamboo salas overlooking the pond as the elephant’s bathe and graze nearby. Your visit directly supports our work to rescue and rehabilitate elephants. Our key focus is to educate and bring awareness to the plight of the Asian Elephant and lead by example with our ethical approach to experiencing elephants.
What's Included
- Educational introduction video
- Hotel Pick up & Drop Off
- Vegetarian Meal
- Transportation by air-conditioned van
- Entrance Ticket
- Refill Water
- English Speaking Tour Guide
- Educational introduction video
- Hotel Pick up & Drop Off
- Vegetarian Meal
- Transportation by air-conditioned van
- Entrance Ticket
- Refill Water
- English Speaking Tour Guide
What's Not Included
- Tipping
- Bathing with elephants
- Refill Bottle water
- Tipping
- Bathing with elephants
- Refill Bottle water
Additional Information
Welcome to Hidden Forest Elephant Reserve. Our breathtaking elephant sanctuary is nestled in the hills of southern Phuket and is home to four beautiful elephants who are all rescued from the tourism riding industry. They are now able to roam freely, socialise with each other, and play naturally in the ponds, streams and muddy wallows throughout our…
Welcome to Hidden Forest Elephant Reserve. Our breathtaking elephant sanctuary is nestled in the hills of southern Phuket and is home to four beautiful elephants who are all rescued from the tourism riding industry. They are now able to roam freely, socialise with each other, and play naturally in the ponds, streams and muddy wallows throughout our land.
After an introduction video, you will meet and feed our elephants before going on a scenic walk through the forest, stopping at our Bamboo Observation Huts dotted along the way where you can sit quietly as our elephants go about their day. We don’t follow a set route, our elephants are free to roam and forage, and if our elephants stop, we stop! They have had hard lives and they deserve the very best life we can give them. When we reach the pond, watch the elephants frolic, splash, and cover themselves in mud as you enjoy a delicious vegetarian meal freshly cooked and from local ingredients.
- Not recommended for postoperative patients
- Not suitable for those with severe knee and ankle
- The forest trails are not wheelchair accessible
- Baby strollers are not allowed; a baby carrier is required for infants
Location
Hidden Forest Elephant Reserve
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Customer Ratings
4.9
(64 Ratings)
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926neryss
Feb 27, 2025
Amazing experience with the elephants - What can we say, this was one of the best trips we have been on. My family and I (with two teenage boys) visited Monday morning having previously done our research on ethical elephant reserves, as there are so many out there which say are ethical but aren't really, ie bathing the elephants is actually a no no!
Pickup from hotel was on-time and on arrival we had tea/coffee and then watched a video, which was very interesting and educational. We then fed the beautiful elephants and found out so much more on their backgrounds, which were heartbreaking. A brilliant walk through the forest, observing the elephants and then up to eat a buffet lunch (which was also one of the tastiest meals we had in Thailand!) watching the elephants in the water pools.
Louise and her team are doing such fantastic work to help campaign and raise the awareness of elephants used in the tourism industry. If you haven't booked and want to do an elephant experience in Phuket, then please choose this one, you won't the disappointed!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Floydfreedom
Feb 25, 2025
Well Run Preserve - My wife really wanted to see elephants. I have previously seen elephants in the wild and was a bit skeptical of the preserve idea. She did the research, focusing on the ethical treatment of the elephants and finally chose this preserve.
I have to admit that I was very impressed. While observing rescued animals in a preserve isn't the same as seeing wild populations, the owners of Hidden Forest have done a great job with what they've been able to build. They have a well run operation that starts with a short educational program. You are then given the opportunity to feed the elephants a "snack". This encounter was quite enjoyable. The rest of the time you observe as the elephants move up the hillside to feed, bathe, and stomp in the mud. A meal is provided at the watering hole observation area.
The included shared transportation was efficient and on time. We hired a Grab ride for the trip home which was able to pick us up right at the starting/ending point.
I really have to commend the owners for what they have created and I wish them well. They are providing a peaceful place for these majestic creatures to live out their lives in a way that allows tourists a respectful encounter with them.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Stacey
Feb 24, 2025
Elephants Up Close - We really enjoyed our morning at Hidden Forest.
The staff were knowledgeable and very kind.
We were quite ignorant to the plight of elephants in captivity and the use of elephants in tourism and entertainment.
To learn about a reserve like Hidden Valley, that rescues these amazing animals from the cruelty that they’ve been subjected to and give them a peaceful way to live out their years was heartwarming.
Very relaxing and close up encounters with the elephants.
The lunch was also very good.
We would recommend this trip to friends and family
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Richard_s
Feb 23, 2025
Beautiful Elephant Sanctuary - It was great to support an ethical elephant sanctuary. I never fed an elephant before and it felt amazing to do so in such a humane way. It was awesome to observe the elephants in their habitat and going about their normal activities. The views from this sanctuary were gorgeous. You could see the Big Buddha statue from the sanctuary.
Review provided by Viator
Michael_t
Feb 18, 2025
Hidden Forest best Elephant experience - Very educational and up close with these amazing animals. Guides very knowledgeable and helpful. Food was amazing!
Review provided by Viator
Georgina
Feb 13, 2025
Amazing experience. Blessed to have met and been up close to those beautiful elephants. - My husband and I had an amazing afternoon at the Hidden Elephant Forest. After a lot of research I finally found a place where these beautiful elephants were given the best ethical care and protection. Ethical was the key word. We had such a wonderful experience and I would highly recommend this company . The care and knowledge of the staff . The short video at the start was so helpful and heartbreaking the things these elephants experienced. Well done to the founders who brought this excellent forest together.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Seanandpatt
Feb 13, 2025
Wonderful Day with Elephants - What an outstanding day spent watching elephants in natural settings and not be subjected to cruel circus acts or carrying humans all day.
The fine people who run this place have really taken it on their shoulders to educate the public about animal cruelty in Thailand.
Watching and feeding these elephants was a pleasure - seeing them play and bathe in the water by themselves was a very relaxing and almost cathartic experience. There is something special about the elephants and you can almost see the gratitude they have now after many years of abuse.
The park is very big and expansive with lots of room. We had sun shelters at each stop along the way so we could enjoy the elephants without getting burnt. At the last stop we had a delicious Thai buffet to eat while they elephants played in the water.
Such a pleasure to know that places like this exist - these people are doing Gods work here and their mission is infectious. Most of the people on our tour left with a profound understanding of the abuse suffered by these animals and will continue to spread the word.
Please support their efforts - you won't regret it.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Kim_c
Feb 11, 2025
Amazing experience - Truly ethical experience with rescued elephants. The staff clearly are very passionate about the amazing work that they do. It’s very humbling to hear the sad lives that these beautiful animals were subjected to prior to being rescued to live out the rest of their lives in peace and tranquility.
A wonderful experience that we will always remember. We felt very lucky to be able to watch these elephants interact with each other and to enjoy the food we were able to give them and then to watch them bathe in the water.
Review provided by Viator
Nikkigermany123
Feb 5, 2025
A really lovely way to see rescued elephants in their natural environment. - We had an amazing morning visiting the elephants at Hidden Forest.
Louise and her team are doing an amazing job of rescuing, rehabilitating and caring for these amazing creatures.
You get to see the elephants up close, we fed them some bananas and sugar cane and watched them in their natural environment.
At the end of the experience we were offered a delicious Thai buffet while we watched the elephants playing happily in their bathing pool.
Drinking water is available throughout the morning and there is a small gift shop at the end with all proceeds going towards the elephants upkeep.
A truely “must visit” experience.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Kathleen_j
Feb 4, 2025
Totally ethical elephant sanctuary - Brilliant experience very educational staff are lovely. Seeing the elephants doing what they want to do. Totally ethical. No touching no bathing with the public no riding you are allowed to feed them bananas under strict rules. No overcrowding them. Highly recommended. Lunch is lovely overlooking where the elephants can plunge into the water pools if they wish. The walking around the site is quite steep at times and very hot.
Review provided by Viator
