Elephant Observation & Authentic Thai Cooking Class

A full day that pairs two of the most popular things to do around Chiang Mai: a hands-on Thai cooking class and an afternoon with elephants. It suits food lovers, families and anyone who wants a varied day rather than a single activity. No cooking experience is needed.

Pickup is between 08:00 and 08:30 from your Chiang Mai accommodation. At 09:00 you visit a local market to choose fresh ingredients, and at 09:30 you meet your cooking teacher, who has ten years of experience. Over the morning you prepare seven dishes: spring rolls with a butterfly pea lime tea to start, your choice from curry pastes, curries, soups, Thai salads and stir-fries, and mango sticky rice to finish. You eat what you cook, and you leave with an e-book of the recipes. Vegan and vegetarian versions are available.

At 12:30 you leave the class and drive about an hour and a half to Joy Elephant Sanctuary in Mae Wang, with the last ten minutes in a roofed 4x4 truck. From around 14:00 you change into traditional Karen clothing, hear a briefing about the sanctuary, then prepare food and snacks and feed the elephants from a respectful distance. This is an observation-based visit: no riding, no bathing with the elephants and no touching. You drink village herbal tea while watching the elephants' routine, take a break at the waterfall and craft a small Thai souvenir. A local meal is served at 17:00 before you say goodbye to the elephants, and you are back in Chiang Mai around 19:00.

The sanctuary runs all year round, in rain as well as sun. Tell us about dietary needs or allergies when you book.