Elephant Sanctuary and Thai Cooking Workshop

Experience two of Northern Thailand’s most memorable activities in one day - authentic Thai cooking and a meaningful encounter with elephants in the beautiful countryside of Chiang Mai.

Travel by air-conditioned van from Chiang Mai to Pon Elephant Thailand, approximately 1 hour and 20 minutes away. Surrounded by mountains and nature, you’ll spend the day learning about Thai cuisine, exploring an organic garden, and interacting with elephants in their natural environment.

Thai Cooking Experience

Begin with a visit to the organic vegetable and herb garden, where your guide will introduce you to fresh ingredients commonly used in Thai cuisine.

Learn about the essential flavors of Thai cooking - sweet, sour, salty, bitter, and spicy - and discover traditional preparation and cooking techniques under the guidance of an experienced local cooking instructor.

Choose and prepare your own dishes from a selection of Thai favorites, which may include:

• Pad Thai • Khao Soi • Tom Yum Goong • Green Curry • Mango Sticky Rice • Other traditional Thai dishes

After cooking, sit down and enjoy the delicious meal you have prepared while taking in the peaceful mountain surroundings.

You’ll also receive recipes to take home, so you can recreate your favorite Thai dishes and share your new cooking skills with family and friends.

Elephant Experience

After your cooking experience, meet the elephants and learn about their habitat, history, daily routines, behavior, and how to interact with them respectfully and safely.

Walk alongside the elephants through their natural surroundings and enjoy the opportunity to feed them some of their favorite foods, including Napier grass, sugarcane, and bananas.

Spend time observing and interacting with these gentle giants up close before accompanying them to the river. Depending on the elephants’ natural behavior, you may have the opportunity to see them swimming and bathing and join them in the water.

The elephants are never forced to enter the river or participate in bathing. As their welfare comes first, this part of the experience may change depending on the elephants’ behavior and conditions on the day.

This experience also supports the surrounding local communities and contributes to the long-term protection and preservation of the community forest.

After a memorable day of Thai cooking, nature, and elephants, travel back to Chiang Mai by air-conditioned van.