Frequently Asked Questions

We need a copy of your passport (printed or on your phone) for insurance purposes, and your booking confirmation (printed or on your phone).

At your hotel’s lobby.

We are booked up in advance, usually one week in advance or for high season (Dec – April) up to two weeks. As soon as you know the date you wish to visit, please book.

No, you can’t. There is strictly no public access to the sanctuary for safety and insurance purposes, and also as we have free roaming elephants. Please meet at our Office in Paklok, and you will be transported to the sanctuary in our vehicles.

Please arrive at our Office in Paklok between 9.00 and 09:15 for our morning tour & full day programs, and between 13.00 and 13.15 for our afternoon tour. For the PES Canopy Walkway, please arrive at 09:10, 09:40, 13:40 or 14:10. Please see individual tour programs for further details.

Yes, we are open year-round.

Yes absolutely. We have lockers at the sanctuary and plenty of space at our office for larger luggage.

If you are late, we will start the tour for our other guests. Our vehicles will take you to the sanctuary as soon as you arrive so you can join the remainder of the program.

No. It is not possible to ‘drop in’ to the sanctuary.

Yes, we are open whatever the weather conditions. Elephants love the rain and playing in the mud, and it is magical being in the forest when the rain falls. We provide large golf size umbrellas for protection from the heavy rains and strong sun, wellie boots and plastic rain coats if needed.

No, you don’t need to bring boots, however if we have had heavy rains, yes it will be muddy. We provide wellie boots up to size 12 as well as socks.

Phuket is either rainy and hot, or dry and hot! Please bring a hat, sunscreen, and if you are prone to sunburn a long sleeved shirt is also useful for extra protection. We provide chilled purified water throughout the tour.

Yes absolutely, we cater for all ages. Our program is relaxed and at any time on the walk should you wish to return to the reception our staff will take care of you. Many guests with young children find on hot sunny days that our large umbrellas are great to shade from the sun. We are a sanctuary and our tours are peaceful so if your children enjoy the tranquility of nature then they will love our program. We also have electric golf cars with drivers for families with young children, and a nursery at the Tree Top Reception to play and relax.

Yes, of course. We recommend the morning tour as we feed the elephants near the reception area and then go on the elephant walk. We have electric golf cars that can access nearly every corner of the sanctuary, ensuring that all guests have an opportunity to see our elephants in the jungle.

We serve a delicious home made Thai vegetarian/vegan buffet. Should you have any special dietary requirements please advise our staff on arrival and they will inform the kitchen.

Yes. If you have pre-arranged a round trip journey through us, your driver will meet you after the tour.

There are hundreds of hotels in Phuket catering to a broad spectrum of travelers. Research through any online booking agent. We are in the Paklok area which is a quieter, more rural part of Phuket. There are guesthouses in this area should you wish for an overnight stay before your tour, however, the best beaches are on the west coast.

• Distances (dependent on traffic)
• Patong to Paklok – 31 kms, approx 55 mins
• Kamala to Paklok – 27 kms, approx 45 mins
• Karon to Paklok – 37 kms, approx 1 hour
• Bang Tao to Paklok – 21 kms, approx 30 mins
• Cherntalay to Paklok – 21 kms, approx 30 mins
• Rawai to Paklok – 37 kms, approx 1 hour
• Phuket Town to Paklok – 26 kms, approx 45 mins
• Maikhao to Paklok – 22 kms, approx. 35 mins
• Nai Thon beach to Paklok – 20 kms, approx 30 mins
• Phuket International Airport – 15 kms, approx 25 mins
• Khao Lak to Paklok – 90 kms, approx 1 hour 30 mins

Yes, click here to purchase gift cards/vouchers.

We need a copy of your passport (printed or on your phone) for insurance purposes, and your booking confirmation (printed or on your phone).

As you will be working outside in hot weather, we recommend to bring clothes you don’t mind getting dirty, closed toe shoes, a hat, sunscreen, and if you are prone to sunburn a couple of long sleeved shirts for extra protection. We provide one volunteer shirt upon arrival as well as wellie boots, socks and umbrellas in case of rain. Chilled, purified water is also provided throughout the program.

At your hotel’s lobby.

It’s between 3 and 8pm at our Meeting Point in Paklok. After registration our team will take you to your accommodation which is just a few minutes away. If you plan to arrive earlier or later, please let us know in advance.

Check-out time from your accommodation is at 1pm, and the volunteer program finishes at 5pm. You can leave your luggage at the meeting point.

No, you can’t. There is strictly no public access to the sanctuary for safety and insurance purposes, and also as we have free roaming elephants. Please meet at our Office in Paklok, and you will be transported to the sanctuary in our vehicles.

We are booked up in advance, usually one week in advance or for high season (Dec – April) up to two weeks. As soon as you know the date you wish to visit, please book.

We serve a delicious home made Thai vegetarian/vegan buffet. Should you have any special dietary requirements please advise our staff on arrival and they will inform the kitchen. Should you join our three day or one week volunteer programs, the first meal will be served on Monday morning. You will enjoy breakfast snacks, lunch and dinner at the sanctuary on every working day.

Should you join our three day or one week volunteer programs, we provide private accommodation a few minutes from our meeting point and offices. You will have your own airconditioned accommodation with a bedroom, bathroom, fridge and complimentary WiFi. There is a restaurant at the lobby as well as a 7/11 and some local restaurants in walking distance.

Our team will pick you up at 8.30am in the morning and drop you back at 5pm.

We do not require any previous volunteer experience as long as you are a passionate animal lover with a keen interest in wildlife. If you’re 18 years or older, physically fit, enthusiastic and able to work as part of the team in the hot Thai humid climate whether rain or sun – volunteer!

All our elephants were either born in captivity or have lived in captivity for up to 60 years prior to their rescue and relocation to Phuket Elephant Sanctuary. Unfortunately, they never had a chance to experience life in the wild and lived alongside humans for decades.

Because we do not have an elephant-proof fence around our 30-acre sanctuary, there is a risk that the elephants may wander off to nearby villages and farms, which potentially could lead to a human-wildlife conflict. This is why the elephants have a dedicated mahout to look after them while they explore the sanctuary. These mahouts are the keepers of the elephants, and they have a very special relationship with them that is based on love and trust. The mahouts feed the elephants, and guide them if necessary to ensure that the elephants do not leave the safety of our sanctuary.

At nighttime when the mahouts are sleeping, and also for a short time around noon, the elephants spend time in their large chain-free shelters with lots of food and water.

Hydrotherapy plays an important role in the recovery and rehabilitation of our elephants. Older elephants and those with leg injuries stand 24 hours a day, even while sleeping, as they do not have the strength to get back up once they lay down.

Being in the water helps the elephants balance their weight and relieve their tired muscles. We have a natural lake and several streams with fresh water from the nearby Bang Pae waterfall, as well as a dedicated hydrotherapy pool that we built for our oldest elephants who can’t step into the lake anymore.

As many of our elephants lived in trekking camps or shows without access to natural lakes for their entire lives, we lead them into the lake and pool using positive encouragements during their first months at the sanctuary. After a while the elephants understand the healing effects of being in the water and wade into the lake without encouragement.

Guests often have a chance to see the elephants enjoy time in the water, and it is one of the highlights of a visit to Phuket Elephant Sanctuary.

Elephants love to swim, cool off and splash in the water, and to cover themselves with thick mud. They like to do so alone or with fellow elephants. However, if people crowd around or interact with them during this bathing ritual, it becomes stressful for the elephants, preventing them from displaying their natural behavior.

To give the elephants the privacy they need and to enjoy their day as much as you, we built an Observation Sala overlooking our fresh water pond, from where you can witness the elephants enjoying their bathing time alone or with fellow elephants. This is a great photo opportunity and educational experience as you can observe the elephants behave naturally.

We do offer a brief interaction between visitors and our elephants during a feeding program at the beginning of the tour. This is a rare opportunity to get up close with the elephants and to capture some incredible photographs as they enjoy a few watermelons, pineapples, bananas or cucumbers.