The Global Meaningful Travel Map
Kindred Spirit Elephant Sanctuary
OUR EXPERIENCES
We arrange one- or two-night homestays with pickup/dropoff from Chiang Mai. Drive through stunning mountain scenery and stay with a local (Karen tribe) family in the village. Activities include cooking with your homestay family, learning traditional basket weaving, and visiting the sanctuary’s resident elephants in the forest with their mahouts. Longer stays can be arranged and 1-8 week internship placements are available in photography, marketing and elephant research.
ABOUT US
Our award winning sanctuary is run by Kindred Spirit Elephant Foundation, a registered NGO in Thailand. We opened our doors in May 2016, with the aim to bring as many elephants as possible back to their natural habitat whilst working on educating both the public and the locals about elephant treatment and try to combat illegal trade. We at Kindred Spirit Elephant Sanctuary are passionate about elephant welfare and want our elephants to live their lives as naturally and with as little human influence as possible. We do not promote elephant rides or any form of elephant performance. This Meaningful Travel Map Impact Partner was brought to our attention by Animondial, a specialist consultancy that provides impartial advice to guide travel and tourism, improve animal and nature protection and deliver meaningful change. Animondial’s ‘Animal Protection Network’ is a biodiversity partnerships initiative that aims to identify reputable, professional and impactful NGOs and other organisations to form mutually beneficial biodiversity-benefitting collaborations for nature.
You can learn more at https://animondial.com/animal-protection-network
OUR IMPACT
There are more than 3,700 captive elephants in Thailand, most of whom are living in inadequate conditions with incorrect care and lack of freedom. Kindred Spirit aims to bring as many elephants as possible back to their natural habitat, living in the forests around our village, still cared for by their mahouts. The mahouts belong to the local Karen tribe, and this allows them to live in the village with their family rather than travelling around the country to find work. We also support the local economy by arranging and promoting tourist visits, while educating both the public and the locals about elephant treatment and illegal trade.
DETAILS
To learn more, contact: kselephantsanctuary@gmail.com
What are your minimum and maximum group sizes?
1-16
Do you require visitors to pre-book?
Yes
Do you have group rates?
Yes
Do you pay commissions to travel advisors?
Yes (10%)
What languages do you offer your services in?
English & Thai and others according to current staff (Spanish & Italian at time of writing)
When are you open?
Sunday - Friday
What accommodations do you make for people living with disabilities?
Unfortunately, we have very limited accessibility options for visiting elephants as they roam freely in natural terrain.