Maetaman Elephant Camp, Chiang Mai Overview

Located in Mae Rim in the Chiang Mai Province in Thailand, the Maetaman Elephant Camp is a unique concept that allows its guests to interact with the elephants, and also to enjoy various activities with them. The camp features an elephant show, along with the elephant and ox-cart riding, bamboo rafting and many other such fun-filled activities.

The Maetaman Elephant Camp offers you the golden opportunity to watch elephants paint. You could also purchase these souvenir artworks from the gift shop. Moreover, you will also witness paper made from elephant dung fibres, while cutting a chat with the caretakers. This would be an excellent chance to know and understand these gentle and intelligent animals better. The duration of the safari is typically around four hours, during which, you would enjoy not just the camp, but the view along the travel as well.

Activities at the Maetaman Elephant Camp

There are different enjoyable activities that you will be able to experience while at the Maetaman Elephant Camp.

1. Elephant Ride
Enjoy a ride on an elephant’s back through the beautiful local mountain scenery, as the elephants walk you to the river and then enjoy a bath there in the water.

2. Ox-Cart Ride

You can also choose experience oxen transportation used by local Asian farmers in Asia by opting for an ox-cart ride. The ox-cart trip would take you from the rice fields and back to the main camp.

3. Elephant Show

The elephant show will demonstrate how trained elephants are used in teak forests, and how they work in the jungles to drag and push logs. You will also witness elephant painting, wherein elephants use their trunks to paint pictures on the paper that is produced from the fibres present in their dung. If you want, you can also buy these paintings from the souvenir shop later on.

4. Bamboo River Rafting
This river rafting will take you along the Mae Taeng River, as you cruise on the gentle waters and relax.

Other Amenities
Other than these, a full lunch buffet is also set up for the visitors to enjoy. You can also visit the orchard nursery in the camp and witness their extensive collections of various flowers and orchids in full bloom throughout the year.

Best Time to Visit

The best time to visit the Maetaman Elephant Camp would between November and May when the weather is cold and dry, and you can easily spend a day outdoors.

Visitor Tips

Booking a tour with the camp is a little tricky, since you need to do it well in advance, and the authorities are not very prompt in replying to their emails.
Also, communication might be a problem, and to avert that, ensure that your language is precise and straightforward.

How To Reach Maetaman Elephant Camp

The Maetaman Elephant Camp in Chiang Mai is located on the banks of the Maetaeng River in the picturesque Maetaman Valley. The camp is just 50 kilometres away from the Chiang Mai City in Northern Thailand, and you can easily book a cab to reach your destination.
However, you may not need to pay for the cab, as the entry fee to the camp includes pick-up and drop-off at your hotel, and an air-conditioned vehicle with an experienced driver will be there to pick you up.