Thailand is home to some of the last remaining wild Asian elephants—a species far rarer and more endangered than its African counterpart, with estimates suggesting fewer than 3,000 remain in the wild.
After falling in love with elephants years ago, sponsoring two orphaned calves in Kenya and travelling to see them in the wild, tracking Asian elephants in their natural habitat had long been at the top of our bucket list.
When we discovered that Kui Buri National Park offers the best chance in Thailand to observe these gentle giants living entirely free, we planned our trip.
Boarding the Safari: Inside Kui Buri National Park
This park shelters 250 elephants, gathered in 20 family groups and 30 solitary males. Nestled in Prachuap Khiri Khan province, it stands out as one of Thailand’s premier spots to witness elephants and wild gaur roaming free.
At the Kui Buri headquarters, we climb into a light truck, ready for adventure as rangers guide us through the wilderness to find these gentle giants. Vehicles stick strictly to marked roads, ensuring the elephants’ world remains undisturbed. With rangers radioing ahead to track their movements, our chances of a close encounter are thrillingly high.
The Kui Buri Safari: Roars, Rumbles & Newborn Calves
Over two days, we watched these majestic giants roam entirely free in their natural home. As our open-top truck wound past deciduous groves, dry woodland, thick rainforest and sweeping grasslands, elephants would suddenly emerge into open clearings to graze.
Long before we saw them, the jungle came alive with their calls—a thrilling symphony of deep rumbles, resonant trumpeting and low roars echoing through the trees.
A young elephant scolded us with a fierce trunk wave. Clearly offended by our intrusion, she put on a show, shaking a massive branch until leaves rained down over her head and tumbled to the earth.
Family groups mingled and played, splashing in the river and showering their backs with dirt and leaves to keep cool. After their swim, a young female spotted us. Stepping boldly to the front of the herd, she raised her trunk in a cautious warning. She hesitated, but her protective gaze never left her baby sister.
Watching this tiny guardian—barely more than a calf and far too small to defend the herd—try to shield her family was deeply moving and endearing.
A fortress of massive feet and gentle trunks surrounded a newborn calf—so young her skin was still pale, her tiny body sporting the wispy tufts of dark hair she was born with. One adult gazed down with soft, honey-coloured eyes, guiding this tiny treasure forward as she cradled a careful trunk beneath her belly.
Asian elephant calves are born wrapped in a soft layer of hair called lanugo, which gradually sheds as they grow.
The Stark Truth: Why Ethical Tourism Matters
There is nothing more rewarding than seeing elephants wild and free—exactly where they belong. By visiting Kui Buri, your travel dollars directly support local villagers, farmers and conservation efforts to protect one of Thailand’s most iconic species.
Photo courtesy of Emily McWilliam.
Behind the scenes of elephant riding and trick performances lies a dark reality of cruelty and training trauma. It’s easy to assume these giant, powerful animals can easily carry tourists, but the reality is heartbreaking. If you see a baby elephant on a city street or beach, ask yourself how it got there.
Most are victims of illegal wildlife trafficking, torn from family herds and often die trying to protect them—a fierceness of family love we witnessed firsthand in Kui Buri. Observing wild herds from a ranger truck isn’t just an alternative to rides and shows—it is the only truly ethical way to experience them.
Planning Your Visit: Kui Buri Practical Guide
Visiting Kui Buri is straightforward, but timing and preparation are key to getting the absolute most out of your wildlife safari. The park operates on strict afternoon-only hours to respect the natural movement of the herds as temperatures cool.
| Detail | Quick Summary |
| Opening Hours | 2:00 PM – 6:00 PM daily (Best viewing between 3:30 PM & 5:30 PM) |
| Park Entrance Fee | 200 THB for foreign adults / 100 THB for foreign children |
| Safari Vehicle Fee | 1,200 THB per truck (split across up to 6 people) |
| Location | Huai Luek Ranger Station, Prachuap Khiri Khan |
| Ideal Lens Range | 100–400mm telephoto zoom |
Key Logistics & Tips
- Timing is Everything: Aim to arrive at the Huai Luek Visitor Centre around 2:30 PM to 3:00 PM. This gives you time to pay park fees, get assigned to a safari truck and hit the track just as the elephants begin moving into open clearings. Last entry is typically at 5:00 PM.
- How the Safari Works: Private vehicles aren’t allowed in the wildlife zone. You will board an open-air pickup truck driven by a local driver, accompanied by a park ranger who radios ahead to track the herd’s position.
- Camera Gear: Because trucks stick strictly to designated roads to avoid disturbing the habitat, elephants can range anywhere from 20 to 100 metres away. A telephoto lens of at least 100–400 mm is essential for capturing close-ups of baby calves and detailed expressions.
- Getting There: The park is about a 1-hour drive from Pranburi or 1.5 hours from Hua Hin. The easiest option is arranging a round-trip driver or private taxi through your accommodation. However, if you prefer an organised guided package that includes transfers, reputable local tour operators like Wild Thailand and Ton Tan Travel have long-standing relationships with the park rangers and offer fantastic multi-day wildlife itineraries across Thailand.
Where to Stay: Relaxing in Nearby Pranburi
While many travellers default to the bustling city of Hua Hin, staying in Pranburi offers a far more peaceful, authentic coastal experience. Just an hour’s drive from Kui Buri National Park, this quiet beachside haven proved the ideal base for our wild elephant adventure.
Our Villa Oasis
After the heat and excitement of afternoon safaris, returning to our private villa at Sheraton Hua Hin Pranburi Villas felt like pure bliss. Waking up to gentle sea breezes, starting the morning with a quiet swim in the pool and relaxing on the open terrace offered the perfect contrast to the national park’s wilderness.
Exploring on Two Wheels & Local Eats
One of the best ways to experience Pranburi is by bike. We loved riding along the flat, quiet coastal paths, winding past local fishing villages, coconut groves and calm stretches of beach with barely another soul in sight. For dining, Pranburi keeps things wonderfully relaxed.
Casual Beachfront Bites: Unpretentious open-air spots right on the sand serve up spicy vegetarian Pad Thai, crispy sweet-chilli spring rolls sprinkled with crushed peanuts and fresh papaya salad.
Quiet Sunset Vibe: Watching the sky turn soft shades of pink and orange over the Gulf of Thailand without the dense crowds found further north.
For anyone planning a trip to Kui Buri, spending a few nights in Pranburi turns a simple day trip into a tropical getaway.
Ethical Elephant Sanctuaries in Thailand
While observing truly wild herds in national parks like Kui Buri is the ultimate way to experience these giants, visiting a genuine rescue sanctuary is another wonderful option if you are travelling further north.
If your journey takes you beyond Central Thailand, these four ethical sanctuaries put elephant welfare and hands-off observation above tourist entertainment:
| Sanctuary | Location | Key Focus & Vibe |
| BEES (Burm & Emily’s) | Mae Chaem, Chiang Mai | Strictly hands-off observation; a peaceful retirement home for rescued working elephants. |
| BLES (Boon Lott’s) | Si Satchanalai, Sukhothai | Ultra-exclusive, intimate homestay set on hundreds of acres of protected forest. |
| Elephant Nature Park (ENP) | Mae Taeng, Chiang Mai | The pioneering sanctuary model focused on large-scale rescue, rehabilitation and education. |
| Elephant Rescue Park (ERP) | Chiang Mai | Small-group, compassionate refuge dedicated to rescuing logging and circus elephants. Read our full story: 3 Adorable Babies at an Elephant Sanctuary in Chiang Mai) |
🌿Continue Exploring Thailand
🐾Where to Next
Step off the beaten path with our guides to build your ultimate Thailand itinerary. Discover ancient Khmer ruins and meet the gentle Dusky leaf monkeys of Prachuap Khiri Khan.
🏰Khmer Ruins in Thailand: Everything You Need to Know Before Visiting
🐒How to See the Dusky Leaf Monkeys at Prachuap Khiri Khan
A great read about the elephant sanctuaries. Definitely refreshing to know there are other alternatives to having an elephant encounter other than the “touristy rides” that many seem to do. Most Thailand tourist brochures don’t feature places like this so thank you for opening my mind to the “other” side of things. Also loved the camera lens tips!
Hi Vicky. We don’t think riding Elephants with thousands of other tourists could even compare to seeing them in the wild or spending a few days in one of the nice sanctuaries that have the Elephants wellbeing above everything else. Thanks for taking the time to comment. We appreciate it very much!
Beautiful work guys.No matter where you go, you end up with the best images! I’m sure if they could see these images most travellers would prefer to do something like this. I for one thought it was almost impossible to see the Asian Elephant in the wild. You have definately opened my eyes up there, and I’m sure many other people would agree.I think too, that a lot of people are unaware of the cruelty that does go on behind the scenes to make an Elephant rideable. Lets hope articles like yours and others can get the message out there. Give me this national park any day!
Thanks Renee. We had beautiful subjects! You have a very good chance of seeing the Elephants in the wild at Kui Buri. The rangers keep an eye on them throughout the day, so by the afternoon they generally have a good idea where they are. It is well worth a visit!
We agree that many people are unaware of the cruelty behind the scenes in regards to the riding of Elephants. We hope to think the message is slowly getting out there and travellers see they have some great alternatives.
Wow Ray & Sue these images are better than most images we’ve seen of elephants in captivity. Would this be rare, were you lucky or would this be considered a normal sightings? I myself never realised the cruelty involved to be able to ride an elephant. I thought it was more the present conditions of how the elephants lived. Either way it is a miserable life. Thanks for showing another way to appreciate this amazing animal.
Thanks John. We spent two afternoons at the park and even though we consider ourselves lucky to see them up close especially the mother and babies we don’t think it’s a rare occurrence. The rangers do keep an eye on them, so you are going to see them if they are around. There is a chance of course that they don’t come out of the rainforest and show themselves. If you go for two afternoons we think you would be very unlucky not to see them. Our ranger Mr Poo was also excellent. He has been at the park since its opening in 1999 and is enthusiastic and keen for people to see the Elephants.
We also saw a few wild Elephants on the road when we were travelling to Palau waterfall. So it is definitely a great area in Thailand to spot them in the wild.
Thanks for this Ray & Sue. We now have BEEs on our bucket list. Your photography is also amazing!!
Thanks Steve and Louis. We hope you make it to BEES!
Great stuff! It wouldn’t surprise me if the Elephants had ESP and brought their babies to show you, because they just KNOW you’re on their side! This is a very important piece, there is no doubt it’s dear to your heart and the elephants really need you to champion their cause. It is sad to see such a magnificent animal confined to chains and reduced to circus entertainment. So different to see them wild and free! Awesome, like Ozz’s Uluru ! Enlightenment is required to save all our natural treasures and your efforts are a graffic flash! You couldn’t be more illuminating on how to enjoy them without THEM paying the price! Plus, the budget value is easy on the pocket, too! The private pool looks decadent, what an experience!
Marie it was an incredible experience to see them in the wild. Between the beautiful national parks and some great sanctuaries that have the Elephants wellbeing put first, there is no reason to support the cruel treatment of Elephants.
Pranburi is a great area to stay, with lots of different accommodation and restaurants and convenient to the national parks. Thanks for reading our blogs and your comments.
Wow we are always amazed by your photography. How do you do it? We have never seen anything like this about wild elephants in Thailand. To show it is possible to get images like this of Asian elephants in the wild is remarkable. We are surprised this article hasn’t been taken up by the many crusaders for elephants in Thailand. It’s beautiful Ray & Sue.
Thank you Shelby. It always helps to have great subjects! It shows the Elephants are there in the national parks and at times you can be lucky and get quite close to them. It this can encourage even one person to visit the national parks or one of the above sanctuaries instead of riding the Elephants we will be happy.
Ray and Sue! All I can say is wow! Absolutely stunning pictures, you’ve done it again! They are all breathtaking, particularly of the herd ‘seeing them in the wild is a great experience’! Your both truly talented in what you do. Thank you for raising awareness for the plight of these beautiful and majestic creatures. I wish for all elephants to leave freely, be protected and to experience the love, freedom and social ability these guys have at Kuri Buri.
WOW, WOW, WOW. Blown away! Your pictures speak a thousand words, I will share this far and wide to raise awareness about your amazing work. It’s definately well worth a visit to see wild elephants and to move away from the exploitation and abuse. If everybody made mindful choices and opted to see elephants in natural settings and in the wild, change will happen for the elephants and they will no longer have to suffer. Education is the key and you have most definately highlighted the issues and provided tourists with an alternative. A job very well done! Congratulations and Thank you so much for sharing our info on your page also. Wonderful read, stunning photography. Keep up the great work!
Thank you so much Emily. Seeing them in the wild was a great experience. It was bittersweet in a way, as it really makes you think more of all the Elephants that will never have this life. The lucky Elephants that make it to your sanctuary Emily come close to having a life like these. If only more could be so lucky and have an opportunity to call BEES home. Our work pales in comparison and is nothing compared to all the hard work, sacrifices, love and devotion you and Burm have put into the Elephants and other animals at BEES.
Once again absolutely beautiful Ray & Sue! Your photos are always incredible. I would never have imagined seeing the Elephants in the wild like this. Love how you have also given other sustainable options for travellers who want a close encounter with the Elephants or who haven’t got the patience like yourselves to see them in the wild. Have also had a peek at BEES website and it looks unreal. It amazes and frustrates me that places like this are so unheard of. I will be steering everyone I know that visits Thailand to do this.
Thank you Laila. It was an awesome experience. We understand what you mean, but you really don’t need that much patience to see them in the wild at Kui Buri! However BEES is a great alternative or you can do them both!
This article is very interesting and give a lot knowledge about wildlife in Thailand. The pictures of wild animals are unique and amazing. A specially elephants and her baby pictures are wonderful. Thanks for sharing.
Hi we are trying to plan this trip ourselves. can you please tell me if you actually went with the company who cares? we are keen to support an ethical organisation but are finding it hard to get ingormation from them. Can you please advise whether you stayed overnight and if so what accomodation this was. Also importantly did you see elephants in the morning session. We cannot decide whether it is better to stay overnight to see them in the morning or do 2 afternoon trips if this would provide more “reliable” viewing. Many thanks from a group of elephant geeks who all know Cody and Giselle
Yes we did travel with WhoCare Asia We do recall they could take a while to answer emails, as they spend a lot of time away from internet access. Another option is Wild Thailand as they also have a close relationship with the park. Both of these can arrange private accommodation in the national park. The basic accommodation in the park is owned by villages in the area and you won’t find them on booking sites. Another option is to contact the park directly which also have accommodation belonging to the national park. It can be hard to organise independently as not a lot of English is spoken in the national park, so your best option is on one of these local companies or just find a local guide to take you there at the time. The park is not open in the mornings. The elephant viewing is in the afternoons from 3pm to 6pm. If you spend two afternoons you have a very high chance of seeing the elephants in wild. It is an awesome experience! Don’t hesitate to contact us, is you have any more questions.
Hi ray and Sue, thank you so much for the information. (sorry to be so long in replying) We did go twice and we did see elephants on both days.We went with a friend who speaks Thai, so that was a huge help. Stayed in Dolphin bay and drove up to Kui Buri each afternoon. So wonderful Thai elephants in the wild. Also worth mentioning that we were very impressed with the respect shown by the guides, talking in whispers, etc. Anyway thanks again for your confidence inspiring input 😉
Hi Moira
We are glad you made it and saw the elephants in the wild! To us, Kui Buri is a special place and we would love to go back one day. And thank you so much for your comments and letting us know how it went. We appreciate it very much!
Elephant Valley in Chiang Rai is also a very good elephant sanctuary that truely care about their elephants 🙂
there are well over 50000 wild asian elephants left in 13 asian countries (and another 16500 domesticated) in thailand there are about 5000 wild ad 4750 domesticated
This was inspiring and helpful. We are planning on visiting the park to see these beautiful creatures. How did you get around while in the area? We’d like to have some independence to visit the multiple parks but are nervous about renting a motorbike.
Thanks Joanna. We did the tour with WhoCare Asia, but we have just checked their website and it seems they are no longer in business. We stayed in Pranburi and their driver picked us up in the afternoon from our accommodation and transferred us to the national park which is about an hours drive away. Other companies with a close relationship to the national park are Wild Thailand and Tontan Travel They both do custom and private tours, so will pick you up from anywhere. Because of the busy traffic in the area, we don’t recommend a motorbike to the elephant park. However when we stayed in Prachuap Khiri Khan and visited the Dusky Monkeys, we did hire a motorbike as the monkeys and Khao Sam Roi Yo are very close to Prachuap Khiri Khan and the ride is on country roads with hardly any traffic. It really is a great place for your first motorbike ride if a little nervous. It was an awesome experience as we had dusky monkeys sitting on our motorbike and the even macaques monkeys at the national park! Also, there is just one road that runs alongside the beach between Pranburi and Prachuap Khiri Khan where all the little local restaurants are. That road is also quiet without much traffic. So we would recommend staying in one of these little towns and do the elephant park with one of these companies in the afternoon and doing the closer national parks on motorbike in the morning. Another less expensive option for the elephant park is hiring a driver from one of the towns once you are there. We hope this helps and if you have any other questions please don’t hesitate to get back in touch.