Chai Lai Orchid in Chiang Mai City

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We had the most incredible experience at Chai Lai Orchid, and it was all thanks to Bebe. From the moment we met him, he was warm, knowledgeable, and genuinely passionate about the elephants and the Karen community.

Bebe didn’t just guide us — he educated us. He shared the elephants’ individual stories, explained their behavior and care, and gave us such a deeper understanding of ethical elephant tourism. You can tell he truly cares about the sanctuary’s mission and the local community it supports.

He made us feel safe, welcomed, and completely immersed in the experience. Every question we asked was answered thoughtfully, and every interaction with the elephants felt respectful and intentional.

If you’re visiting Chai Lai Orchid, ask for Bebe — he made our time there unforgettable. 💚🐘

Stefanie and Olivier

We did the 1 full day private tour for the 6 of us. 2 kids (8 & 10) one of which is autistic, 2 elderly grand parents and 2 adults. The car came directly to our hotel at the arranged time and was a lovely modern comfortable van with aircon. When we got to the sanctuary it was very organised and our guide Artid came to meet us straight away.l and introduced his son, Brian and his nephew Franco who would be helping us on the tour. I explained some of the challenges we have with our party and Artid was very understanding. The tour itself was amazing, Artid's English was extremely good and he was super knowledgable about the local tribes, the elephants and the surrounding area. Brian and Franco were super caring and especially helpful with my 78 year old dad who struggled with some of the steps. When it came to the elephants we had 3 separate occasions with them and the kid were kept super safe but also had great interaction with them. The waterfall was also a highlight. Artid made our lunch himself and even brought food and ingredients from his home village! Our group love food and there was something for everyone including kids and the vegetarian in the group. Magical memories were made and I cannot rate or recommend Artid, Franco and Brian highly enough!

The most fabulous place to stay. We had two nights here and went on the trek, bamboo rafting, waterfall visit, washing elephants and cookery session. Jackie Chan who ran the cookery was a wonderful leader who got everybody involved and the food we made was lovely. He explained every ingredient and where it had come from in the garden. The trek day was led by Tip who again was very knowledgable and helpful. He explained each section and answered all of our questions. We loved playing in the river too. The elephants were amazing, well cared for and the workers were knowledgeable. They weren’t forced to anything and walked away when they wanted to. They had no halters or ropes and the workers didn’t have sticks or anything like that. Completely recommend this wonderful place.

Absolutely amazing place, We stayed the night and did the full day tour A little confusion over breakfast with the elephants which in the end felt rushed and not very relaxing as I hoped for as we were meeting our guide in a few minutes so was rushed. The tour was amazing tho and our guide tip was very knowledgeable kind courteous made sure I was ok throughout the tour as I had a dodgy knee at the time The time spent with elephants was amazing not rushed,had time to really interact and learn how to care and feed them. One followed us to the water where we spent time with her. One of the guides made us amazing bamboo rings. Tip our guide cooked us a beautiful lunch by the river. The raft riding and waterfall was beautiful a totally packed fun informative tour.

Our stay at Chai Lai Orchid was truly unforgettable. The whole place is beautifully surrounded by nature and has such a peaceful, relaxing atmosphere. What impressed us most was how warm and caring the entire team is – you can really feel how much heart and dedication goes into this place.
One of the absolute highlights of our stay was the day trip with our tour guide Tony. He showed us some of the most beautiful places in the area and shared a lot of interesting information about the region, the culture, and the local nature. Tony was incredibly friendly, funny, and made the whole experience perfectly organized and enjoyable. Thanks to him, we discovered places we would never have found on our own.
Another thing that makes Chai Lai Orchid so special is its mission to support elephant conservation and social projects. It feels great to stay somewhere that truly cares about animals, people, and the environment.
We highly recommend Chai Lai Orchid and would love to come back anytime – especially for more amazing experiences like the one we had with Tony.

Highly recommend this place if you’re looking for an amazing and ethical experience with rescued elephants. Our guide, Napakun, and his daughter from the Karen tribe made our 2-day trip truly unforgettable. They took great care of us, made sure we were always safe, captured awesome photos and videos, and shared stories about the elephants and their community. The package also included 3 meals, which were all very delicious and prepared by our guides as well.

The trip started with a beautiful hike with waterfalls and scenic views. Along the way, our guide even made us walking sticks, hats from leaves, and bamboo cups he carved as souvenirs. His daughter also made us rings, which was such a thoughtful touch.

The villa we stayed in, also managed by the Karen tribe, was very nice—clean, comfortable, and peaceful, with a delicious breakfast. Waking up to an elephant outside was such a special moment.

This was truly the highlight of our trip to Thailand. 🐘

Amazing place and would highly recommend. We spent one night by the lake and one in the upper accommodation. Both were wonderful, the lake area is quieter if you want a full escape. We did a day trek with Tony who was the most fantastic guide and cooked our lunch by the river. A 10/10 experience

If you are looking for a resort where you can spend time with elephants and truly connect with nature, The Chai Lai Orchid in Chiang Mai is a wonderful place to visit. Surrounded by lush forest and fresh mountain air, it offers a peaceful environment where you can walk with elephants in the jungle or swim with them in the river. What makes this place even more meaningful is its mission. The eco-lodge empowers Karen and Kayan women and provides scholarships for girls who cannot afford education. I am grateful to be one of the students supported through this program. By visiting, you are not only enjoying a beautiful nature retreat but also supporting elephant rescue and helping many girls continue their education and pursue their dreams.

I had an amazing experience with the tour at Ban Lan Dao Resort, mainly because of our tour guide *Hua*. He really took his time with me, explained everything in a very clear and easy way, and shared many interesting facts about the elephants and how they are taken care of. You can truly feel that the animals are treated with respect and love. Hua even offered to take photos for me, which I really appreciated. During the hike he always made sure I was safe and gave helpful tips, especially near the waterfall so I wouldn’t slip. He also told me about the elephant breakfast experience, which sounds amazing and shows how much effort the company puts into their tours. I would definitely book this tour again, and when I come back to Thailand with my family, I will ask for Hua again. Highly recommended.