Firstly, we adopt “The 5 Freedoms For Animals” approach from the beginning to the end. Freedom from thirst, hunger and malnutrition.  Freedom from discomfort and exposure Freedom from pain, injury & disease. Freedom from fear and distress. Freedom to express normal and natural behaviour. How does this translate the daily life for our elephants at Hidden Forest? Our elephants are given incredible amount of space and freedom by our mahouts that are not only highly experienced mahouts, but they are kind, animal loving people that love and care for our elephants, and this results in calm, friendly and happy elephants. The ability to make a friend and socialise with other elephants is something in most elephant projects (sanctuary, bathing or riding) is sadly lacking. We put this at the top of our daily activities. We have created a beautiful environment for our elephants, but elephants heal each other, so we give them the space to be able to make friends, have fun, communicate and socialise with each other. This closes the loop of the rescue instead of just relocating and stopping the abuse. We want our elephants to have a happy and healthy second half of their lives and that means putting the welfare and socialisation as the number 1 priority at all times. The team at Hidden Forest are highly experienced in animal welfare and are regularly consulted by international organisations & foundations regarding elephant welfare matters. Hidden Forest Elephant Reserve is recommended by World Animal Protection and Responsible Travel.

Please bring your booking confirmation on your phone.

When you make a booking you will receive an email confirmation with full details. Please be at reception 15 mins before pick up time incase our driver is early!

As soon as you know your date you wish to visit please book ahead. We may be fully booked in high season (Dec - April/May) so you may wish to book at least 2 weeks in advance.

Ideally you will please book in advance as we need to ensure the number of guests for our tours as we keep our groups small. In the quieter months it is not a problem to walk in but please understand that in the high season, entry (especially in the morning) is not guaranteed.

Yes, we have parking near our reception. However, please do not turn up without a prior booking for both safety and insurance purposes. We have 2 half day tours starting at 9.30am and 2pm so please arrive at least 15 minutes before our tour starts.

Hidden Forest is open 6 days a week from Monday to Saturday from June 1st until Nov 30th. From 1st Dec until May 31st we also open on a Sunday AM only for high season.

We must start our tour on time as we have other guests waiting. It is important for you to watch our Educational Video before the tour therefore if you arrive late, you will need to watch the video before joining the remainder of the tour.

No. Please book in advance to join so we know the exact number of guests for each program.

Yes we are open when it rains. Elephants love the rain and it's a wonderful experience to be in the forest in a tropical downpour. Please wear clothes and trainers/closed toe shoes that you don't mind getting a little wet! We provide umbrellas and guarantee a fabulous day out with the elephants!

Yes of course! We cater for all ages. We feel it's very important for children to learn about elephants and to spend time in nature and we offer a great program for them. Our tours are relaxed and at any time if you wish to return to the reception or go straight to our Hidden Forest Restaurant, we will arrange our 4x4 vehicle to pick you up and our staff will take care of you. We have a lot of tree cover in our forest but we also have umbrellas as shade from the sun as well as the rain. At our restaurant we also have crayons for children to colour an elephant painting to keep them occupied at lunch!

We serve a delicious home made Thai vegetarian/vegan buffet. If you have any special dietary requirements please make a note when booking and also mention to our staff on arrival to ensure we advise our kitchen on the day.

We understand that extenuating circumstances can happen and we try to be as accommodating as possible. If you don't show up for a tour we unfortunately can't refund you as your spaces are preventing other people from attending. If traffic has delayed you by too long or a sickness has happened, we can reschedule you without charge (unless very last minute and transport has already been dispatched). Cancellations need to be 24 hours before the scheduled tour you have booked on to receive a full refund (unless you have booked within the same time frame and have made a mistake).