Big Boy Chiang Mai Half-Day: What's Included
Direct answer
The Big Boy Elephant Sanctuary Chiang Mai half-day is a visit where you watch the herd from a distance, feed vitamin balls at a feeding table, help with habitat care, and cook your own Pad Thai lunch. Riding, shows and elephant bathing are not part of the visit — and there is no riding, bathing with elephants, or going out on the trail alongside the herd. The half-day costs ฿1,500 per adult (child aged 4–8 ฿1,100, infants 0–3 free), with a ฿375 deposit online and ฿1,125 per adult paid locally on the day. The morning product (hotel pickup 07:00–07:30, back around 14:00) is the primary booking for first-timers who want the afternoon free in Chiang Mai; the afternoon window is the alternate if you need a later start.
What’s included (checklist)
Use this list when you compare camps or brief a travel partner. The items below are taken from the live ThaiEleHub morning product page.
Included in the half-day
| Included | What it means on the day |
|---|---|
| Round-trip Chiang Mai hotel transfer | Complimentary pickup and drop-off for accommodation within 5 km of Chiang Mai Old City. Transfer time (round-trip) is 180 minutes. Outside that radius, ask before booking — a small surcharge may apply. |
| Elephant welfare and safety briefing | Education briefing at the sanctuary before vitamin balls at the feeding table and habitat care. |
| Observe the herd | Watch the herd from a distance and feed vitamin balls at the feeding table. Guests do not touch, bathe or ride the elephants. |
| Vitamin balls at the feeding table | Feed vitamin balls at the feeding table. Guests do not touch, bathe or ride the elephants. |
| Habitat care | Help with habitat care. |
| Pad Thai cooking workshop | You cook Pad Thai; that meal is your guest lunch, eaten with other local Thai dishes. |
| Local guide, drinking water and insurance | Listed on the product inclusions block. |
Physical difficulty is listed as Easy. Distances, stairs, terrain and toilets: confirm with the sanctuary.
Not included — clear NO list
| Not part of this visit | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Elephant riding | Common Q on the product page: riding? No. |
| Elephant shows / performances | Same policy line as riding. |
| Bathing with elephants | Riding, shows and elephant bathing are not part of this visit. |
| Trail walks alongside the herd | No riding, bathing with elephants, or going out on the trail alongside the herd. |
| Child fare | Child 4–8 pays ฿1,100 (deposit ฿275); infants 0–3 are free. |
| Account required to book | Book on the product page with no account; the date is held only after the deposit succeeds. |
Morning timed flow (primary CTA)
Times below are the live morning itinerary. Pickup is fixed; other blocks are approximate and the order may shift with traffic and weather. Final pickup time and location are confirmed one day before; be ready 15 minutes early.
| Clock | Block |
|---|---|
| 07:00–07:30 | Hotel pickup in Chiang Mai |
| 09:30 | Arrive at the sanctuary. Education briefing; vitamin balls at the feeding table; habitat care. Guests cannot touch the elephants. |
| 12:00 | Authentic Pad Thai cooking workshop |
| 12:30 | Lunch: the Pad Thai you prepared, with other local Thai dishes |
| 13:00 | Farewell to the elephants and return to Chiang Mai |
| 14:00 | Arrive at the hotel in Chiang Mai |
Suits (live product): early risers; travellers who want an afternoon free in Chiang Mai for temples or markets; first-time sanctuary visitors; couples and families who prefer no-riding experiences; travellers who want pickup and a planned itinerary.
Not ideal for (live product): late risers; guests arriving late the night before; anyone looking for elephant riding or performances; guests needing step-free access without checking first; guests who cannot manage the stated transfer time.
Afternoon window (alternate only)
Same price, same care activities, later clocks:
| Afternoon half-day | |
|---|---|
| Hotel pickup | 11:30–12:00 |
| Arrive at the sanctuary | 13:30 |
| Pad Thai cooking | 13:30 |
| Lunch | 14:00 |
| Farewell | 17:30 |
| Back in Chiang Mai | around 18:30 |
| Price / deposit / balance | ฿1,500 / ฿375 / ฿1,125 per adult |
| Suits (live) | Late risers; guests with a morning appointment or a slow start |
| Not ideal for (live) | Travellers who need to leave Chiang Mai by early afternoon |
Price, deposit and cancellation
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Half-day adult | ฿1,500 |
| Half-day child | ฿1,100 (ages 4–8; deposit ฿275; infants 0–3 free) |
| Deposit online (25%) | ฿375 per adult |
| Balance on the day | ฿1,125 per adult (paid locally) |
| Couple example | ฿750 online + ฿2,250 on the day |
Pay the deposit through secure Stripe checkout on ThaiEleHub. Cancel at least 24 hours before your scheduled tour start time for a deposit refund. Stripe, our payment processor, keeps its 6.5% processing fee. This fee is not charged or kept by ThaiEleHub. Cancellations made within 24 hours of the scheduled tour start time are non-refundable. Bookings made within 24 hours of the scheduled tour start time are non-refundable once paid. No-shows are charged the full tour price; the deposit is not refunded.
Want a longer day? Big Boy also lists full-day programs from ฿1,800 adult with a ฿450 deposit — compare options in the collection without assuming extra activity detail here.
Bring: secure sandals, sunscreen, insect repellent, personal medication, and a change of clothes after habitat care. Vegetarian Pad Thai is usually easy if you note it at checkout or message ahead.
Who this half-day is for — and who should look elsewhere
Good fit: first-time visitors who want a practical checklist of what the day actually contains; couples and families who want observe + feed + habitat care without riding; travellers who value hotel pickup and a free afternoon after a morning visit.
Not a good fit: anyone seeking riding, shows or bathing with elephants; guests who need step-free access without confirming first; anyone who cannot manage the stated transfer time (180 minutes round-trip).
FAQs
What exactly do I do with the elephants at Big Boy?
You watch the herd from a distance, feed vitamin balls at the feeding table and help with habitat care. Guests do not touch, bathe or ride the elephants.
Is bathing or riding included?
No. Riding, shows and elephant bathing are not part of the visit. There is no riding, bathing with elephants, or going out on the trail alongside the herd.
Is morning or afternoon better for a first visit?
Morning if you want the afternoon free in the city (pickup 07:00–07:30, back around 14:00). Afternoon if you need a later start (pickup 11:30–12:00, back around 18:30). Price and core care activities are the same.
Is hotel pickup included?
Yes, for accommodation within 5 km of Chiang Mai Old City. Outside that radius a small surcharge may apply — confirm with the team before you book. WhatsApp +66 98 858 9666.
Can children join, and what do they pay?
Children can usually join; families should review heat, transfer time and the itinerary first. A child aged 4–8 pays ฿1,100 (deposit ฿275); infants 0–3 are free. Children must stay with a parent at all times.
Ready to book?
Ready for a clear morning care day? Book the Big Boy Chiang Mai morning half-day — adult ฿1,500, ฿375 deposit today, hotel pickup 07:00–07:30, back around 14:00. Prefer a later start? Choose the afternoon half-day with pickup 11:30–12:00. Compare every program in the Big Boy Chiang Mai collection or read the Big Boy sanctuary overview. Questions first? WhatsApp +66 98 858 9666.