What Happens if Your Thailand Elephant Sanctuary Tour Is Cancelled
Direct answer: If you cancel a ThaiEleHub-booked elephant sanctuary tour more than 24 hours before the scheduled tour time for a guest-side reason, your deposit is refunded after a 6.5% payment-channel processing cost. Cancellations made less than 24 hours before the tour are not eligible for a deposit refund. If the sanctuary or ThaiEleHub has to cancel for weather or an operational reason, the team helps you re-arrange the date or provides an appropriate refund according to the situation. Full policy: Cancellation & Refund Policy.
The 24-hour window is what matters
Every ThaiEleHub deposit follows the same rule. Cancel more than 24 hours before your booked tour start time and the deposit is refundable after deducting a 6.5% payment-channel processing cost (charged by the payment platform, card network or bank, not kept by ThaiEleHub). Cancel inside the 24-hour window and the deposit is not refundable, because guides, drivers, vehicles, meals and sanctuary scheduling are usually already confirmed by that point.
Refund calculation, with a real number
A guest who paid a ฿400 Chiang Mai deposit and cancels at least 24 hours before the tour for a guest-side reason receives ฿374 back. The remaining ฿26 covers the 6.5% payment-channel processing cost. The same percentage applies at any deposit amount — a ฿800 Chonburi booking deposit refunds ฿748, for example.
What if the sanctuary or ThaiEleHub cancels?
Operational issues, unsafe weather at the sanctuary, or other merchant-side reasons trigger a different path. The team contacts you to either move the tour to another available date or arrange the appropriate refund based on the situation — the guest-side 6.5% deduction does not apply here, because the cancellation is not on you.
Rainy season notes
Light rain does not usually cancel a sanctuary day. Programs adjust footwear, forest walks and river time to conditions on the day. Heavy weather can shift the itinerary; the sanctuary confirms details on the tour morning. See our rainy-season guide for what to expect.
How to cancel or change a booking
Message the ThaiEleHub team on WhatsApp with your booking reference and the tour date — the fastest way to keep the 24-hour window on your side. WhatsApp: +66 98 858 9666. Email: info@thaielehub.com. The team will confirm the refund amount before processing.
Which sanctuary and program am I actually booking?
The cancellation terms above apply the same way across ThaiEleHub's sanctuary hubs. Read the individual sanctuary profile before booking: