Last updated on May 17th, 2026 at 05:37 am
There are less than 400 wild elephants left in Cambodia but fortunately the work of the few Cambodia elephant sanctuaries is helping their situation. They are now getting some recognition with conservation efforts getting going – especially now the country is at peace and recovering from its past.
However it will be hard to see any of these wild elephants as they prefer, unsurprisingly, to avoid humans. So your best bet, if you want to see or get close to the elephants, is to spend some time at one of the ethical elephant sancutuaries in Cambodia.
Note: Cambodia banned elephant riding at Angkor Wat from 2020, but some operators may still offer elephants rides elsewhere. I will only say this – shame on you if you do not avoid those operators like the plague – it is a cruel practice.
Details of these reserves, how they work, and what you can do coming up….
First a few important links to use when you plan your trip. Yes, they are affiliate links, but I use them all for my travels, and if you do too it will help me keep producing this content. Cheers!
Plan for your trip
Flights – use skyscanner or booking.com to find and book your flight – I often find the same flight for a lot cheaper than booking direct with the airline!
Insurance – Use EKTA or SafetyWing. TBH I usually use EKTA – they accept any nationality, any age and its ok if you are already traveling – which is perfect for me!
Accommodation – use booking.com or for a hostel – Hostelworld. I use both.
Internet – buy a yesim eSim or Airalo before you go. I use both depending on where I am going.
Buses, trains, ferries – 12Go is always my first option for buses, ferries and trains
Car rental – use DiscoverCars – they are my ‘go-to’ car rental site
Hiking – I use AllTrails for online and offline hiking trails – it means you know exactly where you are on the trail and makes getting lost a lot harder!!
Tours and Activities – book with Viator, GetYourGuide, or Eatwith. Key options to visit the elephant sanctuaries from Siam Reap are:
1. Elephant sanctuary visit from Siam Reap for a day or for half a day
2. Elephants & Apopo Rat Private Trip
Thanks so much if you use one of these links – it costs you nothing but helps me keep writing!!
Intro – Asian Elephants in Cambodia
As said, even though you might possibly see Asian elephants in the wild in Cambodia, there are less than 400 and they are generally very hard to see. So your best bet, is to spend some time at one of Cambodia’s elephant sanctuaries and reserves. Here, elephants retired or rescued from the horrible tourist rides, logging, or other back breaking work, can live out their years freely in the forest in as natural a setting as possible.
Its not cheap to visit, but not expensive really either. And importantly, buying these elephants from their owners and having forest land for them to live in is an expensive business. So you are also helping other “not yet rescued” elephants by visiting.
Where are Cambodia’s elephant sanctuaries?
There are three elephant sanctuaries near(ish) to Siam Reap which are easy to get to. But also, off the main tourist trail, are two great organisations in the Mondulkiri Forest near Sen Monorom in the east of the country. I 100% loved my time in Sen Monorom and it is interesting to get to a much less visited part of the country.
These are the five key elephant sanctuaries in Cambodia that are easy to visit – in no particular order. The :
- Cambodia Elephant Sanctuary
- Cambodia Wildlife Sanctuary
- Kulen Elephant Forest
- Mondulkiri Project
- Elephant Valley Project
Some of these are considered more ethical than others, but none allow elephant riding and the like. Two allow volunteering – they are both considered very ethical in terms of being totally hands-off. The Mondulkiri Project allows minimal contact, but is very ethical in terms of its support to the local hill tribes.
I describe each of these elephant sanctuaries in the next sections so you can choose which you want to visit or volunteer at on your trip to Cambodia. (These are not described in order of preference – its up to you which you choose for you.)
1. The Cambodia Elephant Sanctuary
Where is the Cambodia Elephant Sanctuary and how do I get there?
The Cambodia Elephant Sanctuary is about one hour from Siam Reap. You can take a tour from Siam Reap to get there.
What is the mission of the Cambodia Elephant Sanctuary?
“Our mission at Cambodia Elephant Sanctuary is to provide a sanctuary for elephants retired from labor and entertainment. These noble animals, having served in various capacities, deserve a peaceful environment for rest and rehabilitation.”
“We are committed to educating the public on the importance of elephant conservation. Our mission extends to fostering awareness and respect for these magnificent creatures, highlighting their plight and the critical need for protection.”
How many elephants are there and what are your visiting options?
The Cambodia Elephant Sanctuary provides a safe home to rescued Cambodian elephants – two females, Di-Ploh and Sarai Mia. In November 2020, they were joined by a bull, Kaavan, who was rescued from a zoo in Pakistan!
The elephants are free to roam the jungle during the day, foraging on natural vegetation. However please note this is an interactive sanctuary – you are interacting with the elephants on a touching and close basis. If you are ok with this, then great, if not then choose another sanctuary. I am including this as these are rescued elephants who were used to being handled by humans and they still live a way way better life than previously.
You can visit the Cambodia Elephant Sanctuary on a tour from Siam Reap – this is a popular hands on experience:
- Cambodia Elephant Sanctuary and Banteay Srey Temple Day Tour
- Cambodia Elephants Half Day Experiences from Siem Reap
The Cambodia Wildlife Sanctuary
Note – this is not the same as the Cambodia Elephant Sanctuary. This is a hands off very ethical sanctuary. You can walk with the elephants in the jungle but no hands on or bathing with the elephants.
Where is the Cambodia Wildlife Sanctuary?
The Cambodia Wildlife Sanctuary is about one hour from Siam Reap. This is often confused or considered the same as the Cambodia Elephant Sanctuary.
What is the mission of the Cambodia Wildlife Sanctuary?
“Cambodia Wildlife Sanctuary is a conservation project developed in cooperation with Save Elephant Foundation to protect and conserve an important jungle habitat. The project spans 32,000 acres on the edge of the Kulen Promtep Wildlife Sanctuary, located an hour and half north of the famous Angkor Wat temple complex. This sanctuary is one of the largest protected areas in Cambodia and is home to several endangered species, including the giant ibis, banteng, Eld’s deer, sarus crane, monkeys, gibbon, and several turtle species. Once covered in dense forest and rich in biodiversity, this area has been extensively impacted by illegal logging and poaching. The project is focused on protecting and restoring the local flora and fauna, as well as combating illegal logging. Cambodia Wildlife Sanctuary also cares for injured and orphaned native animals that have been rescued so that they can be rehabilitated and returned to their jungle home.”
Volunteering
You can volunteer at this ethical sanctuary for a week or more – there is a fee but it is highly rated and regarded by those that have done it. It is rustic so not for those that expect high end accommodation and meals!
The Kulen Elephant Forest
Where is the Kulen Elephant Forest and how do I get there?
The Kulen Elephant Forest is also about an hour from Siam Reap. You can take a tour from Siam Reap to visit these wonderful rescued elephants.
What is the mission of the Kulen Elephant Forest?
“The elephants at the Kulen Elephant Forest have spent most of their lives working in the tourism industry and are enjoying a long-awaited and well-deserved retirement. Here in the forest, they can finally roam free and unburdened. They will rediscover relationships, natural foods they haven’t eaten in years, and receive the best of care.
Our mission is to provide our residents with a happy and comfortable retirement but also to offer a fun, educational approach to elephant conservation and contribute as much as possible to preserving the remaining elephants of Cambodia.”
“A visit to the Kulen Elephant Forest will not only help the elephants of Angkor but all elephants in Cambodia through the KEF’s longer term objectives, for we believe in the power of education and tourism as drivers for conservation.”
How many elephants and what are your visiting options?
There are, at the time of writing, 10 elephants at Kulen Elephant Forest.
Some consider this sanctuary as non-ethical as it is a more hands on experience. However, this is a huge improvement from their former lives in the backbreaking task of giving rides at Angkor Wat.
You can visit on a day or half day trip from Siam Reap with this small group tour being good value. But I do recommend this Elephants & Apopo Rat Private Trip which includes a visit to the Apopo rats. It might sound awful but these amazing rats are trained to find land mines and are critical in helping clear the land to make it safe for locals – its really interesting!
The Mondulkiri Elephant Project
Where is the Mondulkiri Elephant Project and how do I get there?
The Mondulkiri Elephant project is based near Sen Monorom in the east of Cambodia.
Get a bus to Sen Monorom from Phnom Penh or Siam Reap. It is easy to book on 12Go and I do recommend booking ahead as this is a less popular destination and has fewer buses.
What is the mission of the Mondulkiri Elephant Project?
“In October 2013 the Mondulkiri Project signed an agreement with Bunong indigenous elders from the Putang Village and the Orang Village. This agreement stops logging in an area of beautiful Mondulkiri forest near Sen Monorom.
The Mondulkiri Project has three main objectives. The first objective is to protect a forested valley from logging. Second, we provide a sanctuary for our rescued elephants. Finally, we want to help the local indigenous Bunong People with sustainable employment opportunities.”
How many elephants and visiting options
There were at the time of writing three gorgeous elephants in this project – all rescued.
You have the choice of 1, 2, and 3-day tours where you can visit the rescued elephants and hike to stunning jungle waterfalls. You will meet and support people of the local Bunong hill tribe that work here. I really do recommend this project. They are doing all they can to save elephants, the forest, and to support local hill tribes living in the forest. It is a very authentic experience – especially if you stay overnight!
Mondulkiri does allow you to feed the elephants a few bananas and to swim in the river where the elephants might chose to join you or not. they also allow you to touch the elephants if one of them comes and touches you first – only one is likely to do that. I thought it was ethical despite this minimal contact.
The Elephant Valley Project
Where is the Elephant Valley Project and how do I get there?
The Elephant Valley Project is also based near Sen Monorom in the east of Cambodia.
Again, it is easy to get a bus to Sen Monorom from Phnom Penh or Siam Reap. And I do recommend you book on 12Go ahead of time.
What is the mission of the Elephant Valley Project?
“From a visitor’s point of view this mean that by putting the elephants first this also means that we don’t do many of the activities that you can find elsewhere (feeding, swimming, riding) and in turn we feel that this difference has come to define why we are a True Sanctuary for captive elephants.”
“The EVP sanctuary is key to the elephants future as our elephants represent the living breathing real elephant herds that are in the forest and as we see the rest of the forest slowly disappear outside of our sanctuary we are are investing in protecting that forest and Cambodia’s last wild elephant populations.”
How many elephants and visiting options
At the time of writing there were seven elephants at the Elephant Valley Project.
It is a very hands off experience, but very rewarding. It is probably considered the most ethical of all the Elephant projects that allow visitors.
If you make the effort to come to Son Monorom, I actually recommend visiting both Mondulkiri and the EVP projects if you can. They both are aiming to protect the forest as well as the elephants and Mondulkiri also helps the local hill tribes sustain their way of life.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Can I touch the elephants?
A: At some of these reserves, yes you can e.g. the Kulen Elephant Forest
Q: Can I volunteer at one of Cambodia’s elephant sanctuaries?
A: Yes, you can volunteer at either The Elephant Valley Project, or at the Cambodia Wildlife Sanctuary. There is a fee for volunteering at either sanctuary.
Q: Which elephant sanctuary should I go to in Cambodia?
A: Honestly, it is up to you as to what you want to support in terms off ethics, and in terms of where you are in Cambodia. I would go to more than one if you have the time and money or consider the volunteering options!
If you make the effort to go to Sen Monorom, I actually recommend visiting both Mondulkiri and the EVP projects if you can. They both are aiming to protect the forest as well as the elephants and Mondulkiri also helps the local hill tribes sustain their way of life.
Where to stay?
The elephant reserves are close to either Siam Reap or Sen Monorom.
Where to stay in Siam Reap?
Book a place to stay in Siam Reap with booking.com or for a hostel – Hostelworld. These are top rated places to stay in Siam Reap when you are visiting the elephant reserves:
High End – Zannier Phum Baitang or Raffles Grand Hotel d’Angkor
Mid Range – Viroth’s Hotel or Shintana Saya La Maison or TUI BLUE Angkor Grace Wellness
Budget – Passport Villa or La Villa 23 Signature or The Palace Indochine Hotel
Backpacker – Lub d Siem Reap, or Onederz Siem Reap or Mad Monkey Siem Reap
4-bedroom Villa – The Friendship Villa by Amatak
Where to stay in Sen Monorom?
Book a place to stay in Sen Monorom with booking.com or for a hostel – Hostelworld. These are top rated places to stay in Sen Monorom when you are visiting the elephant reserves – I do highly recommend the Mondulkiri Pizza Bungalows which have various levels of accommodation – and pizzas!
High End –KNN RESORT Mondulkiri
Mid Range – Sumeru or Mondulkiri Pizza Bungalows private rooms
Budget – Mondulkiri Pizza Bungalows or Greenhouse Retreat or Chomkatae Bungalows
Backpacker – Happy Elephant Bungalows
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