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River Tubing & Elephant Observation
Highlights
Float the Mae Taeng River and spend your afternoon with elephants in the riverside forest where they actually live — ethical elephant tourism done the quiet way: no riding, no feeding by guests, no shows.
You ride your own tube down a calm, scenic stretch with a local guide alongside the whole way, tubes roped together as one group and life jackets on. Near the end of the float you step ashore at a small elephant camp.
From there you walk into the riverside forest with your guide and spend around half an hour moving with the elephants as they browse, dust themselves and wade in the shallows — real elephant life, not a show. Then it’s back on the tube for the last stretch of river. Elephant observation runs on afternoon sessions only.
Two ways to do this tour
- Round-trip hotel pickup in Chiang Mai
- River tubing on the Mae Taeng
- Elephant observation
- SaGee Waterfall slide — not included on this rate
- Drive yourself to base camp (free parking)
- River tubing on the Mae Taeng
- Elephant observation
- SaGee Waterfall slide — included free
Both rates run in the afternoon and include the same tubing and elephant observation. The transfer group heads straight back to the city after the elephants, so there is no time for the waterfall slide — self-drive guests can stay on and enjoy it at no extra cost.
Check dates & availability ↓What’s included
- Round-trip hotel transfer from selected Chiang Mai areas (With Transfer rate)
- English-speaking local guide
- Full safety briefing & supervision
- Life jacket & tubing equipment
- Local accident insurance
- River tubing on the Mae Taeng River
- Elephant observation at the riverside camp (observe only)
- SaGee Waterfall slide — Self-Drive rate only (not included with transfer)
- Drinking water & light snacks
- Hot showers & changing rooms at base camp
- Waterproof phone pouch (free to borrow)
- Photos & video from the day
- Lunch (afternoon sessions)
- SaGee Waterfall slide on the With Transfer rate
- Personal expenses & extra drinks
- Tips & gratuities
What to bring
- Swimwear (worn under your clothes)
- A change of clothes
- Flip-flops or sandals are fine — you do not need water shoes
- Light rain jacket in rainy season · warm layer in cooler months
- Sunscreen & insect repellent
- Reusable water bottle
- Waterproof phone case or small dry bag
- Any required medication · small cash for extras
- A towel for the hot showers
- Waterproof phone pouch, goggle strap & hat
- Lockers (free with your own lock, or rent a padlock for ฿100)
- Valuables, large amounts of cash or jewelry
- Non-waterproof cameras · drones (without prior approval)
Good to know
Activity level. Light adventure on natural terrain — a short walk to the river and steps at the elephant camp. You should be comfortable getting in and out of a tube.
Footwear. You do not need water shoes for this tour — ordinary flip-flops or sandals are all you need, and there is nothing to buy or rent. Guests ask us this all the time: no special shoes are required.
Elephants. You walk into the riverside forest with the elephants and your guide — but it is observe-only: the keepers do all the feeding and care, and there is no riding, no bathing with the elephants and no shows. They are living animals in a natural setting, so where they roam and how they behave varies from day to day. Follow your guide and keep the group calm and quiet around them.
Health & safety. Non-swimmers welcome with a life jacket and briefing. Pregnant guests up to 6 months only. Children must be accompanied by an adult.
Water & weather. Tubing time and route vary with river level and weather; the trip may be adjusted for safety, especially in rainy season.
Transfers. With Transfer covers selected Chiang Mai service areas only. Self-Drive doesn’t include city transfer; late arrivals may need rescheduling.
Timing. Pickup is usually 07:30 — sometimes 08:00 if yours is the only group that day. On a full-day tour with transfer you are normally back in the city around 6:30 pm: earlier with a small group and clear roads, later if traffic is heavy. Times on this page are a guide, not a guarantee.
Age. Minimum age 1 with an adult; recommended independent tubing age is 6+.
Cancellation policy
Free cancellation up to 24 hours before your start time for a full refund. Cancellations within 24 hours (1 day or less) are charged 100%.
The elephant camp
The elephants you watch live at Care for Elephants, a small riverside sanctuary in our valley. It was founded in 2015 by Ben, who grew up in a village beside Elephant Nature Park and worked there before opening his own camp for retired elephants.
Its elephants are retired from riding and logging work. They spend their days foraging in the jungle and swimming in the river. No riding, no chains, no performances.
You don’t stand and look from across the water. You walk into the riverside forest where the elephants live and move with them as they browse, dust themselves and wade in the shallows — seeing how elephants actually spend their day.
On our tour you observe only. The camp’s keepers handle all feeding and care, and there is no riding, no bathing with the elephants and no shows. Your guide walks with you and tells their story.
The extra you pay on this tour covers the camp’s care costs and the elephants’ food — which we buy from farmers in our own village. Our guide, kitchen team and river crew live here too; our drivers are from Chiang Mai.
Don’t take our word for it — look into the camp yourself:
More info
Your day, step by step
Around 200 m before the float ends you step ashore and walk into the riverside forest with the elephants — seeing how they really live. No riding, no feeding by guests, no shows.
Self-drive guests finish with the SaGee Waterfall slide, free. The With Transfer group returns to the city straight after the elephants, so the slide is not part of that rate.
We collect you from your hotel in central Chiang Mai and head up into the Mae Taeng valley. Self-drive guests meet us at base camp instead — free parking on site.
Meet the team at our riverside camp and change. Safety briefing, life jacket and tube fitted — and a free waterproof phone pouch to borrow.
A quick two-minute ride from camp to the riverside tubing start point, where your tube is waiting.
Drift downstream with your guide alongside, tubes roped together as one group, through quiet jungle towards the elephant camp and Elephant Nature Park.
About 200 m before the end of the float, step ashore at the elephant camp and walk into the riverside forest with your guide, moving with the elephants as they browse and wade. Observe only — no riding, no feeding by guests, no shows.
Slip back into your tube for the final stretch of river, floating down to the pick-up point at the edge of Mueang Kued village.
Climb out at the end of the float and hop in the pickup truck for the short ride back to base camp.
Self-drive guests walk five minutes behind camp to SaGee Waterfall for the natural rock slide — included free. With Transfer guests head back to the city at this point.
Warm up under a hot shower and change into fresh clothes before the ride back to Chiang Mai.
Getting there & pickup
With Transfer: we pick you up from your hotel in selected Chiang Mai service areas. Your exact pickup time and point are confirmed by email after you book.
Self-Drive: drive straight to our base camp — about 1 hour 15 minutes – 1 hour 30 minutes north of the old city. Free parking on site. Please arrive about 10 minutes before your start time for check-in and the safety briefing.
Not sure which option fits you? Message us on WhatsApp and we’ll help you choose.
