Elephant Hills Thailand: A Jungle Adventure I Will Never Forget
Back in 2019, I celebrated my 40th birthday not with a big party, but deep in the Thai rainforest at Elephant Hills with my husband. It turned out to be one of the most memorable trips we have ever taken, and it is still the experience I talk about when clients ask for something a bit different for their Thailand holiday. If you are dreaming of more than just beach and cocktails, and you like the idea of waking up to jungle sounds and spending time with elephants in a truly ethical way, Elephant Hills might be exactly what you are looking for.
We stayed at the main Jungle Camp, which I now tend to recommend first to most of my clients. Our tent felt far more like a cosy hotel room than camping: a proper bed with fresh linen, an en suite bathroom with hot shower and flushing toilet, a fan, electric lights and a mosquito net. My favourite spot was our little veranda, where we would sit together listening to the jungle wake up and wind down. There was also a lovely pool with mountain views and an open‑air restaurant where everyone ate together. It felt social but never crowded, with evening chatter and clinking cutlery blending into the constant soundtrack of the rainforest.
My actual birthday was the day we spent with the elephants, which could not have been more perfect. There is no riding at Elephant Hills, something I really appreciated. Instead, you quietly step into their world for a while. We chopped food and prepared their snacks, fed them and felt those powerful trunks gently take pieces from our hands, then watched them splash in the mud, clearly loving every minute. What struck me most was how calm and unhurried it all felt. The guides knew each elephant’s personality and history, and spoke honestly about their backgrounds and the importance of welfare. It was emotional, uplifting and unlike anything I had done before. Standing there, muddy and grinning, with elephants just a few metres away felt like such a meaningful way to mark a milestone birthday, far more memorable than any restaurant meal or new handbag.
Life at camp quickly settled into a gentle rhythm. Mornings began with birdsong and the call of gibbons across the forest, followed by breakfast in the open‑air restaurant. One morning we glided along the river in a canoe while our guide paddled and pointed out hornbills, monkeys and tiny jungle details we would never have spotted ourselves. There was enough activity to feel like a real adventure, but also plenty of time to sit by the pool, read a book or simply watch the clouds move around the jagged peaks. We also visited the nearby lake, with its dramatic limestone karsts rising straight from the water. Drifting across the surface, surrounded by that scenery, felt like stepping onto a film set.
Looking back, Elephant Hills is still one of the standout experiences of all my travels. It gave us a true sense of adventure without roughing it, the chance to spend time with elephants in a way that felt genuinely ethical, and a few precious days cocooned in nature with no logistics to worry about. Most of all, it gave me a completely different, deeply meaningful way to celebrate turning 40 with my husband.
It also fits beautifully into a wider Thailand trip. For many of my clients, I like to design an itinerary a little like our own: a few nights in Bangkok or Chiang Mai, then Elephant Hills in the middle, followed by a relaxing beach stay to unwind and reflect on all those new memories.