How & Where to See
Elephants in Cambodia
Tourism in Cambodia is on the rise, as is the desire for travellers to see elephants in Cambodia. Make the right choices on where to see elephants in Cambodia and you’ll be in for the experience of a lifetime.
Are There Elephants in Cambodia?
Elephants in Cambodia are endangered. There are only a handful of these Asian elephants left in the country.
There are around 400-600 wild elephants in Cambodia, with a further 75 estimated to be living in captivity. That being said, it’s not actually difficult to find elephants in Cambodia if you know where to look.
Important Things to Know About Responsible Elephant Encounters in Cambodia
Domesticated Asian elephants are gentle and warm-hearted creatures who have sadly suffered at the hands of their human owners in the past. Times are changing, and many elephants in Cambodia face a much better life, but there is still work to be done. The most popular tourist destination in Cambodia, Angkor Wat temple in Siem Reap, used to offer elephant rides but they have since been banned for animal cruelty.
Why has elephant riding been banned here? Because elephant riding is a horrendous practice. These are large and extremely heavy animals. Adding extra weight to their already heavily-loaded bones and muscles can cause deformities and defects. It’s also exhausting, particularly in older elephants.
While a move in the right direction, this big decision has not meant an end to the difficulties elephants face. Elephant riding is still available in Cambodia, as are elephant experiences that are intrusive and obstructive to natural behaviour. Elephants in Cambodia should not be considered a tourist attraction, but rather a native species to be enjoyed and observed as you would elephants in Africa.
You’ll find that many tour operators offer what they refer to as ethical elephant trekking, but unfortunately while they may provide more ethical treatment than other locations across Cambodia and indeed South East Asia, standards are seriously low and many people would still not consider these ethical.
Read on to find out how to find genuinely ethical experiences to see elephants in Cambodia.
Can You See Wild Elephants in Cambodia?
The short answer is yes, and no.
Yes, wild elephants in Cambodia are accessible but no, it’s not easy to find them.
There is no infrastructure here to see wild elephants. Unlike in other countries, like safari in Africa or seeing elephants in Sri Lanka, you cannot take a Jeep ride into the wilds to try and see elephants. Wild elephants in Cambodia are hidden out in the jungle, living solitary lives. Great for the elephants, not so great for travellers seeking wild elephant encounters in Cambodia.
You can encounter wild elephants in Cambodia but it takes luck, patience and a good deal of effort. If you search hard enough, you can find tour guides that will take you into the heart of the wilds and give you a chance to see wild elephants in Cambodia. But a sighting is no sure thing. Absolutely worth the experience to witness the awe-inspiring jungles of Cambodia, but don’t travel across the world to see elephants in Cambodia this way.
There are two locations in Cambodia where the jungles and forests are known to have wild elephants - the Cardamom Mountains and Mondulkiri Province.
How to See Elephants in Cambodia
Encounters with elephants in Cambodia remain unregulated. You’ll see a number of tours offering elephant jungle trekking and bathing, but scratch the surface and you’ll find most of these are not following ethical practices. Many still allow elephant riding and force interactions. This is distressing for the elephant involved, and distressing for any wildlife enthusiast who understands what is really going on.
Is this article all about how you can’t actually see elephants in Cambodia without being involved in unethical practice?
Happily, no!
In our extensive research we’ve found evidence of only two truly ethical opportunities to see elephants in Cambodia that we can confidently put the Xplore Our Planet name behind: The Mondulkiri Project & the Elephant Valley Project -- Be aware others will attempt to use these brands to market their own, less-than-ethical tourist trap, so please be sure to use the link! (Not affiliate)
The Mondulkiri Elephant Project and the Elephant Valley Project are both located in the Mondulkiri Province. Both offer shelter to retired and domesticated elephants, predominantly from old logging industries. Elephants are free to roam in sanctuaries and encounters are designed around non-invasive interaction, which means while you can walk with and get close to the elephants, they are more than welcome to ignore you and do their own thing.
The Mondulkiri Project
A fantastic place to see elephants in Cambodia, the Mondulkiri Elephant Project promises up-close experiences with elephants in a sustainable way. Five elephants live onsite here.
You can also take part in jungle trekking run by local guides, with visits to waterfalls and caves.
Elephant Valley Project
Elephant Valley Project (EVP) is a more extensive institute backed by numerous world-leading ethical travel companies. It’s particularly noteworthy for offering volunteer experiences and gap-year travel. However, you can arrange to visit for short stays. Slightly more expensive than the Mondulkiri Project, the Elephant Valley Project is home to eleven elephants.
Getting to Mondulkiri Province
Mondulkiri Province is located around 5-6 hours drive from Phnom Penh, the hub of international travel in and out of Cambodia, although some people may fly into Siem Reap airport, the journey from which is around 8 hours.
Either way, your options are the same, you’ll need to take road transport in the form of either a taxi or an express minivan service - which essentially a bus route. Taxis from Phnom Penh are around $100-$150 USD while minivans range up to $11 per person. From Siem Reap, taxis are around $200 while minivans sit around $15-$20.
If you have information about great and ethical elephant encounters in Cambodia, then please do get in touch to help us keep this article accurate and useful for travellers that hope to see elephants in Cambodia.