FAQ

Here are some of the answers to the most frequently asked questions. If you have a question which isn’t listed here, please head over to our contact us and we’ll get back to you as soon as possible.

  • Our tours are located in some of the most beautiful jungle areas close to Sen Monorom.
  • We have a lovely waterfall for you to swim in.
  • We are Cambodia’s only elephant sanctuary that offers one and two day jungle treks.
  • We are a Cambodian Tour, with every dollar you spend supporting local conservation and livelihoods.
  • You will have the opportunity to get up close and personal with our elephants without harming them in any way.
  • We have a 100% safety record.
  • We do not use Western tour guides
    We use Bunong guides who have grown up living in the jungle.
  • Visiting the town of Sen Monorom is a rare opportunity to get off the beaten path, away from the busyness of Phnom Penh and Siem Reap.
  • We are 800m above sea level so the temperature is a lot cooler than the rest of Cambodia.

Some days are fully booked so it is important to make a booking via this website. Don’t wait until you arrive in Sen Monorom.

Please pay us on the morning of the tour. We accept payment in US Dollars, Cambodian Riel or Credit Cards. Credit cards have a 2% surcharge.

We are open every day of the year, including weekends.

Our tours start from the Mondulkiri Elephant Tour Office in Sen Monorom. We also pick up from several guesthouses close to town. When you book our confirmation email will provide you with more information on these guesthouses and pick up times.

There are minivans that travel to Sen Monorom, Mondulkiri. These should be booked onlie It is a six hour ride from Phnom Penh and 10 hours from Siem Reap. Local minivans travel from Ratankiri and Kratie (3-4 hours) and should be booked by your guesthouse in these provinces.

  • There is night bus from Phnom Penh to Mondulkiri and Mondulkiri to Phnom Penh.
  • There is no night bus connecting Siem Reap to Mondulkiri.
We do not pick up from the bus station. There are tuk-tuks that can bring you to the Tree Lodge Bungalows for $1-$2.

It is difficult for us to recommend a minivan company because it is the individual driver that makes the difference. Our staff use the Kim Seng Express when they need to go to Phnom Penh.

All our elephants were either born in captivity or have lived in captivity for up to 50 years prior to their rescue and relocation to the Mondulkiri Elephant Tour Unfortunately, they never had a chance to experience life in the wild and lived alongside humans for decades.

At the Mondulkiri Elephant Tour’s elephant sanctuary we ensure our elephants enjoy the Five Freedoms of Animal Welfare.

The 5 Freedoms outline five aspects of animal welfare for animals under human control. .The 5 Freedoms have been adopted by professional groups including veterinarians, and organizations including the World Organisation for Animal Health and the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.

The 5 Freedoms of Animal Welfare and how they are enjoyed by the elephants at our sanctuary:

  1. Freedom from hunger of thirst by ready access to fresh water and a diet to maintain health and vigor. The elephants at the Mondulkiri Elephant Tour have a large jungle to graze on which contains a plentiful supply of bamboo, leaves, roots and grasses. There is also a large river for continual access to fresh water.
  2. Freedom from discomfort by providing an appropriate environment including shelter and a comfortable resting area. The elephants at the Mondulkiri Elephant Tour have a shady forest to live in which ensures they are sheltered from the sun. They are free to walk around their jungle home all day.
  3. Freedom from pain, injury or disease by prevention or rapid diagnosis and treatment. The elephants at the Mondulkiri Elephant Tour never have anyone riding on their backs. Their mahouts do not use sticks to control them. Every day our mahouts monitor the health of the elephant. If an elephant is sick we contact one of Cambodia’s top vets in Phnom Penh and he comes immediately to treat the elephant.
  4. Freedom to express (most) normal behaviour by providing sufficient space, proper facilities and company of the animal’s own kind. The elephants at the Mondulkiri Elephant Tour have a lot of jungle to walk around. There are rivers, mud and trees for them to enjoy. At any time each elephant can spend time on their own or interacting with the other elephants living at the sanctuary. At no time are the elephants at the sanctuary forced to do something they don’t want to do.
  5. Freedom from fear and distress by ensuring conditions and treatment which avoid mental suffering. The elephants at the Mondulkiri Elephant Tour have been retired from work. At no time do they have people or heavy objects on their backs. They are not chained up all day and instead get to walk freely around our jungle sanctuary.

Before you book to visit an elephant sanctuary try to make sure their elephants enjoy the 5 freedoms of animal welfare. Elephants should never be ridden.