Located a few kilometres north of the town, MandaLao Elephant Conservation is a sanctuary for elephants that have spent the majority of their lives working for logging throughout Laos. Concerned about the welfare of the pachyderms, the place offers them a dignified and comfortable life in harmony with nature. A truly intimate opportunity to share the life of elephants in their natural habitat while ensuring a pleasant life for them. You will spend time close to the elephants, accompanying them in their natural environment.
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Further information
Opening time and information on MANDALAO
Open daily from 8am to 9pm. From US$100 for a half-day and US$150 for a full day.
Owner's Message
Our mission is to respect and understand elephants by offering our visitors an enriching experience of sharing.
Our goal is to welcome visitors to come into contact with elephants in the most natural way possible. our hope is that our expertise will grow and be shared: to ensure that the treatment of elephants is done in a sustainable and ethical manner both in Laos and across the borders.
With your support, we can work towards the preservation and safeguarding of both domesticated elephants and elephants living in the wild.
MandaLao
Luang Prabang, Laos
[email protected]
+856 (0) 30 56 64 014
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Members' reviews on MANDALAO
The ratings and reviews below reflect the subjective opinions of members and not the opinion of The Little Witty.
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We got to talk to an elephant trainer for a good while, learning about their current studies of elephant diet and their ambitious plans for releasing elephants back into a nearby preserve. Then we made nutrient rich treats for the elephants (banana, rice, salt, tamarind, and a probiotic).
You take a brief boat ride across the Nam Khan which is fun and provides nice views. Feeding the two elephants was good fun and they seemed to enjoy it as well (based on body language we learned at another sanctuary).
After eating, the elephants went down to the river to spray themselves with water and one even covered itself in fresh mud. You're not allowed to get close or "help" them bathe, which is a good thing. This was really fun to watch and they just let the elephants do their thang until they're ready to move on.
The last part involved walking through the jungle and following the elephants as they scavenged. They love fresh bamboo shoots in particular, and finding a good tree to rub up against. This part was cool because it felt the most free form. I also appreciate the shorter walk through the jungle versus the morning tour, because there are quite a few mosquitos and not much of a breeze in the trees! I can imagine getting bitten more on the longer morning hike that is twice as long.
Each elephant has a mahout, who stays close by but does not use a stick or even verbalize commands most of the time. The only time I heard them tut commands frequently was right before we parted ways with the elephants, to take a photo. I'm not sure what they were saying but it seemed like maybe a command to stay in place. The elephants still played with each other while we quickly did this.
I will definitely come back when I visit in the future.