JK Karen Tours and Elephants in the Forest

5 Daniel Cartwright - 3 years ago

Authentic, unforgettable experience at an ethical elephant rescue park! After a scenic drive past picturesque rice paddies, the elephant tour takes you into the forest to an actual elephant rescue homestay where you bathe, feed, and walk with several elephants (no riding allowed). Get as close as you want by feeding them the free elephant food provided (bananas and bamboo). Then bathe them in a creek and put those pics on insta. Next, walk with the elephant family (grandma elephant was 64 and baby was only 3!) through the forest where they sleep. Later on, feed them some more.

The elephants were docile and friendly (especially when you have food), but exercise common sense. Don’t shout, block an oncoming elephant’s path, or use the flash on your camera. Surprisingly, the elephants’ diet is so pure that the rescue park does not have the odor that often accompanies zoos.

Jay was an awesome guide—fun, friendly, knowledgeable, energetic, and an excellent English speaker. I did the half-day tour. Jay picked me up from my hostel at 8:30 as promised. He provided bottled water at no additional charge and went out of his way to make sure I was content (clean bathroom/coffee breaks as needed). Lunch provided. We returned around 2:30 after spending lots of time with the precocious pachyderms.

This elephant experience was easily the best value I found (700 baht cheaper). After 6 months traveling around SE Asia, this has been one of my favorite experiences.

Most tours are harder to book when solo traveling, as I was, but JK Karen Tours offers a very competitively priced full-day tour to the sticky waterfall (Bua Tong), Karen village (where Jay is from), and Doi Suthep. I took this tour and each site was spectacular. The travel time between sites was also enjoyable—getting to know Jay, his favorite artists and Thai culture. The tours offered are flexible—you can choose which places you want to visit and go at your own pace. Jay knows the area very well.

5 Adisa Ivankovic - 2 years ago

Jay is an amazing human being! The sweetest and kindest person I have met, with an abundance of patience, respect and wit that you don't see very often. He also has awesome taste in music! With him as your guide, you will feel very much on top of the world, and every inch as special, appreciated and entertained. He arranged a private tour for us with the elephants and really went above and beyond to make it memorable. We loved it so much that we booked him for several other tours over a few days. I would highly recommend JK if you're looking for the best!

5 Daniel Huebner - 9 months ago

Meeting Jay was the best thing happening to me and my wife Yvonne. He picked us up at the airport in Chiang Mai to drive us to our first accommodation, Mae Rim, 50 km north. On the way up, he explained that he actually is a tour guide and told us about his partners from Elephant Freedom Village. After checking everything we decided to make tour to the village which turned out as one of the best days of my life.
Jay was always helpful, humble, friendly, funny and in the end - a friend.
Definitely meet him again when we go back to Chiang Mai.

5 Gene Litton - 2 years ago

We booked a food tour with Jay our first night in Chang Mai. Great evening! We clicked with his easy going style, and since we had a free day we booked some activities the following day. We explored some Temples and Sticky Falls.
We also changed our itinerary for the following day. We had booked an Elephant sanctuary with another tour group but decided not to do the usual mass people tours. Jay picked us up and we had a fabulous day going to the Karen tribe. He then took us to a beautiful elephant Sanctuary. There were only 3 other couples there. It was a wonderful afternoon with lots of time with the Elephants. We also were served a delicious lunch made by local women. After we left we went to these amazing waterfalls; there was not a tourist to be found!
If you want a tour where you can see the unusual, where you can customize your own itinerary: then Jk Karen tours are the way to go!
Thank you Jay for an amazing vacation.

5 Jason Hesseltine - 3 years ago

Jay is a man of the people. Jay is a self-made man who knows every one and every place. He will treat you to an unforgettable experience. Jay is knowledgeable, funny, relaxed, polite and respectful. He has good taste in music too. Jay teaches you not only what foods are great, but he will also teach you why it is important to Thai history and culture. He will teach you about the Karen and Hmong people, their crafts and communities and coffee. He will teach you the language and *insist* that you use it. He is a good guy. It was my distinct privilege and honor to spend a few hours with him in a group and one on one. I will look him up again should I ever be fortunate enough to return to Chiang Mai. Don’t think twice. Book today.

5 szilard cs - 3 years ago

Fantastic experience many thanks for JK Karen Tours for a amazing time with the elephants and they careers, and the food tour . I highly recommend this tour in Chian Mai for a truly great time. Thank you Jay???? . keep up the good honest work.

5 Matt Robinson - 2 years ago

Had a blast with Jay sampling local Thai cuisine at a couple of night markets. He knows the food and the city well. We will definitely call him next time we visit Thailand!