Kui Buri Wild Elephant Safari from Hua Hin (Afternoon Small Group)

This afternoon trip from Hua Hin takes a group of up to 9 to Kui Buri National Park to watch wild elephants come out onto the grasslands to feed. Pickup is at 1:30pm. You spend around three hours in the park on a safari truck, then have a Thai dinner nearby before the drive back.

The Afternoon

Kui Buri sits about 90 minutes south of Hua Hin in Prachuap Khiri Khan province. At the park’s visitor centre the group switches to a park safari truck and drives into the Huai Luek area, an area of open grassland at the forest edge. From there it is a matter of waiting and watching. The guide brings shared binoculars, and the stay often runs until close to dark, when the animals are most active.

The operator puts the chance of seeing elephants at 90 to 95 per cent. Some days they come within a few hundred metres, and other days they stay at the forest edge. Gaur, deer and langurs graze the same ground, and the birdlife is rich: look out for the Indian roller and the crested fireback.

Watch out: This is a wildlife park, not an elephant camp. There is no riding or feeding, and nothing is staged for visitors.

Who It Suits

It suits families and anyone who wants to see elephants living wild rather than in a sanctuary. Patience matters more than fitness, since most of the time is spent watching from the truck.

Insider Tip: Bring insect repellent and a long-sleeved layer for dusk, when the mosquitoes come out, and a zoom lens if you have one.