Mondulkiri Project Elephant Sanctuary

What to See at Mondulkiri Project

The Rescued Herd

The sanctuary is home to a small group of rescued elephants that spent their working lives hauling timber or carrying tourists. Here they live in protected forest with no saddles, no chains and no shows — they browse, wander and bathe at their own pace, and visitors follow rather than direct them. Guides introduce each elephant by name and history, which turns the day into something closer to a rescue story than an animal attraction.

Feeding and Walking with the Elephants

The morning is spent hand-feeding the herd bananas and other fruit and then walking with them through the forest as they forage. Because the elephants set the route and the speed, no two visits are the same — some days the herd stays in the trees, other days they head straight for the stream.

The Jungle Waterfall

Every day tour includes time at a waterfall inside the sanctuary’s forest, where visitors can swim while the elephants bathe nearby. Lunch and hammock time in the forest round out the afternoon before the drive back to Sen Monorom.

Bunong Guides and the Forest

Mondulkiri Project’s guides are Bunong — the indigenous people of these highlands, with generations of elephant-keeping knowledge behind them. Alongside the elephants they explain the forest itself: the plants used as medicine and food, the animist relationship between Bunong families and their elephants, and how the land the sanctuary leases is kept out of the hands of loggers and plantations.

Tours and Prices

• 1 Day Elephant Sanctuary Tour — $50 per person, including lunch, water and the waterfall visit
• 1 Day Sanctuary + Overnight Jungle Lodge — $70, adding a Bunong campfire dinner and a night in hammocks
• 1.5 Day Elephants & Half-Day Jungle Trek — $90, with a 7km trek to waterfalls and caves (minimum age 6)
• 2 Day Elephants & Full-Day Jungle Trek — $80, with a 17km trek (minimum age 8)
• 3 Day Elephants & Overnight Jungle Trek — $130, a 30km two-day trek with a night at a Bunong farm (minimum age 8)

All tours depart at 8:30 AM from the Sen Monorom office, run seven days a week, and are paid on arrival — no deposit is required to book.

How to Get to Mondulkiri Project

The sanctuary works out of an office in Sen Monorom, Mondulkiri’s small highland capital; transport out to the forest is included in every tour.

• From Sen Monorom: Meet at the office for the 8:30 AM departure — the drive out to the elephants takes around 30–45 minutes
• From Phnom Penh: 370km, roughly 7–8 hours by bus or minivan to Sen Monorom; travel the day before so you can make the morning departure
• From Kratie or Ratanakiri: Both connect to Sen Monorom by minivan, making a northeast Cambodia loop straightforward

Practical Tips

• Book ahead by phone, email or Facebook — group sizes are kept small and peak season (November–February) fills up
• Wear long trousers and closed shoes you don’t mind getting muddy; bring swimwear and a towel for the waterfall
• Sen Monorom sits at around 800m, so evenings are genuinely cool — pack a layer if you are staying overnight
• Bring insect repellent and sunscreen; the forest sections are shaded but the walking is warm work
• Cash in USD is the norm for payment on arrival

Nearby Attractions

• Bou Sra Waterfall — Mondulkiri’s biggest double-tiered falls, an easy add-on day from Sen Monorom
• Elephant Valley Project — the province’s other ethical, no-riding elephant sanctuary
• Bunong coffee and village visits — highland smallholder farms around Sen Monorom