Elephant sanctuary in Bali: what you can actually visit

Bali Zoo sits in Singapadu, inside Sukawati, Gianyar, and its own text counts 14 elephants in the herd.¹ It also reports the birth of two male calves, which it presents as a sign of a safe environment.⁹ Its gates stay open from 09:00 until 17:00 every day.¹⁰

Mason Elephant Park and Lodge lies in Taro, north of Ubud, and the Asian Captive Elephant Standards list it as owned and operated by Mason Adventures with over 30 Sumatran elephants.² The park says none of its elephants came directly from the wild; they were rescued from Sumatran containment camps in 3 missions, the last in 2004.^11,12

So the choice is between an elephant day inside a zoo and a park built around a rescued herd. If you are searching for a Bali elephant sanctuary because you care about welfare, both deserve questions, and the two sections below give you the questions.

An ethical elephant sanctuary in Bali, or anywhere, can be judged on a short list. Do the elephants have room and company? Is contact optional for the animal? Who certifies the camp, and what did the audit cover? Can you see how the elephants are kept outside the visitor hours?

Mason offers one outside reference point. It says its Gold Certification meant complying with 8 sets of accreditation covering 191 areas of evaluation, and the certifier lists the park as Gold.^16,2 The park also says its elephants are tethered only at meal and sleep times, which is a detail worth asking about on a visit.¹⁷

Bali Zoo is a member of the Southeast Asian Zoos and Aquariums Association, as reported by Travel Weekly, but we found no welfare-certification listing for it, so we cannot score it.¹⁸ What we can do is read the rules of its elephant programs, which the next section does.

Our site tour is listed from $78, rated 4.71 across 2,327 reviews, with English and Indonesian guides. It includes lunch and Bali Zoo admission, and an optional upgrade adds a guided breakfast with orangutans.

The program suits adults and children from 12 years. A child needs to stand 120 cm tall, and those who are pay the adult price. The zoo gives the same height rule for its own Elephant Mud Fun, and asks guests to bring their own change of clothes because it provides none.^21,22

Hotel pickup is listed for Kuta, Seminyak, Canggu, Nusa Dua, Tanjung Benoa, Jimbaran, Sanur and Ubud, and other areas might cost extra, settled in cash. Cancel a day or more ahead and the whole amount returns to you; you may also hold the date and pay afterward. Read the pickup areas and the height rule before you pay, because both decide whether the day works for your family.