Chiang Mai Night Safari: Tickets, Giraffe Feeding and Travel Tips
From feeding giraffes to watching white tigers and colourful macaws, this nocturnal zoo is one of the best experiences you can have in Chiang Mai.
It’s amazing how friendly the animals feel at Chiang Mai Night Safari. If you’re looking for something different from temples and cafés, this place is genuinely worth your time.
Imagine feeding giraffes by hand while zebras, deer and other animals roam freely nearby. Beautiful big cats, lions, jaguars, hippos and more are all part of the experience. The park does a great job of making you feel close to the animals without it feeling forced.
I arrived around 3 PM. The moment I entered the parking area, several Blue-and-yellow Macaws and Salmon-crested Cockatoos greeted me with loud, cheerful whistles. I was lucky to watch them communicating with each other so actively. Their voices really set the mood for the afternoon.
The park is located in Hang Dong district, south of Chiang Mai, Thailand. From the Old Town, Nimman area or near Wat Phra Singh, a Grab usually costs 500–520 THB. A two-wheeler (motorbike taxi) is cheaper at around 140–150 THB and takes about 30–35 minutes.
Chiang Mai Night Safari is open daily from 11:00 to 22:00. There are two main visiting windows: 11:00 AM to 4:00 PM and 4:30 PM to 10:00 PM. Arriving in the late afternoon works best. You get to walk the lakeside trail while it’s still light and then catch the evening trams when the animals become more active.
The 1.2 km Jaguar Trail runs around the central lake and offers a more intimate experience. You pass enclosures with white tigers, jaguars, smaller carnivores, primates and a surprising variety of birds. It’s peaceful and gives you time to move at your own pace.
The open trams can comfortably carry groups of about 20 people. There are separate arrangements for Thai citizens and foreigners. The guides are excellent. They share interesting facts about each animal’s origin and characteristics and genuinely try to make the ride enjoyable.
One of the best moments for me was feeding the giraffes during the Savanna section of the tram ride. They lean right in, and the interaction feels natural and memorable.
As night falls, the multimedia musical fountain on the lake comes alive. Jets of water, lights, lasers and music create a colourful show that many visitors stay to watch. The combination of the animals and the fountain gives the park a complete evening atmosphere.
Foreign adult tickets for the full experience (tram rides + walking zones + shows) currently cost 1,200 THB. Children between 101–140 cm pay 600 THB, while those under 100 cm enter free. Booking online through the official website usually offers a 20% discount, bringing the adult price down to around 960 THB. A cheaper walking-only option for the Jaguar Trail is also available.
The park spans roughly 327 acres (132 hectares), making it one of the largest night safaris in the world, nearly twice the size of Singapore’s. It was Thailand’s first dedicated nocturnal zoo. The idea came about in the early 2000s under then-Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, inspired by Singapore’s Night Safari. After planning and construction near the foothills of Doi Suthep, the park soft-opened in November 2005 and was officially inaugurated on 6 February 2006. It now operates under the Zoological Park Organization.
As a solo traveller, I wasn’t sure what to expect when I arrived. By the time I left around 9 PM, I was completely sold. Chiang Mai Night Safari turned out to be one of the most memorable experiences of my time in northern Thailand.
Watch Video : Chiang Mai Night Safari
