On my way from Kuala Lumpur to Bentong for a quiet midweek escape, I decided to make a slight detour to visit Kuala Gandah Elephant Sanctuary, a place I’d often heard about but never really made time for. The sanctuary is located in Lanchang, just a little further than Bentong if you’re coming from the capital.
Honestly, I didn’t quite know what to expect. Part of me was worried it might feel too touristy or performative, the way some animal experiences can be. But I was curious to see how a government-run conservation center works and what role it plays in protecting Malaysia’s wild elephants.
What is Kuala Gandah Elephant Sanctuary?
Kuala Gandah Elephant Sanctuary isn’t a zoo or a circus. It’s a government-run elephant conservation center operated by the Department of Wildlife and National Parks (PERHILITAN).
Established in 1989, the sanctuary’s goal is to rescue, rehabilitate, and relocate wild elephants whose natural habitats have been destroyed due to logging or land development. The team also helps manage human-elephant conflict, particularly in areas where plantations have replaced forests.
Some of the elephants you’ll meet here are rescued orphans, others are injured or unable to return to the wild. They now live semi-captive lives under close care.
Today, the center is open to the public as a way to raise awareness and help people understand the challenges faced by Malaysia’s wild elephant population, and the efforts being made to protect them.
How to get to Kuala Gandah Elephant Conservation Center
The sanctuary is located in Lanchang, in Pahang state, about 105 km from Kuala Lumpur. Here are a few ways to get there:
By car: The most convenient option. It’s roughly a 2-hour drive via the East Coast Expressway (LPT). Use “Kuala Gandah Elephant Conservation Centre” on Google Maps. Arrive by late morning to catch the full schedule of elephant-related activities.
By tour: Many operators in KL offer day trips to Kuala Gandah, often packaged with a stop at Deerland Park or a local village.
By public transport: This is not the most convenient way but doable with enough time and patience. There’s no direct train or bus, so you will have to go to the nearest town (Lanchang) by bus, and from there take a taxi or Grab to the sanctuary. You can buy bus tickets on online platforms, such as Bus Online Ticket and RedBus.
Kuala Gandah opening hours & entry fee
Opening hours:
Daily from 10:30 AM to 4:15 PM
(Last entry at 3:30 PM)
Entry fee:
Admission is free, but donations are highly encouraged to support the care of the elephants and the center’s relocation and rescue efforts.
Recommended donation:
While there’s no fixed amount, I would recommend donating RM10–RM20 per person. If you’re visiting as a family or small group, RM50 is a thoughtful contribution.
What to expect at Kuala Gandah Elephant Sanctuary
Upon registration at the reception counter, you’ll be given the option to either hire a nature guide (RM50 per group, up to 12 people) or explore the sanctuary on your own.
As you walk further in, you’ll pass through a walkway lined with information boards — about the sanctuary, Malaysian elephants in general, and the threats they face from deforestation. It’s a good introduction for anyone unfamiliar with these creatures.
You’ll also get to learn the individual stories of each resident elephant, and why some of them end up here permanently.
Around 12:00 PM, there’s a short documentary in the air-conditioned mini-theatre. It only runs about 15 minutes, but it gives good context to the work being done at the center. It features actual footage from elephant relocation missions, including the huge amount of coordination it takes to move a wild elephant to safety.
Some of the elephants here are trained to assist in rescue and relocation missions, especially when it comes to moving wild elephants out of conflict zones. There’s a small museum if you’d like to learn more about the translocation process, including the tools that are used over the years.
After that, most people make their way to the elephant enclosures or exercise area. This is where you’ll meet the sanctuary’s permanent residents, and watch them sunbathe or spray each other with mud.
You can also buy small bundles of bananas and sugarcane at the center, which are sold specifically for feeding the elephants during the designated session. It’s a simple way to interact with them safely, and the elephants are surprisingly gentle when taking food from your hand.
Note that you’re not allowed to bring your own fruits or snacks to feed them. Only the food provided by the sanctuary is permitted.
The highlight of the visit usually happens at around 2:00 PM, when the elephants come out to the stage for an informative show. Visitors gather at the main viewing area, which is a wide, open space with shaded seating and a clear view of the elephants.
Visitors will be introduced to each elephant on stage, their stories, and what characteristics make them special. They will then demonstrate simple skills, such as how they lie down to sleep, how they use their trunks to pick things up, and how they move through narrow spaces.
It’s fascinating to see how these large, strong creatures, can also be so gentle and graceful.
The show ends with volunteers bringing out buckets of fruit or sugarcane, and visitors can take turns feeding the elephants through the railing.
Depending on the weather and water levels, you might also be able to watch the elephant bathing session in a shallow river nearby. However, the conditions weren’t right during my visit, so the session had to be cancelled as it could be dangerous for both the elephants and the handlers.
Is Kuala Gandah Elephant Sanctuary an ethical place to visit?
This is the question many travelers ask, and rightly so. As awareness about animal welfare grows, it’s important to think carefully before visiting any place that houses wild animals, especially elephants — an animal often exploited in tourism.
The short answer: Mostly yes
Kuala Gandah Elephant Sanctuary is one of the better options in Malaysia if you’re looking to support genuine conservation rather than animal entertainment. It’s government-run and exists primarily to address a real environmental issue: the displacement of wild elephants due to habitat loss.
The center’s mission is to:
- Rescue elephants that are injured, orphaned, or at risk due to deforestation
- Rehabilitate and, if possible, relocate them to protected areas
- Educate the public about elephant conservation
While not perfect, it is far from a tourist trap designed to profit off animal suffering.
What makes it ethical?
✅ No riding for tourists
Unlike many elephant tourism spots in Southeast Asia, Kuala Gandah does not allow tourists to ride elephants. This means you won’t see elephants wearing heavy carriages for tourist rides, a practice known to harm elephants’ spines and often involves harsh training methods.
That said, the elephants here are still ridden by their mahouts (handlers). This is not for entertainment, but rather a practical part of their daily care. In traditional elephant management in Asia, mahouts ride the elephants bareback to guide them safely, particularly when moving them between enclosures.
These mahouts usually work with the same elephant for years, developing a strong bond, and their presence helps the animals feel calm and secure in unfamiliar situations.
It’s also worth pointing out that there are still “shows” at Kuala Gandah, but these are not circus-style performances. Instead, they are short, low-stress demonstrations of natural or trained behaviors that elephants would use in their daily routines. These are meant to educate visitors about the elephants’ intelligence and the kind of training used for conservation work, although of course, opinions vary on whether any form of performance is appropriate.
So while it isn’t a completely hands-off sanctuary, Kuala Gandah tries to strike a balance between public education and animal welfare, with stricter limits than commercial wildlife parks.
✅ Limited, supervised interaction
In the past, the sanctuary allowed tourists to bathe with elephants in the river. Today, that practice has largely stopped or is very limited. Visitors may be allowed to feed elephants small treats like sugarcane, but only under the supervision of handlers, and not all elephants are used for this purpose.
✅ Transparency about the elephants
Information boards and staff are very open about each elephant’s background — where it came from, why it’s at the sanctuary, and whether it can return to the wild. Some elephants at Kuala Gandah are permanent residents due to injuries or trauma, but many are released back into the wild through the sanctuary’s relocation program.
✅ Focus on conservation, not profit
Unlike commercial wildlife parks, Kuala Gandah does not charge an entrance fee. You’re encouraged to donate, but there’s no hard sell. This reinforces the idea that it’s an educational and conservation-based center, not a business.
✅ No unnecessary restrain
Elephants are kept in large enclosures with shaded areas, and though they may be guided with tools during feeding or moving, they are not paraded around or restrained unnecessarily. Those in training may be tethered for safety, but the general atmosphere is calm and respectful.
What are the limitations?
Like any sanctuary that houses wild animals in a semi-captive environment, Kuala Gandah walks a fine line between conservation and tourism.
What I find rather concerning is the amount of tourists that the sanctuary has to accommodate during peak times and whether this can be too stressful for the animals. I visited on a weekday, so there were not too many people around, but I can only imagine what it must be like on weekends and school holidays. I wonder if the benefits outweigh the costs of opening this place to visitors.
Another concern is that some of the elephant enclosures have tiled or cement flooring. I’m not sure if that’s the best environment for an elephant to live in, considering their size and the fact that they’re naturally meant to roam forests and soft terrain — with dirt, mud, and vegetation.
Then again, I’m not a vet or conservationist, so I can only speak from observation.
With all that being said, I still believe that the center is doing the best it can in prioritizing elephant welfare more than many other places in Southeast Asia.
How long to spend at Kuala Gandah Elephant Sanctuary
I find that 2 to 3 hours is enough time to explore Kuala Gandah Elephant Sanctuary at a relaxed pace. Since the sanctuary is relatively small and the main activities are scheduled around a few key time slots, it’s best to plan your visit to coincide with the afternoon session, when the elephants are brought out for public viewing and feeding.
If you’re driving from Kuala Lumpur, this makes for a comfortable half-day trip, including travel time. Most organized tours depart KL in the morning and return by late afternoon.
If you’re planning to include a stop at the nearby Deerland Park, add another 45 minutes to an hour. While not conservation-focused, it’s popular among families with kids and features small animals like deer, rabbits, and birds.
What to bring to Kuala Gandah Elephant Sanctuary
- Comfortable clothes (it’s hot and humid)
- Sun protection (hat, sunscreen, umbrella)
- Insect repellent (you’re near forest and water)
- Camera
- Cash for donations, snacks, or small souvenirs
Final thoughts
I didn’t plan my visit to Kuala Gandah as a main destination. It was just an add-on stop to my Bentong trip. But in the end, it turned out to be one of the most memorable parts of my holiday.
While the sanctuary still has its shortcomings, and nothing can truly replace life in the wild for these elephants, I do believe the team at Kuala Gandah is doing their best with the resources they have. It’s not a perfect setup, but it’s a step in the right direction, especially in a world where wildlife often takes a backseat to development.
I left with a better understanding of the complexities involved in elephant conservation, and a quiet hope that the centre will continue to improve, both for the animals and for the people working so hard to protect them.
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