🔄 Updated 21 Jun 2026
Chiang Mai Night Safari sits in Hang Dong district, about 12 kilometres southwest of Chiang Mai city at the foot of Doi Suthep-Pui. It was Thailand's first night safari to use a drive-through tram format instead of walking past caged animals. The tram route runs roughly 5 kilometres and takes about an hour, with a guide sharing facts about each animal along the way. What families enjoy is how close the plant-eating animals come to the tram — kids see them up close without the daytime crowds pressing in around them.
Highlights for kids
The parts children tend to talk about afterwards are mostly on the tram and around the lake. Here's what to look forward to.
- Savanna Safari tram zone — an open-grassland zone with over 300 plant-eating animals, including giraffes, zebras, white rhinos, deer and ostriches roaming a wide field.
- Feeding giraffes by hand — the highlight kids love most: giraffes lean their necks toward the tram so you can offer them leaves or the feed the park provides.
- Predator Prowl tram zone — the meat-eaters' zone with lions, tigers, wolves and crocodiles, viewed from the safety of the tram.
- The Jaguar Trail walk — a short walking loop around the lake for early evening, gentle enough for kids to stretch their legs before or after the tram.
- Musical fountain and light show — a fountain-and-music display by the lake, a nice pause that younger children enjoy watching.
Tips for bringing kids
Aim for early evening (around 6–7 p.m.), when the night zones open and the air turns cooler. Booking tickets online ahead cuts the queue. Bring a light jacket and mosquito repellent, and if you have a baby or very young child, know that the commentary speakers on the tram are fairly loud — you may want to plan around the noise.
Know before you go
- Opening hours — open daily. The daytime walking zone (Jaguar Trail) runs from around 11 a.m., while the night tram zones (Savanna + Predator) start around 6 p.m. and run until roughly 10–11 p.m. The ticket office usually closes around 9 p.m.
- Approximate fees — pricing differs for Thai and foreign visitors. The safari tram ticket for foreigners is around 1,200 THB, while the Thai rate is much lower; children are about half price, and kids under 100 cm tall and visitors with disabilities enter free. Prices are approximate and can change, so check ticket.chiangmainightsafari.com before you go.
- Getting there — about a 20–30 minute taxi, Grab or red-truck (songthaew) ride from Chiang Mai city; if self-driving, drop a pin on "Chiang Mai Night Safari" in Google Maps. Many hotels and tours offer transfers bundled with a ticket.
- Suitable ages — it works for all ages and the tram is comfortable even for little ones, but because it's a night activity with loud commentary, kindergarten-age children and up usually get the most out of spotting animals and feeding them.
Safety, value and the animal question
On the tram, keep children seated and arms inside, especially through the predator zone. On value, the part families appreciate most is riding through the open enclosures where animals roam wide spaces — kinder than keeping them in cages. As for the performing-animal shows, the tiger show in particular has drawn animal-welfare criticism over the years and is currently suspended for renovation as of mid-2025. We'd suggest focusing on the safari tram, the open zones and feeding the giraffes — the experiences kids enjoy — and leaving the animal-trick shows to each family's own judgement.
Plan a full family trip to Chiang Mai
See the Chiang Mai travel guide →