Chiang Mai Night Safari

Chiang Mai Night Safari at a glance

Everything you need to plan the evening in one place. Prices are 2026 foreigner rates; Rupee figures use about Rs 2.85 to the baht and are indicative.

What is Chiang Mai Night Safari, and is it worth it?

Think of it as a zoo you tour at night. The park was modelled on Singapore's night safari, and the headline experience is an open-sided tram that rolls slowly through darkened enclosures while a guide points a soft spotlight at animals that are naturally active after sunset. Zebras, giraffes, deer and rhinos come right up to the tram on the herbivore loop; big cats and bears sit behind glass and moats on the predator side. Between rides there is a musical fountain, a couple of animal shows and a food court around the central lake.

Is it worth it? For families and first-timers, yes. It is one of the easier evenings to organise in Chiang Mai, it is genuinely different from a daytime zoo, and kids tend to love the tram and the fountain show. Solo travellers and wildlife purists get less out of it, and it is not cheap once you add the Jaguar Trail. If you want to be back in the Old City for dinner and a bar, one tram loop plus a show is enough.

An honest note on the animals, because it matters. Like most Asian zoos, the Night Safari has drawn criticism from welfare groups over its tiger enclosures, the paid cub-feeding and photo add-ons, and the practice of letting visitors feed animals from the tram. If close-contact tiger or cub experiences sit badly with you, skip those add-ons and stick to the tram and the trails, or choose an ethical wildlife day out instead. Our guide to the Elephant Nature Park covers the leading no-riding, sanctuary-style option near Chiang Mai if that is more your speed.

Chiang Mai Night Safari ticket prices in 2026

Tickets are split by zone. The Safari Tram covers the two main animal loops (the Savanna Safari and Predator Prowl); the Jaguar Trail is a separate walking ticket. Foreigners pay more than Thai residents, which is standard for Thai attractions. These are the current foreigner rates.

Children between 101 cm and 140 cm pay the child rate, and visitors with a disability card enter free. Combined tram-plus-trail packages work out cheaper than buying each separately, and you can pay at the gate or book online in advance. Ignore older guides quoting 800 THB; that price is out of date. For the full zone-by-zone fee breakdown, including day-safari and combo options, see our Chiang Mai Night Safari entry fees page.

The three zones: what you actually see

Savanna Safari is the crowd-pleaser: a 2.4 km tram loop, about 30 minutes, through open grassland where herbivores roam close to the vehicle. This is where you get within arm's reach of giraffes, zebras, deer, kudu, watusi cattle and blackbuck, and where kids can hand-feed some of the animals from the tram.

Predator Prowl is the second tram loop, and the one that draws the crowds. It runs past lions, Bengal tigers, hyenas, Asiatic black bears, sloth bears, vultures and other hunters, kept behind moats and glass. Guides use a low spotlight so the animals stay active, and this is where the after-dark atmosphere really lands.

Jungle Jaguar Trail is a roughly 1.2 km self-guided walk rather than a tram ride, and it needs a separate ticket. You stroll past jaguars, clouded leopards, tapirs, capybaras, crocodiles and smaller nocturnal species at your own pace. It is the most relaxed part of the park and worth the extra baht if you have the time and the legs for it.

Between the loops you also get a Digital Zoo projection area, a Kids Zone, and the Fun Plaza around the central Swan Lake where the fountain show plays. In total the park keeps more than 400 animals across 50-plus species, so plan on two to three hours to do a tram loop, the trail and a show without rushing.

Shows and show timings

The shows are timed so you can string a few together across the evening. The musical fountain is the finale most people wait for. Timings shift with the season, so glance at the board at the entrance when you arrive, but the current schedule runs roughly like this.

The Musical Fountain is the water, light and laser show set to music over the lake, and its two rounds at 20:00 and 21:00 are the reason to stay for the back half of the evening. If you only have time for one show, make it this one. The tram loops keep running through the shows, so a sensible plan is a tram ride first, then a couple of shows, then the fountain to close.

How to reach the Night Safari and the best time to go

The park sits in Hang Dong, about 12 km south-west of the Old City and roughly 20 minutes from Chiang Mai airport, so you will need transport. There is no city bus, but you have three easy options.

Free shuttle bus. The Night Safari runs a free shuttle from the city. It leaves the Chiang Mai Night Bazaar at about 17:00 and Tha Pae Gate at about 16:45, and returns after the last show. It is the cheapest way there and drops you in time for the early shows.

Grab or a private car. A Grab from the Old City runs about 150 to 200 THB one way and takes 25 to 30 minutes. This is the simplest option for a family and lets you leave whenever you like rather than waiting for the shuttle back.

Red songthaew. The shared red trucks can be flagged from the Old City for roughly 30 THB a head if one is going your way, though getting back after dark is harder, so agree a return or use Grab for the trip home.

"If you want the tram half-empty, take the very first night run at about 17:30 before the tour groups arrive," says a Chiang Mai ground partner. Aim to reach the gate by 17:00 to 18:00: you catch the shuttle, ride the tram in the last of the light, and still make the 20:00 fountain. The park is open year-round; the cool, dry months from November to February are the most comfortable, while the June to October rains can pause the tram briefly. For the full route breakdown and pickup points, see our how to reach Chiang Mai Night Safari guide, and check the current schedule on our Night Safari timings page.

Tips for your visit

A few things that make the evening smoother:

Wear closed shoes and carry a light layer. The Jaguar Trail is a walk, and the hills get cool once the sun drops.

Skip the flash. Flash photography is not allowed on the tram, and it startles the animals anyway; the spotlight is enough to watch by.

Buy tram plus trail together. The combined ticket is better value than paying for the Jaguar Trail on the spot.

Bring small notes. Animal feed for the tram and snacks at the food court are cash-friendly, and you will want a little cash for the songthaew or shuttle.

For the full checklist, including what to skip and how to time the shows, see our Chiang Mai Night Safari tips page. The Night Safari also pairs naturally with an evening at the Chiang Mai night markets and bars if you head back into town afterwards, and it is one of the easiest entries on our list of places to visit in Chiang Mai.

Planning the rest of your Chiang Mai trip

The Night Safari is one attraction on a full Chiang Mai list. Pair it with the temples, markets and hills in our places to visit in Chiang Mai guide, plan the wider trip with our Chiang Mai travel guide, and if you would rather have it all arranged, browse our customisable Thailand tour packages.