The Preserve

We enjoyed both the elephant experience and animal encounter experience! The guides and handlers were SUPER friendly and knowledgeable about the animals and their native habitats. The facility was immaculate and all the animals looked VERY well cared for and healthy. It was a truly memorable and educational experience! I highly recommend visiting if you want a very hands on amazing exotic animal experience. You will not be disappointed. The preserve is amazing!

My boyfriend surprised me with a visit to The Preserve elephant sanctuary during our Fredericksburg, TX wine tasting weekend because he knows how much I love elephants — and it ended up being the highlight of the trip! This was such a wonderful experience. You get the chance to gently wash the elephants and take photos with them. Just to set expectations — you're only allowed a few strokes with the bathing brush before it's time to step aside so others can enjoy it too. While you don’t get to give the elephant a full bath, just being that close and getting to touch and hug these gentle giants was magical. I also bought a painting made by Rosie the elephant (so cool!) and got a photo with her. The elephants did do a few little tricks to show off how intelligent they are, and I was happy to see the trainers being very kind, gentle and respectful towards they throughout the event. It’s clear they truly care for the elephants and that the elephants trust them. The Preserve does a great job of balancing education and interaction. I walked away with a better understanding of Asian elephants and the importance of conservation. The full 90-minute experience was worth every minute. Highly recommend this for animal lovers and anyone looking for a unique, heartwarming experience!

We really enjoyed our elephant experience at The Preserve today. The animals seem to be very well cared for and the staff's passion was evident throughout our hour and a half spent with them. Safely being hands on, learning more about the elephants, and also entertained all at once isn't easy, but they pull it off beautifully. The grounds are lovely. There are multiple photo opportunities to help capture the memories. Staff was eager to answer any questions and tell us more about these gentle giants. I will recommend this place to everyone I know. Tell Kitty, Rosie, & Becky I said hi!

My wife and I organized a special adventure outing for our 11 nieces, nephews and great-nieces and great nephews for this past Sunday at the Preserve. It was an overwhelmingly amazing 2 hour experience and everyone of the family thoroughly enjoyed the interaction, playing, picture taking, posing, feeding and bathing these three magnificant elephants! Rosie, Becky and Rosie are amazing, sweet, generous and kind ladies. An they are definitely ladies! Full of spunk and mischievousness, ---- but also so tame and patient that Rosie a 41 year old Asian Female elephant, stood remarkably still while my 2-year old red-headed nephew spontaneously kissed the bottom of her foot while she was knelling on a foot stool. This preserve is an amazing educational testament to a family's commitment to wildlife and species preservation. Our day was top notch and unforgettable. Kudos to the entire staff and especially the dedicated owners who have been blessing these enormous creatures with love for over 50 years. GO participating an outing, I promise you will not be disappointed! Memories for a lifetime. Robin and Nancy Rush March 2025

A truly amazing and memorable experience. The staff is so passionate and you can see how well they take care of the elephants. The grounds are beautiful and meticulous maintained. They strive to cover every small detail which made me feel like the elephants got that same care. I would highly recommend making a visit.

We surprised our daughter with the elephant experience for her 7th birthday! It was truly awesome! Not only did we learn a ton about Asian Elephants, but we had hands on experience with the girls. Kitty, Rosie, and Becky were amazing to see and interact with. We got to help bathe Kitty, see the other two get a pedicure, learn about their exercises and see them practice their stretches, watch them play, see Rosie paint, and so much more! And our girl got to finish out her trip with some artwork by her fave elephant. She gets to take home a print of Kitty’s foot! These beautiful creatures were truly a sight to see up close and personal. 🐘 💜

My husband brought me for my 40th birthday and it was magical! I have always been a huge animal lover and this experience was unforgettable! The girls are so sweet and smart, I could spend hours with them. We got tons of photos with them and I bought a painting by Rosie. Supporting organizations that help preserve elephants is a win and getting to see these ladies up close and personal gave me an even better perspective of how amazing they are. We are going to bring my grand daughter back next month for both the elephants and the new exotic section they will be opening!

My family and I visited The Preserve on March 20, 2025. Before going, I read dozens of online reviews, and I’d say the 5-star ones are pretty accurate—but here’s my take. Overall, this was a wonderful experience. If it weren’t for the exceptional staff and immaculate setting, I might have rated it 4 stars purely based on the price. That said, it was a premium experience from start to finish. They earned their star rating. The staff was knowledgeable, kind, and incredibly accommodating. They took dozens of pictures of us with the elephants (with our phone camera) and encouraged us to take as many of our own as we liked. The grounds were clean, peaceful, and more professionally maintained than most zoos I’ve visited. But this was far more than a zoo visit—it was immersive and personal. I’m no elephant expert, but I’ve spent time around them in the past. These elephants reminded me of my dogs—they genuinely seemed to enjoy their time with us. Some of the harsher reviews I saw online questioned the treatment of the animals, but from what I observed, these elephants are loved and well cared for. They aren’t props—they’re part of the family. They’ve been with this team for decades, so “returning” them to the wild isn’t really a realistic or humane option. Texas is their home now. If you’ve ever seen elephants working in harsh environments overseas, you’ll immediately recognize the difference. Here, they’re not being exploited—they’re being honored. We felt safe, welcomed, and enriched by the experience. I would absolutely recommend The Preserve to anyone who enjoys wildlife and wants something more personal and conservation-minded than a traditional zoo.

Loved how they cherish the animals there. So obvious they love them. Highly recommend the preserve! You won't forget it!

Absolutely loved this experience! I was hesitant at first not knowing what to expect but from the moment we arrived I was in awe. The staff was wonderful and I learned so many things about Asian Elephants. Rosie, Becky and Kitty you all did amazing... relaxing while we bathed you, kicking the ball and hoola hooping. I recommend this exciting experience to all young and old.

Please consider not going to The Preserve in Texas. It's an Elephant exploitation . These Elephants perform because of fear. They live their whole lives in fear. To get them to perform they use bull hooks to hit and beat them with. There is undercover footage providing this. They are forced to give rides which over time causes the Elephants spinal injuries and severe pain. Please advise others to not attend this facility. Looks can be deceiving. These animals are suffering!

For folks who lost count.... this is review 8- hun-it (800). Today, I took the Things to the Preserve for one of their Spring Break days. I decided to come to this Preserve as both Things are fond of animals and are always looking for more information about animals. The Preserve is only open designated hours and days and can only be visited by appointment/tickets paid in advance. *It should be noted that while there are many one star reviews of this facility based upon the consumer research done prior to the visiting or shortly after and the use of bullhooks on the elephants, this review does not include such research nor did I see any bullhooks used upon my visit at any time. Upon entering the location, guests are advised that the show will commence under a pavilion at the scheduled time, and bottled water is available for attendees to stay hydrated while they wait for the show to begin. As guests wait for the elephants to come out, guests are shown an elephant tooth and are educated about the amount of teeth elephants have over their lifetimes. When the elephants come out, this is where "the circus" begins. The elephants come to the pavilion with their tails and trunks linked (I assume this is to show how well they are behaved/trained). Guests are introduced to the elephants and the elephants 'wave' to the guests with their trunks. Guests are given quick facts about elephants from the first presenter. Guests are then brought to the area where they can take photos with the elephants and wash one elephant. The Things and I elected to do both. Although we soon learned this experience was more of a trained animal show as opposed to seeing elephants in their natural habitat. During the washing of the elephant, guests are able to ask questions about the elephants (many of which are answered, some which could not be due to the lack of knowledge of staff). At this juncture (while I am doing the interaction with the elephants), I am a bit apprehensive about staying for the remainder of the time I paid for as this is not a true preserve. It's become obvious at this point that this is an elephant show/circus. After the interactions with the elephants, the elephants are brought back to the pavilion to do "tricks." These tricks, as others have mentioned, include hula hoops, ball kicking, painting, and lifting a human/trainer with the elephant's trunk. On a positive note, I did learn the following: 1- There are more than 10 physical characteristics that differentiate Asian and African elephants. For example, Asian elephants' ears are smaller compared to the large fan-shaped ears of the African species. Only some male Asian elephants have tusks, while both male and female African elephants grow tusks. It is also important to note that there are two distinct elephant species on the African continent--the savanna elephant and the forest elephant, with a number of characteristics that differentiate them both as well. 2- Elephants have the longest gestation period of any mammal--22 months. Females give birth every four to five years. Elephant herds have complex social structures, are led by matriarchs, and are comprised of a group of other adult females and calves, while male elephants tend to live in isolation or small bachelor groups. One of every four elephants born die after birth (that's both an awful and alarming statistic). 3- tree species in central African and Asian forests rely on seeds passing through an elephant's digestive tract before they can germinate. An elephant footprint can also enable a micro-ecosystem that, when filled with water, can provide a home for tadpoles and other organisms. Aside from these facts and tricks performed by the elephants and close encounters with consumers, this is what those who attend can expect in the 1 and 1/2 hours spent at the location. Summation: If you are looking to see trained elephants at the price point of $125 per person (I paid for 3 tickets, $375 in total), visiting a circus may be a better bet as at least consumers know they are going to see tricks and are not expecting to see elephants in a preserve. If you are looking for a true preserve experience, see my review for Out of Africa Wildlife Park in AZ as this is a true preserve where animals are roaming free and are not doing parlor tricks. https://www.yelp.com/biz/out-of-africa-wildlife-park-camp-verde If you plan to attend, I'd advise you to read all reviews and form your own opinion prior to going as well as determine if $125 per ticket is worth the price point.

10/10 experience for a fun date or family bonding! Very welcome crew, hands on experience with animals, and educational content! My boyfriend surprised me on a trip to Fredericksburg & this was the most unforgettable experience

Ya'll DO NOT COME HERE! This "preserve" is not even an ethical preserve. They "rescue" retired circus elephants and have them continue doing tricks for entertainment still, which is harmful for each individual one. They are running under the guise of saving elephants and keeping them "safe", but they are just doing this for people's entertainment, and to cash in. There is a video online that shows the workers carrying a metal bullhook, which is used for prodding the elephants to do the tricks. PLEASE DO NOT COME HERE! DO NOT SUPPORT THEIR BUSINESS!

Met the beautiful and majestic Kitty, Becky, and Rosy! Beautiful Asian elephants rescued by the preserve and the experience was amazing. The trainers seem to really love these elephants and we got to get up close and personal with all of them including helping them bathe and taking pictures. You can buy their art as well. They also have giraffes and kangaroos apparently but that is another tour.

Highly recommend - fun for all ages. I took my 80-yr-old Mom and my 20 yr old daughter and boyfriend for a fun day trip from Fort Worth. We stayed in Fredericksburg, which in itself is just a lovely small town in Hill Country. We went to the 1100 show and first of all, I loved that I had to reschedule a couple times from a few months back when my mom was sick and although there was a small reschedule fee, we were able to come when she got better. It was very easy to find and the set up is easy for limited mobility. We got to bathe and take pictures with the elephants which includes feeling their skin, trunks and feet. We learned about them and had 1.5 hours to see their adorable personalities. My daughter and boyfriend were able to interact playing soccer (well throwing a ball for them to kick) and also throwing a hoola hoop their way for them to twirl around their trunks. I read the negative reviews on here and the staff was so friendly and the elephants were so mild mannered it seems this is a wonderful service to learn about elephants as well as a conservation effort to help an endangered species.

Everything a delight All ages loved it. I took my friends as a surprise and they were delighted.

This is not a preserve nor a rescue. The elephants are clearly drugged to be calm and do tricks. They use bullhorns and are sure to show the elephants them to make sure they keep performing. I didn't need to see tricks if I wanted that I would go to a circus which is basically what this is. I genuinely thought this a like a rescue preserve but it is not. It's a money grab at the expense if animal. It's so sad please do not go.

I have visited three times with plans to go back. The elephants are such amazing animals. The staff and owners are happy and answer all my questions each time. They are promoting conservation of the elephants in the wild.

We were recommended this place and my husband decided to gift me a cool experience with elephants for my birthday. I didn't do much research going in but genuinely thought it was an animal preserve. Upon arrival, staff were friendly and property looked to be in pristine condition. The staff gave an overview and you look over and see these three gorgeous elephants come walking over. I didn't think too much of it at the time. The next set was the bath time where we were able to go up and help wash by brushing Becky's skin and then take photos with Rosie. The inner kid in me was elated to see elephants up close and personal but something struck me as off when after "spa time" Becky did a handstand and that's when this felt like a gimmick and gave us the circus feel. We all came back as a group and we learned a little more about the three elephants but this is where they did their tricks. Part of me loved being able to hug these gorgeous elephants and give them kindness and love, but the other part of me feels foolish for not researching a head of time. I can only hope that the videos and stories online are not true. And that these magnificent beauties are treated with respect and kindness. But the umbrella of education and conversation doesn't quite stand up. We didn't learn about any conservation efforts and asked questions that not all the trainers could answer. Looking back I don't know if i saw sadness in their eyes or just the look of a giant animal who was over the heat. But nothing beats looking at a 6000+ lb animal who is so gentle yet strong. Overall, I'm very indifferent. I don't regret going but I do regret supporting individuals who false advertise and who allegedly abuse animals.

I certainly do NOT understand why there is a single bad review about this place. First thing we noticed was how well everything was maintained. Everything is in prestige condition. The bathrooms were clean and nice, the roads were all groomed, seating areas were all clean. IMPRESSIVE! All the employees were VERY knowledgeable, kind, and treated the elephants with love! Holly smokes the elephants were all so sweet, well mannered, incredibly talented and the absolute best! I may have cried about 96 times. Happy tears of course! I would HIGHLY recommend doing this experience. My husband and 2.5 year old had the best time too!! Our little one was in awe the ENTIRE time. We learned so many cool facts about these magnificent elephants. Def a trip to remember. Thank you all so much!

I've been to an actual elephant sanctuary in Thailand and this is NOTHING like it. Elephants should be enjoying their lives, not doing tricks and being jabbed with a bull hook or shocked to comply. This is not a sanctuary or nonprofit. They are exploiting these animals for money and it's extremely sad. The "trainers" all carry bull hooks. A quick Google search for more info will show you that these elephants were taken from the wild, not from zoos/circus like they claim. They also decided to leave CA and relocate here, because CA made it illegal to use bull hooks. The real sanctuaries I've been too didn't let people bathe with the elephants or interact with them except for a quick 15 minute feeding and even then, the closest you could get was a trunk length away. They spent a maximum of an hour a day being fed by visitors and beyond that we were there to just view them living their lives, foraging in the forest, wandering around, and bathing with their mahout...Thai elephant keepers. It's sad that places like this are allowed to exist in TX!

We went to this place with minimal research and just trusted that they were a preserve. I later learned after experiencing this that a preserve should NOT have animals doing tricks. They also could not tell us where these animals were from just kept saying "various places." All trainers are holding BULL HOOKS which are harmful to elephants and Illegal in many states. I am sad I sat through this scripted 1.5 hour experience and feel so sad for these elephants. Real preserves do not have interactions with humans. Please read this before you attend!

Great experience with elephants. The love of the team and their care for elephants is so much more than the reviews. My husband and I had a fantastic experience bathing, playing and interacting with elephants. Garry, Kari, Joanne, Blake, and the rest of the team.. despite the Karen's out there..they go over and beyond to give an experience with the animals that most people would love to have. We domesticate dogs..cats..and many other animals. The elephants have a great team who helps give them emotional and spiritual support. Yes..the elephants would probably love to be free..but they are dying from other countries and hunters sourcing ivory, their skins..giving them a free place to live is better than the crappy reviews from the haters. I have to say it was an incredible experience. The grounds are beautiful and the passion and love of the team was well worth the experience. Don't be negative of those truly trying to help.

My husband took me here for my birthday and it was so amazing! I learned so much about their elephants (and elephants in general!) It was unexplainable to be so close to these massive animals and actually get to feel their body and skin. I will definitely be back. The preserve was beautiful and so well taken care of and the staff was phenomenal- so informative and open for questions. They were so funny too!

Amazing!! About 50-75 people or so in the whole group. Don't worry they give you plenty of one on one time with the elephants. Hour and a half was a perfect amount of time. I loved the whole experience. We learned so much. Support the cause. Lots of pictures with the elephants. I can't wait to go back in the future as they are expanding. We saw in the distance the giraffes that they are currently training. Next is giant turtles and rhinos one day. The elephant only experience was worth everything. I can't imagine adding more to this experience but I will - next time.

There isn't a time that I go and the person I take loves the experience. People I've referred have thanked me for leading them there. Please don't be fooled by the negative reviews. This is a one of a kind hands on learning experience and the staff is super nice and knowledgeable. And there's great news as they are expanding! Next there will be giraffes and giant turtles. Make sure you make reservations as they are usually sold out.

Our second visit to the Preserve.......so many improvements to the property and exhibits. Same devoted...knowledgeable.... Hands on staff and owners. Sadly two of the elderly elephants have passed away due to age..... They have added two male Giraffe but they are not part of the adventure yet. Still a great hands on educational experience.

What a wonderful experience! We took my mom (plus 5 young kids) today, and this was an incredible facility and the staff was a delight. You can feel the love they have for these majestic animals, and their main mission is conservation. These elephants have been in their family for over 30 years, and are some of the most well-cared-for animals we have met. We were honestly skeptical going in because I hate when animals are "on display" or being used. That isn't the case here, folks. These girls are treated like royalty and the programming is unique and informative. The 2 year olds enjoyed it, but it was perfect for ages 5 and up. This experience was absolutely worth every penny. We can't wait to return. The owners and staff are TOP NOTCH and passionate about pachyderms!

The preserve is a very fun and educational family experience. Me and my family went over spring break and got to personally talk to one of the owners ( thank you Kari ). It was so fun to see these amazing animals up close and get to learn more about them. I would definitely recommend to anyone looking to see any animals ( especially elephants) and thank you to everyone at the presserve that made our experience amazing...

My daughter was about to turn 4 and we wanted something interactive with animals so this was the perfect spot also under 3 is free so we thought we would do it before she turned 4 haha! I believe since we have booked the tickets went up a bit but at the time it was 219$ for my husband and I. We got there early to get a good seat! The experience was great and very interactive. My daughter was able to touch the elephants and take pictures. We did wear our mask the entire time except to take pictures. They practice safety measures by breaking us into groups with different elephants. They have a gift shop that you can buy memorable things from. My daughter had fun! I would definitely do it again!

Because I saw a few bad reviews on this place, I decided not to go. But after a friend went and told me about it, I had to take my wife (who loves elephants and had never seen one in person). Needless to say, it was great! The property was immaculate and the employees were extremely knowledgable and helpful. MOST importantly, the elephants were very well taken care of, and obviously very happy. The area where they live is very large (not like those little one acre lots they keep them at in the zooz), and they have access to a veterinarian 24 hours a day. The elephants were very playful and were willing to share the love they recieve from their care takers. My wife cried as she was able to bathe and hold an elephant for the first time. Honestly, any bad reviews this organization has received are no doubt from poeple who have never gone and are just haters. The experience and knowledge we gained from The Preserve and being able to interact with these beautiful creatures was priceless. We will be sharing what we have learned from these precious giants with everyone, and hopefully raise awareness benefiting elephants worldwide. We also have decided to donate monthly to a few organizations who support protecting elephants in the wild. Unfortunately, human beings are not very intelligent and they have to see and experience to believe how important some things are, so that's the job of these elephants here at The Preserve.

Just for everyone reading this, I visited this sanctuary before I read any reviews and knew that there are accusations against them - I will not opine on anything of that nature, all I can say is that I hope these elephants are taken care of properly. All I can opine on is my personal experience. Overall, I enjoyed my time here, as did everyone who was there. The interactions that people had with the elephants and the trainers was positive. I really appreciate how the staff organize photo ops for everyone with the elephants in a fair, organized manner, because be real, everyone wants that more than anything. It was cute seeing them do tricks and getting up and close to something that used to be employed in ancient warfare was a bit captivating. I was a bit scared getting up so close, but the animals were very gentle. My only hangup is that the experience was short - only an hour and a half. I was visiting my family in Houston, and driving 4 and a half hours to see an hour and a half of elephants to me was not worth the drive and the cost of admission. However, even if you were local to Central Texas, or included that experience in a longer stay in the area, I would say, it is still not a lot of bang for your buck. Unless you specifically looking for an up close elephant encounter, I just don't believe that there is a lot of value here.

I ADORE elephants for so many reasons and could not wait to visit the preserve. I was worried that it was going to be sad and that these amazing creatures were not going to be living their best life. This shelter exceeded my expectations. You can tell that the owner and the handlers truly love the elephants and are taking great care of them. The property looks as if it's right out of Africa. Getting hands on education and interaction with the rescues elephants was amazing. I would 100% go back.

Like most of the 1-3 star reviews, I didn't do my research before coming here. This experience was a gift for my birthday. Good things: it is amazing to see elephants so closely and learn about them. The place is clean and well kept. They generously took photos of you with the elephants. Bad things: it's very scripted. While giving one of the elephants a dry bath, the staff member taking pictures was telling EVERY person to "just have fun" every time she finished taking photos...weird. They use bull hooks. I had no idea what they were until doing my research afterwards. Someone asked where the elephants came from, and a staff member answered that the owners knew the people who knew of this group of elephants?...weird, again. The elephants doing tricks was the more disturbing part. It feels unnecessary. There's no mention of how they actually help with conservation from a monetary standpoint, only that being in close contact leads to caring more about the animals and helps us make conscientious decisions that lead to conservation of their environments... I didn't go into the experience looking for any red flags, but these stood out to me and prompted the online research. By the name, I expected that these elephants were rescued or retired. I wouldn't have gone if I had seen the reviews beforehand.

I went out to visit the elephants for my birthday. You see them in the zoo and on the internet, but you really don't get a chance to interact and touch them like you do at the preserve. The team working with the elephants were informative, gentle, funny and very accommodating. Their goal was to educate us on how important it is for elephants to move & exercise to be limber for their long lives. They demonstrated how smart elephants are and just how much personality each one has. The bathrooms and gift shop were very clean and looked new and updated. We absolutely loved it and will definitely be back!!

I visited this place on Friday, May 3rd, knowing what it was about. I was very familiar with the prior history of these owners and how they got these 5 girls to perform these unnatural "circus tricks" for money and human selfishness. I hated giving these people any of my hard earned money but decided to go, so that I could say that I went and made observations for myself. Of course they aren't going to abuse their "moneymakers" in front of the crowd, although they were scolded repeatedly for doing what elephants do (rub themselves against trees, lie down, etc--"NOT ON SHOW DAY!" as curtly blurted by trainer, David Smith. I can see how people get sucked in. #1, seeing elephants in person, Kari comes across as very pleasant, funny, and appears to care (unless you've seen the videos of how she's trained them), she could brush up some of her facts about them (for example:trunk contains over 40,000 muscles, not 100,000). These poor girls looked drugged and so incredibly sad. If you can open your mind and get passed the "Ooohs" and "Ahhhs" of their "performance", you just might see it in their eyes. There are many humane ways to support animals and wildlife without spending $75 (Now $95!!) a ticket to see majestic elephants being used to make a buck. Of course it's easy to get sucked into the thought of visiting this place but thank goodness for the people who dig a little deeper into the "empathy bank" and realize that there is nothing normal or natural about what these beautiful creatures are being pushed to do. We have a long way to go but I sure hope that Texans start to get it right and will help push for these 5 girls to be able to finally retire and relax. Attached is a pic of my emailed ticket in case Yelp wants to try to delete my post claiming I didn't go. Please reference The Elephant Sanctuary in Tennessee-Elephant Discovery Center in Hohenwald, TN for a model of a true sanctuary that loves their elephants. The Johnsons could set up a viewing area where the elephants don't perform, have no direct contact AND people would still come to pay and see them. Win/Win. Please let these girls truly retire.

I have been twice to this lovely elephant preserve. Lots of elephant education disguised as a fun time! The staff is lovely (and I have spoken to at least 7 of the handlers ) and each of them seemed to have genuine care/ concern / love for these elephants. Excited to hear they are adding giraffes (there's 3 there now) and a kangaroo exhibit too. During the elephant experience you get to touch, bath, play games and take pics with each of the elephants. Ask as many questions as you could possibly think of, they take the time to answer every question. The elephants are definitely the stars but the staff play an amazing supporting role!

I took my 6 year old granddaughter here for her 6th birthday. We had an amazing experience. My husband talked to the owner while we were visiting with these amazing animals. They are gentle kind and look very well taken care of. As my husband talked to the owner he found out about the bullstick. They do not abuse the animals with these devises (in fact they showed them to us) they use them to guide and direct the animals. Almost like putting a leash on your dog. I saw nothing but respect love and kindness towards the animals. I'd recommend this preserve to animal lovers everywhere. Help preserve elephants throughout the world through places like this. We had the best time and I'd love to go back and perhaps volunteer sometime.

I was lucky enough to experience an amazing day at The Preserve in March. Not only was it informative, but it was interactive and I'd venture to say, life changing. The hands-on learning this facility offers is an amazing way to learn about elephant conservation, elephant care, and the human-elephant bond. I recommend visiting The Preserve to anyone going through the Texas Hill Country. It is beautiful, magical, and truly a special place. The tour starts with a talk about conservation and the issues facing elephants in the wild. They also talk about how to best care for elephants in human care. They include demonstrations on how to bathe an elephant, do regular foot care, exercise, and behavioral enrichment (aka mental stimulation). Elephants are very intelligent, which means you have to give them things to do in order to stay active both mentally and physically. Those demonstrations are amazing and entertaining, while showing how nimble, adaptive, and athletic elephants really are. I will never forget my day experiencing elephants in person. I may never be able to get to Africa or Asia to see what's left of the wild, and this is an experience that's impossible at any zoo, but I will forever care about the plight and survival of elephants because of my time at The Preserve.

Great Christmas present for my animal-loving kids! Friendly, professional staff. The elephants seemed healthy and well cared for. Really enjoyed it!

Fantastic time! So much fun getting to learn about the elephants and be able to touch them. I was nervous as you hear stories about places sedating animals so people can get close to them but these girls were active and having a great time. They have a great program that keeps people moving around and the group a little more spread out. Time just goes by too fast.

I wish I had looked at these reviews before we went. I had a friend who went and said great things, so we went. This was not the experience I expected to have at a "sanctuary." The elephants were definitely putting on a show / performing. I didn't realize that was what we were going to be experiencing. Every single guest was able to line up to touch several elephants (scrub an elephant lying on the ground with a brush, take photos while hugging a trunk, touch an elephant's foot). I can only imagine how unpleasant it is for the elephants to go through this twice a day, several times a week. As for COVID protocols, they were NOT great. It was a very large number of people (not a small group). They told us when we arrived that we had to wear masks, but as I watched almost every other party removed masks either the majority of the time we were out or at seemingly random times (not just when distanced), and many younger people had no masks at all. Guests were not really distancing, especially when in line for photos / elephant touching. I never heard a single employee step in to ask people to distance or keep masks on when not distancing.

My daughter and I fulfilled an item on our Bucket List!! The Preserve at Stonewall and our time with The Elephants was over the top fun and worth every penny. Getting to be this close with one of God's most beautiful creatures was very special. Did you know elephants have long eyelashes and that the India Elephants and African elephants are 2 totally different species??!! We learned a lot and I can't say enough about the gorgeous surroundings and the LOVE that the couple that own this place have for these animals. Ignore, ignore the bad reviews. There will always be those that think they are more moral than you and think they know what's real. To try and destroy this couples life commitment to these animals is despicable. Every person that works there is dedicated to sharing their admiration and love for these unique and splendid creatures. Will be going back and wish I lived closer so I could volunteer to work in the gardens and interact with the elephants weekly!!

We loved this place and could tell the staff enjoyed working here. Very informative and a really cool experience.

How much we learned and how well cared for and loved the elephants were. We would recommend this as a MUST SEE. It was something on my bucket list. I plan on going back and taking friends. We stayed and visited with the caregivers, they were so sweet to answer all our questions. I have absolutely nothing bad to say as it exceeded our expectations.

My children and I had absolutely the best time out there. They had great Covid protocols and check in was outside and nice tent with tables. They have a max capacity so it won't be crowded. I've read a few of the reviews and all I can judge is what I've seen and they were all very kind and gentle to the elephants. Those tools they had were when they tamed to use about filing their nails and what's involved. Once in a lifetime experience

One of the worst experiences of my entire life was at this "preservation" and wannabe elephant sanctuary. I came in August having no idea what this experience would be like and without doing prior research. This was part of my friend's bach itinerary, and out of courtesy to my dear friend, I have never displayed a fake smile more than ever. These people had the elephants do a number of circus tricks (painting, ball throwing, posing for pictures, basketball). Those beautiful elephants looked so sad and docile during my entire visit. I wondered if they were drugged? They were incredibly obedient given the bull hooks each of the so called "trainers" were holding. The woman who runs this place was defending herself and saying something along the lines of it not being much different than training a dog. Let me be clear: DOGS ARE DOMESTICATED AND ENJOY HUMAN CONTACT. Dogs do not need to be abused to be trained. Elephants are majestic creatures who are psychologically and physically tortured as part of their training process. It's not apples to apples. To the people that run this "preservation" - your very existence disgusts me. If you were planning to make a trip here, please do not go here. If you care about elephants and would not want to support a business that tortures them for profit - then please make a better decision. Your children can learn about elephants at an ethical sanctuary, picture books, movies, and documentaries.

There's a lot to unpack here and at the risk of sounding cynical I'm going to try. First, the good. They've provided a safe way to allow people to interact with large and exotic animals. The elephants seem healthy and they get a lot of interaction. It's an educational opportunity at a minimum. Now the bad. The strange way they've gone about this. They're selling you that they're running a nonprofit preserve ($95/head) to raise awareness about habitat destruction in Asia, which really makes no sense if you think about it. What do 5 trained elephants in Texas have to do with Asian habitat destruction? I guess an audience likes to think theyre supporting a cause but short of vague double speak I'm not sure what is being supported here. The reality is these are people who own and have trained circus animals who left California after they made it illegal to use bull hooks. There are videos of them abusing these elephants. Product of the times? Maybe they had them before people had awareness to these issues and while circuses were a bigger thing. But why not own it. Say hey we've had these elephants and we use to charge them for hire. We take care of them. Come interact with them. Learn about them. Instead they literally tell you they trained these animals through positive reinforcement (bullhook in hand I might add). Just bizarre and dishonest. Now theyre talking about bringing more exotic animals to this sanctuary. I wonder what cause that will be for. Climate change? Breast cancer?

This establishment deserves more than 5 stars. We enjoyed the elephant experience immensely. The animals are well cared. We appreciated learning about the elephants and getting to meet them personally. We have lots of photos to share with our friends. We will return and look forward to meeting the other animals too. Thank you for such a memorable day.

This was an amazing visit! We learned so much and the time with the Kitty, Becky and Rosie was amazing! We will be going back!

My mom and I had the most wonderful experience today! The staff was passionate, attentive, informative and enthusiastic and the elephants were beautiful. It was so incredible to experience them up close! I would highly recommend.

Super fun Saturday morning learning about Asian Elephants. Come and meet Kitty, Rosie And Becky. Had a wonderful time, enjoyable visit with these big girls. If you read some bad reviews, check it out for yourself, our experience was awesome. Some complaints were about the tricks they do, but if you go to a dog show they do tricks too. Just shows how smart these animals really are. The Preserve is planning some expansion and adding animals, these willnot the interactive. A new Welcome Center is underway. We will be back. They call this Fredericksburg Texas, but it is just outside Stonewall, Tx. Come see for yourself! Follow me The Preserve! Www.elephantpreserve.org

Very interactive made for a memorable experience and day we will never forget! Elephants seemed happy and treated very well. Tour guide was not only knowledgeable but entertaining!

Go read Michelle V. review. Do some research when visiting so called "preserves". Animals like this shouldn't be doing circus tricks under the pretense of "exercise" for our amusement. We regret visiting this place. Everything felt so staged and the staff were eager to give us all the photo op with these elephants. We smiled for the photos but oh how I wish we just left. Let's be better humans and show true companion to other creatures. Don't let those 5 stare reviews and photos fool you! Do some research and let's not support a business like this.

While the 3 elephants seemed healthy, I got turned off by the 'tricks' the elephants did. Not normal elephant behavior. Elephants painting, doing handstands, hula hoop, kicking balls.... Feeding mostly hay diet isn't natural. Wild Asian elephants eat bamboo, wild fruit and vegetation. I'm sure elephants at other 'sanctuaries' outside of the US are treated worse but I just didn't feel right about this place. The staff was friendly but everything they said was highly scripted and felt a little 'Disney-ish'. The facilities are beautiful and well maintained. AND Then there's the cost... $140 per person and there were at least 40 people there during our session. $50 would be appropriate, i suppose. I'm giving 2 stars: 1 for the cleanliness of the facility and 1 just because elephants are beautiful.

Awesome place to get up close and personal with elephants. Elephants looked healthy and well cared for. The staff made sure that we got all the pictures we wanted. Gift shop is small but I found something to buy.