The Preserve

Family friendly environment! I'd like to thank the staff at the Preseve for being so caring and helpful with my elderly mom. She loves elephants and was a challenge to get her there, the staff was so accommodating and made sure she got the full experience! I love the way the experience is setup, so interactive and fun. The elephants are sweethearts and I look forward to visiting again sometime soon!

I surprised my granddaughter with The Elephant Experience as an early birthday gift. She has been obsessed with these amazing, intelligent and majestic creatures for almost her entire life! This was not her first encounter with elephants. In 2022, we visited The Elephant Sanctuary in Hugo, Oklahoma. She was 2 1/2 then and had no fear or hesitation when approaching these magnificent animals! It was no different this time either! These incredible gentle giants were introduced with fascinating facts shared by the staff right from the outset. We got to meet Kitty (58), Rosie (41) and Becky (38). After the introductions and a couple of quick demonstrations, we moved to the “bathing” pavilion. (Thankfully, it was a very short distance because it was bloody hot that day!) More interesting facts were shared as we all took our turns “bathing” Becky. (We were given a small scrub brush that had been dunked into a bucket of water and Mr Bubbles Bubble Bath.) Because there were so many people, we spent between 30 seconds to maybe a minute and a half “bathing” Becky. The staff were incredibly accommodating and friendly, capturing memories for us by snapping both photos and videos. From there, we moseyed on over to the pavilion next to the bathing pavilion. We were given a brief — barely Cliff Notes-worthy — explanation and demonstration for their foot care. The entire process actually takes an hour to do all four feet. (I know we were all grateful they kept it short because of the Texas heat!) Once the demonstration was over, we had another fantastic photo opportunity! The staff truly did capture awesome pictures for us! Once we were back at the original pavilion, the staff continued to share their knowledge about these awe-inspiring creatures. They explained the difference between Asian and African Elephants. (There are quite a few: Asian Elephants are more closely related to wooly mammoths while the African Elephants are more closely related to mastodons; Asian elephants have five toenails on their front feet and four on their back feet while African Elephants typically have four and three respectively.) The staff did say Rosie is the most vocal of all three ladies. They are not wrong! At times, Rosie sounded like she was barking! She is definitely a character! The encounter ended with treats for the elephants and a final photo op for the humans. The staff made learning about elephants fun and entertaining. There all so very friendly, knowledgeable and helpful. Helpful Tidbits: * Dress for the weather! The encounter is 100% outdoors. * If possible, bring a Yeti- or Stanley-type of mug filled with ice. (Bottled water is provided.) This will DEFINITELY come in handy on the blazing hot days! * Wear comfortable shoes — preferably close-toed. There will be quite a bit of standing once you move to the bathing pavilion. (Plus, it will protect the toes and feet should they get accidentally walked on by a human!) * It is definitely recommended to use the restroom before the experience begins. (You will not want to miss a single moment!) When asked if she would want to go again, my granddaughter’s immediate response was an emphatic YES! It truly was an amazing experience!

When your daughter wants to Interact with Elephants for her 40th Birthday, you Make it happen! 2 nieces that Love these Amazing Animals were Blessed to Experience as well. What a Magical Moment in Time! !! I even was able to purchase 2 "Rosie" painted originals that we were able to watch her paint! A Tshirt and a Gold Kiss from her trunk. Which the purchase is beneficial for "The Preserve ". The Staff is so kind as well. Very Informative. Kitty, Rosie and Becky are Simply Beautiful!! The ONLY downside is, we don't live closer. We'd be going back sooner than later. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND! ❤️🐘

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!

Worth every penny…. Very educational learned a lot about the elephants and the experience to interact with the elephants so close is once in a lifetime. It was the highlight of our trip at Fredericksburg. Credit to the staff for being friendly and knowledgeable always willing to take pictures. A+

This is such a unique experience. If you have the opportunity to visit please do not miss out. The staff are so friendly, passionate and knowledgable. The elephants are amazing and you will not be disappointed. 10 out of 10.

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!

This was the best experience I've ever had in my 42 years of life! If you appreciate elephants like I do then I highly recommend this place! The staff were amazing and the elephants were nothing short of amazing!

An amazing up close and personal experience. If you're an elephant lover, you need to go. I didn't want to share any personal photos but there are many photo ops with the elephants.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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!

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.

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.

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!

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!

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.

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...

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.

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.

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 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 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 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!

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!!

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.

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?

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!

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!

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.

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

The Preserve has the most polarized set of reviews I've ever seen, and after both attending as a customer and seeing the Animal Defenders' "Have Trunk Will Travel" video, I can see why. Personally, I felt like punching one woman in the video. But after hearing what the owners of The Preserve have to say in person, I think they genuinely care for elephants and are a net benefit to them. There is no doubt that someone who visits The Preserve and interacts with the elephants is going to care more about their welfare afterwards. Elephants are highly endangered as a result of human overpopulation. If nobody cares, these magnificent creatures are going to disappear forever. Raising awareness and mustering concern won't solve the problem, but is a good start.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tvW-KB5kvIQ Let me preface my review with this comment: I am not a supporter of PETA. I think they take in a lot of money, top people line their pockets and they usually make a stink about animal cruelty when it suits them-and it's a high profile matter. So-there it is, obviously I don't work for PETA. The reason I say that, is because the people at the Preserve try to say that lies are being spread about them online. I believed them, until I went to their 'show'. Kari starts by making a speech about how there are only 35,000 Asian elephants left in the wild, and the only way to save them is 'human intervention'. Then she makes a spill about how they have a huge ranch, but the elephants are limited to five acres because the fencing is not right for the elephants. When someone asked if the elephants had a water area/watering hole to splash around in, she makes another excuse about how that is unsanitary (which is not true, as any real Texan knows, ponds can be just fine if properly stocked). Ok, so then the elephants are led out by the same people that you see in the video. I wish I had done my research and watched the video first, but at least I can confirm that these are the same people, albeit older. The elephants are beautiful, no doubt. Kari asked if anyone wanted to 'give the elephant a bath', and of course everyone was very excited. She led us to a concrete pad where another 'trainer' was spraying the elephant with a hose. Then, the man used a metal stick with a hook at the end, to coerce the elephant to lay on her side and people started to take turns scrubbing her back with Mr Bubble-the man made the comment to not get around her face between her and the trainer. I asked him how they were able to train the elephant to lie on her side, and he was very vague about it. Said something about 'slow training, so that the elephant feels..." and I asked.."safe?" because he never finished his thought, and didn't look me in the eye. He answered 'yeah'. Then Kari made the comment that they sometimes use Murpheys oil soap, which is very toxic, don't know why she thinks that is a good idea. Then everyone was led to another area, where they could give the elephant a pedicure. I noticed that the trainers had a metal stick with a hook at the end, and they were using it to guide and prod the elephant to back up and put their hind foot on a table-the kind that is used at the circus. If you pay attention, the trainers are very careful to not openly let you see the bull hook (I later found out it was called). They keep it to their side when they are near you. I came closer to feel the elephants foot, but really to get a closer look, and yes they have a hook on the end and they use that behind and under the elephants legs and trunk to make them move and do their circus tricks. Lets be real guys-that's exactly what this is, and it became evident as the show went on. If this was a real animal preserve, as it claims to be, the animals would be respected and not treated like show ponies. The elephants throw a ball back, use their trunk to twirl a hula hoop and play a harmonica, all which the trainers are skillfully using the hooks to keep the elephants 'in line'. If you watch the elephants, two of them stood together, the smaller one seeming to nuzzle and hide under the ear of another. It's very sad, and I'm disappointed in myself, and that my money is going to support these evil people. They claim that these are circus rescues, then she contradicted herself by commenting that they have had them since they were very young. Then, by bragging that they used to be in show business and do commericials etc. in California. They claim that they moved away from California because the state would not allow them to care for the animals directly, but from behind a fence, After a little research, it seems that they actually moved because California does not let them utilize the hook, and my great home State of Texas does. So here this place is, sitting out by Fredricksburg, pretty much out of the public eye. People here are so impressed to visit an elephant preserve, that we overlook the fact that its a circus show without the music but with all the cruelty. Please watch the video first. If you feel you must still go visit the Preserve, at least do your research first, because then you notice the trainers lies and contradictions. Ask questions-pay attention to the answers. They are vague, contradicting, and if you watch the elephant behavior enough, you will notice that they are afraid of the trainers. It's awful that places like this exist, and that these ENDANGERED species are still able to be exploited, just by hiding out in a little town in Texas where no one pays them much attention at all. Please do NOT buy the paintings 'done by the elephants' in the gift shop, because its very sad when you see them 'painting'; they press their trunk hard into some paint, to canvas-