Great tour - Tour guide was very friendly and informative. Elephant tour with a guide was better than expected. Would recommend.

This was a private tour... - This was a private tour with a very knowledgeable and friendly driver and I would have no hesitation in recommending to anyone who especially is interested to visit an elephant sanctuary.

Fun day - Just an FYI it takes a little over an hr to get from the caves to the elephant conservation. With that being said the tour was really fun and the vibe in transport was great.

This is a convenient way... - This is a convenient way to visit Batu Caves and the Elephant Sanctuary in one day. The drive is mostly highway, so having a driver rather than a full guide works fine. Our driver, Azman, was punctual, personable, and had a nice clean car. His English was good enough for what was needed, and he kindly came out with us at the sanctuary to point out the feeding and bathing stations, take photos, and help us get oriented. Batu Caves were lively, with colorful steps and curious monkeys everywhere. It can feel crowded, but it is worth soaking in the atmosphere - and even getting a bindi at the temple. At the elephant sanctuary, the park is not huge but there is plenty to see. You do not need to pay for elephant bathing in order to watch - the view from the side is just fine. A separate guide did not feel necessary; everything was clear enough on our own. Don't forget to bring cash for any small purchases or donations, and enjoy the day at your own pace.

Great Service! - Driver prepared and everything as per booking. At each stop a photo is also sent to the travel company, which makes you feel very safe. At the elephant sanctuary we were recommended a guy for a private guide (price apart of 120 RM for two people) who in addition to telling us a lot of things, allowed us to stay away from the crowd with the elephants.

Visit - This excursion was very cool. Batu cellars very interesting and beautiful. The elephant sanctuary was fine but slightly long considering there are many people there.

Great Sites, But Tour Setup Needs Improvement - The driver was 20 minutes late, but we still managed to stay on schedule. If you plan to depart early, around 7:50 from KL downtown, keep in mind that you might spend over an hour at Batu Caves since the elephant sanctuary only opens at 10:30. Our driver didn’t inform us about this, so we ended up waiting 20 minutes at the gates. We booked the tour for 4 people but were given a regular private passenger car that barely fits 4 average-sized adults comfortably. I wasn’t aware of the car type beforehand and was surprised to see it was the driver’s personal vehicle, not a professional tour car. For the price, being squeezed in the back for three adults was disappointing. Also, make sure to bring cash in local currency. At the sanctuary, you’ll need it to pay the guide (optional but recommended), buy extra fruit to feed the elephants, and purchase water or snacks for yourself. They don’t accept cards or any digital payment methods. Overall, the experience could have been much better with a proper vehicle. The transfer felt overpriced given the lack of comfort.

Dangerous Driving - We really enjoyed our experience with the elephants. However, we chose not to tip our driver due to his terrible and dangerous driving! Even after politely asking him to drive carefully at the beginning of the trip, he drove 20-30 kilometers over the speed limit and drove dangerously close to other cars.

Not the best… - The driver went to the wrong hotel and then turned up 40 minutes later without an apology. He took us to some random gold shops that we had no interest in, but when I asked to stop and get some food for my children, he said, “No, there’s nowhere to stop.” This was despite us passing plenty of suitable places, including petrol stations. Considering I had two young children and my elderly parents with me, this felt mean-spirited, especially given how keen the driver had been to stop at the jewellery shops. The Batu Caves themselves are great, but the elephant park is a little run-down and felt more like a tourist attraction than a conservation centre. I don’t think I’ll book with Viator again, as this experience has put me off.

Not for animal, nature, or guided experience lovers - TLDR: This is not the place to see elephants cared for and not the tour if you want a guided experience rather than a just a driver. Pros: Car was clean, driver was nice. We were taken to the two places planned. Cons: The driver was not a guide. He was a driver. He drove rather erratically, twice at speeds up to 160km/hr. He changed the time of our tour which made it so that we couldn’t participate in the elephant bathing. He did not guide us, or give us information other than walking us in the elephant sanctuary and telling us to meet him at the car in 1.5 for the elephant sanctuary and 1 hour for the caves. However, the elephant sanctuary was actually disturbing and appalling in and of itself. We left early because it was so sad. It was a very small, very expensive, very depressing zoo. The elephants were in small enclosures, sometimes surrounded by electric fencing. There were chains clearly visible around the elephants necks and chains anchored to the concrete in the enclosures as well. Batu caves could be a lovely side trip, but for someone who is not Hindu I wouldn’t recommend it as the soul destination for the day. It would have been nice to know that women must cover their shoulders and legs to go in the temple. As a not so fun aside, our driver dropped us off across the street and four lanes of traffic away from the Batu caves entrance, with no stop, sign, stoplight, or crosswalk we could find. On the way out a security guard helped us cross the street but that was clearly not the way guest were intended to enter. Oh and there was no mention of lunch in what was supposed to be a full day trip.