The van ride was surprisingly comfortable. I expected a bumpy ride but we arrived smoothly. I was the second to board and the last to get off. There was a separate driver. The trip took about 1 hour and 20-30 minutes, with a short stop at a rest area. I didn't need to use the restroom, but a stranger from Thailand opened the van door, which startled me. The driver immediately came over and stopped him. There was also a child from another tourist group in the van, and they were scared too. It's probably better to travel with a group. Upon arriving at New Elephant Home, we were provided with a blue top, optional blue bottoms (no extra cost), a hat, and flip-flops. There were about 20 elephants, and they explained about African and Asian elephants, and things to be cautious of. There were also baby elephants and pregnant elephants. We fed them chopped sugarcane and pumpkin, as well as tamarind, rice, and bananas. We received a cross-body bag for food and then took a raft across to see the elephants. We spent a long time feeding them, and it was fun getting kisses from the elephants. The guide took great pictures. We returned by raft. I think it was a canal connected to the Mekong River. The elephants were splashing around in the water, and we helped wash them. After returning, we quickly washed up. There was a faucet at a good height to wash our legs and hands, and liquid soap was nearby. The restrooms weren't bad; they had toilet paper and were free. Towels were also provided. When bathing the elephants, you'll get splashed, so it's a good idea to bring extra pants and underwear. Wearing flip-flops is also recommended. Meals were included in the tour. It was a buffet with water, pad thai, fried food, rice, soup, watermelon, and what seemed like traditional Thai jelly. Other food items seemed to be ordered separately, and coffee or Coca-Cola were extra. Since you'll be touching and feeding elephants, you should expect to get dirty. Elephants are vegan, so their droppings don't smell bad; it's more like the smell of a rural area without fertilizer, which was interesting. I was the only Korean person. I heard that many Koreans go to Rang Khong. I actually felt more comfortable being with people from other countries, and everyone was very polite, which made it even better.
Group size: Approximately 4+2+3+1+1 = 11 people today.
Guide: Achin was playful and kind. He will send the photos later.
Breaks: There were more breaks than expected, including rest stop time, waiting for the raft, and after bathing the elephants, before changing clothes and having lunch.
I recommend the tour. It was fun.