A Day with an Elephant: Price & Booking

Length: 1 day
Price from: $70 per person
Where: Sauraha, Chitwan
Group size: Up to 6
Activity level: Easy
Riding: None
Children: From 8 years, with an adult

About this tour

This experience is about understanding elephants, not riding them. You'll meet an elephant and its mahout in the morning and learn how they communicate, and how the whole day is organized around the animal's needs.

You walk beside the elephant to its grazing area, help prepare the rice-and-grass parcels it's fed, and watch it at the river. The mahout sets the pace and decides what's safe at every point.

Elephant activities depend on current park and welfare rules. We'll confirm exactly what's running for your date before you pay, and there's no elephant riding in this program.

Highlights

Time with an elephant and its mahout
Walk alongside, no riding
Help prepare its food
Learn about care and welfare

Program

Your day
- Meet the elephant and mahout; safety briefing.
- Walk alongside to the grazing area.
- Prepare food parcels together.
- Watch the elephant at the river.

Activities may be reordered on the day for weather, river levels or park rules.

What the price includes

Included

Mahout and local guide.
All fees for the experience.
Drinking water.

Not included

International flights, Nepal visa and travel insurance.
Drinks, snacks and personal shopping.
Tips for guides, drivers and lodge staff.
Anything not listed under what's included.

Meeting point and cancellations

Where we meet

Your lodge in Sauraha at 08:00.

If your plans change

Cancel 7 or more days ahead for a full refund (minus card fees); 3–6 days ahead, half is refunded; inside 72 hours there is no refund. Read the full cancellation policy.

Good to know

Wildlife sightings are never guaranteed. Your guide will choose routes for the season and the day's conditions. Check what each month is like and what to bring before you travel, and read our safety notes if you're traveling with children.

Questions about this tour

Will I ride the elephant?

No. There's no riding at any point. You walk beside the elephant, help prepare its food and watch it at the river, and the mahout decides how close you get and when. If a ride is what you're after, this isn't the tour for you, and we'd rather say so now.

Can children come along?

Yes, from 8 years old, as long as an adult stays with them the whole time. Elephants are big and can be unpredictable, so children need to be happy to listen to the mahout and keep calm. Tell us their ages when you book.

What time does it start, and what should I wear?

We collect you from your lodge in Sauraha at 08:00, and the experience lasts about five hours. Wear neutral clothes you don't mind getting dusty or a bit wet, and closed shoes for the forest path. Leave strong perfume at the lodge, as animals notice it. The packing list has the rest.

Does it run every day of the year?

We list it all year, but elephant activities depend on the park's current welfare rules, so we confirm it's running for your date before you pay. If it isn't, we'll tell you straight away, and the breeding center visit is a good alternative.

How many people share the elephant?

Six at most, so everyone gets time with the elephant and the chance to ask the mahout questions. Making the rice-and-grass food parcels is hands-on, so expect messy fingers.