Chitwan Canoe Ride and Jungle Walk
A quiet half day: a dugout canoe down the Rapti at first light, then a guided walk back through forest and grassland.
$35 per personBook now
Elephant Bath Time at the River
Watch elephants cool off in the river with their mahouts and, where currently permitted, help scrub them from the shallows.
- Length
- 1 day
- Price from
- $30 per person
- Where
- Rapti riverbank, Sauraha
- Group size
- Up to 8
- Activity level
- Easy
- Bring
- Clothes that can get wet
About this tour
In the heat of the day, working elephants are taken to the river to drink and cool off. This short outing takes you to the bank with a guide to watch bath time and talk with the mahouts.
Where current rules allow, you may wade into the shallows and help scrub, always under the mahout's direction. If that isn't running on your date, you watch from the bank; the price is the same.
Elephant activities depend on current park and welfare rules. We confirm exactly what is running for your date before you pay; there is no elephant riding in this program.
Highlights
- Elephants cooling off in the river
- Talk with the mahouts
- Hands-on only where permitted
- Short outing from Sauraha
Program
- Your outing
- Walk to the riverbank with your guide.
- Bath time with the elephants and mahouts.
- Return to your lodge.
Activities may be reordered on the day for weather, river levels or park rules.
What the price includes
Included
- Local guide.
- Fees for the experience.
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, or the Sauraha tourist bus park if you arrive by bus.
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.
$30 per person
Check datesSimilar tours
A Day with an Elephant
Spend time with an elephant and its mahout: walk alongside on the forest path, help prepare its food and learn how the pair work together. No riding.
$70 per personBook now
Chitwan Rhino Tracking Tour
A half-day walk with guides who know where the rhinos graze and wallow, ending with a canoe glide back down the river.
$60 per personBook now
Helpful before you go
Day tour
One day of jeep safari, canoe and walking from Sauraha, for travelers already in Chitwan.Best time to visit
Month-by-month weather and wildlife conditions in Chitwan, plus the best season for rhinos, tigers and birds.What to pack
Seasonal Chitwan packing list: clothes, colors, insect protection and gear.Wildlife
The animals of Chitwan, where each one is usually found and your realistic chances of a sighting.Chitwan National Park
Where the park is, what lives there, how to explore it and the rules every visitor follows.
Tell us your dates and we'll plan the rest
Send your travel dates, where you're coming from and what you'd like to see. You'll get a clear plan and a full price before you pay anything.