On our recent Wild Himalaya trip to Nepal, Bhutan and India, I had the good fortune to take several elephant safaris in Chitwan Natinal Park.

On the same trip I rode the elephants in Kaziranga Park in Assam. The Chitwan experience is a better quality experience. On both trips we saw the One-horned Rhinoceros in some numbers, but the Chitwan safari was less routine, involved fewer elephants and was more adaptable tot he interests of clients. We saw more large mammals in Kaziranga including swamp deer, wild boar and wild elephants at a distance, but these animals were all better, more closely and more easily observed from vehicles in Kaziranga. In Chitwan you feel that an elephant is essential. Tall grass, deep mud, running streams don’t stop the elephants. There always seemed to be more potential for an exciting sighting in the relatively dense vegetation of Chitwan. In Kaziranga, much of the ride was across short grass meadows. The deer or rhino were visible from a distance and it was just a matter of walking up to them. In both park the ride lasted about an hour or so, but in Kaziranga it is really not worth doing more than one ride because all the elephants seem to follow the same defined route each time. Do choose to take the earliest ride in the morning, if you have the choice. This will increase the liklihood of seeing the rarer mammals and birds. In Chitwan the route is more spontaneoous and keyed to the interest of the client and the prospect of seeing different species. Ask your mahout to stop or maneuver for the best pictures.

Both locations were better than the rather contrived and limited elephant game rides in other parks of India.

If you have never ridden an elephant in search of wildlife, do so whereever you are, but if you are seeking the best place to enjoy the exciting experience of viewing and photographing wildlife from an elephant JOURNEYS recommends using the elephants of Temple Tiger or Island Jungle Resort in Chitwan National Park in Nepal.

You are likely to get quite close to rhinos. No telephoto lens necessary.