can you ride an elephant

Visit the camp website and read reviews before you visit. They're a rare opportunity for people to come into contact and appreciate the animals in a very special way. For more tips, including how to direct an elephant using foot commands, keep reading! Many posts that you read regarding how terrible it is to ride an elephant talk a lot about how elephants are broken down and abused by camp owners when the elephants are first born. To have the elephant turn to the left, hold your left heel backwards and press forward with your right toes. You don’t have to visit a camp that promotes … You still have some options if you want to spend time with elephants in Chiang Mai. You may also want to bring a hat, bug spray, and sunblock. A responsible safari is where you see elephants in the wild, in their natural habitats playing, feeding, bathing without inhibitions. Phone: 540-291-2420 On this adventure ride you’re going to feel the gait of an elephant’s walk while appreciating a lofty perspective. Any one who does want to ride an elephant can do so in a humane way, by ensuring that their money is only spent at camps where the animals are treated fairly and provided sufficient food and medical treatment.

This is not a simple matter, and it is wrong to tell people they must not ride elephants. Chai Lai Orchid claims that riding an elephant bareback is ok but chair rides are unsafe for elephants. The four elephants confined to their tiny, cramped circle. We were about to finish up but then she put her head down next to me. No elephant ride. But with tame animals raised by humans, elephant-back safaris are quite safe, and the perfect way to move silently through the bush viewing game. The appeal of such treks is clear – the elephant is the largest land mammal, it’s intelligent, social and emotional. Elephants in nature live in matriarchal herds in which they forage for fresh vegetation, play, bathe in … Guests may have as many rides as they want, but the activity is not available to children younger than 12 years. Wear loose-fitting, comfortable clothes to mount the elephant. I personally believe the way I rode an elephant was in an ethical way but I also know most places you can ride elephants in Thailand aren’t offering it in an ethical way. The funniest part was getting off of Seavoy. So camps that were doing good things, like allowing elephants to give rides just three or four hours a day and spending the rest of the time up in a forest, are going out of business. Additionally, try to avoid being too rigid, since the elephant will sway as it walks and this may cause you to feel unsteady. It is also becoming popular in some regions of Africa. Elephant-back safaris are available to day visitors too, but for guests staying over at Camp Jabulani safaris are included in the tariff and can be enjoyed both as a daytime excursion and a night safari with spotlights. I felt bad for her mahout, Pabo, because you can see he’s just laughing at me as my crotch is just in his face. But when it comes to actual pain when you are on it…. As the other answers have pointed out, yes people do ride elephants, and yes, riding an elephant brings with it extra stuff that can go wrong. For example, you also can watch a monkey and a snake show in one camp. Shorts might keep you cooler, but make sure to wear longer shorts as they will ride up. It wasn’t until the exact moment that Seavoy’s mahout said: “She’s signaling it’s ok if you want to get on her.” Of course, I wanted to but I was so nervous and still didn’t feel confident if it was humane or not. References. It’s a fact that has been unequivocally proven by science such as studies of taming practices and the effects of elephant trekking on the elephants’ physical and mental wellbeing. Hand feeding an elephant: $5.00 Elephant ride: $40.00 per person (Elephant rides are weather dependent) Photo oportunity: with Luke $25.00 per person. Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered. All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published, This article was co-authored by our trained team of editors and researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness. Once Pabo started commanding her to let me down she just started to aimlessly walk around the river and didn’t let me off! To have the elephant turn right, hold your right heel backwards and press forward with your left toes. Not to mention that elephants as a whole are so much more rare than horses and camels. This article has been viewed 20,750 times. The harness allows extra items to be added to the elephant or mammoth. Click the link to learn more about the Chai Lai Orchids approach to helping the elephant’s in Thailand. During the tour you will also get a chance to ride the elephants and feed them! Sitting atop that magnificent beast as it briskly moves through its habitat can leave you feeling one with the wild. Chai Lai Orchids approach to helping the elephant’s in Thailand. You can always roll your pants up if it's too hot. wikiHow's Content Management Team carefully monitors the work from our editorial staff to ensure that each article is backed by trusted research and meets our high quality standards. Is the benefit of me riding this elephant worth the painful consequences for it?- is the question you need to ask yourself. A real elephant you can ride, and a fiberglass elephant in the parking lot. Wilstem Ranch/Facebook Stay overnight in one of the charming cabins, enjoy horseback riding and hiking, and then spend a few hours taking in these amazing creatures. Some elephant trails cross or arrive at rivers in which the elephants might enter to play. The rides start next to the Cable Car base station. These posts also claim that wild elephants don’t naturally offer rides to humans so it shouldn’t be allowed. An elephant ride Sri Lanka will be a great opportunity to be so close to the majestic beast, while enjoying the views of nature, wild life and traditional lifestyles of the people in rural villages in Sri Lanka. Do not approach the elephant if you notice any of these things. Riding bareback also allows you to be closer and more intimate with the elephant. Taking both the daytime tour and the nighttime tour the same day will get you a discount, about $100 if I remember correctly. I felt the elephant’s energy change, told the guy he was an asshole and left with friends while my now ex-boyfriend and his friends made fun of me for years for crying about the whole situation. Only one player can go on the harness, but a mammoth platform can carry up to two riders. Besides that, you are seriously an amazing writer! The rides should also be no more than 20 minutes. Wear light weight clothing. Make sure the elephant is in the sitting position before you begin to dismount. This is a question I’ve been trying to answer for almost three months now. The answer is yes and no. If you do have an opportunity to ride an elephant bareback, be aware that it’s no walk in the park. wikiHow's. Here’s how you can help: Never take part in elephant riding and encourage people you know to do the same. So for Seavoy at almost 7,000 pounds, that’s around 1400 pounds. Roberts has been working in Thailand with elephants for 13 years and suggests that the debate isn't as simple as ride-or-don't-ride the elephant. I'm here to take you around the world and share my favorite experiences with you along the way! Such trips are listed on prestigious travel websites and images of global tourists taking part are ubiquitous on social media. Riding on the back of the amazing giant in the wild would be an incredible experience in life. Your elephant may begin to stand up rather quickly. Remember, elephants sway as they walk, so do not be too rigid. The situation is horrific, and yet these camps are growing massively. Langkawi Elephant Adventures is located in Oriental Village in the Burau Bay area at the north western side of Langkawi. "It was all very educational and interesting. Then I had a photoshoot with Seavoy and we were about to play in the water and although Seavoy usually loves it, she just wasn’t up for it that day. Although I do agree with that, yes you can’t just jump on an elephant in the wild, elephants and humans have been working hand in hand for over 4,000 years. Riding an elephant in this context means you are supporting and encouraging the abuse of elephants for tourism. SHOULD YOU RIDE AN ELEPHANT? 2 ways to ride an elephant: Howdah and bareback When it comes to elephant riding, there are two kinds you may see in Thailand—riding bareback and riding with a howdah. Leave anything you would care about breaking behind. If you decide that you do not want to ride an elephant, there are many other ways you can experience them up close and personal. You can also check to see if there have been any complaints of abuse or mistreatment filed against the elephant camp. These items allow you to ride them. experience here and their approach to helping Thai Elephants. Riding an elephant, unlike other forms of animal rides, can be quite a thrilling experience even if the elephants move at their seemingly slow pace. *All photos were taken by the talented James de la Cloche of DLC Photo Tours*, *I advise you read this post in its entirety before commenting because most people are ill informed on this topic*. Signs of a happy elephant include flapping ears and a swaying trunk and tail. Here’s why you should never take an elephant ride. African elephant rides are an outstanding experience for the young and the young at heart. When I think back to the experience and how incredible it was to hug Seavoy and be on her, of course, I want to do it again. To walk backwards, press backwards with your heels. African and Asian elephants spawn on blocks at light levels of 9 or more with a large block space above, often in herds of 3. If you notice the elephants are swaying in place or rocking, they are likely experiencing emotional distress. Tours are offered every day but Thursdays; by appointment only. Because by riding elephants you are potentially buying into another baby elephant being captured and taken from its mother. And don’t worry if during your vacation you are not going to cross the whole country from the south to the north. Our ranch also includes other animals including zebras, birds, and turtles. blog and itineraries inspiring mindful and practical travel, My Experience at The Chai Lai Orchid in Chiang Mai, Thailand, Kew Mae Pan Trail in Doi Inthanon National Park, Northern Thailand, View Daisy Rae Travel’s profile on Facebook, View Daisy Rae Travel’s profile on Twitter, View daisyraetravel’s profile on Instagram. Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. You get one free 8 x 10 picture per person per tour. A park ranger we spoke to at Yok Don National Park told us that elephants should never be … Imagine it. This article was co-authored by our trained team of editors and researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness. Decide between shorts or pants. If you pay to ride an elephant then you are supporting animal cruelty. The photo package is cheaper if pre-purchased. As for elephant riding, the ACEWG notes that while veracious studies have not been conducted on elephants specifically, it is known that horses, dogs, and donkeys have a … You may also want to bring a hat, bug spray, and sunblock. While Indian elephants have long been used to carry people on their backs, riding their much larger and wilder African cousins has always been seen as too dangerous. Indian elephant in the forests of Periyar National Park (Shutterstock) … For more information and to book your trip, visit the Vision Quest Ranch/Monterey Zoo site. Please be respectful and loving to these magnificent creatures. We use cookies to make wikiHow great. Your instructor will give you directions before you mount and walk you through the process. But some camps can offer you more than that. Usually taxis are available on your return. Can you ride an African elephant? % of people told us that this article helped them. If you 'sneak' near a tamed elephant or mammoth (shift key by default), it will sit for a short period of time. Kaitlin Monkman suggested forgetting about the job and riding off into the sunset with their new elephant friend, answering: "Unfortunately I can no longer work here, raising this elephant … I learned the most from the staff at the Chai Lai Orchid and the Asian Captive Elephant Working Group(ACEWG). Tours can be booked for individuals, families or for large groups. To have the elephant sit down, push downward with one of your heels. Using these stories as a framework for a book about your travels would be awesome. African elephants can be found in deserts, and Asian elephants spawn in jungles Of course, I loved it because I fell in love with her and never wanted to get off, but once she finally let me it was quite comical. I hope you don’t struggle over this for long, and you can see the beauty in the pictures and the connection you two had! To have the elephant lift its trunk, use your toes to push upwards. This experience also allows you to observe elephants in their natural habitat. Ultimately denying that the elephant trekking industry is bad for elephants is kind of like denying climate change exists. This was done freely of the Seavoy’s will. The elephant and the rider. Added to that, grit and dirt can get trapped between the chair and the elephant’s skin, causing painful sores. In Southeast Asian countries such as Indonesia, Thailand and Vietnam, it is common to find elephant riding experiences at tourist hotspots. Sam, I believe i’ts clear that Seavoy was happy with you on her back. wikiHow is where trusted research and expert knowledge come together. Choose to ride an elephant in a way that is safe for the both of you. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/6\/6b\/Ride-an-Elephant-Step-1-Version-2.jpg\/v4-460px-Ride-an-Elephant-Step-1-Version-2.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/6\/6b\/Ride-an-Elephant-Step-1-Version-2.jpg\/aid5360941-v4-728px-Ride-an-Elephant-Step-1-Version-2.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":546,"licensing":"