Travels in Nepal # 61 Elephant ride
Elephant ride in Chitwan National Park
I found that using an elephant to travel through the Royal Chitwan National Park was an excellent way to safely cover some of the national park. I say some because it is rather slow, but perhaps no slower that walking. It has other advantages too. It gives one an elevated view of the surroundings and the wildlife, decidedly advantageous when meeting a rhinoceros (which we did – twice) and tigers (which we didn’t). It is also great when crossing rivers; the elephants don’t mind getting their feet wet. (As an aside, the elephants we travelled on preferred to use the river as a toilet stop.)
There are disadvantages of course. The platform they provide as a seat is rather uncomfortable after an hour or so, and rather cramped. The seating we had was designed for four people. We only ever had three on board and it was still crowded. The constantly lurching animal beneath you makes good photography something of a challenge.
By the way, the woman next to the elephant is Jade. She and her husband Kane had also been on the trek with me. We were the only ones to add on the Chitwan leg to the trek, so we got to know each other quite well.
Travels in Nepal # 60 Subsistence Farming
No Comments »23rd November, 2006; Category: Nepal
Farm life in Nepal
As we travelling on the back of the elephant from the national park to our hotel we went past many humble, basic farm houses and buildings. From our elevated viewing platform we looked down on the homes, their small garden plots growing a range of vegetables and the animals they kept. There were many cows, goats, ducks, chickens and dogs. I didn’t see many cats; they may have been inside. In fact, I didn’t see many cats in all the time I spent in Nepal, but there were many dogs.
Farm life in Nepal
Travels in Nepal # 59 Village life in Nepal
No Comments »22nd November, 2006; Category: Nepal
Farm life in Nepal
Instead of dismounting from the elephant at the National Park headquarters our guide continued the ride along the roads through the nearby farming land and then through the streets of the village near our hotel. This gave us an excellent view, from an elevated platform of village life in this part of Nepal.
Farm life in Nepal
I was amazed at the pride taken by the farmers in their humble dwellings and the courtyard by their houses. We saw several of them sweeping the yard clean. There were animals everywhere, but not much seemed to be growing in the gardens or fields except for corn. It was the dry season when we visited so that would account for it.
Travels in Nepal # 58 Another Rhinoceros
Elephant ride in Chitwan National Park
On our second morning at Chitwan National Park we woke to find that the foggy conditions had worsened. After a relaxing breakfast we travelled a short distance by 4WD to another part of the national park. Here we found about a dozen elephants waiting to take us on another walk through the park.
Rhinoceros in Royal Chitwan National Park
Animals and birds
The foggy conditions made photography rather difficult. After a short distance we managed to find another rhinoceros and it posed beautifully for my camera. We also had brief views of a mother Spotted Deer and her baby, a Hog Deer (it might have been a Barking Deer) and distant views of some monkeys, possibly Rhesus Macaques. The birding was rather disappointing but I did get good views of another male Indian Peafowl, a Red Jungle Fowl and some Lesser Whistling Ducks.
Rhinoceros in Royal Chitwan National Park, Nepal
Travels in Nepal #57 Tigers in Nepal
Royal Chitwan National Park
On our elephant ride through the Chitwan National Park we didn’t see any tigers. There are about 300 tigers still in Nepal but very few people get to see one in their natural habitat. In the evening our guide showed us some slides of various aspects of the flora and fauna of the national park. He commented that only about one per cent of visitors actually see a tiger. Another guide was holidaying there with his family. Over dinner we had a long talk with him. He said he’d been guiding here for 22 years and had only ever seen two tigers, both on the same day.