Have You Ever Been To Elephant Ride In Amber Fort At Jaipur?

I had never been to this place. One of my friends who recently visited Jaipur told me about this. It was a whole new experience for him.

These wonderful animals are decorated with traditional outfits and they effortlessly transport visitors up to the stunning Amber Fort. It is somewhat 30 minutes journey and the elephant will slowly trudge up the hillside to the main courtyard. It is a bit crowded and you should be there at least by 9:00am to guarantee a ride and to avoid waiting in long queues in hot summer. Approximately 80 elephants transport around 900 visitors every day.

 

My co worker recommended me attending this elephant ride in her list of things to do. I would also like to know if anyone here has experience with this?

 

Wow, this sounds so awesome! I’m like obsessed with elephants. My grandma believed they bring good luck and I have earrings, pendants and little elephants all over my place.

I wasn’t aware of this, but I was planning in visiting Jaipur so I will definitely look for this ride. Thanks for sharing!

P.S: You should tell your friend to join and share some pics of his ride!

 

Awesome! Although I have been for a ride on an elephant, it was certainly not in India! It is was at the circus. My kids and I went for a little elephant ride and it was so cool, but to go for a ride while in India would be a whole different experience. I simply had to go look for some pictures of the Elephants taking visitors to Amber Fort in Jaipur. Wow! How beautiful the elephants are decorated and the view is spectacular!



After doing a little more reading about these elephant rides in India, I was happy to know that elephants are limited to about 5 rides a day and transport only 2 guest per ride compared to having unlimited trips per day up this steep incline and carry 4 guests plus the attendant.

 

You are right you can have nice photo sessions there. It will look nice with decorated elephants. The mahouts decorate them with special care, especially the trunk with floral and geometrical patterns using various colors. If you are planning to visit please do carry a hat and a good camera, excellent opportunities are waiting for you. Just imagine a colorfully decorated elephant making his way up to the fort.

One important factor is to reach there at least by 9:00 am, otherwise it may be difficult get an elephant. Then you have to satisfy with a jeep ride.

 

Having to get to a destination by a certain time because they might run out of elephants isn't a sentance you hear every day now is it!

While it looks nice and I like the idea of an elephant ride, I'm not sure if I'd be comfortable sat up there on one of them. I'm not over keen on riding a horse, so I think I'd actually prefer the jeep on this occasion.

 

I don't think so. They are not saying this just for promoting their business, but it actually happens that at times you have to travel in jeep due to non-availability of elephants. There is a limit on the total number of journeys an elephant can take and this is as per Government rules. Owners will be penalized if they use elephants for over-work. During tourist seasons most of the elephants would complete the ride by 11:00 am. Also in summer, it is too hot after 11.

 

I'd imagine that the care of the elephants is at the forefront of the owners mind so it's only right they are only allowed to make so many trips in a day.

Like you say, at the peak of the tourist season I can see it being quite popular as it's not everyday you would get the chance to ride an elephant, and its certainly something to tell your grandchildren about in the future.

 

Yes, I think it will be a history soon as there is a group of animal activists who are against this practice. As per them this is not right to use elephant for this purpose when there are alternate methods available. They may be right and anytime Government may put a ban on this. Animal protection is of utmost importance in these days. But what I understood from various feedbacks is that the elephants are being taken care of well and they are not being used during hot times.

 

Wow that sounds so awesome. I would love to do that. I love elephants. They are so cute and smart. I don't think I've ever ridden an elephant before but have been to see them. I just love them.

 

I'd imagine that the elephants are very well looked after and its not as if they are being made to perform in a zoo or anything like that, so I don't really see any reason to stop this. People are to quick to protest these days, and just because it's something they don't agree with, doesn't mean it's automatically wrong and should be banned.

 

I would love to do something like this one day, I've heard of there being elephant rescue/refuge places similar to this in Thailand. I would have to go somewhere that the animals are well treated of course - and as long as that was the case I don't see anything wrong with them being provided for elephant rides.

 

Thanks for tip about making sure to secure a ride back with a jeep because I did notice that it was a one way trip with the elephants. I was wondering how to get back. Are there buses available, too? Or is renting a jeep the best idea?

I also noticed some people carried an umbrella with them to protect themselves from the sun and heat.

The details that go into decorating the elephants are absolutely beautiful. I had to hold myself back from posting numerous pictures of this spectacular artwork!

Yes! Riding on an elephant in India would be the ultimate experience to share with the grandchildren. My goodness, this adventure would be great to share with anyone.

Good point. I could add the same thing about horses, too.

 

Yes, you are right, elephant ride is only one way. You have to hire a vehicle for the return trip. Some people are of the opinion that even at 9:00 am (ISD) you can see a long line for booking elephant. So, it is advisable to reach there by 7:30 am or latest by 8:00am so that you can do the booking without any hassles. Elephants are allowed to take only 5 trips a day. They charge approximately $15 for two people. You can carry an umbrella too, a big hat will also do.

 

This is a major attraction and one of my greatest desires to experience an elephant ride in Amber Fort at Jaipur. These already magnificent and beautiful animals decorated to the beautiful tradition and culture of India must have been a life-changing experience for your friend or anyone who is blessed to experience it.


I look forward to visiting in the near future. I know it will be one of my greatest experiences to be.

 

No I haven't yet, but it's definitely on my bucket list.

I have, however, experienced riding an elephant before. Not in India, but in Bali, Indonesia. At first I was absolutely terrified, because hey, let's be real, you're riding a 2,700 kg gigantic animal, what could possibly go wrong, right? But it wasn't long until I realized that the elephants were actually very tame and friendly. And riding it was an absolutely one in a lifetime experience, so I really recommend you to try it at least once.

Not to mention that the scenery during my elephant ride was just rainforest - I could only imagine how amazing, beautiful and magnificent it would be if it was to take place in Amber Fort. It's a stunning place and honestly if I was in Jaipur, it'd be the first thing on my list and I wouldn't miss it for anything.

 

That would be really amazing to ride an elephant in a rain forest. I am sure you must have the ride and beauty of nature as well.

In Jaipur there is a place called "Elephant Village" and people from all over the world visit this place for elephant ride. But I am sure they must be losing the charm of Amber Fort anyway. Kerala got one of the best elephant training centers in Kodanad near Permbavoor. Muthanga of Wayanad district and Konni in Pathanamthitta district are two other training centers in Kerala. In these places you can have a close of look of these amazing animals.

 

Yes, I did this in 2009. It was crowded but we were warned to get there early. The queues get crazy by mid-morning so I can't stress how important your timing will be. The elephants are majestic and beautiful, very used to tourists as well so you can see them right up close. Its a magical experience and one you will never forget if you do it. The training centre of Kerala is great if you want to find out more about Elephants, I can't remember exactly how much it cost but it was very reasonable. A great day out and something you cannot do anywhere else in the World. Many thanks for bringing back all those great memories.

 

Those pictures look awesome! This is the type of vacation that I imagine for myself when travelling to India. If and when I visit, elephant and camel rides are top priority.

 

I have heard it has become very crowded as of late. Since it is such a popular tourist destination, you have to go very early and on the weekdays to get a chance to see the fort without too many people in the way. I also heard they might start imposing limits on the number of visitors per day, to keep it clear. But I cannot confirm that.

 

Due to it becoming as popular as it is, it wouldn't surprise me if limits are being put in place to be honest. Not only is the safety of the tourists a priority, but the welfare of the elephants aswell will be high on the list also.

 

The closest thing I've been to an elephant is when I went to the zoo with my parents back when I was a kid. This really looks fun and exciting. I would love to try it. I just hope that these majestic animals will like me. I'm a bit apprehensive because of their size but they are gentle animals so I guess everything will turn out fine.

 

It is a great experience, and everyone who I know who has had a chance to ride an elephant loved the experience. It is especially fun because you don't just go in a circle like a zoo, but travel through the ruins, forts or wherever. You get to interact much more with the elephants. Many times, you can even feed them.

 

Nope, I haven't... yet. But I've always wanted to ride an elephant. They are such majestic and gentle giants, I would really love to see one in person. Seeing the pictures here.. don't they kinda look small though? I thought they'd be bigger than a large horse. Like.. giants. Is this the maximum size of Indian elephants? Or do they grow bigger than this?

 

A trip to beautiful India would never be complete without experiencing an elephant ride. But I've read in a past article before that the country is considering banning elephant rides because of the possible mistreatment of the animals by their owners. As much as it would be a really cool part of the travel, I would gladly just visit an elephant safari where I can watch these magnificent creatures frolic in a natural habitat. There's a code for responsible tourists that travelers should follow for the safety of both the animals and the humans who would like to see them.

 

Hello!

I've never ridden an elephant before. But I do agree it is a must do even just once in your life. As far as I know, regarding the issues of maltreatment, the elephants are being treated better now. In the past, they would carry up to five passengers. Now, the limit has been two passengers plus the driver. They are also limited to just five trips in a day. The government also does routine inspections to make sure that the elephants are of great health condition.

You can even create paintings on the elephant using paint and bamboo sticks. I think that can be a fun activity for kids. Of course, you can take many pictures as you'd like as well. Just being able to ride the elephant from its trunk is quite cool too. At the end of the journey, you're supposed to wash off the paint from the elephant with water. That's quite a cool experience as well.

Like you said, it's recommended to visit during the earliest time possible. Lots of tourists flock for the elephant ride and you might line up for long if you're late. Bring your own water especially during the summer season as it can get really hot.

 

I think it is amazing to have a ride on an elephant and hope they are cared for properly so the animals get rest and some of my family had a chance last year to have a ride and had a discount and saved money in the process, it is good to see the government is keeping an eye on elephant rides and making sure the trainers are taking care of the animals. It is important to check up on the internet or call the place to see when the rides happen so it is worth your while and think that you should go in a group as you may save more money in the process which is a good thing, and you can enjoy the view when sitting on an elephant and they are friendly although huge and heavy which is a good thing. When my relatives went for an elephant ride that went in the morning and had booked before so they would get to the place early and saw the photos which look amazing and seems like a nice thing to do when visiting India, and take food and water with you so you can get nourishment.

 

I have ridden an elephant before. I was at the circus as a child, and I was chosen out of the crowd to ride one of the elephants. I remember being startled and excited by the large animal. I would love to have that experience again.