Chitwan, Nepal

Chitwan, Nepal

Chitwan National Park, June 2011

There are few experiences that create such a feeling of childlike wonder as helping to bath an elephant. Every day from 11am to noon, the elephants in Sauraha march down to the river near the Hotel River Side for their morning scrub, and everyone turns out to watch the spectacle. If you bring your swimming costume, you can join the fun. There’s no better way of cooling off on a hot day than sitting on the back of a submerged elephant and shouting chhop! —if you get the accent right you’ll be rewarded with a refreshing trunkful of cold water!