Sophie's travels 2011-2012: 6/3/2012 Chitwan National Park, Nepal

We set off from the hotel at 8:15 in the back of an open air truck to join our elephant safari. We drove through the villages around Chitwan National Park then we were allocated 4 people to each elephant. To get on the elephant we had to climb up to a platform and then into a basket on top – it was brilliant! On the safari we saw lots of spotted deer, monkeys and a mother and baby rhino and a male rhino – AMAZING!!

After the safari we returned to the hotel and washed the elephants in the river in front of our hotel. We got to ride the elephants bare backed down to the river then got tossed into the water as the elephant flopped onto its side to be washed – absolutely amazing experience!! The elephant seemed to love it – just lay on its side (trunk sticking out like a submarine) in the water with us sitting on top scrubbing it down!

In the afternoon we set off on a half day jeep safari through the jungle which was also brilliant. We took the open air truck to the river side then had to pile into a carved out wobbly canoe (all 16 of us plus a few guides) and squat in the canoe while we were paddled across the river to get to the jeeps. It wasn’t until the way back (after we had seen loads of crocodiles in the river through the national park) that we saw a massive crocodile on the banks of the river on a little islet in the middle just waiting for our boat to tip!!

The safari was fantastic, we saw a few monitor lizards (which the driver spotted while driving and we could barely see once stopped and starring at them!), lots of birds including massive snake neck storks, golden geese and numerous varieties of King Fishers – the blue one was the most spectacular. We saw lots of crocodiles in the wild and also stopped at a crocodile sanctuary about half way through. Towards the start of the trip our jeep spotted a common leopard (gold with black spots) crossing the road in front of us! Way too quick to get a photo but the spotter said it was chasing deer nearby… We saw a few black sloth bears playing in the long grass around the sides of the road which were really cute and a few more one horn Indian rhinos. One big male rhino we saw spotted Jenny’s bright pink shirt and started to charge at the jeep so we reversed pretty quickly – awesome experience!!

On the way back we spotted a few wild boar and a male peacock doing its mating dance with all its feathers flared out which was pretty speccy.

We got back to the hotel in time for a few drinks and watched a cultural performance which was great, we all got in and danced around at the end - very entertaining! We then moved around to the fire on the veranda by the river with couches all around and chilled out chatting and listening to the frogs and crickets – very relaxing way to end the most amazing day! My butt took a hammering on elephant’s backs and bumpy jeeps and my body got a free exfoliation on the back on the prickly elephant but it was totally worth it!

Setting off for our elephant ride

Elephant parking...

Boarding

Ready and waiting

Waiting to load up

Setting off on our elephant safari

Off into the jungle on our elephant safari

Elephant safari

Elephant safari Jenny, me and Edith on the back of our elephant

Elephant safari

Jenny and I on the back of our elephant

Elephant safari - spotted deer

Elephant safari

Elephant safari - more spotted deer

Elephant safari

Elephant safari - RHINO! Mother and baby

Mother and baby rhino

Massive male rhino!

Male rhino

Rhino

Elephant safari

Elephant safari - Jenny and I on the back of our elephant

More of our group waiting to dismount

Talking to the elephants

Me with one of the elephants

Talking to the elephants

Talking to the elephants - smile!

Farewelling the elephants

Back at Sapana village lodge

Our elephant waiting to be washed!

Jenny and I climbing on ready to wash the elephant

Heading down to the river

Getting steeper...

Jenny and I on the elephant

And in we go!

Getting into the deep water

Waiting...

And down she goes!

And so do we...

Climbing back on

And standing up ready to go down again!

Back in the water!

Jenny and I giving the elephant a scrub

Sitting on the elephant while cleaning it!

The elephant loved it!

Getting our free exfoliation climbing back on the bristly back

Up we go...

Heading out of the river

Scary stuff!

The elephant had to kneel to get up over the bank!

Heading back to the hotel

Jenny and I on the way back to the hotel with our clean elephant!

Time to get off

Disembarking...

Me with our elephant

Our elephant

Dan with his elephant and its keeper

Me with Dan's elephant

Saying goodbye...

Driving back through the village to the jungle

Leaving the truck behind

The river we had to cross...

Boarding the canoe to cross the river

Crossing the crocodile infested river

We made it!

The jeeps

Our jeep

Spotted deer

Jeep safari

Jeep safari - storks

Jeep safari - spot the monitor lizard

Jeep safari

Jeep safari - termite mounds

Jeep safari - rhino

Jeep safari - on the lookout

Jeep safari - crocodiles...

Jeep safari - crocodile

Jeep safari

Jeep safari - from the watch tower

Jeep safari

Jeep safari - from the watch tower

Jeep safari - Signe, me Kate and Jenny on the watch tower

Jeep safari - from the watch tower

Jeep safari - me at the top of the watch tower

Jeep safari - the watch tower

Jeep safari

Jeep safari - lots of awesome birds!

Jeep safari

Jeep safari - more birds

Jeep safari - take off...

Jeep safari

The crocodile sanctuary

Jeep safari - rhino

Jeep safari - rhino watching us

Jeep safari - rhino going for us!!

Jeep safari

Jeep safari - crocodile

Jeep safari

Jeep safari - bear!

Jeep safari - silk flowers

Jeep safari - burn off

Jeep safari - warthog

Jeep safari - sunset

Returning the jeeps

Crocodile waiting for us on the banks of the river!!

Rachel holding on for life as we cross the crocodile infested waters in the wobbly canoe!

Another beautiful evening in Sapana village lodge

Sophie's travels 2011-2012

Sunday 3 June 2012

6/3/2012 Chitwan National Park, Nepal

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