Anyone have a tiger expereince like this??!!!

machadinha

The usual deal is you get to sit in a howdah (elephant saddle) yes, the basket kind of contraption you might know from the movies, with a couple of people. I don't think you get to ride your own elephant unless you take a course to be a mahout first maybe.

It's lots of fun though. The animal's a lot higher than you might think and the howdah feels like it's gonna go topsy-turvy all the time. btw An elephant crashing through the bushes isn't exactly silent so not all the wildlife will sit around to see you coming. Then again neither is a jeep I suppose, it depends on how good your guides are, and staying around long enough to take a couple of rides might be an idea.

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salicornia

Do you think I could get courses with a mahout? That's an idea for next trip, definitely. Now you got me this new idea, I won't be able to have it out of my head until i reach it
honestly, i could barely walk that i already wanted to be on a horse. And all my childhood, when the possibility of horse back riding was there, i always chose the highest. Dunno why... Now i am not riding anymore, because after some years in a natural reserve patrolling with a horse, i can't imagine myself riding in round. But imagine me on an elephant?
I dunno any hindi, but i think i may figure out how to make people understand what i want...

Nick-H

Wow! I think that beats my close encounter with a fruit bat

You very, very lucky woman

[there ought to be a green 'with envy' smilie!]

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mikewill

Lucky you Jenny!

I loved Corbett - was there in 95. Only had a fleeting view of a tiger having tracked it on elephant back for about an hour and a half. But I can still see that orange streak through the tall grass. Fantastic the way the anticipation built up as we went back and forth across the river margins.

Is it still four (or six) to an elephant plus mahout on the wooden pads with poles at the corners? I loved the way you had to avoid getting knocked off by branches when you go into the thicker bits of the forest.

Some of the mahouts are brilliant - and it never occurred to me that an elephant could go up and down such steep slopes / steps. Beats a jeep any time.

I haven't heard of elephant driving lessons in India but you can do a course in Thailand. Saw it recently on TV. Around $1000 though!
Try this website http://www.anantara.com/html/mah_train.html

Counting the days(!) to the next trip. Off to the north / north east for two months next year and planning visits to five or six national parks. Fingers crossed, but I bet it won't be as good as your Corbett experience.

machadinha

Look up books by Mark Shand for a guy who did it. I read somewhere your own elephant starts at 10,000 Rs or something, can go up quite a bit. I've met people who travelled by camel that way, selling it after the trip. I can't imagine how you would part with it, probably end up with an elephant on your balcony.

Worry about making the elephant understand. They know some 65 commands or so and they don't speak English so better start practising

Haha yes and you go bloody horizontal when they do!

salicornia

Ouh la la! Sounds likea very serious point, that one...i don't even have a balcony. But maybe my neighbour's garden?

Well, i didn't think of the elephants, but the mahout, telling i want to be ON the elephant But there you have another point, machadinha, if i get there i'll have to make the elephant understand i want to go forwards and then stop...

Well, do you think i could then keep my dignity? Because, when i was learning horseback riding, my prof. would say i look very much like an old english lady, very dignified

All in all, i'll have to rethink about this, and see how things work there . I have been studying and working in national reserves in France before, and therefor, am not aware of it possible or not when you're "visitor". But i'm sure this will already be plenty for me, all the flora and fauna being so exotic for me. I'm only dreaming...

pateluday

davey

I remember my best mate John, he was killed by a Tiger in India he was bird watchching in a National park the other year, he was laid there quitely looking through his binoculars and I was near him at the time, I'll never forget his last words, F$#*K me a Tiger.

pateluday

davey

You are correct his name was David HUNT and he came from the Scilly Isles I think??? it was, Friends of mine knew him adn told me about him prior to our trip to India, they told me he was bird watching at the time, I believe he was de-capitated by the Tiger.

jennyg

yeah the more and more we thought about it after we realized it could have went really bad if say the elephant went up on its hind legs or something. I actually have it all on video from our digital camera, is there a way to link it to the sight? Because I could then you all could see.

byronic

Wow, that is an incredible experience, I would bet even Mr Corbett himself would have ranked that as one of his greatest tiger sightings

I would love to see some of the video. Can you just post a link if you have it uploaded somewhere?

jennyg

I am not sure how to do that. If you can tell me I will

chanakya2

Jenny,
could you post the video (if you haven't already) on youtube? then post a link here? I am sure it will get 5 stars in no time. Maybe even show up on cnn, msnbc or foxnews!

machadinha

Chanakya, the post you responded to dates to 2005, and the poster hasn't been around since late 2006. Slim chance she'll respond... would be nice though