Tigers elephants and camels.

So we are going next year July until beginning of September 2008. I understand the corbet national park will be closed. I was hoping to take my daughter on a camel safari. We will be staying in the north, but are willing to travel.

My questions are:

Are camel safaris still operating at this time of the year? If so can you recommend a cheap one.

What about riding elephants, or an elephant sanctuary?

Any chance of tiger spotting too?

Why do you want a CHEAP one??

Keep in mind that every penny you save is taken out of the welfare of the camel keeper, his family or, most probably, the food & upkeep of the camel. Imagine this poor camel has to lug you 'fat' foreigner around on an empty stomach...

Instead of looking for a cheap camel safari, drink two pints less in the pub in England and be a bit more generous in India.

In case you are hoping you would get a 'cheap' elephant ride, please note that all elephants which have to walk on metalled or asphalt roads walk on blisters. Elephant feet are made to walk on soft forest ground and not to walk up and down a hardened road with some tourists on its back. These poor creatures are in constant agony!!

Forget also about 'cheap tiger spotting'. There are probably just under 1,000 tigers left in India. Nowadays to see them the wild it will cost you. And that is a good thing too because all revenues obtained from tourists should go to tiger conservation.

If you want it on the cheap do not leave the UK, just go to London Zoo, you will save a flight ticket as well.

But if you really feel you have to visit India, stay in Delhi and go to Delhi zoo, it cost only Rs.50 (less than 1 pound, that must make you happy!). After that you will have plenty of money left to spend on shooooopping!

There are camel safaris all year long. I only know about the ones around Bikaner and Pushkar, but if you ask around I’m sure you can find them in most places. As for paying more, you will often only be paying the person setting up the camel safari more, the owner of the camels often receive around Rs 300 a day.
If you go to Jaipur you will be able to go no elephant safaris around town, or go up to the Amber Fort and you can easily go for one there in the smaller town of Amber.

Don’t feel badly about going on an elephant ride, these elephants are much happier getting out and interacting with people and other elephants. When going down the road the elephants will stop by some of the shops along the way where they always receive treats.
Giving a good tip to the camel or elephant handler is the best thing to do! Not to the one’s who you are booking the safaris through!

A good one maybe but not a CHEAP one!

Am I the only one who wants to add "...oh my" to the end of this thread title?

Yes?


Oh.

Quote " Giving a good tip to the camel or elephant handler is the best thing to do! Not to the one’s who you are booking the safaris through! "
we also found that giving a good tip to the guy's actually taking you out was well appreciated ,and also found that the camels benefited by spending a bit of time and de-bugging them ,( the camels and not the handlers )everybody was happy with that .

I want a cheap one because FYI not everyone who visits India is Rockerfella.
I don't visit the pub because again FYI not everyone in the Uk drinks. I am a buddhist and I do not.
I want to see animal conservation on action, that's why I want to see these animals in their natural environments, not behind bars, ergo no zoo visit.
Don't try to educate me about animal abuse, I doubt you are more informed in this area than I am.
Having visited India before and most of the world, and having worked in refugee camps I understand the nature and implications of poverty.
You sound like a bit of an idiot to me, go sound off to your government if your life bothers you.
All I want to do is take my daughter on a few animal safaris so that she will come to enjoy wildlife and understand animal conservation. Keep your comments to yourself, they are not helpful.

hello Tracy,

Now that u hv already told that u hv visited india before, m sure u must be aware that not only wildlife reserves(most of them) are closed, but perhaps..sept in itself is an inappropriate month to travel..

It would be better if u postpone ur visit by a month or so..


anyways..

best wishes.

I have to time an extended trip to India with the school holidays as our school does not allow time out.
I know we will see monkeys galore like last time, I expect she will enjoy them, I didn't!

birds,

That was quite a nasty attitude in your response to Tracy. If forums are to continue to be helpful sources of information in a nonjudgmental setting members need to feel their questions or concerns will be responded to with respectful candor.

Tracy.

Post 2 (by birds) is definitely out of character, but I'm not posting here to defend that post.

Your opening post didn't mention that you'd been to India, when I read the post I just assumed that this would be your first visit, and that you had maybe saw a TV programme about camel safaris, then later you decided to also try to see elephants and tigers on the same trip, so in a way, your post read like a first timer wanting to do India on the cheap.

A member who hasn't been to India will often be given different advice than a member who has been, but as you've already been to India you will understand why.

The forum is too busy these days for members to go searching for information about you, so a member often only reads the info you put in your post.

For this reason, It's very important to give as many details as possible (age of your daughter?), otherwise people have to make assumptions about what you may be looking for.

I don't think any amount of information would have stopped birds from making those ridiculous statements. Heaven help the next person who uses the word "cheap" on this website - ?will they also get so much abuse?

WTF?

Why is it always the animal threads that turn into a battle?

Guys... just talk about politics, or economics, or religious extremism, please. You know, those safe subjects?

Either that, or cool it.

Mostly these flames break out because of a misunderstanding, or someone's having a bad day, or a misunderstanding on a bad day.

Lets leave it behind.

In the hope that we can, this thread remains open.

I do love talking about politics and economics.