If you’re thinking of a trip to Bali and taking up the rare opportunity for a once-in-a-lifetime experience of riding an elephant on an elephant safari, then there are some things you should know before you come.
We’ve got a quick guide to elephants, elephant rides and the ethics of interacting with Sumatran elephants in this way.
About Elephant Rides And The Ethical Arguments Surrounding Them
OK, let’s talk about the ethics of jumping on an elephant and having an amazing experience in Bali. There’s no doubt that there’s a lot of controversy over interacting with elephants in Asia and it’s best to know both sides of the story.
Against Elephant Rides
There is a large industry of well-meaning and kind-hearted people who believe you should never ride an elephant or, indeed, spend any time near elephants while you’re in Asia.
They say that:
Rides can involve serious harm to the animals and some groups even claim that just sitting on the animal’s back can be harmful to their health
Elephant sanctuaries are usually a scam and the animals are treated unfairly or cruelly to make them submissive/obedient to their human masters
The animals are often bred for captivity and are not “rescued” from other places even though the term “sanctuary” suggests that they are
For Elephant Rides
However, to the contrary, there are strong views on the other side too. These include:
Elephants are huge animals and the weight of a rider is almost irrelevant to the animal. They note that a horse or a donkey can carry around 25% of its own body weight without risk and that it would seem reasonable for an elephant to be able to do the same. An elephant weighs about 6,600 lbs. That means it ought to be able to carry over 1,750 lbs! Even two very large people are only likely to weigh 700 lbs.
The Asian elephant is a domesticated species. You can’t tame African elephants and trying to do so is likely to lead to your death. However, Asian elephants are easily tamed and have been tamed for thousands of years. There are no real “wild herds” in Asia and the animals you see only exist because they have value to their owners and others.
An unhappy elephant is a lethal elephant. When these incredible creatures become unhappy or feel mistreated, they are more than capable of letting you know about it. In a recent case in India, an elephant came to a village and lost its temper with a woman and stamped her to death, while the other villagers looked on helplessly. Then, it came back to the village during her funeral and drove off the other villagers, so it could stamp on her again.
Our View On Elephant Rides
We think that it’s down to the individual to decide on the ethics of the situation. We’re not elephant herders and we don’t own an elephant safari park. So, we’re not invested in this choice.
However, we do think that some places appear to treat their animals better than others do and that if you do decide to go, you’re better off having an amazing experience with a place that truly cares about the creatures it looks after.
With that in mind, we think the best place to try a once-in-a-lifetime experience of elephant riding in Bali is the Mason Elephant Park & Elephant Safari.
Mason Elephant Park & Elephant Safari: Bali’s Largest Herd Of Sumatran Elephants
This elephant safari is home to Bali’s largest herd of Sumatran elephants. That is elephants from the island of Sumatra here in Indonesia.
The Sumatran elephant is critically endangered in the wild and this safari park is among a few places participating in the conservation of the species.
How To Get To Mason Elephant Park Lodge
The park is in the Taro Highlands of Central Bali not far from Ubud. It’s about a 30-minute drive from Ubud and about 1.5-2 hours from most other big tourist destinations in Bali.
Address: Jalan Elephant Safari Park Banjar Desa Taro Tegallalang, Taro, Kec. Tegallalang, Kabupaten Gianyar, Bali 80561
You can book a tour package including a tour guide (see the FAQs to see how to book with Bali Res Centre) or you can hire a private car and driver to get there.
You could also use a scooter for transport but we never recommend using a scooter in Bali. It’s too dangerous and it’s challenging to be road-legal and without being legal, your insurance is worthless.
The Best Time To Visit This Safari Park
There is no bad time of year to have an awesome adventure in Bali. The weather is mainly lovely all year round and while the rainy season does have a bit more rain, it has plenty of sunshine too.
The jungle is at its best during this season, though, and room rates and flights are cheaper in the rainy season and there are fewer crowds around.
The dry season has better weather, conversely, but it is more expensive and there are a lot more people around.
The Opening Hours Of Mason Elephant Park
You can see the herd at this elephant safari every day of the year except for Nyepi (this is the annual day of silence in Bali and everything is closed on this day) and the elephant park is open from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
If you want an amazing experience here, you’re going to want to spend several hours at the park and most guests will book a half-day or a full day to interact with these creatures.
Fees At Mason Elephant Safari Park
There are many different packages for an amazing experience at this elephant park and a lot depends on what you want to do with the elephants.
They all include the services of a tour guide but some include bathing with the animals, feeding the animals, riding the animals and even a buffet lunch or accommodation.
The packages start at 1,200,000 IDR per person but can be much more depending on what, exactly, guests want to do on their trip to this beautiful place.
Elephant Rides
Guest can ride the elephants here if they book to do so and it’s clear that they need the exercise.
The area is fully open and the creatures are free to roam as they like. There is no saddle/back cage used and you sit on the back of the animals directly.
We can report that the animals do not appear to be distressed by this activity, though we’re not experts on the facial expressions of elephants either.
Elephant Feeding & Washing
Guests who’d rather do other activities with the herd can pet, cuddle, and feed and wash the animals.
There is a small lake for this activity and it looks like the animals have a massive amount of fun while doing this.
Each of the elephants needs 200 Kg of food per day to survive, so feeding them is important.
The Elephant Museum
They have a really nice mini-museum on site which contains materials related to elephants from all over Indonesia.
The museum’s entrance fee is included in the ticket price, so we’d recommend you have a look around.
Elephant Photos – Special Photoshoots
If you want to spend a small fortune, then for about 5,000,000 IDR, you can book a private photo session with one of the elephants.
This is the closest interaction you will get with one of these creatures and if you can afford it, it’s an incredible experience.
You must bring your own camera or photographer though. The price doesn’t include any assistance in this regard.
Sumatran Elephant Conservation
We recommend that you listen to the park explain the part that it plays in conservation rather than us explaining it to you.
You can see their video (from YouTube) below:
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The Ethics Of The Bali Elephant Sanctuary
The park is very concerned about animal welfare and wants people to know:
All the animals are trained with kindness, not cruelty and are motivated with rewards, not punishments
The animals are tethered at night but for their own safety and the safety of the park, they are not tethered during the day
The elephants need exercise and the rides are part of the exercise program
They provide each of the animals with a personal keeper for life and they have access to vets if they are sick or injured
They say that they believe the elephants enjoy interacting with people
Staying At Mason Elephant Park
There is also a lodge at the park where you can stay and enjoy the sights of elephants from the balcony.
Otherwise, it’s pretty much the same as any 5-star hotel in Bali and has all the modern conveniences that you would expect.
FAQs
Can You See Elephants In Bali?
Yes! You can see elephants in Bali. In fact, in addition to the elephant park mentioned above, there are several other zoos and safari parks that are involved in the conservation efforts for this incredible animal.
Are The Elephants In Bali Treated Well?
As far as we can tell, the animals here have the freedom to act as though they are in their natural environment and are treated very well.
It’s fair to say that some of these venues need an influx of money in the post-pandemic world to maintain the standard of care, but each destination is run with patience and kindness for the creatures.
Are There Elephants Native To Bali? Did Bali Ever Have Elephants?
No. Elephants are not native to Bali and Bali has never had any elephants of its own. The animals you see in Bali today are Sumatran elephants.
These are from a nearby island and are part of conservation efforts to preserve this magnificent species which barely exists in the wild.
Are The Elephant Sanctuaries In Bali Ethical?
We think it’s important not to forget that the purpose of elephant sanctuaries here in Bali is conservation.
These breathtaking animals are a part of the living history of Asia and without these places, they would simply disappear.
We are not in a position of expertise to debate biology and the carrying capacity of an elephant but if your personal feeling is that riding an elephant is a bad idea, you can still visit a park and see these lovely animals.
There’s certainly nothing unethical about stopping to hand-feed an elephant or making a drawing or painting of one in the jungle or by a lake, is there?
How Much Does It Cost To Ride An Elephant In Bali?
It depends on whether you ride them in the evening, morning or at night and whether you want to go bathing with them or have accommodation in the lodge nearby.
However, it’s not a low-cost experience and you can expect to pay around 1,200,000 IDR per person without accommodation or food included.
Can You Swim With Elephants In Bali?
You can bathe with the elephants which may well feel like swimming for the people involved.
What About The Elephant Cave In Bali?
Well, strangely, the Elephant Cave in Bali doesn’t have anything to do with the animals. You can find out more about Goa Gajah, the Elephant Cave, here.
Are There Elephant Tours In Bali?
Yes. You can book elephant tours and other trips to see or interact with or just to watch elephants in Bali through the Bali Res Centre.
This is a local travel agent that specializes in Balinese travel. They can also help with booking flights, hotel rooms, lodge rooms, etc. too.
Final Thoughts On Elephants, Bali
If you have ethical reservations about spending time with elephants in Bali, we understand.
However, we think that spending time with the herd is more than just an exciting adventure, it’s a way of ensuring that these creatures survive for future generations.
It’s always a personal choice as to what to do on holiday, but we think the world is a better place with elephants in it and if you book a tour to see them, we hope that you enjoy it.
