Elephant Bathing

do you bathe an elephant or does the elephant bathe you?

on recent visit to Pinnawela Elephant Orphanage, Kegalle Sri Lanka

the regular tourist route is to see the elephants at the premises - feed them fruits, milk, etc. 

see & hear the young ones roar, trumpet, run around, create chaos amongst the tourist ....

 

first step - feed fruits

the second part is to go to the private Elephant safaris, where you may bathe the elephant!

get a ride

get in the water

first surprise - you get a shower!
(the mahout very politely asks permission for this)

get in the water

sit astride & scrub

this one was a particularly hairy one

feed bananas again

Tikri, is huge, taller than others around
& handsome(?)
at 45years old she looked ancient, mamoth like with fury ears & very gentle
cant imagine their infamous fury
at the orphanage the young ones are petrified of the mahouts.
that is how they can control them even when they are double our height


the final part is a walk through the various spice gardens that carry specimens of exotic spices & mixtures.
& they have a essential oil of these herbs that just about cures everything!!!
of course aches & pains, beautiful skin from sandalwood paste, hair removal cream, etc. etc. etc.

wild ginger plant

wild ginger leaves

a lone male enjoys one side of the river

the rest of the herd

the Pinnawela Orphanage is home to roughly 80 elephants, run the National Zoological gardens
it is now a breeding centre too
& a must visit while in Lanka