“Nepal 🇳🇵Sauraha ~Chitwan Canoeing Safari, Elephant Breeding Facility, and Sapana Lodge”

• March 15, 2018
• By Pen
• 0 Comment

This Canoeing Safari was the perfect way to wrap up our super fantastic time, here in Chitwan/Sauraha, Nepal.

What an eye-opener this trip has been, on so many levels, to truly be in a very wild place in the world is really mind-blowing. Animal behaviors are different here, than any other wild Safari I have been on. One day, even Chitwan, wildlife will become more familiar, and comfortable with the jeeps, but for now; they are not comfortable with us coming into their word at all; semi-tolerable, but not comfortable. This makes the wildlife hide, when they hear Jeeps coming.

I learned so much, and out of all the places we have visited over the last nine months, (to date) I finally found the place I could actually live for long-term. The town of Sauraha borders Chitwan National Forest, and it is so peaceful and quiet. There are far less cars, and motorcycles, in this particular part of Sauraha, so the honking is WAY reduced. People ride bikes, ride their Eles, Pony carts, or walk. The town has one long street, and the people are very nice.

Late afternoon, we went for a canoe ride in an authentic dug-out. We saw a lot of wildlife, as well as domestic Elephants. Yes, I was still looking for the elusive Tiger, even now, from the canoe!! I REALLY wanted to see one before we left. But, it was not meant to be. After the Canoeing, we visted an Elephant Training and Breeding Center / Chitwan. The Army posts that work inside the Chitwan Reserve are provided their Elephants from this facility, where they are also trained, for their anti-poaching patrol work. (Chitwan is huge and it is shared with India, so each army post has a stable of working Elephants.

We were picked up at the Sapana Lodge where we’ve been staying. We enjoyed a nice ride through the little town of Sauraha, before  arriving at the Narayani River for our leisurely ride on the water. From here, we would get out of the canoe at the Elephant Breeding, and Training Center, for a tour and some education on the program.

OMG….. I captured this chance photo within 30 seconds of starting our float down the river from inside the dugout. This is the rare crocodile species; “Gharial.” They are strickly fish eaters. We had previousy visited the breeding center where they work hard to save this breed of Crocodile, and then introducing back into the wild, after they have matured. Here is proof they are living in the wild! This guy was at least eight feet long, and a real beauty! They are endangered, so this was a rare treat to see! We floated directly over the top, and there he was on the rocky bottom. The water was only a couple feet deep, or I would not ha we seen it.

A Gharial breeding farm was started in Chitwan National Park, to help ensure this specific type of endangered Crocodile does not go extinct. One day on Safari, deep in the jungle, we got out and walked around the Gharial Breeding Farm. They are fish eaters only, and while the program is good, the success rate, after relase, is not as high as they would like to see. Sadly, pollution plays a part in this, as fish are its food source, and fish are affected by pollution, too.

We chose the canoe over the Elephant ride

We got out of the Canoe and walked the rest of the way to the Elephant Breeding Center. We crossed a big field to get there, while our guide chatted on.
Backstory: if you have not read this story I posted, previously, here it is again. It’s an important key to know, at this point in the blog, as we walked across the large property.

The true story; is about the two “bad-boy” wild Elephants of Chitwan who constantly cause problems in the surrounding Villages (remember there are no fancy electric fences around this reserve, so it’s open borders for the wildlife to roam). WELL, as we got out of the canoe, we began walking across a huge field, toward the Breeding Center. Our guide pointed out some Elephant dung, and said this is WILD elephant dung. Then, he told me that “Gera” and “Ranoldo.” were regulars at the breeding center. I knew about the Bulls, and I STOPPED DEAD IN MY TRACKS! I told our guide that I did not want to be in an open field; walking, if those Elephants were anywhere nearby. I heard horror stories about these two large bulls!  He assured me they do not travel as a pair (they are still males who fight each other)AND, Ranaldo only comes around during his “musk,” seeking out females to breed. It is not season, so he wasn’t around. Whew! Okay, so I continued walking, though, while looking over my shoulder.
Come to find out, after touring the Breeding Center,  they do give free rein to the Wild Elephant Bulls; mainly Ronaldo, who is the regular, and will wander in from Chitwan National Park, so he (they) can breed with the Centers resident females. Our guide explained to us, that on occasion, the female “Ronaldo” picks out will stay with him, as they both go back out into the jungle, where the female remains free; as it’s the way of nature. Obviously, with such dangerous Wild Bull Elephants, the professionals know what they are doing at this Center for Breeding.  There are no incidences that occur when Ronaldo and others “come to call” at the Center. They know how to handle them, which is the same as “not” handling them. 

In the villages, is where the two main “bad boy” brothers wreak havoc. Recently, one of them tore a house complety apart, because he smelled alcohol. Apparently, Raynaldo has a drinking problem; which perhaps explains his rowdy behavior.
Keep in mind, the domesticated Elephants are far from perfect, either. Our guide also told us, a few years back, a foreign tourist finished riding the Elephant in a group tour. He got off and wanted to offer his Elephant a banana. Instead of asking permission to do so, (which he would have been told, no), he just walked up to a group of hot, tired, and hungry Elephants and selected only one to give the banana too. As a result, a very jealous Elephant grabbed the human, yanked him towards her, threw him on the ground and stomped him to death.

Don’t ever mess with Elephants.

This was an interesting stop. The youngest babies are around two years old. They remain with their moms.

The Breeding and Training Facility has a lot of property with the river running through it. The resident Elephants roam free from 10-4 every day. Here ⬆️, they have just been put up for the night, and it was obvious they were not too happy about it.  BUT, they did get their “rice balls wrapped in banana leaves” treat, and this made them smile.

Here are a few more photos from our time around Chitwan

Sapana Lodge, Which We Recommend!

If you are interested in doing a Safari in Chitwan, there is no need to hire an outside guide or zoologist. Sapana Lodge can help you make all the arrangements necessary for a driver and guide. They are a wonderful and caring staff.

This Elephant is owned by Sapana Lodge. She is fully retired as a working Ele, at 40 years old. She will be cared for, for her remaining years.

All too soon, our day was done and we now have to plan on departing Chitwan in the morning. We will be on that early, crazy Overland Mountain bus back to Kathmandu (one last time). Once there, we will meet with our Tibet contact; Ashkok to fill out paperwork for our Visa (its complex like the first Chinese Visa we got). Then, when the embassy opens on Monday, Ashok gets our travel permits and Visa for Tibet, within 4-5 days after that. ($362). So, we hang out in Kathmandu till we get approved, and THEN, we are Tibet bound!!!