Elephant Riding – Tour Activity in Sri Lanka.

On the way to Sygiria Rock we have arranged a special treat for the children – a ride on an elephant. We’re not quite sure what to expect and as we set out in bright sunshine which is already scorching even at 8.30 in the morning there is an air of expectation in the car. The children are all still talking about seeing elephants yesterday but we were all a still a little groggy from the flight then. Now everyone is wide awake and the holiday has begun in earnest!

The drive is not long (in fact it was literally only 5 minutes) and we arrive at a beautiful lake. The lake is about half a mile wide and perhaps a little longer. It is teaming with birds and surrounded by thick forest or jungle. As we walk up to the edge of the lake we see set of large wooden steps which lead up to a platform which must be 3 metres high at least. This is obviously the way to get onto the elephants and I think it starts to dawn on all of us, just how big an elephant is. After 5 minutes of nervous excited waiting, Kate spots an elephant walking slow towards us on a track that comes over a small hill. On its back is a colourful platform (which from what we can understand is known as a Howdah although original Howdah’s were very ornate carriages for carrying rich people on the backs of elephants) upon which two people, obviously tourists are sitting. The elephant is enormous and walks at a slow steady pace and as it does the howdah sways, sometimes alarmingly, left and right.
The sense of nervous expectation increases as the elephant walks up to the platform, two Mahouts (which isthe Indian name for the people who care for elephants) on each side and stops, neatly below the edge of the platform so the two riders can dismount. What looks like it could be a tricky manoeuvre goes off without a hitch which is reassuring but suddenly it’s our turn!

We climb the steep wooden steps one at a time and then arrange ourselves on the howdah on top of a surprisingly steady elephant. It is a bit awkward for 5 of us all but we settle down for the ride, not really knowing how far or for how long but it does feel like the start of an adventure. I’d love to say that we felt like brave adventurers, setting out on an intrepid safari with our trusty elephants but it wasn’t quite like that