Elephant Shower and Bath Thekady Kerala

Elephant ride and Shower  is one of the important things to do in Thekady, Kerala, India.  Timings for Elephant ride is from 9am to 6 pm. Situated in Avanchal in Thekkady. It is small 10 acre area granted by government outside the forest land. As per locals, yester years poachers are now converted into animal friendly mahots.

Besides Elephant ride and shower there are multiple other tourist attractions in same premises

1. Spice garden tour
2. Musical Fountain
3. magic show
4. Kathakali Dance 
5. The mahot also asked us about elephant hair - As per the folk lore - Its auspicious to wear Elephants hair in the finger ring.

Bang opposite is the Tribal dance show organized in the evening by Government tourist board of Kerala.

I would recommend you to reach there early in the morning around 9 am to this place. Since its less crowded and early birds always benefit. We were located in the Green court home stay just minutes walking distance from the Elephant ride center.

To do or not to do - Initially I was personally not keen or might be scared of sitting on the elephant. On insistence of my husband and the hotel owner somehow i did agree. Since the hotel owner was local he got us discount of Rs 100 each. The package now priced at Rs 900 each - included Elephant ride, Elephant bath followed by Elephant shower. 

The sun rose in the sky and i woke up surely with some butterflies in my stomach. Our son was all excited.

We reached the camp around 9 am. If you are with kids - i would recommend you to carry some snacks for them as this activity takes around 1 hour.

As we were the early birds we were privileged to see multiple elephants getting ready for the days work. Starting with bath, shower, scrubbing of back and ears, some wholesome break fast of coconut tree leaves and rice,. Once the elephant was ready the mahot placed the seat (some kind of bed covered with plastics sheet) on his back. That also included iron rods which will provide you support during the ride.

We were asked to go and stand on the mounting station which is around 1 floor high. Yes, You really feel scared when the elephant approaches near you and the mahot asks you to mount on its back. I was under the impression that the mahot will accompany us on the elephants back. To my surprise, he was walking on the ground. Some how we sat on the elephant and then for first few minutes I was just chanting gods name. 

Once all of us were sure that the Ele wont just go mad and run here and there - we all started enjoying the ride. The mahot took us around the square shaped coconut trees garden. The ride lasted for around 15 minutes. At the end of the ride we were allowed to stand with the elephant and take some snaps. I would like to mention this that we were able to enjoy this at our own pace, simply because we reached there quiet early before it becomes to crowded.

Elephant Bath - After completing the heroic deed of climbing the Mount Everest someone comes and asks you to cross the Atlantic Ocean. How will you feel at that time ? Well I had same feelings in my mind when we were asked to proceed to the elephant bath area. Its a small artificial concrete pond where one old elephant was resting. The mahot was cleaning its ears. As per my imagination - we holding a pipe in our hand and spraying water on the elephant. Well, the mahot asked us to change the clothes and get in to the pond. Thank God, our fear to come near the elephant had reduced a little bit after elephant ride. The man asked us to pick up the brush and scrub the elephants body. This reduces the fear in your mind and the elephants doesnt not feel you as stranger. It really did work out. It was really amazing to see how my son sat on the elephants back on his own and scrubbed it.Then came the time for elephant shower - my husband abhi tried it first. Our son was really scared. At the end came my turn. I was quiet confident, all the butterflies in my stomach had gone to collect some pollen on the flowers. I climbed up the elephant back using its leg as foot rest and the elephant showered fresh water with his trunk on me. No words to describe how i felt. Wowwwwwwwwwww....

A definite big YES if you have second thoughts regarding visiting the place. YES do visit it, its fun.