Activities · India

Elephant Village Visit

  • Duration3 Hours
  • Tour typePrivate Activity — only your group
  • PickupPrivate transport available as an add-on
  • GuideLicensed private host · English & Hindi
  • CancellationFree up to 24 hours before

About this activity

A short drive from the Pink City sits an elephant village, where the elephants live with the families who have cared for them for generations. Over three hours you meet one elephant rather than a queue of them — feeding her by hand, helping with her bath, and learning to paint the traditional Rajasthani patterns her keepers use for festivals. A short ride is included for those who want one.

Highlights

  • Feeding
  • Bath Time
  • Traditional Elephant Painting
  • A Short Ride

Itinerary

ItineraryFull itinerary8 stops

Pickup in Jaipur

Your driver collects you from your hotel or residence anywhere in Jaipur in a private air-conditioned car. The village lies on the outskirts of the city, around 30 to 40 minutes away depending on where you are staying.

Meet Your Elephant

You are introduced to your elephant and her keeper, who has usually looked after her since she was young. The first hello is hers to make — she reaches out with her trunk, and you hold it. Take a few minutes simply to stand with her; the introductions matter, and the elephants are far more relaxed with visitors who are not in a hurry.

Feeding

Sit down with your keeper in the shade and feed your elephant by hand — sugarcane, bananas, fresh greens and jaggery balls made up on site. An adult elephant eats for most of her waking day, and this is the quickest way to be accepted by her.

Bath Time

Walk her down to the washing yard and help with her bath. The keeper works the hose while you scrub — elephants have bristles, not fur, and she will lean into a good scratch behind the ears. Expect to get wet; most guests end up wetter than the elephant. Bring a change of clothes if you would rather not.

Traditional Elephant Painting

Learn to paint your elephant in the traditional Rajasthani style, using natural, non-toxic vegetable colors — the same patterns painted on for festivals across the region. Your keeper shows you where the designs go and what each one means, then hands you the colors. Children take to this one immediately.

A Short Ride — or a Walk Together

A short ride around the village grounds is included for those who would like one, with the keeper walking alongside. It is entirely optional — most guests choose instead to walk the village track with their elephant beside them, a hand on her shoulder, which is the photograph they end up keeping. Either way, just say so on the day.

Refreshments & Photographs

Finish with tea or a cold drink in the shade while your keeper and guide help you take the photographs you will actually want — with her, on her, or trunk in hand. Every guest leaves with pictures of themselves and their elephant.

Return to Jaipur

Your driver returns you to your hotel, or on to your next stop in the city if you are combining this with a Jaipur sightseeing tour.

What's included

  • Three-hour elephant village session — feeding, bathing, traditional painting, and a short ride
  • Your own elephant and her keeper for the duration of the session
  • All feed, paints, and bathing equipment
  • An English-speaking host throughout the visit
  • Refreshments at the village
  • Bottled water
  • All applicable taxes
  • Tips and gratuities
  • Personal expenses

Your vehicle

Matched to your group size. Open any one to see it.

Maruti Swift Dzire sedan

Maruti Swift Dzire. Room for two travelers and two suitcases.

Maruti Ertiga MPV

Maruti Ertiga. Three rows, room for four travelers and three suitcases.

Toyota Innova Crysta SUV

Toyota Innova Crysta, the 8-seat layout. The most-requested car for a family, with a 300-litre boot.

Force Traveller mini coach

Force Traveller. Push-back seats, a centre aisle and large windows, with a suitcase each.

Force Urbania premium coach

Force Urbania: higher roof, individual reclining seats, a quieter cabin on the expressway.

Prefer something larger or more comfortable? Upgrades are available on any tour at an additional cost — tell us when you book.

Good to know

Full tour details
RouteJaipur
Duration3 Hours
Tour TypePrivate Activity
Recommended ForFamilies · Couples · Animal lovers · First-time visitors
Operating DaysDaily — morning and late-afternoon sessions, when the elephants are most active and the weather is kindest
Pickup & Drop-offAny hotel or residence in Jaipur — available as an add-on, or join us at the village if you are already nearby
Session TimesMorning from 8:00 AM · Afternoon from 3:00 PM. Please tell us your preferred slot when booking.
CancellationComplimentary cancellation up to 24 hours before the activity begins
AccessibilityWheelchairs and strollers available on request. The village paths are flat and easy to walk.

Vehicles are allocated by group size — sedan, MPV, SUV, or Tempo Traveler. See the vehicle guide.

Important notes for this tour
  • This activity runs in the morning and late afternoon, when temperatures are lower and the elephants are most active. Midday sessions are not offered.
  • Please bring a change of clothes and a towel — the bathing session is genuinely wet.
  • Comfortable clothing and closed footwear are recommended; the village grounds are dusty.
  • The elephants are working animals cared for by the families who own them. Please follow your keeper's instructions at all times — they know each elephant's temperament.
  • The short ride is optional and can be skipped entirely at no reduction in price; the rest of the session is unchanged.
  • This activity can be added to a Jaipur sightseeing tour or a Golden Triangle tour on the day you are in Jaipur — please tell us when booking so we can plan the timings around it.
  • Photographs and video are permitted throughout.
  • Feeding, bathing, and painting are all conducted under the supervision of the elephant's own keeper.
Guide languages

English, Hindi, French, Spanish, German, Italian, Japanese, Mandarin, and Russian — all nine at no extra cost. Tell us which you would like when you book.

Frequently asked questions

How long is this activity?

The session at the village runs for about three hours. Allow another hour in total for the drive from and back to Jaipur if you add private transport.

What exactly do we do with the elephants?

You feed your elephant by hand, help wash her at the bathing pool, learn to paint her in the traditional Rajasthani style with natural colors, and take a short ride around the village grounds if you would like one. A keeper stays with you throughout.

Is the ride compulsory?

No. The ride is a short one around the village grounds and is entirely optional — many guests skip it and spend the time with the elephant on the ground instead. The price is the same either way.

Are the paints safe for the elephants?

Yes. The colors used are natural, non-toxic vegetable dyes — the same ones used for festivals in Rajasthan — and they wash off at the elephant's next bath.

Is this suitable for children?

Yes, and it is usually the highlight of the trip for them. Children stay with a keeper at all times, and the feeding and bathing are done from ground level.

What should I bring?

A change of clothes and a towel — the bathing session is genuinely wet — plus sunscreen, a hat, and your camera. Closed footwear is best as the ground is dusty.

Show 6 more questions
Can I combine this with a Jaipur sightseeing tour?

Yes. This activity fits naturally into a Jaipur city tour or into the Jaipur day of a Golden Triangle tour. Tell us when booking and we will plan the timings around it.

Is pickup from my hotel included?

Private transport from and back to your Jaipur hotel is available as an add-on. If you are already near the village or arranging your own transport, you can simply join us there.

What time does the activity run?

Morning sessions start from 8:00 AM and afternoon sessions from 3:00 PM. Midday is avoided because it is too hot for both guests and elephants.

Will the guide help with photography?

Our guides have years of experience and know the best vantage points, including Instagram-worthy shots. They will be glad to help with your photography.

Is customer support available 24/7?

Yes, our customer support team is available 24/7 throughout your trip for any assistance you may need.

Is this a private activity?

Yes — only your group participates, with your own elephant and keeper for the session.

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