cheers pam

Thanks to everyone for the information and especially Fritz for the photos. I will definitely be able to make it the trip of a lifetime for Mags, thanks once again, Gary.

hi , opinions/advice requested - was planning a trip to "wash & ride" elephants at sahakari spice plantation(mainly for the delight and benefit of 2 young kids) but have heard there is only ONE elephant at this place, which is pricey to ride, and even pricier to wash....
has anybody been there recently? are there no other elephants at other spice plantations? the only reason i chose sahakari was becoz of seeing/experiencing elephants, but one elephant doesnt seem worth it?....
any advice or other recommendations? (dont wish to do the jungle book thing because prefer a day trip, and dont want to travel too far either - surely other places can offer the wash and ride elephant thing?!...any advice/comments will be much appreciated, thanks

What I suggest you do is to contact the owner direct and ask him. I have contacted them on various things before and they always reply.

If you do find out please let us all know. Thanks.

http://www.sahakarifarms.com/

We went to the spice garden at Ponda, they have 2 elephants, one to ride, and one to wash. It is IR500 to ride and IR600 to wash. We went back for a second visit while we were there, and the family insisted we stayed for lunch (vegitarian as they are Hindu) and refused to let us pay, even though we had had two glasses of lemon grass tea, four bottles of mango juice and two lunches with dessert.

They are a very nice family, their e-mail address is;

tropicalspice@rediffmail.com

Just ask any of the taxi drivers to take you to the tropical spice plantation, I think the place is called Arla-Keri, Ponda, Goa.

Have a happy time there, we did.

If you P.M. me I can give you details of a man that organises a trip to wash, feed and ride elephants at Ponda.

There are several elephants there (and I believe a new baby one now) but generally you only get to see two of them because the others are being worked. They rotate the elephants you get to play with to stop them being overfed.

It's a one day trip.

Great fun, especially the washing part.

KJ1234,
I was speaking to Laxmi's Mahut (spelling!?!?) yesterday, he said that they bathe her everyday somewhere up at Parra at 7am. He invited me along, so I take it that you'd be invited along too if you asked. Suspect it would come at a chargeable fee??
GFF

brought back for bobertybob.