With elephant safaris declining, Sauraha operators turn to ‘bush walks’

Changing tourist preferences and animal welfare concerns push Chitwan’s entrepreneurs to explore new elephant-friendly activities.

For decades, elephant safaris were a signature attraction in Chitwan National Park, drawing hundreds of thousands of visitors annually. But today, the appeal of riding elephants is fading, prompting tourism operators in Sauraha to search for alternatives such as the “elephant bush walk.”