Back On The Elephant Trail: Safaris Return To Corbett And Rajaji

Elephants once carried quiet groups of visitors through tall grass and sal forests in Uttarakhand. Then the rides stopped for seven long years. Now the news feels big again. Elephant safaris are returning, and many people feel excited and also unsure at the same time.

This change matters to more than tourists. It also touches forest health, animal safety, local jobs and the future of wild elephants. Before you book a ride, you should know what really changed and what your choices mean for the animals that share these forests.

From Courtroom Ban To Careful Comeback

In August 2018, the Uttarakhand High Court stopped tourist rides on elephants. The judges pointed to reports of cruelty and weak rules around the commercial use of the animals.

Later, the Supreme Court allowed the state to bring back rides if it created stronger welfare rules. Forest officials then spent years checking laws, drafting new guidelines, and taking clear approvals from wildlife boards and the state government.

Because of this long process, elephant safaris went quiet for about seven years. The restart in 2025 comes with tighter limits, fewer elephants, shorter routes, and closer oversight than before.

Where Safaris Run Now In Corbett And Rajaji

In Corbett, forest staff plan to use a small number of trained elephants in famous tourism ranges like Dhikala, Bijrani, and Jhirna. These areas already attract many Jeep visitors and hold a rich mix of grassland, river banks, and forest.

In Rajaji, rides have started again in the Cheela zone near Haridwar and Rishikesh. This stretch holds large wild elephant herds, quiet forest tracks, and strong bird life. Officials currently use only two trained females on a short two- to three-kilometer route, with four tourists on each elephant at one time.

Morning rides usually run around sunrise, and evening rides close before dark. A typical safari lasts 45 to 90 minutes, mainly between October and June, while the monsoon months remain closed for safety and breeding reasons.

Seats are minimal. Forest gates, registered operators, and nearby hotels handle bookings, but all rides still need final clearance from forest staff, and visitors must carry a valid photo ID for checks at entry.

What A Traveller Actually Sees From An Elephant

Moving through the forest on an elephant feels very different from sitting inside a jeep. Elephants walk slowly, and the higher seat lets you see over bushes and tall grass. Guides say the calm pace helps visitors notice sounds, tracks, and small movements that jeeps often rush past.

Because elephants can step through streams and narrow paths, they reach deeper parts of the forest, where shy animals often stay. In Dhikala and nearby river belts, riders sometimes view tigers at a safe distance, along with deer, wild boar, crocodiles, and many birds. In Cheela, views of wild elephant families often stay in focus.

Wildlife photographer and conservationist Latika Nath notes that no jeep ride matches the feeling of moving through a forest on an elephant, with eye-level views of many animals and very little engine noise. She also warns that this magic only feels right when the animals stay healthy and well-handled.

The Bigger Picture: What It Means For Wildlife

Uttarakhand holds one of India’s important wild elephant groups. Recent state counts report around 1,792 elephants, placing the state in the national top five. At the same time, officials record worrying deaths of young males from rail hits, electrocution, and shrinking habitat.

In such a setting, parks like Corbett and Rajaji carry heavy duty. When done with strong checks, limited tourism can create money for corridor protection, habitat repair, and better patrol staff. Trained elephants also help rangers reach marshy or broken ground where jeeps struggle, so they support rescue and anti-poaching work.

Supporters of the restart argue that small, closely watched rides may even reduce jeep pressure in fragile corners, since some visitors switch from vehicles to elephants. Fewer noisy jeeps in narrow tracks can lower dust, crowding, and stress for many species.

At the same time, more tourist entry always carries risk. Extra roads, parking spaces, and shops near gates can disrupt the habitat. Repeated movement along the same track can disturb ground-nesting birds and nervous animals. Loud groups that ignore rules may push wildlife deeper into the forest and change how they use open areas.

So the return of rides acts like a test. It can support wildlife, or it can harm it, based completely on how well people handle rules on the ground.

Elephant Welfare: The Line Between Care And Cruelty

The primary concern revolves around the elephants that carry tourists. Elephant backs and legs take real strain when rides stay long or too frequent. Without strong rest, good food, and medical care, the animals suffer, even when they stay quiet in front of guests.

Experts like Latika Nath point out that India has already seen many camp elephants with spinal injuries or sores. In earlier times, mahouts often held deep bonds with a single elephant for many years, guided by old texts on kind handling. When this bond weakens, and owners treat elephants like simple tools, cruelty rises fast.

To answer these fears, forest departments promise rules on ride length, loads per elephant, and total rides per day. They also speak about better training for mahouts and regular health checks. Tourism supporters say that without such work and wages, some captive elephants may move into far worse private hands.

But rules on paper mean little unless visitors ask about them and operators respect them. Ethical tourism in these parks starts with simple questions from each guest.

How To Ride Without Hurting The Forest

If you choose to visit, your own behaviour shapes the effect of your trip. Book only through authorised channels, and ask operators about daily ride limits, rest hours, and vet checks for each elephant. A responsible guide should share these details clearly and without delay.

Wear soft, neutral colours and avoid strong perfume so animals focus less on your presence. Keep voices low, turn phone sounds off, and never request the mahout to move closer to a wild animal for a better photo. In case the elephant seems tired or the staff cancels the ride due to weather or health, accept the change and shift to a jeep or refund without pressure.

Rangers also ask visitors not to feed wildlife or toss any waste. Even a small snack wrapper can harm birds or deer that chew it by mistake. Simple respect during the ride shows children and other guests that wild spaces follow different rules than city streets.

When enough tourists act with care, officials find it easier to stand firm on strict caps and welfare rules, even when some businesses push for more rides.

So, Is The Comeback Good News For Wildlife?

Right now, the restart in these two reserves stays small in scale. Only a few elephants work short routes with fixed seat limits, and both state officials and many experts watch the results closely.

For the forests, this moment is at a crossroad. With honest monitoring, fair treatment of animals, and real use of tourist fees for science-based work, the return of rides can support corridors, reduce risky jeep traffic, and keep local communities linked to healthy wildlife. Without those checks, it can slip back into overwork, stress, and fresh conflict.

Your choice as a visitor does not seem small here. When you ask good questions, respect limits, and choose operators who clearly care for their elephants, you send a strong signal about the kind of tourism you accept.