Located just 5km outside the town of Shimoga, there is an elephant camp in the name of Sakrebyle Elephant Camp. It is a well-known elephant training camp and sanctuary near Shivamogga. It is a very popular tourist destination for those interested in elephants and wildlife conservation. On the last day of our trip to Shimoga from Bangalore, we visited Sakrebyle Elephant Camp before starting our road trip from Shimoga to Bangalore.
We reached here by 10:00am in the morning. The camp has an in campus parking where we parked our vehicles. And then proceeded to the ticket counter.
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About Sakrebyle Elephant Camp Shimoga
The Sakrebyle Elephant Camp was established with the primary goal of protecting and conserving elephants, which are a significant part of India’s wildlife heritage. The camp was formed as a collaboration between the Karnataka Forest Department and wildlife conservation organizations. Here is a brief overview about different aims with which this camp was established :
- Conservation Effort: The camp was created to provide a safe and nurturing environment for elephants, particularly those that are rescued, orphaned, or in need of care due to injury or illness.
- Training and Care: It serves as a training center for elephants used in forestry operations. Elephants at the camp are trained by experienced mahouts (elephant trainers) for various tasks, including patrolling forests and assisting in conservation activities.
- Tourism and Education: The camp was also intended to promote eco-tourism and educate the public about the importance of elephants and wildlife conservation. By allowing visitors to interact with elephants and learn about their care, the camp aims to foster a deeper appreciation for these majestic animals.
- Community Involvement: Local communities are involved in the camp’s operations, providing economic benefits and encouraging support for conservation efforts.
Overall, the Sakrebyle Elephant Camp was formed as a comprehensive initiative to ensure the well-being of elephants while promoting awareness and support for wildlife conservation.
Entry ticket to Sakrebyle Elephant Camp Shimoga
The entry ticket prices for Sakrebyle Elephant Camp can vary based on factors like age (adults, children) and sometimes residency status (locals, non-locals). As of the latest updates, here is a general idea of the ticket prices:
- Adults: Around ₹50-₹100
- Children: Typically less than adult tickets, around ₹20-₹50
- Camera Charges: There might be additional charges for cameras, usually ₹50-₹100
- Boating : ₹200/- per adult and ₹100/- per kid above 5 years of age.
- Elephant Ride : ₹100/- per person
- Elephant bathing : ₹100/- per person
PS: the above charges are from the time when we visited the Sakrebyle Elephant Camp Shimoga.
Things to do at Sakrebyle Elephant Camp Shimoga
After getting the tickets, we proceeded inside the Sakrebyle Elephant Camp Shimoga. The huge campus is impressive. Immediately after entering inside, we could see the elephants all around – the big elephants, the kids and the babies. There are a ton of activities to do in Sakrebyle Elephant Camp Shimoga. It includes activities related to the elephants as well other activities. Some of these include –
Interaction with elephants
Of course the top most thing to do in an elephant camp is interaction with elephants 🙂 In Sakrebyle Elephant Camp, you get the opportunity to get up close with the elephants. You can touch them, pat them and feed them. And you can also take a picture with them. These elephants are trained to pose with you. As such, they will place their trunk on your head as if blessing you, or, in your neck like a necklace. And you can take an up close picture with them.
Elephant bathing
Another very popular activity at Sakrebyle Elephant Camp Shimoga is bathing the elephants. The elephant bathing activity is however only available in the morning hours. From 8:00am to 11:00am. The elephants at the camp are one by one taken to the Tunga River backwaters. And made to sit in the water. If you as a guest want to participate in bathing the elephants you will be provided with scrubbers for the same. It is such a unique experience to give bath to an elephant. I remember missing this opportunity on my trip to Thailand. Where there were similar elephant camps, particularly around Chiang Mai. But, it is so difficult to figure out which are the ethical ones and which are not. So, I had avoided them altogether.
However, this time, Aashi was particularly very excited to be interacting with the elephants and giving them a bath. So, we decided to head to Sakrebyle Elephant Camp. After having fed giraffes at the Singapore Zoo and up close interaction with horses on our recent trip to Coorg, this was another of her most cherished trip memories.
Elephant ride
In Sakrebyle Elephant Camp, elephant ride is also offered to the guests. You can take the tickets for elephant ride at the same time when you take one for entry. Although this is something I don’t encourage. The poor animals are subjected to continuous rounds of taking loads of guests all around the park campus. However, this is another activity available and most of the people tend to enjoy it.
Guided tour of elephant park
In the Sakrebyle Elephant Camp you can also take a guided tour of the elephant camp. The guide will help you understand about all the available activities. And also provide information about the elephants, their evolution, their care, and conservation efforts.
Boating on the backwaters of Tunga River
The location of Sakrebyle Elephant camp is very beautiful. Right near the dam on the Tunga river, it is located on the bank of the backwaters formed near the dam. So, there is a boating opportunity also offered on the backwaters of the Tunga River at Sakrebyle Elephant Camp. Once again, you can take the tickets for boating from the ticket counter at the entrance. There is an informal line near the place where you have to wait for the boarding the boat. A small shade with chairs is also available here. So that those who want to sit while waiting for the boat can do so.
The boat has a capacity of around 25 people. It takes around 20 minutes to half an hour to complete a round of the backwaters. So, we also took our tickets and patiently waited for our turn to board the boat. After around 20 minutes of waiting time, we boarded the boat. And got into our life jackets, securing ourselves to our seats on the boat. And then started the ride on the Tunga river.
The views from across the water are very beautiful, with dense green forests and hills visible in all directions. And the cold wind will completely refresh you while you take this ride. There’s nothing much to see in terms of animals or birds during this ride. But it is all about enjoying the ride and the natural beauty that you will be surrounded with. We have taken several other boat trips in the past across different places. And if I had to rank this one, it would come fourth, the ride on Nainital Lake on our trip to Nainital during our Uttarakhand trip last year, the cruise trip from Port Blair to Ross Island during our Andaman Trip and the boat trip in the Rangnathittu Bird Sanctuary preceding it.
Kids play area and park
Apart from the above, the Sakrebyle Elephant Camp has a large kids play area. Which is equipped with swing, slide, and a few other activity tools for kids. A kids play area is something that attracts kid everywhere like a magnet. And same was the case here. After boating as we were on our way to exit the camp, our kids insisted to spend some time in the kids play area. So, we stopped here for a while. And then proceeded on our Shimoga to Bangalore road trip.
Tips on visiting Sakrebyle Elephant Camp
- Try to head to Sakrebyle Elephant Camp Shimoga as early in the morning as possible. The Sakrebyle elephant camp timings are usually the morning hours from 8:00am to 11:00am when you get to feed, bath and interact with the elephants. Also, the weather is pleasant during these hours. It’s a good idea to arrive early to enjoy the full experience.
- Carry an umbrella with you, particularly if visiting here during the monsoon months from June to September. When we arrived at the camp around 10am, it was drizzling. But luckily it didn’t rain much
- Coming to the facilities available in Sakrebyle Elephant Camp, there is an information centre, a rest areaT with shade for guests to rest, a huge parking before the entrance, restrooms and some small shops selling basic snacks, water and tea etc.
- Be careful when interacting with the elephants. Let kids interact with the elephants only under supervison of adults. Also, there is a designated boundary set for interacting with the elephants. Don’t cross this barrier, stand on your designated spot.
- Also, be mindful when running around in the field because there are elephants also roaming, taking visitors on a ride.