Leaving Ooty at 6.30 in the morning we were greeted by dew covered grass and white clouds that came and surrounded us while silently bidding us farewell. The drive to Coorg was beautiful as we passed fields and fields of coconut trees and sugarcane plants (yeah there are a lot of sugarcane fields in the South!!). All along the way the bright blue sky was adorned with white fluffy clouds. Our drive took us through many small villages where young children pointed to our car with shouts of glee and some even tried to run and keep up with us.
We reached Coorg after being on the road for nearly 6 hours, when our driver stopped at the banks of a small river and informed us that there was no road ahead to travel – literally!! With amazement and disbelief written all over our faces, we got out of our car and stared around. Suddenly we hear a voice saying, “Madam, boat se jaana hai, Dubare boat se jaana hai!!” We watched in amazement as our luggage was transported into a boat (much like a fisherman’s boat!!) and we were asked to follow. Wow! That is some entry to a camp! Welcome to Dubare Elephant Camp!!
After settling into our cottage which was made of wood logs (cool nah?!!), and a quick lunch, we were asked to assemble for a short jeep safari. As we joined other visitors in the jeep, we were given a short history about the Dubare Elephant Camp – it started around 2-3 years ago and was a brainwave operation of the Karnataka Forest Department’s Jungle Lodges & Resorts to keep the now not required elephants that used to help in the logging operations in Karnataka.
Our guide suddenly cautioned for silence and we saw a huge one tusked wild elephant break out from the trees onto the road ahead of us and after glancing around went ambling away into the forest on the opposite side. After he had gone, our guide told us that he was without a herd and he was a very angry and wild elephant and when approached could resort to 
violence. Going a little further we came upon some Indian Bison (Gaur) grazing lazily on the green grass of the forest floors. On hearing our jeep one of them looked up to give us a long look as if to say – Who are you? and then they all turned their backs on us and made their way into the forest.
The next morning was filled with excitement as it was the morning when we were allowed to help bathe the elephants – yes you read it right! We were taken to the banks of the river nearby where there were these huge elephants and one baby elephant in the water and the mahouts were bathing them and 
scrubbing them with coconut hair brushes. We were encouraged to join them and join them we did!! It was so much of fun!! And I must tell you that they have really tough and thick skins and the hair on their bodies are thick and coarse to the touch. While we “tried” bathing them, they would suddenly move around in the water and one of them even sprayed us with water from his trunk!!
This was the wildest experience with wildlife I have ever had!! I think everyone needs to do something like this at least once in their lives!! The bathing session went on for about 2 hours and then there were elephant rides and a short knowledge sharing on elephants and did I learn!! Did you know there are two kinds of elephants – the Asian and the African? The Asian elephant has 5
toes on the both the front two feet and 4 toes on the behind two feet whereas the African elephant has 4 toes and 3 toes respectively! The Asian elephant has a hump on the back while the African one is flat backed. And did you know that elephants have 60,000 muscles only in their trunk!!!! Whew!! That is a lot of muscles!! After learning about the elephants we were allowed to take snaps and pet them after which we were all treated to an elephant ride!
We reached Coorg after being on the road for nearly 6 hours, when our driver stopped at the banks of a small river and informed us that there was no road ahead to travel – literally!! With amazement and disbelief written all over our faces, we got out of our car and stared around. Suddenly we hear a voice saying, “Madam, boat se jaana hai, Dubare boat se jaana hai!!” We watched in amazement as our luggage was transported into a boat (much like a fisherman’s boat!!) and we were asked to follow. Wow! That is some entry to a camp! Welcome to Dubare Elephant Camp!!
After settling into our cottage which was made of wood logs (cool nah?!!), and a quick lunch, we were asked to assemble for a short jeep safari. As we joined other visitors in the jeep, we were given a short history about the Dubare Elephant Camp – it started around 2-3 years ago and was a brainwave operation of the Karnataka Forest Department’s Jungle Lodges & Resorts to keep the now not required elephants that used to help in the logging operations in Karnataka.
Our guide suddenly cautioned for silence and we saw a huge one tusked wild elephant break out from the trees onto the road ahead of us and after glancing around went ambling away into the forest on the opposite side. After he had gone, our guide told us that he was without a herd and he was a very angry and wild elephant and when approached could resort to 
violence. Going a little further we came upon some Indian Bison (Gaur) grazing lazily on the green grass of the forest floors. On hearing our jeep one of them looked up to give us a long look as if to say – Who are you? and then they all turned their backs on us and made their way into the forest.
The next morning was filled with excitement as it was the morning when we were allowed to help bathe the elephants – yes you read it right! We were taken to the banks of the river nearby where there were these huge elephants and one baby elephant in the water and the mahouts were bathing them and 
scrubbing them with coconut hair brushes. We were encouraged to join them and join them we did!! It was so much of fun!! And I must tell you that they have really tough and thick skins and the hair on their bodies are thick and coarse to the touch. While we “tried” bathing them, they would suddenly move around in the water and one of them even sprayed us with water from his trunk!!This was the wildest experience with wildlife I have ever had!! I think everyone needs to do something like this at least once in their lives!! The bathing session went on for about 2 hours and then there were elephant rides and a short knowledge sharing on elephants and did I learn!! Did you know there are two kinds of elephants – the Asian and the African? The Asian elephant has 5
toes on the both the front two feet and 4 toes on the behind two feet whereas the African elephant has 4 toes and 3 toes respectively! The Asian elephant has a hump on the back while the African one is flat backed. And did you know that elephants have 60,000 muscles only in their trunk!!!! Whew!! That is a lot of muscles!! After learning about the elephants we were allowed to take snaps and pet them after which we were all treated to an elephant ride!As a special treat, we were introduced to one little bundle of naughtiness. She 
was 1.5 months old and she was one of the naughty calves. She let us pet her and play with her but when she got bored she would give you a push with her trunk and her head and trust me it was a little more that a “small” push!! :-) But she was an adorable little elephant calf and she kept us entertained for almost an hour! She was oblivious to the fact that we were humans and that we were totally amazed with her, she also thought my camera pouch was something to eat! As we tore ourselves from her my heart wanted to take her along with us home… I wish we could !
was 1.5 months old and she was one of the naughty calves. She let us pet her and play with her but when she got bored she would give you a push with her trunk and her head and trust me it was a little more that a “small” push!! :-) But she was an adorable little elephant calf and she kept us entertained for almost an hour! She was oblivious to the fact that we were humans and that we were totally amazed with her, she also thought my camera pouch was something to eat! As we tore ourselves from her my heart wanted to take her along with us home… I wish we could ! 
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