In Reply to: Elephant Rides, WWR and Golf posted by gillb on Monday, 13. February 2006 at 20:14 Bali Time:
I did the elephant ride tour last week with Bali Adventure Tours & it was brilliant. It cost $68USD, but included transport, the elephant ride, feeding the elephants, an elephant show & a buffet lunch (not including drinks).
I was staying in Ubud, so it ony took about 20 minutes to get to Taro. The grounds are beautifully landscaped & there are about 27 elephants at the park. I was the first tourist there, so I got to pat the baby elephant (3yo) while she was having a bath. I went on the ride which was more comfortable than I expected, & the elephant trainer was very knowledgable. The ride went for 30-40 minutes. I spent ages feeding my elephant afterwards.
The elephants are healthy & well cared for. All of them have been 'rescued' from Sumatra.
Sure, it was expensive but when you consider it included lunch & transport, it is not so bad. The owner (an Aussie) is building bungalows at the top end of the park for the ultimate experience.
You can pay via their internet site for $61USD, saving you a few bucks. I thoroughly recommend this tour - I had a blast!