Ever wanted to get up close and personal with an Asian elephant? How about doing so in a mud pool? Bali Zoo recently announced a brand new half-day package, Elephant Mud Fun, allowing guests to get down and dirty with the friendly Sumatran elephants.
Elephants love mud pools because their bodies tend to generate high metabolic heat. With no sweat glands to relieve the temperature, they tend to rely on mud to stay cool.
Here’s what the package looks like: beginning at seven in the morning, the hotel will pick up and transport guests to the Bali Zoo. Upon arrival, guests will receive a brief introduction programme, all while enjoying complimentary snack, coffee or tea. "The zoo's English speaking mahout will share information about the elephants and provide guests with tropical fruits for feeding. Guests are escorted by the mahout to the river bank to be introduced to free roaming elephants and have a chance to interact closely and take photos with them. After three months, there are more tourists who want to experience the adventure, especially for Australian, they really like it because this programme is very educative," said Lesmana Putra, general manager of Bali Zoo.
After the introductory programme is done, it’s time for the mud spa along with the gentle giants. After that, guests will get to walk the elephants down to the nearby Wos River for a splash and, once the elephants are cleaned, the guests themselves will return for a shower and change up for a relaxing lunch.