Last updated: 4 October 2026 · By Mohit Bhat, Elefriendride
The best way to choose an elephant sanctuary is to ask direct questions before you book.
Ask where the elephants come from, where they sleep, how many hours they work, what they eat, how often a vet sees them, who looks after them and whether they also give rides.
A good sanctuary answers clearly. If the answers are vague, that tells you something too.
Below are the seven questions I suggest every traveller asks, why each one matters, and our honest answers at Elefriendride. You can use the same questions for any sanctuary in Jaipur or anywhere else in Asia.
1. Where Do the Elephants Come From?
Why ask: an elephant's history tells you a lot about how it has been treated and who is responsible for it today.
Our answer: we have 78 elephants. They come from a tradition that goes back to the time of the kings who built Amber Fort. Elephant and mahout families have lived and worked together here for generations, and that bond continues today.
2. Where Do the Elephants Sleep and Rest?
Why ask: elephants need shelter from the sun, rain and cold, and proper rest every day.
Our answer: our elephants spend the night in sheds, which protect them from heat, rain and the cooler winter nights.
3. How Many Hours a Day Do the Elephants Work?
Why ask: long working days are tiring for any animal. Short sessions with plenty of rest are a good sign.
Our answer: each elephant spends only 3 to 4 hours a day with visitors. The rest of the day is for eating, resting and time with its mahout.
4. What Do the Elephants Eat, and Who Checks Their Health?
Why ask: an adult elephant needs a large, varied diet and regular medical care.
Asian elephants eat mostly grasses, leaves, bark and roots, along with crops such as sugarcane and bananas, according to WWF's Asian elephant guide.
Our answer: every elephant gets a monthly vet check-up. At feeding time, guests help offer food such as sugarcane, which you can read about on our elephant feeding in Jaipur page.
5. Who Looks After Each Elephant?
Why ask: the relationship between an elephant and its keeper, the mahout, shapes its whole life. A stable, long-term bond is far better than frequent changes.
Our answer: every elephant has its own mahout, who stays with it around the clock. Mahouts usually grow up with their elephants from childhood, and their families live alongside the elephants too.
As a guide who lives with the elephants myself, I can tell you this bond is the heart of the place. The elephants know their families, and the families know every mood of their elephants.
6. Do the Elephants Also Give Rides?
Why ask: many travellers want to know this before they visit, and you deserve a straight answer.
Our answer: yes, some of our elephants also give rides at Amber Fort. Only the younger, fitter elephants do this work; the others do not.
We have written about this openly in Is elephant riding in Jaipur ethical?, and the ride itself is described on our elephant ride at Amber Fort page.
7. What Will I Actually Do During the Visit?
Why ask: clear details help you choose the right experience and set honest expectations.
Our answer: the visit usually lasts 2 to 4 hours. Feeding, painting, walking and safari are included, and bathing runs from March to October. Children aged 2 and above are welcome.
A Day in the Life of Our Elephants
Answers make more sense when you can picture the whole day. This is how a typical day looks for an elephant at our sanctuary.
- Morning: the elephant wakes in its shed and has its first meal with its mahout.
- Visitor time: 3 to 4 hours in total with guests, for feeding, walking and, in season, bathing.
- Afternoon: rest, more food and quiet time with the mahout's family.
- Night: back to the shed for shelter and sleep.
An Honest Note on the Word "Ethical"
You will see the word "ethical" on almost every sanctuary website, and people mean different things by it.
Some animal welfare groups believe the most ethical option is to watch elephants from a distance, with no feeding, bathing or painting. Others see well-run, family-based care as a good way to keep captive elephants healthy and close to people who know them.
Our advice is simple: ask these seven questions wherever you go, compare the answers, and choose the place that feels right to you.
Red Flags to Watch For
- The sanctuary will not answer basic questions about care or working hours.
- Elephants look tired, thin or are made to perform tricks.
- Very large groups crowd around one elephant at the same time.
- There is no clear keeper or mahout for each elephant.
- Prices or bookings come only through unknown middlemen.
Plan Your Visit to Elefriendride
Elefriendride is 10 to 15 km from Jaipur city centre, about 20 to 25 minutes away, and open every day from 7:00 AM to 6:00 PM. The full sanctuary experience costs between ₹2,500 and ₹5,500 per person.
Before you come, read our guide on what to wear to an elephant sanctuary. Then see the full experience on our elephant sanctuary in Jaipur page, and send us any question you like. We are happy to answer all seven.
About the Author
Mohit Bhat is a tourist guide with 8 years of experience and a member of the Elefriendride team in Jaipur. He lives alongside the sanctuary's elephants, who are like family to him, and specialises in local experiences: Jaipur's culture, sightseeing, wildlife and hands-on activities.
Ask us anything, and ask every other sanctuary the same questions. Good answers are the best sign of good care.
Mohit, Elefriendride, Jaipur