Elephant Back Safari: the end of elephant rides

An activity long associated with Kampung Gajah

Elephant Back Safari placed physical proximity to the animal at the centre of the experience. Seated on a saddle carried by an elephant and accompanied by a mahout, guests moved slowly through part of Kampung Gajah. The elevated position changed the view across paths, planting and the elephant village.

In May 2022, Kompas still listed Elephant Back Safari among the park’s main activities. Its guide described the ride, direct interaction with elephants and explanations about their behaviour, intelligence and habitat. The photograph published with the article preserves a view of an experience still fully included in the park’s visitor offer at that time.

A nationwide change in 2026

In early 2026, Indonesia’s Ministry of Forestry banned elephant rides across the country. Several venues in Bali then announced the end of the practice and a shift towards experiences without riding. At Bali Safari Park, Elephant Back Safari is now recorded as permanently closed in 2026.

The disappearance of the ride does not remove elephants from Kampung Gajah. Instead, it closes a distinct period in the park’s history, when riding was presented as one of the most direct ways to meet them. Keeping the former activity documented helps explain that change.

Elephants remain central to Kampung Gajah

The current presentation of Kampung Gajah focuses on watching the elephants, the care they receive, the museum devoted to their history, educational programmes and bathing. The village therefore keeps its major role in the visit, but the public experience is no longer organised around riding them.

Elephant Back Safari now belongs to the park’s past, but its trace remains important. It shows how quickly wildlife tourism can change and why Kampung Gajah is presented differently in 2026 from the way it was described in the early 2020s.