Over 50 Sumatran elephants live in this five-year old reserve, having been relocated to Bali by an Australian traveler/entrepreneur who was inspired to help these animals, who are fast losing their native forest habit on the Indonesian island of Sumatra.

In Indonesia, as in other Asian countries like Thailand and Cambodia, elephants are working members of a family, like herding dogs or cowboy’s horses. Elephants often move logs or help plow. But in this reserve, they spend the day strolling through shady jungle with giggling tourists on their backs!. Nice work if you can get it!

Miranda and Sami were ecstatic to step aboard, and the laughter and screams of delight didn’t even stop when the raindrops started.

We managed an elephant-to-elephant camera hand-off so we could all appear on film.

High on our steeds, nothing could stop us – not rain, not barred gates...

...and certainly not the pond at the end of the ride!

The fun didn’t end when we dismounted. After a quick buffet lunch, we headed back out to play with the pachyderms, offering up slivers of sugar cane and happily posing with – and on - them!

It’s said that an elephant never forgets.

It’s also true that riding and playing with elephants is an unforgettable experience!

Next: From extreme sports in the jungle, to extreme sports on the sea