We spent the morning at Mason Elephant Park, learning about the work there and how the elephants spend their days. The park is in the village of Taro, in the Tegallalang district, and covers four and a half hectares.
Nigel Mason and his wife Yanie started it in 1997, because deforestation and poaching in Sumatra were destroying the elephants’ habitat, and six of the Sumatran elephants there have been born at the park. They’re such gentle animals, and we both found it a moving experience.
Good to know
- What’s changed: the park stopped elephant rides in January 2026, after Indonesia’s conservation authority told parks to end them. It now offers feeding, walks alongside the elephants and watching them bathe. World Animal Protection
We checked these details in October 2026. Times, prices and rules do change, so it’s worth a quick look at the official sites before you go.