Nepal 1996

On the back of the “maiden of the air” through Nepal

On our pachyderm, which the locals affectionately call Ganesh and worship as a god, we crossed the mysterious lowlands of Nepal on the edge of the Himalayas.

Bawan Kumari translates as “maiden of the air” and is the name of our elephant cow, which opened many doors to a culture that was foreign to us.

Nepal is a country where Hinduism and Buddhism coexist peacefully, where the gods are worshipped and where shamans dance. Diving into its depths has enchanted us and made a childhood dream come true.

I already recorded the extensive, informative and exciting travel experiences during the elephant expedition. However, as we are constantly on the road and the treasure chest of stories we have experienced fills up almost to bursting point with each additional day of travel, I probably won’t get around to evaluating the notes and publishing them here or in a book any time soon.

However, I am determined to write down our sometimes funny, sometimes life-threatening experiences with the headstrong and conceited elephant cow Bawan Kumari at the next opportunity.

Nepal 1996 / Fall

Tanja & Denis Katzer were the first Europeans to ride through the Kingdom of Nepal on the back of an elephant. An expedition that not only brought them closer to a foreign culture, but also familiarized them with the sensitivity and danger of one of the largest mammals on earth.