The 18th Elephant and Tourism Festival, which began in Sauraha on Thursday, featured the Elephant Picnic on Saturday. The event, organised to celebrate Christmas and the English New Year, will continue until Monday. Hosted by the Regional Hotel Association, the festival is being held at the Bagmara Buffer Zone Community Forest in Chitwan.

The festival includes unique attractions such as the Elephant Picnic, Penalty Shoot-Out, and Beauty Contest.

During the Elephant Picnic, a grand feast was organised for 35 elephants, featuring treats like dragon fruit, sugarcane, bananas, melons, maize, bread, and cooked rice.

This annual event has become a symbol of cultural heritage and wildlife tourism, attracting both domestic and international visitors.