Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters

Take your next trip with Atlas Obscura!

Our small-group adventures are inspired by our Atlas of the world's most fascinating places, the stories behind them, and the people who bring them to life.

Visit Adventures
Trips Highlight
Puglia Italy - Matera
Italy • 8 days, 7 nights
Southern Italy: Castles, Caves & Coastal Treasures in Puglia
from
Turkmenistan Gates of Hell Darvaza crater
Turkmenistan • 10 days, 9 nights
Turkmenistan & the Gates of Hell
from
View all trips
Top Destinations
Latest Places
Most Popular Places Random Place Lists Itineraries
Add a Place
Download the App
Top Destinations
View All Destinations »

Countries

  • Australia
  • Canada
  • China
  • France
  • Germany
  • India
  • Italy
  • Japan

Cities

  • Amsterdam
  • Barcelona
  • Beijing
  • Berlin
  • Boston
  • Budapest
  • Chicago
  • London
  • Los Angeles
  • Mexico City
  • Montreal
  • Moscow
  • New Orleans
  • New York City
  • Paris
  • Philadelphia
  • Rome
  • San Francisco
  • Seattle
  • Stockholm
  • Tokyo
  • Toronto
  • Vienna
  • Washington, D.C.
Latest Places
View All Places »
Pinal Airpark
Note the chrysanthemum crests.
Hachiman Bridge
Clarendon War Memorial.
Clarendon War Memorial
This fried chicken is one of Bangkok’s most famous.
Gai Tord Jae Kee
Latest Places to Eat & Drink
View All Places to Eat »
This fried chicken is one of Bangkok’s most famous.
Gai Tord Jae Kee
Chefs Aruss Lerlerstkull and Atcharaporn Kiatthanawat lean into regional traditions.
Charmgang
The khao soi at Gedhawa comes with a rich, coconutty broth.
Gedhawa
At Nai Mong Hoi Thod, the oyster omelet is worth waiting for.
Nai Mong Hoi Thod
In this deceptively simple dish, top-quality ingredients are paramount.
Kor Panich
Recent Stories
All Stories Video Podcast
Most Recent Stories
View All Stories »
Haleakalā National Park’s summit region, shrouded in the pre-dawn fog.
Beware the Legends Behind These National Park Souvenirs
3 days ago
For Aguilar-Carrasco, nature is a powerful reminder of the interconnectedness of all life.
How Can National Parks Be Made Accessible to All? AO Wants to Know.
4 days ago
Podcast: Finding ‘The Great Gatsby’ in Louisville
5 days ago
Here’s which treats you can safely lug home without risking a fine.
Dear Atlas: What International Food Can I Legally Bring Into the U.S.?
6 days ago

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All Nepal Kathmandu Tiger Tops

Tiger Tops

Former host to the World Elephant Polo Championships.

Kathmandu, Nepal

Added By
Rachel James
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
World cup 2011 of Elephant Polo.   Wiki User: Krish Dulal
World cup 2011 of Elephant Polo.   Wiki User: Krish Dulal
Polo tournament in Sri Lanka   Flickr User: Munir Squires
A male Asian elephant   Wiki User: Yathin S Krishnappa
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

These four-ton athletes are highly trained, well-kept polo machines. No more than two games are played per day, and no player is allowed to play those two games in a row. Games end at noon, and snacks and beverages are served at half-time—fresh cut grass and about 22 gallons of water. Daily baths in the river keep the competitors refreshed and clean. 

Since 1982, Tiger Tops has been hosting the World Elephant Polo Championships in Nepal, as well as serving as headquarters for the exotic variation on the popular sport. Fairly self-explanatory, the game consists of the basic polo guidelines with a few necessary changes to accommodate the size of the player's mounts—a six-to-10-foot cane with a standard mallet head on the end, a pitch shortened to 3/4 the length to make up for the elephant's lack of speed, and each elephant carries two riders who must rely on a mahout to do the steering as they shout out directions. 

Along with the altered guidelines come elephant-specific rules that must be put into play. An elephant who lies down in front of the goal mouth will receive a foul, and if they use their trunk to pick up the ball, that not only constitutes a foul, but earns their opponent a free hit. Rice balls enhanced with molasses and rock salt act as treats at the end of each match while riders are rewarded with a beer, and all games end by noon to avoid the afternoon heat.

While there's debate on whether these amazing animals should be used for sport at all, the World Elephant Polo Association (WEPA) keeps strict guidelines regarding the safety and well being of the elephants. PETA has targeted the sport, costing the organizations sponsorship withdrawals and the occasional match cancellation, and safety was put into question when two players were injured and the minibus of one of the visiting teams was destroyed when an elephant went on a rampage in 2007. Despite the controversy and criticism, Tiger Tops and WEPA maintain that their animals are happy, healthy, and enjoy the opportunity for social interaction and the break from their normal routine of giving safari rides to tourists. 

The tournament takes place every December on the edge of Chitwan National Park, and include 16 domesticated Asian elephants, half of them belonging to Tiger Tops and the others brought in by Nepal National Parks. The elephants are accompanied by their mahouts, who usually have been partnered with the animals for several years. 

Update as of December 2017: Tiger Tops no longer host elephant polo, although other events exist involving the elephants.

Related Tags

Fauna Animals Sports

Community Contributors

Added By

Rachel

Edited By

hrnick, WildGuru

  • hrnick
  • WildGuru

Published

February 28, 2014

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Sources
  • http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/scotland/4073353.stm
  • http://www.elephantpolo.com
  • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o2yVJ91deKo
Tiger Tops
Kathmandu, 44600
Nepal
27.722569, 85.327406
Visit Website

Nearby Places

Ganatantra Smarak

Kathmandu, Nepal

miles away

Ranibari Community Forest

Kathmandu, Nepal

miles away

The Garden of Dreams

Kathmandu, Nepal

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Kathmandu

Kathmandu

Nepal

Places 19
Stories 3

Nearby Places

Ganatantra Smarak

Kathmandu, Nepal

miles away

Ranibari Community Forest

Kathmandu, Nepal

miles away

The Garden of Dreams

Kathmandu, Nepal

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Kathmandu

Kathmandu

Nepal

Places 19
Stories 3

Related Places

  • A view of the enormous centerpiece of African animals

    Ritzville, Washington

    Lasting Legacy Wildlife Museum

    A diorama lover's dream world.

  • Topi

    South Sudan

    Topi of Boma National Park

    Every October, one of the largest migration of mammals in the world thunders through Boma National Park.

  • Koala Conservation Reserve

    Rhyll, Australia

    Phillip Island Koala Conservation Reserve

    A conservation sanctuary for rescued koalas, some of which were saved from devastating Australian bushfires.

  • Secretariat Pole

    Elmont, New York

    Secretariat Pole

    This pole near the infield rail at Belmont Park marks the jaw-dropping margin of Secretariat’s 1973 Belmont Stakes victory.

  • The dominance of ferns reveals the fragile mini-ecosystem on the north slope of Fern Ridge.

    Elkader, Iowa

    Fern Ridge Unit

    This tiny site in Iowa, part of a patchwork national wildlife refuge, is home to ancient flora and fauna.

  • The Small Gate.

    Vratna, Serbia

    Vratna Gates

    These natural stone bridges are the largest on the European continent.

  • An elk herd in Cataloochee.

    Maggie Valley, North Carolina

    Smoky Mountain Elk Fest

    An annual celebration of the region's successful elk reintroduction program.

  • This Big One

    Kaukauna, Wisconsin

    This Big One

    The remnants of this Douglas fir predate Columbus's arrival in North America.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.