On our last day in Jaipur we visited the Galtaji Monkey Temple situated about 30 minutes outside Jaipur.

Unlike most temples, this one was located in a steep canyon in a wooded area far from any town. This remote location provides a nice quiet environment.

It’s considered to be a holy location because a fresh water spring flows down hill filling up several reservoirs. Pilgrims come to bathe in the water which is considered to be sacred. There is a separate pool for women & men.

It is called the Monkey Temple because thousands of monkeys live there. They are fed by the pilgrims & tourists who visit.

The area also has a lovely Hindu temple with a few holy men who are happy to give you a blessing.

The area also had many cows. Cows are considered sacred in India as they represent Mother Earth because their milk nourishes all creatures. The cows all belong to someone; but, they roam freely going wherever they please. Most Indians consider it good karma to feed the cows in their neighborhood. No cows look like they are starving & most are very tame.

In the evening we visited another location just outside Jaipur’s old city wall where another monkey troop lives. Our guide told us that leopards also live in this area, so everyone keeps their doors & windows closed & locked and they don’t go outside at night. Unfortunately, all the monkeys & stray dogs provide an abundant food source for the big cats.

In the evening we visited the Dera Amer Elephant Camp which is a short distance from Jaipur. This lovely location reminded me a great deal of Kenya because it has similar vegetation & terrain.

The camp cares for two elephants & two camels. At one time the elephants were used at the Amber Fort to carry tourists.

We were given the chance to walk with the female elephant Lakshmi who is 52 years old. During our walk, we learned that Asian elephants are smaller & have different coloring than African elephants. Asian elephants have been trained for a thousand years to fight in battles & between used as labor such as hauling trees & carrying supplies. Thankfully, using elephants for labor is becoming less common in India. Maybe some day they will no longer be forced to carry tourists to the Amber Fort.

After our elephant walk, we ate a lovely outdoor on-site dinner which was a lovely way to end our Jaipur sojourn.