In 1995 Gary joined a Discovery Initiatives expedition to Nepal led by Col John Blashford-Snell. The team first rafted, some of it on white-water, down the Kali Gandaki River through magnificent scenery, into Royal Bardia Wildlife Reserve.

Part of the purpose of the trip was to observe wild Asian elephants and gather information to determine whether the giant elephants of Nepal were a sub-species. On the team was Dr Adrian Lister who carried out the investigation.  For Gary it was an opportunity to experience this part of Asia, glimpse a tiger as it made its way through the forest, and live around working elephants.

GARY WITH ASIAN ELEPHANT  PHOTO: RULA LENSKA

“I most enjoyed being with the domesticated working elephants” says Gary. “I was able to get so close and it was a privilege to watch them bathing in the river.” He has started a picture of five elephants’ heads, as yet unfinished.

Also on this expedition was friend Rula Lenska who, with John Blashford-Snell wrote an account of this and a previous trip in the book Mammoth Hunt – in search of the giant elephants of Nepal.

GARY WITH RULA LENSKA IN NEPAL  PHOTO: ANNA LUBIENSKA

Camping in the Nepalese forest was really close to nature and forays in the forest were often made on elephant back. Here they observed wild Asian elephants, Bengal tiger, One-horned rhino, gharial, pea fowl and other remarkable Asian wildlife. In the river they saw highly endangered river dolphins.