Dec 26, Kathmandu - The 19th Chitwan Elephant and Tourism Festival has begun in the tourist city of Sauraha, Chitwan.

This festival, which is organized every year with the aim of promoting tourism in Chitwan and the entire region, will be held for three days.

Ratnanagar Municipality Patron and United Elephant Operation Cooperative Society Ltd. Co-organizer, Mahesh Khanal, the general secretary of the association, informed that all preparations for the festival have been completed.

The festival includes elephant penalty shootout, elephant grooming competition, elephant banquet, elephant health camp, information about the daily lifestyle of elephants and an elephant worship program, according to Suman Ghimire, former president of the association.

80 elephants will participate in the festival.