Once you have stood in the presence of a wild elephant, nothing is ever quite the same again. There is something about these gentle giants that touches all of us. Maybe it’s their enormous size or their wise demeanour. But whatever it is, no African safari is complete without encountering these magnificent beasts.
Here three of Sanctuary Retreats’ favourite elephant encounters for you to enjoy on your next African safari.
Walking with Elephants
Fancy an elephant as your tour guide? Now you can live the dream with Sanctuary Retreats’ unique elephant interaction in partnership with the Living with Elephants Foundation in Botswana’s Okavango Delta.
Stay at Sanctuary Stanley’s Camp or Sanctuary Baines’ Camp and you can meet with Jabu and Morula, two semi-habituated orphaned elephants. Observe and interact with them while leisurely walking in their footsteps through the wilderness. For a truly uplifting experience that is guaranteed to leave a lasting impression, this rewarding activity in Botswana is a must.
Sundowners at Chobe National Park
Home to some 100,000 elephants, Chobe National Park has the highest population of wild elephants in Africa. Whether exploring by vehicle or boat, it’s the perfect destination for those wishing for an encounter of the tusked kind.
Chobe’s elephants tend to venture down to the river in late afternoon, sometimes in their hundreds, so seeing them from the boat on a sundowner cruise is almost guaranteed. Watching them as they wade through the river at sunset, with their trunks peeping out of the water, makes for incredible photography opportunities.
Elephants at Camp
You don’t always have to travel far from your camp to get up close and personal with the local elephants; quite often they’ll come to you! While staying at any one of Sanctuary Retreats’ camps, it’s quite common to be visited by one or even a whole herd of these inquisitive colossi. They’re often spotted frequenting the waterholes at Sanctuary Swala, but can also be seen in Sanctuary Retreats’ Sussi & Chuma and Sanctuary Chief’s Camp and many more.
Several years ago, a herd of 20 elephants moved into the grounds of Sanctuary Kusini Camp, taking advantage of the abundance of water and food in the woodland surrounding the camp. Guests were awoken to the grumbling sounds of interacting elephants and treated to a very close encounter indeed as the inquisitive pachyderms explored the campgrounds!
And right now, there is no better time to plan your African elephant encounter as Sanctuary Retreats is offering great savings of up to 40% when you stay at one or more of Sanctuary Retreats’ luxurious African safari camps or lodges for 4 nights or more depending on your season of travel.
Stay 4 – 6 nights and save up to 30%.
Stay 7+ nights and save up to 40%.
Terms and conditions apply.
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