Elephant safari experiences

Get up close with Africa’s giants on safari and visit an elephant orphanage

Complex, gentle, emotional and highly intelligent; there’s something special about spotting elephants in the wild. In Kenya’s Amboseli National Park, huge herds of elephants stand strong against a dramatic backdrop of Mount Kilimanjaro, while Botswana’s Chobe National Park is famed for its great Kalahari elephants that migrate from the Chobe Riverfront to the south-east pans during the wet season.

Sadly, the African elephant population is in decline. These majestic creatures are threatened by poaching for the illegal ivory trade and habitat loss. But steps are being taken to try and conserve the species. The Daphne Sheldrick Elephant Orphanage in Nairobi is one of the most remarkable elephant conservation projects in the world – so far the trust has hand-raised over 150 infant elephants whose mothers have fallen victim to poachers. The elephants are then introduced gradually to the wilderness of Tsavo National Park, often going for forays with more experienced older elephants before becoming brave enough to go it alone. If you’re staying in Nairobi, we strongly recommend a visit to the orphanage, when you can see the babies enjoy their daily mud bath and bottled milk. You’ll be supporting the conservation work at Tsavo and be part of the solution that allows local people to make a living from the survival of this incredible species.

If you want to get more involved, it’s possible to foster an elephant through the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust – a UK registered charity based in Surrey – which also gives you exclusive afternoon viewing times at the orphanage. The donation fee to foster an elephant helps cover the long-term commitment of feeding and caring for the little elephants until they are confident enough to join the wild herds. If you'd like to foster an elephant, please ask one of our Personal Travel Experts for more details.

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