Post Last updated on November 1, 2024
We’ve recently concluded an extensive expedition across Southern Africa, meticulously curating the most exceptional locations for your ultimate safari experience. Our profound appreciation for elephants has guided us to discover these five remarkable destinations, each offering unique and intimate encounters with these magnificent creatures:
Where Elephants Stand On Their Hind Legs: Mana Pools, Zimbabwe.
Nestled along the banks of the mighty Zambezi River, Mana Pools National Park presents a theatrical display of nature at its finest. The landscape is adorned with majestic Ana Trees (Winter Thorns), creating an enchanted setting that draws elephants in remarkable numbers. What truly distinguishes this location is an extraordinary phenomenon: three resident elephants have mastered the remarkable art of bipedal feeding, rising gracefully onto their hind legs to access the coveted seedpods and fresh foliage high in the canopy. These celebrated individuals have not only captured the imagination of photographers worldwide but have also attracted their own following of both elephants and buffalo, who gather beneath to feast on the scattered abundance. The spectacle offers unprecedented photographic opportunities and unforgettable moments of natural ingenuity.
Where Elephants Cross Water: Chobe National Park, Botswana
Home to approximately 200,000 elephants – representing half of Africa’s entire population – Chobe stands as a sanctuary of unprecedented importance. We’ve discovered that the most refined way to observe these magnificent creatures is from the serenity of the Chobe River itself. Private boat excursions allow for extraordinarily intimate encounters, as the elephants display a remarkable comfort with waterborne observers, offering uniquely close interactions impossible to achieve on land.
Where Elephants Come into Camp: Chongwe River Camp, Zambia
Positioned strategically at the edge of the Lower Zambezi National Park, Chongwe River Camp offers an unparalleled elephant experience during the peak season of September and October. The camp’s location beneath fruiting Ana Trees transforms it into an exclusive theatre for elephant observation. During these months, guests enjoy the extraordinary privilege of sharing their space with these gentle giants, who gracefully move through the camp in search of fallen seedpods. The proximity is so intimate that guests require escort vehicles for even short distances – a testament to the authentic wilderness experience we pride ourselves in providing.
Where Even Elephants Look Small: Amboseli National Park, Kenya.
Against the dramatic backdrop of Mount Kilimanjaro, Amboseli offers what is perhaps Africa’s most iconic elephant viewing. The park’s unique ecosystem, characterized by its vast wetland system fed by underground springs from Kilimanjaro’s melting snows, sustains some of the continent’s most studied and longest-living elephant families. Here, amid the shimmering heat waves of the savanna, generations of elephants move in stately procession across plains that their ancestors have traversed for centuries. The park is home to several of Africa’s last remaining “super tuskers” – extraordinary bulls carrying ivory that reaches the ground – a sight becoming increasingly rare in our modern world. Through our close relationship with renowned research centers in the area, our guests gain privileged insights into these remarkable beings’ complex social structures and behaviors, while our carefully selected accommodations offer front-row views of elephants set against Africa’s highest peak – a tableau that has graced countless wildlife documentaries and photography portfolios.
Where Elephants Drink From Your Pool: Hangwe National Park, Zimbabwe.
Zimbabwe’s most expansive national park presents an extraordinary spectacle that redefines the concept of intimate wildlife encounters. During the dry season, Hwange transforms into a theatre of elephant congregation that surpasses all expectations. Here, discerning guests may witness the remarkable sight of up to a thousand elephants within a single day, as these majestic creatures gather at the park’s carefully maintained waterholes. The experience reaches its apex during an exclusive “Breakfast With Giants” experience, where guests can savour gourmet morning refreshments from the discrete luxury of a private blind or elevated viewing deck, as families of elephants move in synchronised harmony below. The proximity to these magnificent beings, accompanied by the soft sounds of their communication and the gentle splashing of water, creates moments of profound connection that exceed traditional safari experiences. Our carefully selected lodges and camps are strategically positioned near these elephant sanctuaries, offering unprecedented viewing opportunities from the comfort of your private veranda. The combination of Hwange’s vast wilderness, its extraordinary elephant population, and our curated accommodations creates an experience that resonates with both gravity and grace.
