Want to go on Adventures with Elephants? If you want to spend the day volunteering – bathing elephants, cleaning up, and learning about elephants, or if you want to plan an Elephant Proposal or Picnic Safari. This is the place for you! They also offer Zoom elephant experiences!

This elephant sanctuary in Bela Bela is one of the best places to visit for an educational wildlife experience.

The world’s largest mammal is easily recognized by its trunk that it uses for communication and handling objects.

Elephants are similar to humans – their sensing abilities, emotions, behavior, and anatomy. How they mourn loved ones and how protective they are of their babies.

African Elephant Facts

The number of African elephants has decreased by more than 86% over a period of 31 years, while the population of African savanna elephants decreased by at least 60% over the last 50 years. There are currently less than 400 000 African elephants left due to Illegal wildlife trade and poaching.

• There are two types of Africa. Elephants/ the African forest elephant (Loxodonta cyclotis) and the  African bush/savannah elephant.
• Elephants are herbivores, they eat leaves, fruit, and tree bark.
• Elephant herds are matriarchal (female-led) groups). Male elephants rarely join a herd and often lead a solitary life, only approaching herds for mating.
• Females give birth to a single calf after a 22-month gestation (pregnancy), the longest gestation period among mammals.
• Elephants can live up to 60 years.

Visiting Adventures with Elephants

Adventures With Elephants is located near Bela Bela in Limpopo (Just 2 hours from Pretoria).

Beyond acting as a sanctuary and rehab for endangered species, AWP also prides itself on the elephant DNA research they do through the Rory Hensman Conservation & Research Unit.

Their vision is to educate the public and the tourism industry that providing ethical and safe options for tourists to interact with these beautiful animals, it’s also the best long-term solution for the environment and longevity of the species.

Adventures With Elephants is a great place to visit if you want more than just a “touch and feed” experience. You get to feed them out of the palm of your hand, walk side-by-side with them, watch them roam around, and even bathe them in the river! It was pure magic to be interacting with the elephants in such an intimate way.

Not only is this one of the best day trips from Pretoria but it’s a great place to experience, acutely, the intellect and warmth of our gentle giants. You will enjoy a close, personal and safe encounter with African elephants.

Dress for comfort and prepare to get dirty.

Adventures with Elephants Bela Bela Prices

• Duration: Approximately 1 hour
• Tour starting times:
  • 08h00 (Summer) 08h30 (Winter), 12h00 and 15h00
• Entry Cost – Adults: R 600.00
• Entry Cost – Children under the age of 12: R 340.00

2020 rates & subject to T&C’s

Where to Ethically Interact With Elephants in South Africa

When planning your trips, it’s important to research and make sure you don’t support places that treat animals poorly.

Please avoid places where animals are in distress, captive in poor conditions or working animals, particularly if it’s connected to tourism.

• Adventures With Elephants: Bela Bela, Limpopo
• Elephant Sanctuary Hartbeespoort

Have you ever been up close and personal with elephants?