Walk Hand-in-Trunk With the Elephants in South Africa
I’m a big animal lover, and the thought of combining my love of animals with a vacation has always had great appeal.
I heard about the Elephant Sanctuary near Cape Town, South Africa, an organization that provides a safe-haven for the largest of our four-legged friends. It intrigued me, so I had to learn more about it. My insatiable curiosity about new places is why I always have a long list of places that I want to go.
The Elephant Sanctuary offers a comprehensive education program, combining the desire to have happy and contented elephants with educated and satisfied guests. The unique programs is a way to keep rescued African elephants safe, while forming bonds between the humans and elephants. The animals are exercised and stimulated daily, allowing their individual, and intelligent, behavior to shine through.
Guests to the sanctuary will get to know the personalities of the different elephants, while learning about the species and the rescue efforts to save the herds. Education occurs through interaction with the animals, giving guests an opportunity to touch, feel, groom, and feed the elephants.
Two highlights of the programs are the Trunk-in-Hand program (which allows you to hold the elephant’s trunk and walk with it), as well as the opportunity to ride one of the elephants. These two opportunities are an opportunity to get up close and bond with the magnificent creatures.
The Elephant Sanctuary has two locations, one in the Crags, near Plettenberg Bay on the Garden Route, and one at the Hartbeespoort Dam, only an hour’s drive from Pretoria. Costs for the guest programs range R125-775 (approximately $20-120, depending on exchange rate), with price determined based on the length and type of program.
Overnight accommodations and elephant programs are also available at the Hartbeespoort Dam sanctuary, ranging in price R1495-1995 (approximately $210-300) per person.
This is a trip that I think any animal lover would enjoy. I know I would!
Photo credit: Elephant Sanctuary
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POSTED IN: Outdoor Activities, Places to Stay, Things to See & Do
2 opinions for Walk Hand-in-Trunk With the Elephants in South Africa
Business Travel Logue
Aug 2, 2007 at 7:44 am
I spent a few days training with the elephants at a conservation center in Lampang, Thailand. It was one of the most amazing experiences of my life!
Mary Jo Manzanares
Aug 3, 2007 at 8:03 am
How wonderful! I would really like to do something like this, too. My list of place to go and things to do gets longer and longer. . . .
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