Where to see Elephant in South Africa

Quick facts about Elephant

The elephant familiar to most safari-goers is, technically speaking, the African bush elephant, a distinct species from the smaller African forest elephant (L. cyclotis). This enormous animal is extraordinary in every respect: its tusks, enlarged front teeth, serve for feeding and fighting; its trunk, an elongated nose, can tear down a branch or pick up a bean; and its huge ears are cooling vanes that circulate the body’s blood supply.

Matriarchal herds of females and young centre on a dominant female; mature males form smaller bachelor herds. Elephants communicate over huge distances using infrasound, and co-operate in finding food and water.

They are the engineers of the landscape, creating waterholes and opening up savannahs, although confined populations can be destructive.

Top tips for viewing elephants

The more you watch elephants, the more enthralling they become, whether it’s an individual quietly feeding or a boisterous herd interacting at a waterhole.

Especially impressive gatherings occur in Chobe and Moremi (Botswana) and Hwange (Zimbabwe). Other excellent locations include Amboseli and Samburu (Kenya), Tarangire, Ruahaand Serengeti (Tanzania), Etosha (Namibia), and the Luangwaand Zambezi valleys (Zambia).

Elephants habituated to vehicles generally allow a close approach. However, always be alert to signs of agitation, such as a raised trunk or flapping ears. Cows with young should always be allowed plenty of space. Watching elephants from a boat offers a different perspective – as does a guided walk in elephant country, where observing their tracks, droppings and feeding signs can be as exciting as finding the animals themselves.