Elephants!

Roberta1

It is that time of year when I start thinking about next year's adventure. I would really like to see elephants in the wild. A friend has recommended Sri Lanka in October for that kind of trip. Can anyone endorse that or make any other suggestions? Ideas on who to book with would also be much appreciated. R.

Shimrod

African safari if you really want to see elephants in the wild. My experience of elephants in Asia (not been to Sri Lanka though) is that the elephants are 'domesticated'.

notanewuser

I'd second Africa. We self drive through Kruger but you really need to be very aware and know what you're doing. You get very close to the elephants and it's extremely easy to upset them and have them attack.

Mrs_Soup

Have seen elephants in both Sri lanka and South Africa. SA wins hands down. Private game reserves bordering Kruger are excellent but pricey- think 5* with animals, but amazing. Have been within touching distance of elephants there (not actually touching them though obviously). As nonanewuser says elephants can be dangerous - on the private reserves (which share the same wildlife as the Kruger as they are unfenced) you have an experienced and armed ranger with you. I am a fan of Mala Mala but its about £400 a night I think.
There are both domesticated and wild elephants in Sri Lanka and the wild ones can be a lot closer to civilisation eg walking along the main road than you find in SA where they are all in reserves.

notanewuser

We don't do the game reserves, just normal Kruger accommodation.

MasterPoo

Yep I would also suggest SA. I will be going to Thailand in March and I'm not particularly sold on the Elephants I can ride?!?!?!? They all belong in the wild not for humans to ride on for their amusement.

russetred

The only elephants I saw in SL were at the sanctuary and are a bit of a tourist trap. So much to get in, more to feed them, more to get in the river with them, more to get the picture etc Saw wild elephants in Kenya but I wouldn't recommend that destination at the moment.

*j*

Addo Elephant Park, north of Port Elizabeth, west of Grahamstown, is excellent for elephant. It has a number of herds of up about twenty or thirty.

You are pretty much guaranteed to see them and can drive really close to get a good view and photos.

For elephant it's much better than Kruger, and a more manageable size, though still enormous.

notanewuser

*j* wrote: »

Addo Elephant Park, north of Port Elizabeth, west of Grahamstown, is excellent for elephant. It has a number of herds of up about twenty or thirty.

You are pretty much guaranteed to see them and can drive really close to get a good view and photos.

For elephant it's much better than Kruger, and a more manageable size, though still enormous.

We saw herds of upwards of 30 elephant, including brand new babies at Kruger. They were literally feet from us.

Plus you get all of the big 5 there too.

InsideInsurance

Got charged by an elephant at Treetops hotel in Kenya having earlier got slightly confused by the 5 legged elephant at the waterhole at night

Experience of Sri Lanka was the same as others, the only elephants seen there were either working animals or the ones in the sanctuary.

Plenty of Africa has elephants in a more wild situation. Personally havent been to Thailand but others I know have rated it there too

notanewuser

InsideInsurance wrote: »

Got charged by an elephant at Treetops hotel in Kenya having earlier got slightly confused by the 5 legged elephant at the waterhole at night

You haven't lived till you've been charged by an elephant!