The African loxodonta, also known as the African elephant, is a true symbol of the continent, one of the Big Five, and the world’s largest land mammal. It has long been the highlight of the African safari and is a truly magnificent creature to see in person. Its monumental size, strength, and grace are breathtaking, attracting many visitors to Africa just to see one in the wild.
You might be wondering where to see elephants in Africa. Although elephants are abundant in most African wildlife areas, you are not certain to see one, and some locations are better than others for viewing these wonderful animals. To help you decide where to go to see elephants, we have compiled a list of Africa’s top safari destinations with the largest elephant populations.
Best Places in Africa for an Elephant Safari
Tanzania
1. Tarangire National Park, Tanzania
Despite not being as well known as its neighbours, the Serengeti or the Ngorongoro Crater, Tarangire National Park is one of Tanzania’s best places for a wildlife safari. The park, which is famous for its massive baobab trees, is home to large populations of elephants. Tarangire Park has the highest density of elephants in northern Tanzania, making it an ideal location for an elephant safari.
The best time to see elephants in Tarangire is during the dry season when the Tarangire River serves as the primary water source. During this time, elephants and other animals flock to the river, providing an excellent opportunity to spot elephants. Did you know that elephants in Tarangire have evolved a unique way of dealing with drought? They can detect water flowing beneath the surface using receptors on their trunks and then dig down with their tusks. This is known as “sand-drinking.”
2. Selous Game Reserve, Tanzania
The Selous Game Reserve, Tanzania’s largest protected area, was home to one of the greatest concentrations of African elephants on the continent, but rampant ivory poaching has seen the population reduced. Selous Game Reserve, one of the lesser-known safari destinations, provides an elephant habitat with miombo woodland, savanna, wetlands, and the Rufiji River. The elephant herds’ favourite food is the red fruit of the doum palm, which can be found in Selous Game Reserve.
Selous is also one of the few wildlife reserves where you can spot puku antelope, sable antelope, and African wild dog. Walking safaris, game drives, boat trips, and fly camping are all options for those seeking adventure.
3. Serengeti National Park, Tanzania
The Serengeti National Park is one of Tanzania’s most popular parks. Serengeti National Park is one of Africa’s best safari destinations, known for its endless plains and abundance of wildlife. The great wildebeest migration is the most visible feature of Tanzania’s Serengeti National Park. However, seeing elephants in the Serengeti is one of the most popular attractions.
Elephant populations in Serengeti National Park have risen to over 7,000 as a result of wildlife and habitat conservation measures. Enjoy one of the best wildlife safari experiences by watching elephants roam freely in the Serengeti.
4. Ngorongoro Crater National Park
Ngorongoro Crater National Park is a renowned wildlife conservation area located in Tanzania. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and home to a diverse range of wildlife, including elephants. Ngorongoro Crater is home to Africa’s last big five Tusker elephants.
Lerai Forest in the world-famous Ngorongoro Crater is home to some of the largest bull tusker elephants in Africa. The elephants in the crater are unique in that they are predominantly old bulls flaunting giant ivory tusks. The best place to see the large tusker elephants is the Lerai Forest of the Ngorongoro Crater. Lerai is a Maasai word referring to the tall, yellow-barked acacias that dominate the forest. There are about 70 different bull elephants that are regular visitors to the Crater Floor and Lerai Forest. Breeding herds of elephants (cows and calves) usually wander only through the upper rim forests, though recently they have been seen more frequently down on the floor.
Visitors can witness elephants in their natural environment, along with a variety of other wildlife such as lions, zebras, hippos, and numerous bird species. The Ngorongoro Crater itself is a large volcanic caldera, and its unique geography contributes to the rich biodiversity of the area. Safari enthusiasts and nature lovers often visit the park to experience the stunning landscapes and observe the fascinating wildlife, including the iconic elephants.
Kenya
1. Amboseli National Park, Kenya
Amboseli National Park is one of Kenya’s most visited parks. The park is situated in the southern part of Kenya. Mount Kilimanjaro, Africa’s highest peak, beautifully crowns Amboseli. Amboseli is one of East Africa’s best places to see large herds of elephants up close. More than 1600 elephants roam freely throughout the park’s ecosystem.
The Amboseli National Park elephants are one of the highlights of a fantastic trip to Amboseli National Park. While on safari, look for elephants in the open savannah grasslands, where they mostly graze and sunbathe. Enjoy close-up views of a large herd of African elephants with Mount Kilimanjaro in the background.
2. Tsavo National Park, Kenya
Tsavo National Park is one of Kenya’s largest national parks, covering an area of approximately 22,000 km2. Because of its immense size, the park is divided into two sections: Tsavo West and Tsavo East, with the Nairobi-Mombasa highway serving as the dividing line.
Tsavo is well known for its red elephants. They are the same colour as every other elephant in the world, but they appear red from constant dust-bathing in the park’s fine red volcanic soil. The park is home to approximately 10,000 of them so that you may see large herds of Tsavo’s red elephants.
3. Samburu National Reserve, Kenya
Samburu National Reserve, located on Kenya’s northern border, is another place to see elephants in East Africa. Because of its remote, pristine wilderness, the park and its ecosystem provide the ideal habitat for elephants to thrive. The Samburu National Reserve is home to Save the Elephants, an organisation dedicated to tracking, studying, and protecting the region’s elephants. One of the organization’s primary goals is to ensure the peaceful coexistence of herders and Samburu people.
While elephants are likely to be encountered in Samburu National Reserve, other species can be seen. On your wildlife safari to the northern frontier, you will see elephants, Samburu specials, and even big cats.
4. Maasai Mara National Reserve, Kenya
The Masai Mara has a high concentration of wildlife and a variety of attractions, with elephants frequently seen on the plains, marshes, and riverine forests. The population of elephants is steadily increasing thanks to the efforts of rangers, the Masai community, and the government. The Masai Mara National Reserve also contributes to the annual wildebeest migration, which involves over two million wildebeest, zebra, and other antelope crossing the Mara River from Tanzania to Kenya.
5. The Chyulu Hills, Kenya
The Chyulu Hills are stunning volcanic peaks nestled between Tsavo West National Park and Amboseli National Park. Chyulu Hills National Park, along with Amboseli National Park and Taita, forms an 8,000-square-kilometer ecosystem that spans the border into Tanzania. The Chyulu Hills are located east of Amboseli National Park. The landscape of ancient volcano cones and craters, as well as the world’s lava tunnels, is covered in lush evergreen forests, providing an ideal habitat for wildlife such as elephants.
Elephants are abundant in the Chyulu Hills, and they are known to congregate in large breeding herds. When you see these elephants on a Kenya tour, you will be fascinated by their enormous tusks. Because the lava in the Chyulu Hills does not hold water, elephants and other game in the park are forced to migrate to the plains of both Amboseli and Tsavo national parks.
6. Lewa Wildlife Conservancy, Kenya
Lewa Wildlife Conservancy is a 62,000-acre conservancy in northern Kenya with breathtaking views of snow-capped Mount Kenya to the south and the arid lands of Tassia and Il Ngwesi to the north. Lewa Conservancy is home to a variety of wild habitats, including highland forests, wide open grasslands, acacia woodland, and melted water mountain springs, which support a diverse range of wildlife and birds, making it one of the world’s most important wildlife reserves.
Lewa Conservancy was established as a rhino conservancy in 1983 and has become well-known for its successful rhino and Grevy’s zebra breeding programmes. Elephants are one of the 70 species of wildlife that live in the conservancy, of which approximately 500 are recorded.
7. David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust, Kenya
The David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust is located at KWS Central Workshop Gate, Magadi Road, Nairobi. It is an elephant nursery bordering Nairobi National Park that provides a haven for orphaned baby elephants rescued from Kenya’s parks and reserves.
The nursery serves as the first step in the hand-rearing and development of milk-dependent baby elephants. When the elephants graduate from the nursery at the age of 2-3 years, they are transferred to one of the DSWT’s reintegration centres in Tsavo East National Park, where they will eventually be released into the wild. Other reintegration units in the Kibwezi Forest are Ithumba and Umani Springs.
The David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust is open to the public for one hour each day, from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. During this time, you will be able to see the babies being hand-fed by their carers and having a mud bath or soil dusting. The entry fee is Kshs 1500 per person for 12 years and older and Kshs 500 for those under 12 years of age.
Botswana
1. Chobe National Park, Botswana
Botswana has the greatest population of elephants in Africa, with Chobe National Park in the north of the country home to the largest population of elephants in all of Africa. Chobe’s diverse habitats, which include mopane woodlands, acacia woodlands, baobab trees, and flood grasslands, provide a rich feeding ground for its large elephant population.
During the dry season, elephants congregate near the Chobe and Linyanti Rivers, so a boat cruise or game drive along the bank is ideal for observing elephants. Chobe National Park is home to all of Africa’s big five animals, including the elusive leopard and endangered rhinoceros, as well as a popular birding destination.
2. Okavango Delta, Botswana
Although Okvango’s elephant population is not as large as Chobe National Park’s, it is still quite substantial. The Okavango Delta’s unique ecosystem is known for its seasonal flooding, which replenishes the region’s water sources, while the Delta itself serves as a perennial water source, attracting elephants and other wildlife all year.
The Okavango Delta also provides excellent bird-watching opportunities, breathtaking aerial views, diverse wildlife, and the opportunity to explore the spectacular landscape by traditional mokoro (dugout canoe), boat, or foot.
3. Mashatu Game Reserve, Botswana
Mashatu is dubbed ‘the Land of Giants’ because of its Mashatu trees, massive baobabs, and elephants. The elephants here are very relaxed around vehicles and the guides know their movements well. What makes Mashatu so special in terms of wild elephant watching is their exclusive underground viewing hides. There are two hides sunk at eye level at waterholes and if you’re lucky, you can see herds of elephants coming to drink and play here. You are just metres away from their feet and trunks, so you hear every splash and gurgle and this unique eye-level perspective makes for the most amazing photography.
4. Hwange National Park, Botswana
Hwange National Park has the largest elephant population in Zimbabwe. Hwange’s wildlife authorities are struggling to handle the elephant overpopulation and the adverse effects it has on the ecology. However, from a safari perspective, Hwange offers excellent chances of spotting large herds of elephants throughout the park. In addition, the Hwange ecosystem is home to around 500–700 lions, the remaining big five animals, and many more wildlife species, together with diverse bird life.
Zimbabwe
1. Mana Pools National Park, Zimbabwe
After Hwange National Park, Mana Pools National Park is the best destination to see elephants in Zimbabwe. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, Mana Pools boasts spectacular scenery along the Zambezi River and surrounding floodplains, teeming with wildlife and elephants.
The river channels and small lakes of Mana Pools are an ideal habitat for a healthy population of hippos and Nile crocodiles. The park is one of the best places to go on a boat or canoe safari, watching the wildlife as they drink at the river.
Namibia
1. Etosha National Park, Namibia
In Iconic Etosha, Namibia’s stark landscapes with waterholes surrounded by herds of antelope, opportunistic predators lay in wait. When an indomitable figure approaches, a mammoth male elephant comes down to the water to drink. Towering above the antelope, who readily make way for this imposing giant. Etosha is home to some of the largest elephants in the world and with shimmering lights and sparkling waterholes, it’s a photographer’s paradise.
The sheer opulence of wildlife that frequents the waterholes is simply an overwhelming opportunity for wildlife lovers.
2. Damaraland in Namibia
One doesn’t come across big herds in these hot and sandy desert regions, but the elephants of Namibia are special in that they have smaller bodies and longer legs, have adapted to the harsh environment and can travel vast distances between water sources. They inhabit the northwestern parts of Namibia, notably Kaokoland and Damaraland.
South Africa
1. Kruger National Park, South Africa
Kruger National Park, one of Africa’s biggest wildlife reserves at nearly 2 million hectares, has one of the largest elephant populations in South Africa. Kruger’s current elephant population is credited to the rigorous conservation methods of the park authorities and other non-profit organisations. Due to their large numbers, it is fairly easy to spot these huge mammals throughout the park.
Kruger, South Africa’s oldest national park, is home to the Big Five as well as hundreds of other wildlife species and over 500 bird species.
2. Addo Elephant Park, South Africa
Just outside Port Elizabeth lies Addo Elephant Park, the crown jewel of South Africa’s Eastern Cape. Running alongside the Sundays River, the thick bushveld is home to some 350 African elephants who thrive on the citrus trees that are prominent in the area. Established in 1931 as a means of conserving the species, the park has gone from strength to strength.
Zambia
1. South Luangwa National Park, Zambia
South Luangwa National Park in Zambia is also on the list of places to see elephants in Africa. South Luangwa is the jewel in Zambia’s crown—scenically beautiful and full of wildlife, with walking safaris and night drives as optional activities. There are abundant herds of elephants, and there is much elephant activity at the oxbow lakes and riverfrontage. Best of all, the elephants often swim across the river. You can watch a whole procession of them, using their trunks as snorkels, the babies bobbing along close behind their mothers.
Malawi
1. Liwonde National Park, Malawi
Located in the southeast of Malawi, Liwonde National Park isn’t that well-known compared to the likes of the Kruger or the Serengeti, but it is an amazing place to see elephants. There are so many elephants that they have relocated some to other parks within Malawi.
The Shire River runs right through the park and attracts many elephants who come to bathe and drink at the river daily, making it a popular place for boat trips. Currently, there are over 500 elephants there, so you are pretty much guaranteed a sighting. Nkhotakota National Reserve and Majete Wildlife Reserve both have strong elephant populations too.
