From habitat loss to poachers, elephant populations are still on the decline. There are many worldwide organizations helping to save these majestic creatures. Their chances of survival are getting better, but as of 2018 there are still more African elephants being killed for ivory than are being born. You can help though!
If you have dreamed of getting up close and personal with an elephant, chose a safari operator that visits community-based wildlife conservancies. Elephants do not recognize national park boundaries, especially during their migration periods, when herds move across vast areas without protection from poachers. Community-based conservancies double as private wildlife reserves outside national park boundaries and remain one of the best hopes for saving Africa’s endangered elephants.
African Travel Inc. also has a great tip for those using social media while out on Safari. Poachers are now using unsuspecting tourists to hunt their prey. While on safari, tourists post photos of animals to social media sites, not realizing that embedded within the post or the photo is a geo-tag containing the GPS location of the photo. This allows poachers to track animals of value. The easiest way to combat this trick is to go into your phones settings and turn off your GPS location.
- iPhone: Settings > Privacy > Locations Services. You can turn off Location Services entirely or just on your phone’s camera.
- Android: Settings > Geotags disable. OR Settings > Locations > Tap on the green button to turn off tracking completely.
- Twitter: Geotagging will only be turned on in the app on your phone if you have done so manually in the settings menu under Privacy > Location Services. If posting from a computer click on the gear icon in the right corner and go to settings to check privacy settings.
- Facebook: Settings > Privacy > Location Services > Facebook > Select ‘Never’. Within the Facebook application, tap the menu in the top right-hand corner. Go to Account settings > Tap location > Disable location history.
- Instagram: Settings > Private Account is ON, and only people you approve can see your photos/videos. When posting a photo, do not < Add Location.
- Pinterest: Click on your profile picture and select Settings to see what the public can view, who can search for you and what if any social networks you have associated with your account.
Check out some of our favorite tours and resorts that offer great options for conserving elephants across the globe.
Micato Safaris offers a wonderful 10 day Tanzania Spectacular Safari
This tour in East Africa takes you to visit the classic game lands of Tarangire, the Ngorongoro Crater, and the fabled Serengeti seeing animals in their natural habitat. Drive across East Africa’s golden landscape and be amazed by the scenery of the area. Tarangire has a truly remarkable landscape of open plains dotted by thousands of stunning baobab trees. This park is named after the river, which runs through the center of the park and provides the only permanent water source in the area – a fact that virtually guarantees enormous herds and excellent game-viewing. There are approximately 3,500 resident elephants in the local area so don’t forget your camera! Bonus: For every Micato Safari sold, they send an African child to school.
Anantara Golden Triangle Elephant Camp & Resort in Chiang Saen, Thailand
Perched on a jungle ridge in northern Thailand overlooking the border with Myanmar and Laos, Anantara Golden Triangle immerses you in once-in-a-lifetime experiences in luxurious style. Observe, play and connect with elephants in their natural environment. Walk with elephants in the jungle. Explore 160 acres of bamboo forest, indigenous gardens and rice paddies. Toast sunset over the Mekong River. Embrace the unique cultures of three countries. You can choose one activity per night’s stay including Walking with Elephants, a three-country tour, a spa treatment or a cooking class with their Discovery Package. You can even sponsor an elephant and your donation will be put towards its food, general upkeep and possible medical care.
Belmond Safaris in Maun, Botswana
Elephants are, not surprisingly, the main attraction at Belmond Savute Elephant Lodge, recently relaunched with an exemplary new eco-friendly design, luxurious spa and wildlife viewing area. The magnificent inhabitants are drawn to the mysterious Savute Channel, which flows and dries up seemingly at whim. Guests are able to enjoy the best of being in the middle of a true wilderness environment, in a lodge designed with exemplary eco-friendly and sustainable practices in mind, and still enjoying the finer luxuries in life such as eco-friendly air-conditioning in the tented rooms – perfect for viewing wildlife.
Phulay Bay, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve in Krabi, Thailand
Venture to a captivating corner of the world, where glistening sands and blue skies converge with the Andaman Sea, and where the charm and natural beauty of Thailand blends with an aura of serenity and discovery. Once there, Phulay Bay, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve, envelops you in an incomparable setting.
With an emphasis on personalized, bespoke experiences, you can ‘design’ your visit to perfectly suit your needs and desires. Your very own villa butler can organize elephant trekking to a remote picnic spot; a meditation class with local monks; a light BBQ lunch at a favorite beach spot; a sea plane tour of region’s dramatic scenery; an in-villa personal yoga session; a boat journey to surrounding islands – the possibilities are endless.
African Travel, Inc. has a 12 day World’s Greatest Show & Safari from Nairobi, Kenya To Serengeti, Tanzania
Explore the Ngorongoro Crater, hailed as one of the Natural Wonders of the World. You will discover the beauty of Amboseli with its famous large tusked elephants and views of snow-capped Mount Kilimanjaro. Experience the thrill of tracking Africa’s Big Five and watching millions of wildebeest and zebras during their annual migration crossing the Mara River. Enjoy aerial game viewing as you fly between locations maximizing your safari time each step of the way. Descend some 2,000 feet to explore Ngorongoro’s sprawling crater floor. Designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site, this unique biosphere has remained virtually unchanged since the dawn of time. The crater is home to numerous herds of elephants, large prides of lions, leaping gazelles and countless zebras and wildebeest. Collect a gallery of striking images as the morning unfolds: a lioness relaxing after her morning hunt, alert elephants guarding their young and ungainly herds of wildebeest grazing alongside zebras and gazelles.
For more information or to book your own elephant experience, please contact us at [email protected].
