Home | Victoria Falls Activities | Elephant Back Safari

Elephant Back Safari

For the Ride of Your Life.....

PLEASE NOTE: Elephant Back Safari's are no longer available in Victoria Falls. The activity is now an "Elephant Encounter". Although you don't get to ride the elephant you still get up close the elephant and are able to learn more about them and the conservation program.



Elephant Back Safari in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe

Victoria Falls elephant back safari
View the pictures of pour elephant back safari  

View wildlife on safari on another level, and ride the wilderness' very own 4x4.  These majestic creatures will take you through the bush and enable you to see game from another perspective.

Our Elephant Back Safari - A Personal Account......

We were invited by Shearwater Adventures on an early morning trip. We were taken to their Private Game Reserve about 20 minutes from the town centre.

Arriving at a wonderful thatched building on a river bed and were given a welcomed cup of coffee and a very thorough safety talk, signed the indemnity form and we were off.

You get on these enormous animals from a high wooden platform that the elephants are trained to walk along side of - when you first get on you feel a bit unsettled and it certainly feels a very long way down.  You sit on a type of saddle with stirrups for your feet to rest in. Two people per elephant and one "Induna" or driver. 

Our Induna was called Heritage and he was very knowledgeable about the elephants and some of the wildlife that we encountered during the walk. All the time talking to his elephant and being aware of us, deflecting overhanging thorny branches etc.

Discontinued Elephant Back Safaris in Victoria Falls

Elephant safari with through the bush

Although I have done this before the sheer exhilaration of sitting on an enormous African Elephant, touching, hearing, smelling and seeing them this close is indescribable and I could never tire of it. I watched their movements in fascination as they are almost silent as they make their way along the game paths.

When we stopped to look at something they would start eating the trees around us, and you feel just like you are part of the herd as they go about their daily business. It's magical and I would do this again and again.

We returned to the platform and were then given a chance to interact with the elephants - feeding them pellets and having photos taken whilst they very willingly "sat down" for us.

It was great and I know that it was my sons best part of the trip. Looking into those big gentle eyes with such long eyelashes, wondering how much more they must know about life, than we ever will.     

At the end we were shown a short video of our elephant back safari which you can buy for US$30 and they also have some cool footprints of each different elephant (Did you know that elephant footprints are as individual as our fingerprints?)

We were served a wonderful cooked breakfast and returned to town, the whole safari having taken about two hours.

All Trips Include

  • Transportation from all major lodges and hotels to the activity.
  • Experienced guides will accompany every safari.
  • Safety talk, introductions to the Elephants and their "Induna's"
  • The opportunity to observe and learn about game, bird life, flora and fauna.
  • A breakfast is served on the morning safari. 
  • Refreshments and snacks are served on the afternoon safari.
  • Return transfer to town

Equipment

  • Clients sit on a custom build saddle that has stirrups to rest your feet on and straps to hold on to.
  • Clients will mount the Elephants from a ramp that is almost level with the back of the Elephant.
  • All guides are first aid qualified.
  • All Trip Leaders carry a rifle, communications radio and first aid kit on the trip.

Age Restriction - 4 years min. All children 18 years and below require a legal guardian to sign an indemnity form.

What To Bring

• Cameras and videos
• Neutral colour clothes
• Comfortable shoes
• Hats
• Binoculars
• Booking voucher
• Money for videos

Elephant encounter in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe

Interaction with elephants

Read Experiences and Reviews from other travellers - or why not share your own Experience with us. Find out more...




Back to Victoria Falls Activities



Download this 100% FREE Travel Guide with all things Victoria Falls


THE VIC FALLS BUSH TELEGRAPH
our Bi-Monthly E-Newsletter

Each issue has a destination update, loads of information about conservation and wildlife, specials offers, traveller tips, community projects, website highlights and tons more...

Find out more about our Bush Telegraph

"Your newsletter keeps me informed about new and old and is the best I've seen in a long while - informative, not commercial, just plain perfect!"  - I.Skliros

Don't worry. Your e-mail address is totally secure. I promise to use it only to send you The Vic Falls Bush Telegraph.

 

 


Return from Elephant Back Safari to our Home Page




All Activities

Adrenaline & Adventure
White water rafting
Adventure Jet Boat
River boarding
Bridge swing
Gorge swing
Bridge slide
Zip line
Flying fox
Canopy tour
Bungee jump
Devils Swim

Wildlife and Safari
Upper Zambezi canoeing
Overnight Canoe Safaris
Siduli Hide
Game drive ZNP
Rhino search game drive & dinner
Elephant Encounter
Chobe day trip
Zambezi fishing
Horse back safaris
Walking safaris
Lion Encounter

Scenic Tours
Tour of Falls
Helicopter flight
Microlite flight
Sunset cruise
River Safaris
Sunset and dinner cruise
Zambezi Explorer Sunset Cruise
Ra Ikane cruise
Historical bridge tour
Steam train trips
Victoria Falls Tram
Livingstone Island tour
Crocodile Farm
Lunar rainbow tour
Bike tour

Cultural
Boma Dinner
Dusty Road Experience
Traditional Village Tour
Victoria Falls Theatre: Simunye

Specialised
Art of Africa
Birding Safari
Photographic safari
Photographic boat safari
Rovos Rail
Shongololo Express
Vic Falls Photographic Tour

Family Friendly Activities

Prices for various Victoria Falls Activities in Zimbabwe




Customer Feedback

Brilliant service and so helpful
by Sally (Blisworth, U.K.)
I stumbled across Victoria Fall Guide by accident, but I am so glad I did. Tony and Boo were so helpful, advising us on the best activities for us as I have mobility issues, and arranging our itinerary and booking everything. I had no worries about using them, or sending a very large payment to someone I didn’t know. Everything they booked for us was so well organised, pick ups on time, knowledgeable and friendly guides, clean transport. We did the walking tour of the falls, the sunset dinner cruise, full day at Chobe, the team, lion encounter and the helicopter and every single one was faultless. We were also due to do the lunar rainbow but unfortunately it was cancelled, however boo arranged the refund immediately. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend them to anyone. We are so grateful to them for making our special holiday even more so.

Read more reviews or Add your own



Simunye - We are One - Live theatre show in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe. Click to book!
Luxury Journeys by train from Pretoria to Victoria Falls, on the Rovos Rail
Stone Dynamics Gallery in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe



Victoria Falls News ...

6th  May 2009

The Story of DAMIANO

Damiano is an elephant that has been part of the Wild Horizons Wildlife Sanctuary for over ten years.

He started showing more and more inclination to interact with the Wild bull elephant.

Read full details on Damiano here..

 





Powered by SBI!

Copyright© 2008 - Tony and Boo Peel. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.