90-minute Elephant Watching Experience in Hoedspruit

Really enjoyed our interaction with the 3 elephants! Very informative and very well organised. A must do experience!

Staying within Kruger on a small group tour, our Host offered this side trip to Breakfast with the Elephants, about an hour's drive away. I was the only one who jumped at the chance and as it turned out, it was the highlight of my entire four weeks in Africa! En route my Driver/Guide spotted an Eland who had just given birth!! What a bonus!! People were divided into three groups for the three very large elephants who were standing below our platform so we could easily feed them three types of food including whole grapefruit and a hay type grass which they took from our hands with their trunks. I had what I can only call a spiritual experience with one elephant whose eyes followed me even as I moved away and continued to do so as others greeted him. All the elephants here had a poor start to life and their carers work wonders to rehabilitate them. Jabulani was one of a series of elephants Amarula Cream used on their bottle labels. These are truly majestic animals, so big yet so gentle and so emotionally intelligent. No one should miss this opportunity, it is worth the cost (which goes to caring for the elephants). I will carry this incredible experience for the rest of my life.

I loved, I loved. The experience is charming. The staff concerned, kind and lively. The animals do not feel uncomfortable and are visibly well treated

Really a nice moment when you can touch the elephants and take beautiful photographs. The children were so happy vome us!

An absolutely fabulous experience. To get this close, feed and interact with magnificent elephants is a real pleasure and an experience of a lifetime.

The project developed by HERD (Hoedspruit Elephant Rehabilitation and Development) is very important and moving, and the experience provided by the initiative to visitors is fantastic, besides being very well organized. First we are welcomed with a small coffee break. Then, after a brief introduction, instead of "wrapping" all participants into a huge group of people fighting space to get information and take pictures, three teams are formed, each with a Guide and an elephant. These groups rotate, so that they all have contact with the three elephants. The activity is done without hurry and there comes the fantastic part: interacting with the animals. You feed, touch, love and even embrace the elephants. And the feeling is indescribable, of admiration, respect and even a little fear. But it's too worth it. I always found elephants exceptional creatures and, after meeting them personally, I began to admire them even more. At the end, an employee brings hot water and towel for you to clean your hands. There's a souvenir shop. Place simply indispensable!

Visiting Elephant Moments at the Kapama Game Reserve was undoubtedly a highlight for my son and me during our South African adventure. Our day began early, waking at 5 a.m. to drive our rental car to the tour. We should have realized this but we had no idea that we would be driving through a game reserve. As we drove towards the deep red sunrise, we were treated to an unexpected self-driven safari. We spotted a leopard stalking its breakfast, two lions lounging sleepily by the road, and giraffes and zebras gracefully crossing our path. We practically saw more wildlife on this drive than we did during our actual safari! Had we known, we might have been on higher alert, but the surprise made it even more thrilling. The visit to the elephant orphanage was both enlightening and moving. Hearing the story of the herd's rescue and rehabilitation programs gave us a deep appreciation for the incredible work being done. Meeting three of the older elephants, Sebakwe, Somapani, and Jabulani, was a truly magnificent experience and watching these majestic creatures stride towards us from the bush, accompanied by their handlers, was unforgettable. With warthogs scurrying about and monkeys leaping from the trees, we listened intently to our guide. He shared fascinating insights into the biology and physiology of the elephants, along with heartfelt stories of their journeys to the orphanage and the orphanage conservation efforts. What made the experience even more meaningful was knowing that all proceeds from our visit go directly towards the care of the HERD Trust, supporting these wonderful animals and the dedicated team that looks after them.

One of the most special moments of my life! We learned a lot about each of the elephants and got to experience each of their personalities (the three we met/fed). I will never forget it and will certainly go back for another visit.

This elephant experience was a highlight of my trip to south africa! (november 2023) -You need to arrange transportation to and from the event, I stayed in the hoedspurit wildlife estate and paid for a ride there from my hosts. I rented bicycle but you cannot bike to this event, as it is deep inside a big 5 game reserve, you have to be in vehicle to be safe. -You arrive at the gate of the reserve by 6am, and its a 9km drive to the event site from the gate on winding dirt roads. You arrive by 6:30am. -Met by staff and sign in with our phone and wifi. Hot chocolate or coffee/tea and light snacks. - There was only me (solo) and a older couple in the experience this day ( Nov 2023), so 3 of us. The guide explained some background on the HERD sanctuary and about elephants. -We moved to the wall and we met 3 different elephants, one by one. We got to hand feed them both to their trunk and throw food directly in their mouths. Feel their skin and ears, hug their trunk. Pictures. We feed them treats/food out of a bag. -The elephants are part of a herd that lives at the sanctuary, but roams freely and returns at night. Its a rare herd that adopts orphan elephants. They come to the wall on their own because of the food, they are not forced to be there to interact. They grew up with the care of humans at this sanctuary and they are smart curious animals. I highly recommend this activity, its a once in a lifetime chance to experience elephants close up and do it in a eco positive way, supporting the sanctuary.

It is a experience of a lifetime! Too be so close Too these giants. 🐘 would highly recommend it! Gentle giants, beautiful souls