5 Best Places to Spot Elephants in East Africa
One of the most memorable safari experiences is seeing elephants in the wild in Africa for the first time. Being the largest land animals, watching these beautiful creatures interact is humbling and breathtaking.
Elephants are instantly identified by their large ears, tusks, and long trunks. Known for their commanding physical features, elephants are also renowned for their extraordinary cognition. Elephants are incredibly cooperative and empathetic. Additionally, a female leads the herd.
Despite their exceptional traits, elephant populations worldwide have substantially declined during the past 40 years. Poaching, climate change, and threats posed by human interactions contribute to the decline in the number of elephants. However, thanks to protection measures, it is still possible to see Elephants in their natural habitat.
An Elephant Safari is one of the best experiences in the African savannahs. In addition to seeing a large herd of elephants, you will also see many other animals. East Africa is one of the best destinations for a safari where you can spot large numbers of elephants in their natural habitats. Here are the five best places to spot elephants in East Africa.
Amboseli National Park, Kenya
Amboseli national park is one of Kenya’s most popular parks. Located in the southern parts of Kenya, Amboseli is beautifully crowned by Mount Kilimanjaro, Africa’s highest peak. Amboseli is one of the best places in East Africa to see vast herds of elephants up close. The Park is home to more than 1600 elephants that roam freely in the park ecosystem.
Amboseli national park Elephants are among the highlights of a great experience in Amboseli national park. While on your safari, spot elephants in the open savannah grasslands, where they mostly graze and sunbathe. Enjoy close-range views of the African Elephants in large numbers and Mount Kilimanjaro as a backdrop.
Tarangire National Park, Tanzania
Despite not being as well-known as its neighbors, the Serengeti or the Ngorongoro Crater, Tarangire National Park is among the best places to go on a wildlife safari in Tanzania. The Park, known for its enormous baobab trees, is home to large populations of elephants. Tarangire Park has the most significant density of elephants in northern Tanzania, making it a perfect destination for an elephant safari.
The best time to see elephants in Tarangire is during the dry season, when the Tarangire River is the primary water source. During this time, elephants and other animals are drawn to the river offering a perfect chance to spot elephants. Did you know that Elephants in Tarangire have evolved a distinctive habit of coping with drought? They can identify water flowing beneath the surface via receptors on their trunks; then, they can dig down using their tusks. This is known as sand drinking.
Tsavo National Park, Kenya
The Tsavo National Park is one of the biggest national parks in Kenya, with a surface area of about 22,000 km2. Due to its immense size, the Park is divided into the Tsavo West and Tsavo East sections, with the Nairobi to Mombasa highway serving as the dividing line.
Tsavo is famous for its red elephants. They are the same color as every other elephant in the world, but they appear red due to constant dust-bathing in the Park’s fine red volcanic soil. The Park is home to around 10,000 of them, so it is possible you may spot large herds of the red elephants of Tsavo.
Serengeti National Park, Tanzania
Serengeti National park is one of Tanzania’s most popular parks. Famous for its endless plans and abundant animals, Serengeti national park is among the best safari destinations in Africa. The great wildebeest migration is the most prominent feature of Tanzania’s Serengeti National Park. However, seeing elephants in the Serengeti is one of the main attractions.
Elephant populations in Serengeti National Park have increased to more than 7000 due to protection measures for wildlife and their habitat. Enjoy one of the best wildlife safari experiences as you watch elephants roam freely in Serengeti.
Samburu National Reserve, Kenya
Samburu national reserve is yet another destination to spot elephants in east Africa in the northern frontier of Kenya. Due to its remote, pristine wilderness, the Park and its ecosystem provide the best habitat for elephants to thrive.
Samburu national reserve is home to Save the Elephants, an organization dedicated to tracking, studying, and safeguarding the region’s elephants. One of the organization’s main objectives is maintaining a secure coexistence of herds and the Samburu people.
While there is a reasonable probability that you may encounter elephants in Samburu national reserve, there are other species to see. On your wildlife safari to the northern frontier, enjoy spectacular sights of elephants, the Samburu special, and even the big cats.
