Just 3km from Mount Amanzi lies one of the Hartbeespoort area’s most memorable outings: The Elephant Sanctuary. It’s an easy add-on to your stay, and one that guests of all ages tend to remember long after they’ve packed up and gone home.
What is The Elephant Sanctuary?
The sanctuary describes itself as a safe haven and “halfway house” for African elephants, offering guided, hands-on interactions rather than a distant viewing experience. Rather than training elephants to perform, the team uses positive reinforcement methods, which means the elephants you meet are genuinely relaxed and comfortable around visitors. Guests are led on foot to meet the elephants face to face, learn about their anatomy and behaviour from knowledgeable guides, and get the chance to touch, feed and walk alongside them. It’s an educational experience as much as an interactive one, with guides sharing insights on elephant biology, behaviour and conservation as you go.
What to Expect on the Day
The Elephant Interaction Program runs three times daily, at 08h00, 10h00 and 14h00, seven days a week, and lasts around 1.5 hours. Choose the early slot and you’ll even get to help the caretakers with the elephants’ morning brush-down before the main interaction begins, a nice way to see the bond between the elephants and the people who care for them day to day. Wear flat, comfortable walking shoes and a sun hat, and bring a camera. This is an outdoor, active experience, so a little sun protection goes a long way.
More Than Just Elephants
The sanctuary sits within a wider hub of Hartbeespoort attractions, and it partners with several neighbouring venues, including the Harties Cableway and the Monkey Sanctuary, so it’s easy to build a full day around the visit if you’d like to make a longer outing of it. For those wanting to stay even closer to the elephants, the sanctuary also has an on-site guesthouse option, though most Mount Amanzi guests will find it’s close enough to visit as a simple half-day trip from the resort. If you’d like to know more before you go, the sanctuary’s website also has an elephant facts section and blog covering everything from their behaviour to conservation efforts.
Make It Part of Your Stay
With the sanctuary just minutes away, there’s no need to build a whole day around getting there and back. Book an interaction slot in the morning, then spend the rest of the day relaxing by the pools, fishing on the river, or exploring the games room and adventure golf back at the resort. For current rates, session availability and bookings, visit the sanctuary’s website directly.
Make Mount Amanzi your base camp for the Hartbeespoort area, and let the elephants be just one stop on a weekend that’s easy, close and full of things to do.
Book your Mount Amanzi stay now: www.mountamanzi.co.za
Images courtesy of https://elephantsanctuary.co.za/
