The Elephant Sanctuary Guest Lodge
The Elephant Sanctuary, nestled in natural indigenous bush in the Magaliesberg mountains, just 45 minutes’ drive from Johannesburg and Pretoria, offers a truly unforgettable, hands-on educational experience in the company of six magnificent African elephants: Mosadi, Maroela, Khumba, Thandi, Jabu and baby Themba.
In addition to the elephants, species such as impala, klipspringer, baboon, porcupine, caracal, leopard, many other small mammals and 350 bird species live in this malaria-free area.
The Elephant Sanctuary offers a variety of different interactive programmes with the elephants – even in inclement weather. The programmes include:
Photo courtesy kellylane6
- Early morning brush down, introduction and bush walk followed by tea;
- Early morning brush down, introduction and elephant-back ride followed by tea;
- A 20-minute elephant-back ride;
- Four-hour morning programme, which includes lunch, feeding the elephants and watching them swim;
- An afternoon programme, which entails walking through the sanctuary while learning about elephants, meeting the animals in the forest, touching and interacting with them; and
- An evening event that includes walking with the elephants, learning about them, feeding them, see them swim, watching them being put to bed and sundowners on the deck, before returning to the lodge for a four-course dinner around a fire in a boma, then watching the elephants sleeping.
A special overnight experience includes sleeping in a 10-bed Indo-African lodge, which shares a common wall with the elephant stables. Children of all ages are welcome on the overnight experience.
Recommended gear includes flat walking shoes, sun hat and sunscreen, and a camera to capture stunning and unforgettable images. For the evening event, a light jacket is suggested.
The lodge also offers a gorge walk, swimming and bird watching. The bar is fully licensed and elephant-themed curios are sold. Breakfast and lunch are served on the main deck overlooking the elephants.
A choice of suites is available for overnight accommodation, ranging from an upmarket, romantic honeymoon suite to more practical family facilities.
Event times
Morning events: 07h00 to 09h45
Elephant-back ride: 20 minutes
Elephant programme and lunch: 10h00 to 14h00
Afternoon programme: 14h00 to 16h45
Evening programme: 14h00 to 22h30
Check-in and check-out times
Check-in: 16h00 (September to April); 15h00 (May to August)
Check-out: 12h00 (vacate room)
Departure: 14h00 (after lunch)
Directions
From Johannesburg, take the R512 past Lanseria Airport to Hartbeespoort Dam. Cross the dam over the open bridge and turn right at the T-junction, on to a four-way stop at the craft market (there is a service station on the right and one opposite as well). Turn left and travel 2.5km (1.5mi) to the Elephant Sanctuary (on the left).
From Pretoria, follow the route to Hartbeespoort Dam. Travel through the tunnel. At the four-way stop at the craft market, continue 2.5km (1.5mi) to the Elephant Sanctuary.