On Safari To See Tanzania Elephants

Download Travel Details >

PRIVATE & SMALL GROUP TOURS TO THE WORLD'S BEST DESTINATIONS

Join Us For A Safari In Tanzania

northern lights press

Where Can You See Elephants In Tanzania?

Tanzania is home to a remarkable elephant population, which means that African safari tours to observe these incredible animals in their natural surroundings are extremely popular with visitors. Safari-goers are likely more familiar with African bush elephants, which are the most common Tanzania elephants seen on a game drive. These enormous animals are distinct from the smaller African forest elephant and have huge tusks, elongated trunks, and oversized ears. If you want to learn more about the mighty elephant, keep reading – we have all the information you need!

Five Fun Facts About Elephants

Tanzania elephants are one of the most recognizable animals in the safari world and are one of Africa’s most iconic species. These gentle giants are one of the largest land animals on earth, weighing up to 23,000 pounds! Safari goers have a good chance of spotting elephants on a 5-day safari in Africa in the Serengeti National Park, as well as other national parks and reserves in Tanzania.

But before you embark on African safari tours to see elephants, you should get to know more about them. Here are five fun facts that are guaranteed to turn you into an elephant enthusiast:

  • Like all African elephants, Tanzania elephants are matriarchal and live in female-led groups. The matriarch is usually the biggest and oldest elephant in the group, presiding over a multi-generational herd that includes other females and their young. Adult male elephants, or bulls, usually live alone but sometimes form small groups with other males. Elephants that live on the savannah usually form family units of 10 individuals, although sometimes several units will join to form a clan of up to 70 members!
  • It takes a lot of food to maintain an elephant’s enormous size! Elephants eat roots, grasses, fruits, and bark – and they eat a lot of these items every day. In fact, an adult elephant can consume up to 300 pounds of food in a single day.
  • An elephant’s trunk is its most noticeable feature. It’s also the most versatile appendage on its body and can be used as a nose, arm, hand, and multipurpose tool. An elephant’s trunk is powerful enough to kill a lion with a single blow, yet it is tensile enough to grab a feather off the ground. This amazing feature is composed of an estimated 100,000 muscles. If you are lucky enough to go on African safari tours, you can see elephants using their trunks to drink water and even as a snorkel while swimming. (Yes, elephants are excellent swimmers!)
  • The huge ears attached to an elephant’s head are covered in veins, which are unique to each elephant – almost like fingerprints in humans. When flapped, these ears quickly lower an elephant’s body temperature. Not only do they serve a practical purpose, but an elephant’s ears are so sensitive that they can detect the lower-frequency rumbles used for normal communication between elephants – rumbles that are inaudible to the human ear.
  • The gestation period of Tanzania elephants is much longer than humans and lasts 23 months. When the calves are born, they are well-developed and ready to navigate their world – with some help from their mothers. Calves typically wean after 6 to 18 months, although they may continue nursing for up to six years. Male elephants leave their family group at puberty, while females remain with their family group throughout their lives, which can be as long as 70 years.

How Many Elephants Are In Tanzania Today?

Tanzania has one of Africa’s largest remaining populations of elephants today. The population reached its peak in the 1970s, with 316,000 elephants before seeing a decline due to illegal poaching threats. Today, the population stands at a steady 43,500 with numbers increasing thanks to improved conservation efforts and strict laws prohibiting the killing of elephants for their tusks. Tanzania has also made a concerted effort (in cooperation with neighboring African countries) to better manage and improve key wildlife corridor areas where animals such as elephants roam. This helps maintain the balance between human development and the habitat needed for elephants and other wildlife to thrive.

The Best Places For African Safari Tours In Tanzania

If you have booked one of the many African safari tours offered by local tour operators like Gondwana Ecotours, you’re probably wondering if you will see Tanzania elephants during your excursion. Here’s a list of the five best parks in Tanzania to see elephants. If these parks are on the itinerary for your 5 day safari in Africa, you know you will see an elephant or two … or ten!

Park

Location

Elephant Sightings

Tarangire National Park

Northern Safari Circuit, located in the Manyara Region of Tanzania. The Tarangire River is the primary water source for this region.

Tarangire is an excellent place to observe these animals in the wild. The park’s landscape, dotted with ancient baobab trees, provides an almost surreal setting for elephant encounters.

Serengeti National Park

Northern Safari Circuit, north-central Tanzania.

The world-famous Serengeti National Park hosts a healthy population of Tanzania elephants. Visitors can spot these animals roaming the vast plains alongside other African wildlife, including the great herd of wildebeest and antelope during their annual migration.

Ngorongoro Conservation Area

Northern Safari Circuit, the Great Rift Valley in northern Tanzania.

This UNESCO World Heritage site offers a unique ecosystem where elephants can be seen coexisting with various other species. The walls of the ancient caldera make this one of the world’s only natural zoos!

Ruaha National Park

Southern Safari Circuit, just south of the midpoint of the country.

Ruaha National Park is Tanzania’s largest national park. Its diverse ecosystem houses an impressive number of Tanzania elephants, with the Great Ruaha River serving as a major gathering place for various clans.

Selous Game Reserve/ Nyerere National Park

Southern Safari Circuit, southern Tanzania.

This park offers travelers one of the most off-the-beaten-path African safari tours in Tanzania! Visitors can enjoy exclusive encounters with wild elephants without the crowds found in the northern parks.

In many of the parks listed above, Tanzania elephants have become accustomed to visitors. This means that your safari guide often can get your jeep close to elephants for you to observe them! Just defer to your tour guide’s rules during game drives so that you don’t agitate the animals during your adventure.

Five Days Of Adventure In Tanzania

Many options for a 5-day safari in Africa include elephant sightings. If you work with a tour operator like Gondwana Ecotours, they can make sure that an elephant sighting is on your itinerary. You can also opt to book a campaign safari, which is often a budget-friendly way to spot a variety of wildlife in locations like Lake Manyara, Serengeti National Park, and the Ngorongoro Crater. This is a great option for a small-group tour, allowing visitors to spot various animals like lions, leopards, buffalo, black rhinos, and amazing elephants!

Elephants Never Forget – And Neither Will You!

Tanzania elephants are symbols of strength, intelligence, and familial bonds. They also have a remarkable memory, which has been proven time and time again during interactions with other elephants as well as humans. These fascinating creatures are on almost every safari-goer’s must-see list, and for good reason! If you are lucky enough to encounter the majestic sight of a clan of elephants moving across the savannah during African safari tours, you will remember it forever.

Download tour brochures for your Tanzania tour dates and pricing.