En route: Close encounter with the gentle giants of Adventures with Elephants

Early on Thursday, 18 April Die Pos-team excitedly hit the road in Thabazimbi’s direction to experience a once-in-a-lifetime adventure with six gentle giants.

Adventures with Elephants is situated near Mabula Lodge and the owner Sean Hensman and his staff gave us a hearty welcome and made the interactive experience with these magnificent animals joyful.

The weather cooperated and the colorful splendor of the blue sky, white clouds, and abundant green of nature created a perfect picture. We made ourselves at home in the lapa here in the middle of the bushveld for an enjoyable and unforgettable activity.

Sean is the perfect host. He gave us background on his upbringing in Zimbabwe and how the elephants were and are still a vital part of his family’s life. It spans a period of 30 years when his father, Rory, trained elephants to track for conservation purposes.

Adventures with Elephants welcomed visitors to the Waterberg for the first time in 2010 and today there are more than 15 000 tourists per annum who come here for a unique experience. Elephants are the largest animals on land.

We enjoyed the beauty of nature while waiting for the gentle giants to make their first appearance through the trees somewhere in front of us. A giraffe bull decided to join the party and as tourists, we jumped for our cameras with, oohs and aahs, whilst we admired the close encounter with a giraffe.

While we sip our coffee and enjoy the delicious refreshments that Agri Deli and Melanie Webb sponsored, the elephants suddenly appear with their handlers on the other side of the waterhole. Their appearance causes a thrill and also a feeling of anticipation to everyone watching them come closer. Their movement is a mere whisper of sound for such huge animals.

They turned to the waterhole to quench their thirst and then they came closer to where we are anxiously waiting for them. There are six gentle giants, Mussina, Chova, Shan, Nuanedi, and two small ones, Bela and Zambesi.

The handlers know their story and have extensive knowledge of these animals as well as the other game on the farm which they share with us. We observe firsthand the extraordinary behavior of the animals.

The “Ellies” show us what they are capable of and the handlers get us to praise them. There is also food as a reward. Respect between man and animal prevails at all times.

Mussina shows she can remember exactly whose shoe belongs to whom and everyone also gets a chance to touch the scaly mesmerizing wrinkled skin, as well as the short tail and the two big ears. The small eyes are soulful with long lashes and the legs of the elephants are like pillars. We get a chance to look and touch the cushioned soles of their feet and now know why they can tread so softly. Through all the interactions with individual elephants, the handlers pointed out the character of the individuals and one became enamored with their magic and you get a sense of how the animal thinks.

The fun is not over yet and together with a handler we walked along a bush path to a dam where we spent time in the water with an elephant, called Chova.

Chova was led into the water and then it was our turn to join in the fun. We splashed the giant animal and he showered us with a downpour from his massive trunk. The handlers told us that the animals have massive power in their tusks and they can pick up more than 450 kg. The men in our group now experienced this firsthand. They hung onto his tusks and he is able not only to lift them clear of the water but also to fling them aside with a small movement. It is exhilarating to experience this.

We get the opportunity to groom the elephant and it is very clear that he basks in the attention bestowed on him. For a finale we gather in front of the elephant for a final photo, just to be flushed by another downpour from his trunk. He had the last say and contributed to a lasting memory of a delightful adventure with the gentle giants.

In deep contemplation, we silently return to the lapa and reflect on our experience.

On our drive back home we relive the fun. It also flashes through my mind that the Ellies at Adventures with Elephants are healthy and happy and that we must help preserve these gentle giants at all costs.

It costs more than R100 000 a month to provide the elephants with the necessary food. Die Pos is asking the community to help with a donation of oranges (a special treat for the animals). Feel free to drop it off at our office in Minaarstraat. You are welcome to donate money as well to enable them to buy food and supplements for the elephants. Straw bales are another necessity for the animals.

We thank Sean and his staff for this unforgettable experience and challenge other businesses in our readers’ area to also have a team-building day at Adventures with Elephants. Sean has graciously offered a special price of R5 000 for a group of ten people to enjoy the day with them. Do not delay, book today and notify Die Pos so that we can place photos of your memorable experience.

The interaction with the gentle giants is a memorable and touching activity not to be missed. For bookings call Adventures with Elephants at tel. 079 431 7655, or send an email to reservations@adventureswithelephants.com

• Visit Die Pos’s Facebook page and website for more photos and videos. Also see the following online feature: Adventures with Elephants – the adventure of a lifetime awaits