Get Out of the Vehicle – Knysna Elephant Park
October 19th, 2012, by African Travel, Inc.
Join the southernmost elephants in the world at the Knysna Elephant Park where their resident family of African elephants and world-class guides will unravel the sad and mystical story of the Knysna Elephants. The park offers a rare and exciting opportunity to get close to these gentle giants, who live in a controlled, free range environment in the heart of the famous Garden Route.
Born out of the struggle of the elephants of the Knysna forest, Knysna Elephant Park’s aim has been to provide the best home possible to other elephants in need of one. Consequently they have created a free-range controlled environment, which means that the elephants get to walk and browse in the fields as they would do in the wild, however they do need handlers and guides with them constantly as they are living amongst and interacting with humans every day. Your experience of the elephants is therefore as natural as possible – they would never ask elephants to perform tricks or behave in a manner that is not natural to them.
When you visit the Knysna Elephant Park, you are not only experiencing elephants at close range, you are also supporting a number of elephants at our orphanage near Port Elizabeth. The park does not permit visitors at this Park as it is a true rehabilitation center. This is their primary purpose for being – to provide a home to elephants in need.
Your experience at Knysna Park helps these elephants live a better life and opens your eyes and hearts to their world. The Park practices a free-range controlled system of management that allows the matriarchal herd to range freely and only interact with guests on their terms. Many people comment on the fact that visiting the Park is like being in Addo Elephant National Park, but without the restriction of sitting in a car. Being so close to the elephants is invaluable in developing an understanding of elephant behavior, and any subsequent trip to greater game parks or reserves can only be enhanced by this newfound understanding. You will leave Knysna Elephant Park having been touched by an elephant.
