Elephant Orphanage in Kenya

Location: Nairobi, Kenya, Africa

Recommended by Me, The Directionally Challenged Traveler

How do I know it’s ethical?

The Sheldrick Wildlife Trust has been operating for over 40 years. Its mission “embraces all measures that complement the conservation, preservation, and protection of wildlife and habitats.” They focus on rehabilitation and releasing back into the wild. The baby elephants that you see are only out for one hour during the day and you’re only allowed to touch them if they come to you.

Description of the Experience

The Sheldrick Wildlife Trust is located outside the city of Nairobi. It’s about a 25-minute taxi ride. The orphanage is open for visitors for one hour a day, 11 am to 12 pm.

If you get to the orphanage beforehand, there is a small shop for souvenirs that help run the organization. You can even adopt an animal and all the money goes to caring for these amazing animals.

At 11:00 the caretakers gather visitors around a marked-off area. They describe how they find the animals, provide veterinary care, and the ongoing care that the animals need. After the short presentation, the orphan elephants come out. They know how to carry a bottle of milk and feed themselves, they’ll play in the mud, and they’ll come nearby for gentle pets.

You can read more about my experience visiting Sheldrick Wildlife Trust here.

Company/ Cost: 

Admission is $15 (or 1500 Kenyan shillings) for adults and $5 (500Ksh) for children and is cash or via Mpesa.

Be sure to connect with me on Instagram, Twitter, and Pinterest.

Save This Post For Later

This is one post on a series of ethical animal tourism posts by travel content creators. The experiences cover all seven continents and a variety of animals. Ensure that your animal experience is an ethical one.

1 thought on “Elephant Orphanage in Kenya”

  1. Your article is very helpful for me after reading your article I got a lot of information my name Elias Jaxon. I read your article carefully thanks for sharing information.

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Scroll to Top