Elephant Sanctuary Tour from Johannesburg or Pretoria
Pretoria, South Africa

Elephant Sanctuary Tour from Johannesburg or Pretoria

Outty Ranking 64 4.9 · 15 traveler reviews6 hoursFrom $321
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Outty Ranking

64/100

Solid Choice. Our proprietary evaluation. How we score

Traveler rating

4.9/5

Based on 15 traveler reviews. Ratings and reviews provided by Viator and Tripadvisor.

Quick answer

Is Elephant Sanctuary Tour from Johannesburg or Pretoria worth booking?

Elephant Sanctuary Tour from Johannesburg or Pretoria is a 6-hour experience in Pretoria, South Africa, from $321 per person. It scores 64 out of 100 on the Outty Ranking, which we label “Solid Choice”, based on a 4.9/5 rating across 15 reviews. Cancellation is free up to 24 hours before the start time. Same-day spots are currently showing.

Outty Ranking
64 / 100
Rating
4.9/5 (15)
Duration
6 hours
From
$321 per person

Visit the Elephant Sanctuary Hartbeespoort Dam on this 6-hour tour from Johannesburg or Pretoria. Located on the northern side of the Magaliesberg Mountain range, the Elephant Sanctuary provides a safe haven for elephants that have been rescued from abuse and illegal ownership and offers visitors educational programs that ar guest and elephant driven, meaning the most important part of the operation is to ensure happy elephants and satisfied guests. All the elephants are African Elephants (Loxodonta Africana) whose trust has been gained through unique reward based training. Elephant Sanctuary believes in forming bonds between humans and elephants. All the elephants are exercised and stimulated daily, which provides a firm foundation for trust. The Elephant Sanctuary is a family oriented operation catering for both young and old. You will not only learn a lot about elephants, but also get to touch, feel, feed, walk trunk-in-hand with these magnificent animals.

What you get

    About this experience

    Visit the Elephant Sanctuary Hartbeespoort Dam on this 6-hour tour from Johannesburg or Pretoria. Located on the northern side of the Magaliesberg Mountain range, the Elephant Sanctuary provides a safe haven for elephants that have been rescued from abuse and illegal ownership and offers visitors educational programs that ar guest and elephant driven, meaning the most important part of the operation is to ensure happy elephants and satisfied guests. All the elephants are African Elephants (Loxodonta Africana) whose trust has been gained through unique reward based training. Elephant Sanctuary believes in forming bonds between humans and elephants. All the elephants are exercised and stimulated daily, which provides a firm foundation for trust. The Elephant Sanctuary is a family oriented operation catering for both young and old. You will not only learn a lot about elephants, but also get to touch, feel, feed, walk trunk-in-hand with these magnificent animals.

    What's included

    Included

    • Hotel pickup and drop-off
    • Mineral water
    • Driver/guide
    • Transport by air-conditioned minivan

    Not included

    • Food and drinks (unless otherwise stated)

    What you'll see and do

    1. Elephant Sanctuary Hartbeesport Dam

      Full Elephant Sanctuary program. This is a wonderful opportunity to get up close to these giant but gentle beasts. You will also learn a great deal about them. Some of these you will find amazing. The handlers and guides will answer all your questions and depending on the time of your visit you will be allowed to assist with brushing them down or feeding them. You will also go for a walk with them and see their overnight quarters.

      180 minutes here · Admission included

    2. Magaliesberg

      The Sanctuary is in the Magaliesberg Hartebeespoort Dam Region which is the regions most scenic area. The Magaliesberg Mountains form majestic cliffs at the border between the cooler high plateau ( the Highveld) and the warmer lower bushveld. At over 3 billion years the are the world's 2nd oldest visible mountain range. Beneath the cliffs lies the Hartebeespoort Dam created over a 100 years ago. Depending on the route the guide takes to get you to/from the Elephants you may cross the dam wall with its spouting plumes of water discharging through the walls in to the Crocodile River Gorge between the mountain cliffs.

      Pass by without stopping

    3. Pretoria

      You will pass by our capital city Pretoria.

      Pass by without stopping

    Where it starts and ends

    Hotel pickup

    Pickup is included for all travelers. Pickup begins about 15 minutes before departure.

    Options you can book

    • Everyday

      10:00am show: 6 Hour Tour Full Elephant Program Pickup included

    • Include Cable way with Lunch

      Include the Cable way ride up the Magaliesberg Mountain with a pizza lunch on top of the mountain or lunch at the Chameleon Village Craft Market Pickup included

    • Include Monkey Sanctuary

      The Monkey Sanctuary is next door! Tour time is one hour. You can add at beginning or end of Elephant program. Pickup included

    • 2:00pm show

      6 Hour Tour Full Elephant Program Pickup included

    • Daily everyday

      Pickup included

    Before you book

    Cancellation
    For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
    Languages
    en
    Ticket
    Mobile Only
    Runs on
    Every day
    Group size
    Up to 8 travelers per booking
    Operated by
    Mmilo Tours

    Know before you go

    • Specialized infant seats are available
    • Suitable for all physical fitness levels
    • Children must be accompanied by an adult

    Photos

    Meet the Elephants at the Sanctuary, Elephant Sanctuary Tour from Johannesburg or PretoriaElephant Sanctuary Tour from Johannesburg or Pretoria, photo 3Elephant Sanctuary Tour from Johannesburg or Pretoria, photo 4Elephant Sanctuary Tour from Johannesburg or Pretoria, photo 5Elephant Sanctuary Tour from Johannesburg or Pretoria, photo 6Elephant Sanctuary Tour from Johannesburg or Pretoria, photo 7

    What travelers are saying

    Outty’s summary of the themes that recur across 15 traveler reviews. Written by us, not quoted from reviewers.

    The guide

    9 mentions

    Travelers single out the guide as the reason the experience works.

    Knowledge and storytelling

    6 mentions

    Reviewers describe the commentary as informative rather than scripted.

    Food and drink

    4 mentions

    The tastings and food stops are a highlight for most reviewers.

    Photo opportunities

    2 mentions

    The views and photo stops come up again and again.

    Traveler reviews

    15 verified traveler reviews for Elephant Sanctuary Tour from Johannesburg or Pretoria. Ratings and reviews provided by Viator and Tripadvisor.

    5 star
    13
    4 star
    2
    3 star
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    Sort
    Africanut4FR · October 2024

    Highly recommend

    The day was amazing. Wilhelm our driver/guide was wonderful, entertaining us along the way and helping to take great photos. I would recommend him. The elephant interaction was a lifetime memory. I think the elephants enjoyed it as much as we did. Highly recommend.

    Response from the operator: Glad you enjoyed the day!Thank you so much for your kind words I will pass them on to Willem

    via Tripadvisor

    robbinsuggsw · June 2023

    UNFORGETTABLE!

    A fantastic tour! We were searching for something special to do to celebrate my wife's birthday, so we booked the Elephant/Monkey Sanctuary Tour. And folks, we found it here! The experience was UNFORGETTABLE!! We not only got to view the elephants and monkeys. We got to interact with them by feeding them and walking with them. We were even allowed to touch the elephants. Priceless! Anton was our guide, and he was phenomenal! His knowledge and passion for Johannesburg and the surrounding areas heightened our experience beyond our expectations. He enlightened us with historical and cultural information and was happy to answer all of our questions. He even assisted us in finding great lunch venues and African markets. He also recommended other things to do/ see during the tour. Because Anton was such an excellent guide, we ended up booking the Johannesburg/Soweto tour to complete our stay: definitely, a must before you leave SA!

    via Tripadvisor

    128janetm · February 2023

    Great interactive tour

    Excellent tour from start to finish. The sanctuary was amazing, lots to see and do and very informative. The staff there were really helpful and very friendly. They were knowledgeable about all the animals and made sure the interactions were safe but exciting. Our transport was provided by Anton and he was also excellent and informative on all of South Africa. He took great care to make sure we had hats, water sunscreen and gave us lots of tips for the rest of our holiday. Thank you for a wonderful day it far exceeded our expectations.

    via Tripadvisor

    Jocelyn_K · November 2022

    Great

    This was a great experience! Anton was an awesome guide. I would recommend this tour and tour company to everyone!

    via Viator

    julialoudon · August 2022

    The best experience with the best tour guide!

    Do yourself a favor and book this tour immediately! My daughter and I were thrilled with every part of this experience that is a must. Norman was a fantastic guide, had knowledge on every topic imaginable and found a lovely spot for lunch - he is perfection! FYI - do make sure to take the tour operator’s advice on add ons and go to the Monkey sanctuary first thing. It is a magical experience.

    Response from the operator: Dear Julia - It was an absolute please to have been of service to you and it is heart-warming to read that you and your daughter had an amazing day out on tour with Norman and Mmilo Tours. If you are ever in our neck of the woods again, it will be our pleasure to arrange another awesome experience for you. Thank you for taking the time to post a review of your day tour to The Elephant Sanctuary, the Monkey Sanctuary and the Anne van Dyk Cheetah Centre.

    via Tripadvisor

    Good to know

    Duration
    6 hours
    Free cancellation
    Up to 24h before
    Minimum age to book
    All ages
    Availability
    Bookable today
    Runs on
    Every day
    Price range
    $321 to $8,980
    Hotel pickup
    Included for all travelers
    Booked in 30 days
    5
    Verdict
    Solid Choice

    Who runs this experience

    Operated by Mmilo Tours, who run 8 experiences we rank across 2 cities, with an average Outty Ranking of 69.5.

    See everything Mmilo Tours runs

    Why this scores 64

    The Outty Ranking is a weighted composite. Here is how this experience performed on each component.

    Traveler sentiment (30% weight)89
    Review evidence (18% weight)52
    Booking momentum (14% weight)42
    Value for money (12% weight)12
    Listing quality (10% weight)85
    Local standing (8% weight)56
    Booking flexibility (8% weight)100

    Elephant Sanctuary Tour from Johannesburg or Pretoria: questions travelers ask

    Practical detail on this experience, plus the wider planning questions for Pretoria.

    How much does Elephant Sanctuary Tour from Johannesburg or Pretoria cost?

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    Prices start at $321 per person. The final price depends on the date, the time slot and the number of travelers, and peak weekends in Pretoria usually price higher than midweek mornings. Live pricing and remaining availability are confirmed on the booking screen before you pay.

    How long does Elephant Sanctuary Tour from Johannesburg or Pretoria take?

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    Plan for about 6 hours from start to finish, not counting travel to the meeting point. Most travelers leave another 30 minutes on either side so the rest of the day in Pretoria is not rushed.

    Is Elephant Sanctuary Tour from Johannesburg or Pretoria worth it?

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    It holds an Outty Ranking of 64 out of 100, which we label "Solid Choice". That score blends traveler sentiment (4.9/5 across 15 reviews), the depth of that review evidence, recent booking momentum, value for money against comparable last minute in Pretoria, and how flexible the cancellation terms are.

    Can I cancel or reschedule Elephant Sanctuary Tour from Johannesburg or Pretoria?

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    Yes. Cancel free up to 24 hours before the start time for a full refund. Inside that window the booking is non-refundable, and no-shows are not refunded.

    Is Elephant Sanctuary Tour from Johannesburg or Pretoria suitable for kids and families?

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    Yes, all ages are welcome. Families should still weigh the 6-hour running time, and strollers are easier on the earlier, quieter departures.

    How far in advance should I book Elephant Sanctuary Tour from Johannesburg or Pretoria?

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    Around 5 people booked this in the last 30 days, so popular slots go early. Two to three weeks ahead is comfortable in shoulder season, while summer weekends and holidays in Pretoria can sell out a month out. Same-day spots do open up when other travelers cancel, so it is worth checking if you are already in town.

    What should I bring or wear?

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    Bring photo ID, your booking confirmation on your phone, a refillable water bottle and comfortable shoes. Dress for the weather in Pretoria and add a light layer if any part of the 6-hour experience runs outdoors or after sunset.

    Where does Elephant Sanctuary Tour from Johannesburg or Pretoria start and how do I get there?

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    The exact meeting point and directions are on your voucher once you book, and they sit in central Pretoria within reach of public transport. Arrive 15 minutes early: late arrivals are treated as no-shows by most operators.

    What are the best things to do in Pretoria?

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    On Outty we rank every Pretoria experience on the same 0 to 100 scale, and alongside this one the highest scorers right now include Soweto Cultural Walking Tour with Lunch, Guided Bicycle Tour of Soweto with Lunch, Johannesburg and Soweto tour. The city page groups everything into most popular, highest reviewed, last minute and family-friendly so you can build a day around what actually delivers.

    When is the best time to visit Pretoria?

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    Booking patterns follow the same curve: prices and queues climb in peak weeks, while shoulder season gives you better availability on the top-ranked experiences and more room to change plans.

    How many days do you need in Pretoria?

    +

    Three full days covers the headline sights without sprinting. A workable rhythm is one anchor experience each morning, such as this one, an unhurried afternoon in a single neighborhood, then a food or nightlife booking in the evening. Five days lets you add a day trip outside the city.

    Do I book through Outty or through the operator?

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    Outty ranks and explains the experiences, then hands you to Viator to complete the booking with the operator directly. The price is the same as booking on Viator yourself, and Outty earns an affiliate commission on the referral, which is how the rankings stay free to read.

    What is included in Elephant Sanctuary Tour from Johannesburg or Pretoria?

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    Included: Hotel pickup and drop-off; Mineral water; Driver/guide; and Transport by air-conditioned minivan. Not included: Food and drinks (unless otherwise stated). Always check the voucher for the final list before you travel.

    Does Elephant Sanctuary Tour from Johannesburg or Pretoria include hotel pickup?

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    Yes, pickup is offered for every traveler from 683 listed pickup locations in and around Pretoria. Be ready about 15 minutes before the start time. You can also enter a custom pickup address when booking.

    What languages is Elephant Sanctuary Tour from Johannesburg or Pretoria offered in?

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    It runs in English. Pick your language when choosing a date and time, as not every departure runs in every language.

    Will I get instant confirmation and a mobile ticket for Elephant Sanctuary Tour from Johannesburg or Pretoria?

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    Confirmation is sent by the operator after booking, usually within 48 hours; if it is not confirmed you are not charged. Mobile tickets are accepted, so you can show the voucher on your phone.

    Is Elephant Sanctuary Tour from Johannesburg or Pretoria wheelchair or stroller accessible?

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    The operator notes: Specialized infant seats are available. If accessibility is critical, contact the operator after booking to confirm arrangements for your date.

    What happens to Elephant Sanctuary Tour from Johannesburg or Pretoria if the weather is bad?

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    It generally runs rain or shine, so dress for the forecast in Pretoria. Standard cancellation terms apply: free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start.

    What do travelers say about Elephant Sanctuary Tour from Johannesburg or Pretoria?

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    Across 15 reviews averaging 4.9 out of 5, recurring themes include the guide, knowledge and storytelling, food and drink. Travelers single out the guide as the reason the experience works.

    What booking options are available for Elephant Sanctuary Tour from Johannesburg or Pretoria?

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    There are 5 options to choose from, including Everyday, Include Cable way with Lunch, Include Monkey Sanctuary, 2:00pm show. Prices and start times differ by option, so compare them on the booking screen.

    Ready to lock in your spot?

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