Do you love animals and especially Elephants?
If you love Elephants then you need to check out the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust in Nairobi. The David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust is a sanctuary for orphaned baby Elephants. The sanctuary was set up by Daphne Sheldrick in memory of her husband David. It is one of the most remarkable Elephant conservation projects in the world and it currently has 25 baby Elephants.
You can visit the baby Elephants for one hour every day between 11 am and 12 pm (they are very strict on the time). This is the time when you can view and play with the baby Elephants while they are being fed.
A visit to David Sheldrick will cost you Ksh. 500 per person or child. This money is used for maintenance of these beautiful baby Elephants including food, shelter and paying for the keepers. Baby Elephants usually breastfeed until they are 3 so they get a special formula which is close to baby milk and so they have to get feed until this age if they are to survive.
When they reach the age of 3 the baby Elephants are transferred to the Tsavo where they are re-integrated into an Elephant family. Unlike most animal species which do not accept those that have been reared in captivity Elephants welcome back members of the tribe who have had human interaction.
During the 11 am to 12 time the Elephant babies are fed and come in for their daily mud bath, this is the ideal time to see them as they play around in the mud. There are 2 groups of Elephants and the younger group of about 11 Elephants come in first for their milk and bath. These are the babies Elephants that are usually less than a year old. They get bottle feed milk and go back. Then the older ones come out. Visitors can touch the Elephants and get to take pictures. They roll around in the mud pools and it is interesting to watch them play in the mud and spray water on themselves.
Visitors to David Sheldrick are only allowed in during that one hour period but if you adopt an Elephant at $50 a year or Ksh. 5000 you can be able to see the Elephants as they go to bed in the evening at around 6 pm (by appointment). You also get information on the Elephant you have adopted and you will also get a picture of the Elephant every month. Get more information on David Sheldrick and adopting a baby Elephant here.
I would recommend that you check out the David Sheldrick Wildlife Sanctuary. If you have kids they will love the experience and talk about it for days. I went there with my nephew and he is still talking about it.
Directions.
If you are driving it is on Magadi road (the road going to Rongai), drive up to the Multi-Media University and it is the KWS on your right side. If you are taking a matatu, use the Rongai matatus and ask them to drop you off at Multi-Media University. It is at that KWS Gate on your left that you will see. It is quite a distance if you have to walk in so I advise you to arrive by at least 1030 if you are taking public transport to give you time to walk.
Those baby Elephants are just so cute and I know you will love the place. Here are some other great places to check out with kids in Nairobi – Fun places to hang out with your kids in Nairobi
