Overview

Daphne Sheldrick Elephant Orphanage Day Trip

A visit to the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust Elephant Orphanage, located on the western edge of Nairobi National Park, offers a memorable opportunity to see rescued baby elephants being bottle-fed and playing together. During the visit, the elephant keepers introduce each elephant,sharing their names and personal rescue stories explaining how they became orphaned.This conservation program was established by Dame Daphne Sheldrick in honor of herhusband, David Sheldrick, the founding warden of Tsavo National Park. Although Dame Daphnepassed away in 2018, the innovative techniques she developed for raising orphaned elephants,including a special milk formula, continue to support elephant conservation efforts across Africa.

During the one-hour public viewing session, the young elephants are brought out to interact,play in the mud, and feed. Visitors can observe them closely from a designated viewing areawhile keepers provide informative talks about the care and rehabilitation process. The youngestelephants receive round-the-clock care from dedicated keepers who even sleep near them to provide constant attention and comfort.Without this close human care and emotional support, orphaned elephants often struggle to
survive. Proper nurturing helps them grow strong and eventually prepares them for reintegration into the wild.