How to Camp Among Elephants Without Getting Trampled — My Close Encounters and Safety Tips
It’s late afternoon in Africa, and you’re setting up camp. The air is thick with anticipation as the sun sets, casting a golden glow over the savannah. Then, out of nowhere, a herd of elephants appears, marching right through your campsite. You freeze, heart racing — will they trample your tent, or is there a way to stay safe while camping among these majestic giants? Having spent countless nights camped in the heart of elephant territory, I’ve learned a thing or two about how to avoid being in the wrong place at the wrong time.
It was my third night camping in Zimbabwe’s Mana Pools, a place notorious for its relaxed rules and bold elephants. My guide had warned me about camping in elephant territory, but nothing prepares you for the heart-stopping moment when five tons of wild animals decide your tent looks interesting.
After over 20 years camping across Africa, I’ve had more elephant encounters than I can count — some terrifying, others magical, all unforgettable. While most safari operators won’t tell you this, camping among elephants is possible and life-changing if you know the unwritten rules.
Why Elephants and Tents Don’t Mix
Most people assume elephants attack tents out of aggression. Wrong. My closest calls came from curious elephants investigating strange objects in their territory.
During a camping trip in Botswana’s Chobe region, I watched in horror as a young bull systematically dismantled my neighbor’s unoccupied tent. He wasn’t angry — he was playing with a novel object, the same way a toddler might dismantle your living room.
Elephants have poor eyesight but exceptional smell and hearing. Your tent doesn’t look like a threat, but it carries strange odors that trigger their curiosity. That curiosity can quickly turn dangerous when these massive animals decide to get up close and personal.
Choose Your Campsite Carefully
The first rule of camping in elephant country is simple: location. Where you set up camp can make all the difference between an unforgettable adventure and a terrifying close call.
Stay in designated campsites when camping in areas known for elephant activity. These sites are typically located far enough away from natural elephant paths but close enough to observe them safely. Always opt for established campsites that are designed to keep both humans and elephants safe.
Keep your distance from waterholes where elephants often congregate, especially at dusk. It’s best to avoid setting up camp too close to rivers, lakes, or watering holes. If you do find yourself near water, make sure your campsite is elevated and well out of their usual paths.
Stay clear of dense vegetation where elephants like to move through dense bush or forests. Avoid setting up camp where they can easily sneak up on you. Opt for more open terrain where you have a clear view of your surroundings.
The Invisible Fence: Creating Boundaries
My guide in Hwange National Park taught me a trick I’ve used ever since. Elephants, despite their size, are incredibly respectful of clear boundaries when established properly.
While camping in Kenya’s Amboseli, I used an improvised boundary system — stretching a simple rope about 1 meter high around my campsite, with small tin cans attached every few feet. During the night, a breeding herd approached, but stopped at the rope line. The matriarch investigated with her trunk but respected the boundary and led her family around my camp.
Scent Matters: The Smells That Attract Elephants
Elephant attraction to camps often comes down to smell. Elephants have a sense of smell estimated at four times stronger than a bloodhound’s. They can detect water sources from miles away and are powerfully attracted to certain food smells.
Scents to absolutely avoid in elephant territory:
Citrus fruits (oranges are especially attractive)
Strong-smelling foods (onions, garlic, spices)
Perfumes, cologne, scented deodorants
Certain soaps (opt for unscented)
Respect the Elephants’ Space
Elephants are typically calm creatures, but they can become agitated if they feel threatened. If you are camping near a herd, here’s how to keep your distance and avoid stressing the animals out.
Avoid interacting directly with elephants, even though it may be tempting to approach or take photos of these majestic animals. Elephants can become defensive if they perceive humans as a threat, especially mothers with their calves. Keep at least 100 meters away from the herd at all times.
Keep noise to a minimum since elephants have incredibly sensitive hearing, and loud noises can startle them. Avoid shouting or making unnecessary sounds. If you need to communicate with fellow campers, keep your voice low and speak in calm, measured tones. (That’s not really what my fellow travellers did at Pongola game reserve, djees a bull came charging at us!)
Don’t block their path as elephants are known to follow well-trodden routes between food, water, and resting spots. If you’re camping in one of these areas, make sure you don’t obstruct the elephant’s usual routes. They may take a long detour if they feel their path is blocked, but if they can’t find an alternative, they could become agitated.
How to Stay Safe During the Night
At night, elephants can be difficult to spot, and their movements are quieter. This is when things can get tricky. You may not realize they’re close until you hear the sound of their massive feet or the snap of a tree branch.
Use an elevated tent or rooftop tent since sleeping above ground is the safest option when camping in elephant territory. Rooftop tents, or even elevated hammocks, are perfect for keeping you out of reach. Elephants are unlikely to disturb a high tent, but they could walk right over a ground-level camp if they’re curious or feel threatened.
Set up your tent away from the open if you’re camping in a ground tent. Elephants like to walk through clearings, and you don’t want to be caught in their path. Set up your tent near a natural barrier, such as large trees or a small rise in the ground, for protection.
Use motion detectors or flashlights as one way to stay alert at night. Leave motion sensors around your camp or keep a flashlight on. The sudden light can deter animals, including elephants, and alert you to any approaching wildlife.
The Magic Makes It Worth the Risk
Despite the dangers, few experiences match the wonder of waking at dawn to see elephant families peacefully moving through morning mist just beyond your tent.
Have you ever had close encounters with elephants while camping in Africa? Let me hear your story in the comment section below!
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Who am I? Well, the least you can say is that I am quite crazy about Africa, its nature, its climate, its culture, and more.
As a young woman in my twenties, I had already traveled to several African countries by traveling along in an overlander on my own and mostly camping ( or glamping ) and just fell in love with the diversity of it all.
So much, so that at the age of 26, I went back to university to study biology, which, unfortunately, I couldn’t finish because of health reasons (yes, I got sick from a tropical disease, oh cynicism). But this did not stop my dream of traveling back to Africa several times, and I still do.
My dream was back then to leave Europe and go study animal behavior, especially the elephants (sure, that’s every girl’s dream haha), but I am also very much intrigued by hyenas and other “ugly African animals“.
So, I “kind of” have a little bit of a scientific approach to my articles, when I write about African birds, for example. And most of all: the passion.
But life goes on, you move from one side of the country to the other, you get sick again and top it off with lower back problems, and before you know it, you are over 50 hahaha!
Now, I still travel to Africa, but take it a bit “easier” than the good old camping days, and stay in comfortable, yet affordable accommodations, together with my husband Wouter.
These are some of the countries I have traveled to: Kenya, Tanzania, Zanzibar, Malawi, Zambia, Zimbabwe, South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, Tunisia, and a little bit of Lesotho LOL .
While clearly not being African territory, but Spanish, I also visited Gran Canaria and Tenerife, and location-wise, I consider them “African”, because of their climate and nature, sue me :-p
The last trip I took was to South Africa in the year 2023, and it sure got the fevers for Africa back! From the Barberton mountains to the Drakensberg and the Southcoast, one month wasn’t enough at all to see the whole country, so we’ll be back! At ease and with a little bit more luxury than in my younger days haha!
