Daphne Sheldrick Elephant Orphanage

Yesterday we had the immense privilege to visit the Daphne Sheldrick Elephant Orphanage and it was one of the most memorable travel experiences of my life. The organization does such incredible, difficult work to raise the orphans, often from infancy, and to prepare and release them back into the wild over the course of several years.

Karson and I watched as the handlers fed the babies 2-liter bottles of human infant formula, which they put down in about 5 seconds flat. It was astonishing! After they finished their breakfast, we had an immersive experience - they interacted with us as we watched them play. A rowdy little one even pushed me over while I was photographing another.

I am a firm believer that wild animals should be wild and not interact with humans, but honestly there really is nothing quite like being among baby elephants.