Welcome to The Elephant Sanctuary

Hartbeespoort Dam – an experience for life!

Nestled in the Magaliesberg Mountains, only one hour from Johannesburg and Pretoria, The Elephant Sanctuary at Hartbeespoort Dam lies in a malaria-free area. It is surrounded by natural indigenous bush and is home to impala, klipspringer, baboons, porcupine, caracal, leopard, a host of other small mammals, 350 bird species and, of course, four magnificent African Elephants.
The Elephant Sanctuary group has three operations – Hartbeespoort Dam near Pretoria and just outside Gauteng, Plettenberg Bay in the Garden Route and Hazyview in the Lowveld.

The Elephant Sanctuary provides a “halfway house” for young African elephants in need of a temporary home. It is the only operation in South Africa that provides for elephants in this way. It is our vision to release all the elephants into an environment where they can be more independent once they are older.