"We were seriously close to the action, hence the use of a shorter lens. It was an extraordinary experience I will never forget." - Alex Walters, Great Plains Conservation.

The African bush elephant - the real king of Africa

This short series of stunning black and white images captures the true majesty and beauty of the world's largest land mammal, the African elephant. Lord of all its surroundings, peacefully coexisting with a multitude of species across the savannah. An African elephant loves and is loved, shows compassion, greets old friends with jubilation, mourns their passing - and as we know, remembers. Truly then the real king of Africa. 

"The thought of Africa without elephants is appalling." - Sir David Attenborough. 

Sandgrouse Travel & Expeditions are hugely grateful to Alex Walters of Great Plains Conservation for taking these fantastic shots on his Canon 60D, using a wide angle zoom 17-85mm lens. With the help of his expert safari guide whilst staying at Botswana's exclusive Zarafa Camp in the Okavango Delta, Alex was able to get into an excellent position from which to take his photographs.   

(Please click on any of the images to enlarge and enjoy a short slideshow of Alex's work).  

"We had Save the Whale. Now it's time to Save the Elephant." - Iain Douglas-Hamilton OBE, Nairobi, Kenya. 

Help fight the illegal ivory trade and save these magnificent animals for future generations

It is said that a century ago Africa had about ten million elephants roaming free across her savannah. Currently it is estimated that there are a mere 500,000 elephants in Africa. The time has clearly come where we can no longer remain indifferent to the slaughter and annihilation of the great African elephants, who back in the day could weigh in at an almighty 10 tonnes each. Large bulls today weigh in at around 6 tonnes so it must have been a spectacular sight to see such a large wild animal. Sadly those great 10 tonne Tusker lines have all gone, only photographs and stories remain. 

We are sure you'll agree that these images are a joy to see and we hope that visitors to Africa will be able to savour scenes such as these for many more years to come. Alex's fantastic photographs from the Okavango Delta go some way to cementing our own convicition to do what we can in the fight against the illegal ivory trade across Africa, something we as a company feel strongly about. Two leading charities Sandgrouse Travel & Expeditions actively support in this most vital of fights are Tusk Trust and Save The Elephant, you can read about their fantastic work here: Tusk Trust & Save The Elephant.   

One of the most eco-friendly camps in the world

Zarafa Camp, where Alex took these photos, is situated in Northern Botswana. It is located on the 320,000 acre Private Selinda Game Reserve and a visit to this most salubrious of camps is fully inclusive of: all game viewing activities, park fees, meals, and alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks (excluding imports and premium spirits).

Much of the game viewing at Zarafa is often conducted in specially modified 4x4 vehicles which now run almost solely on vegetable oil (up to 85% vegetable oil and 15% diesel). Game drives are conducted at dawn and late in the afternoon into the early evening when temperatures are cooler and animals are more active. Amazingly in camp at Zarafa, drinking water is treated through a UV filtration unit which has allowed Great Plains Conservation to forgo the use of disposable plastic bottles, helping to maintain this pristine environment.  

At Zarafa guided walks through the bush with an expert tracker are a must do experience. By getting out of the vehicles and exploring the African bush on foot you are able to see so much that you might otherwise miss. The flora in this area and incredibly fascinating insect world play a vital role in what is a complex and diverse eco-system. There are also river cruises to enjoy on the Zibadianja Lagoon which give visitors yet another dimension to enjoy, however these operate only when the fluctuating water levels permit. 

"I especially enjoyed these photographs, they seem to capture the animals very being. Elephants remain one of my favourite symbols of Africa. They are a species revered by the Maasai who regard them as almost human, as having souls like us" - Jonny Stage, Sandgrouse Travel & Expeditions.

Sandgrouse Travel & Expeditions will be showcasing some of the very best experiences to be found in Botswana on our soon-to-be-launched exicting website. For more information on how to start planning your own safari to Botswana's Okavango Delta, please email us at enquiries@sandgrousetravel.com or call +44 1392 661 050.

Remember, you can help stop poaching

We recently interviewed leading Botswana safari guide Peter Allison. He recommended to us some of his favourite charties that are doing a lot to help combat the poaching crisis in Africa, and raise awareness overseas. You can read our interview with Peter here: An Interview with African safari guide and author, Peter Allison.

Which African animal do you dream of getting up close to and why? 

Let us know in the 'Readers Comments' section below which African animal you would most like to see whilst on safari. 

Please share this article with your friends, family and fellow travellers on email, Facebook, Twitter and your prefered social media networks. 

We now have a Facebook page, please "Like" us to keep up to date with the latest blog posts, news and views.