EXPERIENCE ELEPHANT WORLD

To give visitors an impression of how elephants live in the wild, we have put together a virtual safari experience.

In an electric safari vehicle, you drive with 9 other people and the driver/guide over the bumpy dirt tracks through 4 different national parks in Africa and Asia.

First, ‘the tourists’ in Africa drive across the savannah, where a herd of elephants is browsing.

The elephant calves play with each other, and the matriarch keeps a watchful eye on everything. After about 6 minutes, the safari vehicle drives past a watering hole, where a herd of elephants quench their thirst and immerse themselves for a refreshing bath.

Afterwards the safari vehicle marches further to Asia, where we see elephants between the trees and bushes in a forest area. A little further on we arrive at a grassy plain, where the elephants frolic, cuddle, and graze with each other. The elephant calves play with each other or stay close to mother. Then we drive to a river, where the elephants are cooling off, diving under water, and spraying themselves completely wet. After about 20 minutes, the safari vehicle returns to the start to pick up new visitors.

In the elephant orphanages in Sri Lanka, Kenya and Zambia, orphaned elephants, sometimes just a few weeks old, who have lost their mother and herd, are taken care of. The education elephants need to survive takes several years, but when they are strong and experienced enough, they go back to nature and join a herd living in the national park. Films have been made of this education period, which can be seen in the film theatre.

Close to the entrance is a large 36 x 40 metre hall, where events will be held at least once a month.

The events that are now planned are:

• January: Election of the Elephant Protection Project of the Year
• February: Holiday fair: On safari (all animal friendly holidays)
• March: Spring Collections Fair
• April: National Elephant Conservation Survey
• May: Matriarch Championship
• June: Elephant Film Festival
• July: Photo Competition
• August: World Elephant Day
• September: Elephant Event
• October: World Animal Day – Wildlife event
• November: Gathering weekend
• December: Elephants at Christmas

During the week and on weekends when there is no event, the event hall is divided by sliding walls into four smaller halls of 18 x 20 metres. Leaving out one wall creates a room of 40 x 18 or 20 x 36 metres. An ideal environment for birthdays, weddings, anniversaries, receptions, meetings, presentations, etc.
In addition to a part of the event space, it is also possible to rent (part of) the film theatre and/or the Tropical Garden. Depending on what the room is to be used for and the number of people arriving, round or elongated tables can be used, as well as a variety of chairs: standard, with soft cushions, with or without armrests, etc. It is also possible to install a bar, video screen, special lighting and much more.
For presentations, a video screen 20 metres wide can be used. By using more beamers, 2 or 3 images can also be projected next to each other. An arrangement can be combined with a visit to the information room and art collection by means of a special tailor-made tour. World of the Elephant offers a unique setting for a lecture, symposium or workshop. The Tropical Garden, the theatre and the event space can accommodate a total of 500 people. A lecture, symposium, conference or workshop can be completely taken care of, with facilities and catering. When requesting reservations, World citizens (our supporters) receive preferential treatment.

Visitors can enjoy a cup of coffee, tea, fruit juice or soft drink in the Tropical Garden.

There is plenty of choice of cold and hot drinks, snacks and lunch meals. The Tropical Garden will be decorated with many tropical plates and flowers, like orchids. The Tropical Garden can be used for various purposes, including for visitors to World of the Elephant to relax, have a drink or eat something.

In the Elephant Gift Shop, small and bigger statues of elephants are for sale, in many different kinds of material and in almost all sizes. From small to very high. There are also consumer items with elephant pictures, paintings, watercolours, wall hangings, woodcarvings, T-shirts, books, etc. For yourself as a souvenir, but also as a present for someone else.