I Took My Kids on an African Safari-Here's Why It Was One of Our All-time Best Vacations

"There was a commotion in the bushes, and then the baby elephants appeared. One by one they trotted out, moving with surprising speed and alacrity, until nine or so had gathered in a red-earth clearing ringed by acacia trees. It was breakfast time at Nairobi's Sheldrick Wildlife Trust, and on our first full day in Kenya, my family and I were watching the world's most successful orphaned-elephant rescue program in action."

"Ooohs and aaahs resounded through the crowd as a team of rangers began feeding the elephants milk from what looked like giant baby bottles. Edwin Lusichi, the trust's head keeper, introduced the animals by name and explained how each one had come to be orphaned-drought, poaching, and human-wildlife conflict being the most common causes. All were aged between 22 months and three years: as Lusichi put it, "the toddler phase" of an elephant's 60- to 70-year lifespan."

Baby elephants emerged from bushes and trotted into a red-earth clearing ringed by acacia trees for breakfast at Nairobi's Sheldrick Wildlife Trust. Rangers fed the calves milk from large bottles while head keeper Edwin Lusichi named each animal and explained that drought, poaching, and human–wildlife conflict were common causes of orphaning. The calves ranged from 22 months to three years, described as the "toddler phase" of a 60–70-year lifespan. Children patted the elephants and noted their stiff, prickly hair and rubber-tire skin. The trust runs an adoption/sponsorship program and has reared 322 African elephants since 1977.

Read at Travel + Leisure