Big Steps, Little Steps: Following the Matriarch

Big steps. Little steps. An elephant family on the move, the calves tucked in close and the oldest female leading the way. Then a big tusker crosses the plains, completely unbothered.

It is one of those scenes that asks nothing of you. You only have to watch. The adults set the pace. The calves stay near, close enough to touch. Nobody hurries.

An elephant herd is led by its matriarch. She is the oldest female, and her place at the front rests on experience and memory. What she knows is passed from one generation to the next. The young ones learn by walking beside the adults, step for step.

I find that worth thinking about. We often look for leadership in the loudest voice or the biggest frame. In a herd it sits with the one who has seen the most, and who remembers. The family follows her because of what she carries. Size has little to do with it.

Then there is the tusker. He crosses the plains on his own terms, at his own pace. He pays no attention to anyone watching. There is a different kind of presence in that. The family moves together. The giant moves alone. Both belong to the same landscape, and both stay with you long after you have left.

This is why I care about how a safari is planned. Moments like these rarely come from rushing between sightings. They come from time, patience and a guide who knows when to stop the vehicle and let the scene unfold. Visitors to Africa plans private journeys for one to six guests, and small groups of up to twelve. Every trip is planned personally, so there is room to sit with a herd for as long as it takes.

So I will ask you the same question I asked on LinkedIn. The family or the giant: which would you rather meet? I would love to hear your answer.

If an elephant family on the move is on your own list, I would be glad to help you plan it. You can reach me at john@visitorstoafrica.com, and we can start with a private conversation about the journey you have in mind.

John Sparks