^{Photo Credit: Licinia Mochado}

There’s nothing quite like seeing a big tusker in the wild and Amboseli National Park in southern Kenya is one of the last places where that’s still possible.

These aren’t just any elephants. Tuskers are massive old bulls with tusks so long they nearly drag on the ground. Each one can weigh over 100 pounds (45 kg). They’re incredibly rare. There are only a couple dozen left across all of Africa and Amboseli is one of the few places where they still roam free.

Thanks to decades of research and protection by the Amboseli Trust for Elephants, these giants have been able to live long, mostly undisturbed lives. That’s part of why Amboseli is such a special place to see them.

When you do spot one, maybe Craig, one of the park’s most famous tuskers, it’s a moment you won’t forget. Picture a huge bull elephant lumbering across the open plains with Mount Kilimanjaro rising in the distance and those enormous tusks swinging with every step.

Your best chance of spotting a tusker is early morning or late afternoon, when the elephants are most active. And even if you don’t catch one of the true tuskers, Amboseli is full of elephants, families with babies, young bulls play-fighting, and older matriarchs leading the way.

Seeing a tusker out here feels like watching a piece of ancient Africa still holding on. It’s rare, it’s powerful, and totally unforgettable.

Explore more: