The Elephant and Monkey Sanctuary.

Big animals, close enough to touch. This five-hour outing from Johannesburg combines a scenic drive through the Magaliesburg area with direct contact with elephants and monkeys. I like the chance to feed and brush elephants, and I like that transport and an English-speaking driver guide are included. The main catch is important: the advertised $68 price does not include sanctuary admission.

The elephant session is the heart of the experience. You walk in front of one of Africa’s Big Five, feel the texture of its skin, and pose for photographs beside it. The monkey visit adds a very different sort of fun, with curious animals climbing onto shoulders and rubbing necks.

You should also allow for extra admission costs, food, and drinks. The combined elephant and monkey entry fee is R1,795 per person, while the elephant-only option is R1,595 and the monkey-only option is R550. That makes the final cost much higher than the headline tour price, but the package can still suit you if personal animal contact matters more than a standard sightseeing stop.

Key points to know before booking

• The elephant session is highly hands-on: You can feed, brush, touch, walk beside, and photograph the elephants under handler instructions.
• The monkey visit is playful and close: Monkeys may sit on your shoulders, rub your neck, and try to inspect unsecured belongings.
• The drive adds scenic value: Depending on your pickup point, you pass Johannesburg suburbs, townships, Magaliesburg mountain views, and Hartbeespoort Dam.
• The real price is higher than $68: Entry is paid separately at the sanctuary, with combined admission listed at R1,795 per person.
• Hotel pickup is widely offered: Pickup and drop-off points cover Sandton, Rosebank, Johannesburg airport areas, Kempton Park, Pretoria, and Houghton Estate.
• Bring practical gear, not loose items: Closed-toe shoes, warm clothing, sunscreen, a charged phone, medication, and a camera are sensible choices.

Starting with pickup across Johannesburg

The tour begins with hotel pickup from a broad set of locations. Choices include DaVinci Hotel and Suites on Nelson Mandela Square, Protea Hotel Johannesburg Balalaika Sandton, Sandton Sun, @Sandton Hotel, Holiday Inn Johannesburg Rosebank, Southern Sun Rosebank, Houghton Estate, Melrose Arch, Kempton Park, O.R. Tambo, and selected airport hotels.

Pretoria is also listed as a pickup and drop-off area. That flexibility is useful if you are staying outside the main Sandton and Rosebank hotel belt, though the exact drive length will depend on where you start and how many people are collected.

Look for a guide wearing a badge and name tag. After introductions, the guide explains the day and then drives you toward the sanctuary. The transport and driver guide are included, along with one bottle of water per person.

I like this setup because you do not need to arrange a separate taxi or rental car for a remote animal experience. The tradeoff is that hotel pickups can make the morning less predictable. A five-hour booking includes driving time, so the time spent at the sanctuary will not equal the full 330 minutes.

Magaliesburg mountains and Hartbeespoort Dam

The road out of Johannesburg gives the experience a pleasant sense of movement. Depending on your pickup location, you pass through affluent parts of Johannesburg as well as townships, then head toward the rolling Magaliesburg mountain ranges.

The views around Hartbeespoort Dam are another attractive part of the drive. This is not a dedicated sightseeing tour of the dam, so do not expect a long photo stop or a full regional tour. Still, the route gives you a look beyond central Johannesburg and adds a scenic setting before the animal sessions begin.

There may be an option to stop for coffee along the way. Since the stop is optional rather than guaranteed, bring your own patience and do not count on it as a meal break. Food, snacks, and drinks are not included, so eat beforehand or carry what you need if the guide permits it.

This road portion matters because the animal encounter is not an isolated activity in a parking lot near a city hotel. You get a short introduction to the changing surroundings outside Johannesburg, with the Magaliesburg hills and Hartbeespoort area providing a more open setting.

Feeding and brushing the elephants

At the sanctuary, the elephant program centers on contact. You can feed the elephants, brush them, touch their skin, and walk in front of one of these very large animals while handlers supervise the session.

That close distance is the reason to book. Seeing elephants from a vehicle is one thing. Feeling the rough skin, watching an elephant respond to food, and standing beside its legs creates a much more physical memory. The experience is designed for photographs, too, with time to pose alongside the animals and record videos.

The supplied information does not give a fixed number of elephants or a precise session length. One account describes spending time with four elephants, but you should not assume that number for every departure. Animal activity can affect how the encounter feels from one day to the next.

You must follow the guide and handlers at all times. That is not a minor rule here. Elephants are powerful animals, even during calm and organized interactions, so this is not the place for sudden movements, shouting, or independent attempts to touch an animal outside the instructions you receive.

The close contact also explains the clothing advice. Wear comfortable clothes and closed-toe shoes. Warm clothing is useful because the morning drive and open areas may feel cool, while sunscreen and a hat help during brighter conditions. Sunglasses are recommended, but keep them secure around the animals.

Why the photographs are part of the appeal

The experience gives you several natural photo moments: feeding, brushing, walking beside an elephant, and posing with one of the Big Five. The guides can help take pictures, which is valuable if you are traveling without someone who can work the camera.

Bring a camera or charged smartphone. A phone with a full battery is especially useful because you may record both photographs and video, and there is no promise of a charging point during the visit.

Keep your equipment simple. Large bags are not allowed, and handbags and backpacks must be zipped. Wallets, hats, and sunglasses need particular care because animals may be curious about loose objects.

The photography is not just a bonus. For many people, a picture beside an elephant is the lasting record of the day. Still, keep the camera secondary to the handler’s instructions. A good photograph is not worth moving into an unsafe position or distracting an animal.

The monkey encounter has a different rhythm

The monkey visit feels less formal than the elephant session. The monkeys are described as friendly, funny, and sometimes naughty. They may climb onto your shoulders, rub your neck, and sit close while you take pictures.

That closeness can be delightful, especially if you enjoy lively animal behavior rather than quiet observation. It can also be unpredictable. One person had a monkey try to open a bag and remove items, which is a useful warning to secure anything you bring.

The practical rule is simple: zip every bag, keep valuables out of reach, and listen carefully to the staff. The instructions specifically call out sunglasses, wallets, and hats, so do not leave these loose in a pocket or on a bench.

The monkeys may pose for photos, but you cannot control the timing. Some of the best moments may happen when an animal climbs onto your shoulder or investigates the group. Keep your hands calm and follow the rules for touching.

I see this as a good companion to the elephant encounter. Elephants offer a slower, more structured interaction. Monkeys bring quick movement and comic surprises. Booking both gives the five-hour outing more variety, though it also increases the admission cost considerably.

What the guide adds to the day

The driver guide handles more than the road connections. The guide meets you at your pickup point, gives information after introductions, and answers questions during the outing.

One highly praised guide, Thabelo Thathani, was described as polite and present from the hotel meeting point onward. That kind of personal attention matters on a tour with several moving parts, especially when you need help with pickup, sanctuary procedures, photography, and timing.

On the return journey, the guide provides more information about South African history and culture. The details are not specified in advance, so you should treat this as an informal chance to ask questions rather than a full history lecture.

The tour is in English. A small-group option is available, which may make it easier to hear instructions and get help with photos than on a large coach outing. The exact group size is not stated, so ask when booking if group size is a deciding factor for you.

Price, admission, and what the package really covers

The tour price is listed as $68 per person. That covers transport, the driver guide, and one bottle of water. It does not cover the sanctuary activities themselves.

The extra charges are listed as follows:

• Elephant and monkey activities together: R1,795 per person
• Elephant activity only: R1,595 per person
• Monkey activity only: R550 per person
• Food, snacks, and drinks: not included

This pricing structure is the biggest point to understand before you commit. The combined admission costs more than the transport booking, so you should calculate the total in your own currency instead of judging the tour by $68 alone.

For value, the package makes the most sense if you want hotel pickup, a guide, the scenic road transfer, and both hands-on animal sessions in one day. If you only want to see elephants, the elephant-only admission avoids the extra monkey charge. If the monkeys are your main interest, the monkey-only option is much cheaper, though you still pay for the transport package.

Card payment is accepted for the sanctuary entry fees. You pay those fees directly, not through the tour price. That arrangement gives you a clear separation between transport and admission, but you should have a working credit card available.

Timing, comfort, and what to pack

The advertised duration is five hours, or 330 minutes. That total includes pickup, driving, the sanctuary visit, and the return drop-off. Since several pickup areas are served, your exact schedule may vary.

I would wear closed-toe shoes and comfortable clothes that allow easy walking. Add warm layers, sunscreen, a sun hat, and sunglasses. South African weather can change during a day, and the advice to bring warm clothing is worth taking seriously.

Bring a passport, or a copy of your passport, as well as any personal medication. A charged smartphone, camera, credit card, hand sanitizer or tissues, and one bottle of water supplied by the operator round out the useful kit.

Alcohol and drugs are not allowed, and alcoholic drinks cannot be brought into the vehicle. Bags are also listed as not allowed, while the animal instructions say handbags and backpacks must be zipped. Because of that mixed wording, pack as lightly as possible and confirm the bag rule with the guide before departure.

The experience is not suitable for wheelchair users. If mobility is a concern, ask the operator before booking rather than assuming the sanctuary surfaces and animal sessions can accommodate you.

Who will enjoy this experience most

I would recommend this outing to you if close animal contact is the main goal of your Johannesburg stay. Families, couples, photographers, and first-time visitors who want a memorable Big Five encounter should find plenty to enjoy.

It also suits people who prefer a guided day with hotel pickup rather than arranging transport to the sanctuary themselves. The mix of city outskirts, Magaliesburg views, Hartbeespoort Dam, elephants, monkeys, and return commentary creates more variety than a single short animal stop.

You may want to skip the monkey session if you dislike animals climbing onto you or if you are anxious about loose belongings. The monkeys are part of the fun, but their behavior is not fully predictable.

You should also think twice if your budget is tight. The separate admission fee changes the total price sharply, and food and drinks are extra. For a lower-cost plan, choose one animal activity rather than both, but understand that the elephant experience is the more substantial of the two based on the contact offered.

Should you book the Elephant and Monkey Sanctuary?

I would book this experience if you want photographs and direct contact rather than a distant wildlife sighting. The elephant feeding, brushing, walking, and posing sessions are the strongest reason to go, while the monkeys add a playful second act.

Before booking, confirm the full cost in rand, select the elephant-only or combined option with care, and prepare for a five-hour day that includes driving. If you follow the handlers, secure your belongings, and arrive in practical clothing, this can be a memorable addition to a Johannesburg visit.

The final call is easy for the right kind of visitor: book it for hands-on animal encounters, hotel transport, and a guide-led day. Skip it if you want a quiet safari from a vehicle, a low total cost, wheelchair access, or complete control over your personal space.

FAQ

How long does the Elephant and Monkey Sanctuary experience last?

The experience lasts five hours, listed as 330 minutes. This includes transportation, pickup, the sanctuary activities, and drop-off.

Is transport included?

Yes. Transport and a driver guide are included, along with one bottle of water per guest.

Are the sanctuary entry fees included in the $68 price?

No. Entry fees are paid directly at the sanctuary. The combined elephant and monkey fee is R1,795 per person.

How much is the elephant-only activity?

The elephant-only activity costs R1,595 per person, paid directly for entry.

How much is the monkey-only activity?

The monkey-only activity costs R550 per person, paid directly for entry.

Can I pay the entry fees by card?

Yes. Card payment can be used for the sanctuary entry fees.

What should I bring?

Bring a passport or copy, comfortable clothes, closed-toe shoes, warm clothing, sunscreen, sunglasses, a hat, a camera or charged smartphone, personal medication, a credit card, and hand sanitizer or tissues.

Is the experience suitable for wheelchair users?

No. The experience is not suitable for wheelchair users.