All of the wildlife camp operator offer elephant safaris - they are easily the safest way of exploring the dense forest, and because you are on an animal that can normally be seen in the forest anyway they are less likely to scare off the other wildlife. Gaida has its own "fleet" of eight elephants so it’s a regular highlight of the camps daily activities. Every safari starts with a wade over the river where the elephants generally stop for a quick drink. Even though you are in a wooden box like saddle you can still feel the vibrations as they suck up the water - a bit weird really.
Once into the forest we spotted Rhinos on every trip, usually about two at a time but on one occasion we were fortunate enough to see six at once. All of the rhinos were wallowing in a pool but the light levels were too dark to take photos. The closest we got was only a few metres away when a rhino crossed our path.
Other animals we saw included monkeys high in the trees above (I'm sure they were throwing stuff down on us to keep us moving along), various deer (often hidden under dense bushes), and a snake - don’t know what type but a big one all the same. The elephant drivers are well accustomed to seeking out the most likely spots for finding wildlife, but they are employed for their riding skills. Few have much knowledge of English beyond the usual stock animal names.