In a heartwarming encounter, a young elephant decided to cool off with a drink directly from a private infinity pool, surprising onlookers in the South African wilderness.
Visitors watched in amazement as the baby bull elephant took several large sips to quench its thirst and beat the heat.
The elephant and its herd were exploring the Kambaku River Sands lodge area within the Timbavati Private Nature Reserve, part of Kruger National Park.
Steyn, a local guide from Hoedspruit, recounted the unique experience. “I was leading a private photographic tour for a British guest who only wanted guidance for a morning and afternoon drive. Our morning outing was quiet, with few animals spotted. But when we returned, we learned the elephants had visited the lodge’s pools the previous day,” he explained.
Rather than resting, Steyn and his guest decided to wait, hoping for another appearance from the herd.
Their patience paid off when the elephants returned, and Steyn captured the playful baby bull up close, lying just two meters away.
“He was very calm. At one point, he stopped drinking and began playfully spraying water in my direction,” Steyn recalled.
Capturing the perfect shot required patience as Steyn waited for the water to be still enough to create a clear reflection of the young elephant.
“I spent the day lying low for the right angle, and I’m sore from holding my camera so low, but the experience was worth it,” he added.
