Watch: Elephants gang up on backpackers

A safari can be exhilarating - but sometimes it can also turn out to be more than a little dangerous, as these backpackers discovered.

See also: Mother elephant tries to wake unconscious calf

The footage above shows a group of tourists accompanied by guides approaching a pair of large elephants in the wild.

Although elephants can be peaceful it's also worth remembering that are incredibly large and powerful.

See also: Elephants help calf out of waterhole

According to National Geographic African elephants are the largest land mammals on earth and they can weigh as much as 6,300kg.

One of the elephants can be seen getting riled up and trotting towards the group tossing his trunk in the air and flapping his ears.

They both then appear to back off slightly before returning not long later.

The guide can be heard saying: "The more we keep talking, the more they realise that we're relaxed. If we're relaxed then hopefully that will calm them down."

"They can pick up body language very well and they can pick up a vibe. If we're nervous or we're aggressive or something they'll pick it up."

Towards the end of the video another large, adult elephant appears to support the two who have been facing the tourists so far.