在这部大象逃亡记冒险片中,母亲开尼尔和儿子马特来到了广阔的非洲，开始了一段奇妙的非洲之旅。 美丽的非洲地大物博，自然景色壮观，各种各样的动物在草原上玩耍，一路上他们被眼前的一切美景所吸引。向导克莱弗把他们带到了一个小村庄开巴里，在这里马特很快的结识了一个伙伴焦姆，他的爸爸为这里的小动物孤儿院工作。焦姆带马特来到了这个小动物的乐园，这些动物大多是和团队走散的孤儿，在这里他们得到了很好的照顾。小象开丽引起了马特的注意，友善的小象很快的和马特成为了好朋友。 马特接到了爸爸的电话，他因为工作的繁忙不能来非洲了，马特对此很失望，父母离异后，他和妈妈生活在一起，爸爸很少来看望他，这使马特感到难过。妈妈对此很为难，希望马特能很快的高兴起来。 在向导克莱弗的帮助下，他们和小动物们一起在动物乐园里玩耍，所有的不愉快烟消云散，马特和这里的动物们建立了深厚的友情，每日都来看望和照顾他们。看到马特能这样的开心母亲开尼尔感到十分欣慰。 由于小动物孤儿院负债累累，他们养不起小象了，决定卖掉小象，这样换取的钱可以够其他动物一年的开销。 马特和焦姆知道后痛苦万分，决心一定要救出小象，找到象群让它回归自然，找到属于自己的家。他们救出小象，带着它进入神秘辽阔的非洲草原，寻找归属。在路途中历尽艰辛、危险重重，此时马特在书本上学来的知识和焦姆的生活常识派上了用途。 最终两个小家伙，成功的把小象送回了家中。
Matt Cunningham is a thirteen-year-old whiz kid from Los Angeles who's completely absorbed by his laptop computer. Preferring his travels on the information highway, Matt is dismayed to find himself on an East African Safari organized by his divorced mother Beverly.But once exposed to the spectacular plains of Kenya, with its magnificent wildlife and breathtaking terrain, Matt's view of the world expands and the portable computer suddenly lies forgotten on the seat of the Land Rover. While Beverly meets handsome Safari guide, Clive Potter, Matt befriends one of the rangers' sons, a young Kenyan boy his own age, named Jomo. Together Jomo and Matt develop a relationship with a baby orphaned elephant whom they name "Ellie." The young pachyderm is being held by the rangers pending her sale to Harlo Ethridge, an unscrupulous American businessman, who plans to make her the centerpiece of his tourist exhibit back in the States. When Harlo arrives to collect his elephant, Matt and Jomo hide out on the back of his truck, and at a certain opportune moment, release Ellie and escape with her into the bush, hoping to find a wild herd which might "adopt" baby Ellie. Thus begins a wild chase across the African veldt. The boys' adventures carry them through dangerous Masai territory, into encounters with wild hyena and lions. They even land in the tiny village jail. And while they are battling to win Ellie her freedom, this time it is Ellie who does the liberating. As they approach the chosen elephant herd with Ellie, they come upon Harlo's overturned jeep and find him lying helpless and wounded. Realizing that a man's life is more important than Ellie's freedom, they decide to build a skid and drag Harlo back to civilization. Beverly and Clive are overjoyed to find the boys unharmed. And Harlo, in thanks for saving his life, allows the boys to complete their mission and return Ellie to the world she knows.
