This photo shows a herd of elephants cross a river using a highway near Yuxi city, Yuanjiang county in China. AP

China’s herd of wandering 14 wild Asian elephants finally have been guided across the Yuanjiang river in Yunnan. A path leading back to their nature reserve is being made, after the herd fascinated locals and people around the world by making a yearlong journey into urbanised southwest China.

After more than a year’s journey that made local and international headlines, China’s wandering elephants appear to finally be heading home and were guided across the Yuanjiang river in Yunnan on Sunday night.

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Local authorities have deployed trucks, workers and drones to monitor the elephants, evacuated roads for them to pass safely and used food to steer them away from populated areas.

The elephants’ return completes a more than 500km odyssey that captivated the country after a path was being made for them to return to the nature reserve in the Xishuangbanna Dai Autonomous Prefecture.

Despite their entrance into villages and a close approach to the Yunnan provincial capital of Kunming, no animals or humans have been injured.

However, the National Forestry and Grassland Administration said the animals were in a "suitable habitat” after crossing the river.

A notice issued by provincial government said the herd's progress was significant and it would continue to work on getting the elephants back in their natural habitat soon.