Viewing the world’s wildlife in its natural environment is incredibly rewarding and there are numerous ways to experience the natural world.

Wildlife holidays can be tailor-made and combined with a beach, cultural or walking holiday, or if your holiday focus is purely on the wildlife it is possible to combine regions or countries.

EUROPE

Sperm Whales and Bottlenose Dolphins can be spotted from the volcanic islands of the Azores, or from the lovely town of Husavik in northern Iceland.

Bears and wolves still roam areas of Eastern Europe’s vast forests, and the countryside of northern Finland and northern Spain.

SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA

A classic African safari can range from an inexpensive group trip to Kenya through to a private luxury tour around Botswana. Whether you are heading to Africa for the first time to catch a glimpse of the Big Five, or have a specialist interest such as seeing the mountain gorillas of Uganda and Rwanda there will be a tour to accommodate your requirements.

Africa’s wildlife can be viewed from the seat of a 4X4 or on an adventurous walking safari. A mekoro (traditional canoe) is the best way to explore Botswana’s Okavango Delta, and for an unrivalled birds eye view of the Great Migration into the Masai Mara take to the skies in a hot air balloon.

South Africa is a great self-drive destination offering the flexibility to combine your wildlife experience with time out at the beach, or with a visit to the vineyards around Cape Town. The deserts of Namibia offer a chance to see the rare desert elephant, and at Lake Malawi you will see birds and fish rarely found elsewhere. Zimbabwe, once the top African destination for wildlife viewing, is opening up to visitors once more around the Zambezi River and Victoria Falls.

Asia

From the snowy Himalayan peaks to jungles of south east Asia, the wildlife opportunities of the Asian continent are incredibly varied. India and Nepal are the countries to head to for a tiger safari, to see rhino in Nepal or the rare Asiatic lion in north-west India. Bharatpur National Park is one of the world’s foremost water bird sanctuaries. Siberian cranes fly across the Himalayas to winter at the reserve. Luxurious accommodation, often built around the former hunting lodges of India’s maharajas, provides a sumptuous base to relax in the evenings after a day exploring the parks on elephant-back safaris.

Blue whales can be seen off the southern coast of the beautiful island of Sri Lanka, and nearby Yala National Park is home to a large density of leopard. Elephants can regularly be spotted throughout the island and Sri Lanka’s birdlife is prolific, especially at the Sinharaja Rainforest where you can also see the blue faced leaf monkey and a huge variety of butterflies.

Borneo and the Malaysian states of Sarawak and Sabah are a wildlife haven. Visit Sepilok Orang-utan Sanctuary meeting the apes at their feeding sessions. The Gunung Mulu National Park in Sarawak is famous for the millions of bats that make their home in the world’s largest limestone caves. The island of Selingan, just off Sabah’s coast is a world-renowned breeding site for green turtles. Watch thousands of tiny hatchlings scurrying into the sea.

The Americas

Latin America

Through the cloud forests of Costa Rica, the rainforests of the Amazon and the wetland of Brazil’s Pantanal, across to the pristine beauty of Antarctica, the variety of landscapes across Latin America offers visitors an unrivalled diversity of wildlife experiences.

Amazon tributaries extend as far as Ecuador, home to around 15% of the world’s bird species. In Argentina the area around the Valdes Peninsula at the northern tip of Patagonia is home to a wide variety of marine wildlife, including elephant seal and Magellanic penguin. Many of South America’s best wildlife experiences are by boat. A riverboat journey along the Amazon, or through the Pantanal, the world’s largest wetland and a good place to see Jaguar and the yellow anaconda, will be a highlight of your wildlife holiday. Cruises around the Galapagos Islands will get you up close to the island’s inhabitants, as the absence of predators means the resident wildlife is very relaxed about the arrival of visitors.

For the ultimate wildlife boat journey, head out to Antarctica on an expedition ship departing from the Argentinean port of Ushuaia. Antarctica is a once in a lifetime experience. Hand picked experts form an expedition team of naturalists, historians and photographers. On board lectures and hands on advice give you a better understanding of Antarctica’s wildlife. Shore excursions, often by zodiac, take you for close up encounters of a very special kind.

North America

The National Parks of the USA and Canada offer an astonishing variety of wildlife and North America is an ideal self-drive destination. Yellowstone, the world’s first national park is famous for its grizzly bear and herds of bison and elk.

The Canadian wilderness is possibly the best place to see bears – black, brown (grizzly) and polar bears. Stay in Churchill in Canada’s Hudson Bay for a (safe!) close encounter with a polar bear or head out to the Arctic by ship. Huge numbers of whales and dolphins migrate to the Newfoundland coast, whilst the west coast of Mexico’s Baja California peninsula is guaranteed to give you a whale watching experience you will never forget.

The Arctic
Expedition ships staffed by wildlife experts voyage to the Arctic to see polar bear, walrus, narwhal and Arctic fox. Start your trip in Europe, departing from the Norwegian territory of Svalbard (Spitsbergen), or fly to Canada to begin your Arctic wildlife adventure.

Travelling at the right time of year is key to your wildlife experience. I can help you decide on destination and a suitable tour for your chosen wildlife passion, combining it with a holiday and accommodation of your choosing. For tailor-made wildlife holidays make an enquiry and I will contact you to discuss the variety of ways in which you can view the world’s incredible wildlife.