How to choose a wildlife vacation

If you have a burning desire to see a certain animal in the wild, then we have a fine array of specialist tour operators who can answer everything you need to know about lions, tigers and bears. And so much more. Such as mountain gorillas in Uganda and Rwanda, birds in Ethiopia, orangutans in Borneo and whales in a wide range of places depending on their migratory route. These trips are very much animal focused, with early starts or all nighters in a hide. They are usually with expert guides, and may have lectures in the evening, as well as plenty of reading material to inspire you before you go. They vary in style from trekking up a mountain to see gorillas, to trailing across the tundra in a ‘polar rover’ to see polar bears from a safe and warm perspective. But of course, this is just one way of choosing a wildlife vacation. Nowhere is habitat to one species, and many African countries, the Galapagos and Costa Rica are veritable cacophonies of creatures, so you can always choose the place you want to visit, and then suss out the wildlife.

Wander lust and wildlife lust can work well alongside each other. So, for example, you might have a yearning for Madagascar or Costa Rica, the Galapagos or South Africa, but you also want to ensure that wildlife watching plays a big part of your trip. Few people go to Madagascar just to see lemurs, for example, but by choosing a wildlife vacation company, you are ensuring that you will not only enjoy everything that the country has to offer, but also have the best possible experience of seeing its wide array of animals when you’re there. And not just have it thrown onto the end of your package vacation, like a trip to the zoo.

It is also worth noting, when working out how to choose a wildlife vacation, that you don’t always have to travel long haul to see great wildlife. If Scotland or Spain are on your travel list, for example, then wildlife experts can show you a whole other side to these popular vacation destinations. A wildlife vacation company will often be able to offer, or indeed create from scratch, an itinerary that will tick all the boxes for you. They might also be able to include a couple of countries for you too. So, for example, if you go and see gorillas in Rwanda, it is easy to organise a trip to the Serengeti in Tanzania. Or you can combine a wildlife expedition to the Galapagos with a cultural expedition in Peru. And a tiger watching vacation in India will nearly always incorporate visits to some of the cultural highlights, such as the Taj Mahal, the Red Fort or a boat trip down the Ganges.

Hiking and biking - There is wildlife watching, and then there is adventurous wildlife watching. For some, sitting in a jeep on a traditional safari to try and see the Big Five is the dream come true. For others, a walking safari is even dreamier, trekking and tracking with expert guides. For example, walk through Tanzania’s Silela Forest following elephant and buffalo trails to secret waterholes, or walk 10km per day along Zambia’s Mupamadzi River in search of lions, buffalo and extraordinary birdlife.

You can also see wildlife from a saddle, with cycling becoming a growing trend on safari vacations, particularly in Kenya and Tanzania. You will probably go on a traditional game drive as well, but heading off on your bike around the borders of the national parks, spotting zebra or giraffes as you go (remember there are no fences) and staying with Maasai families along the way, will allow you to see not only a wide variety of wildlife, but also the real face of Africa.

Wildlife cruises - The most popular wildlife cruises are to the Poles, or the Galapagos Islands. A responsible wildlife cruise is not a traditional ‘cruise’, as guest numbers are small, they are very wildlife orientated and have more of an expedition feeling about them really. The Polar Regions and the Galapagos Islands are all remote, ever changing and consequently, extraordinary. The big pull of the Arctic cruises are whales, narwhals and polar bears, and they tend to take place on smaller boats, with regions like Norway’s Svalbard banning big bruising cruising. In Antarctica, penguins abound, as do whales, leopard and elephant seals. Cruises vary greatly, with Antarctica being the most remote as it often involves a two day crossing of the Drake Passage, and shore time is usually a little longer in the Arctic. Most wildlife cruises include lectures, libraries and well equipped observation decks, inside and out.