Extraordinary Wildlife Experiences Around the World

Gorilla trekking in Rwanda has to be one of the best wildlife vacations in Africa – which is saying a lot. Here you can delve deep into Volcanoes National Park to observe mountain gorillas in the wild, accompanied by an expert guide. Seeing these majestic primates simply going about their daily lives is a truly magnificent and memorable experience.

Positive impact: There’s a strict limit on the number of gorilla permits issued per day to minimise impact on the animals and ecosystem. Each trekking group can only spend a maximum of one hour observing a particular gorilla family.

Tanzania is legendary for safaris and the Serengeti, but it’s also home to the densely forested Mahale Mountains National Park, where the world’s largest known population of eastern chimpanzees resides. You can explore the park alongside a tracker who’s well versed in the chimps’ habits and patterns, maximising your chances of spotting them during your visit.

Positive impact: Eastern chimpanzees are endangered but thrive in Mahale thanks to the work of conservationists and the national park, which helps to protect them from poaching and keeps their habitat intact.

More than half of all the world’s puffins visit the coast of Iceland to breed, making it one of the best places to see these distinctive birds. From around April to September, they come ashore to lay eggs on the coastal cliffs. You can visit the islands of Vestmannaeyjar or Lundey on wildlife adventure tours to see the breeding colonies.

Positive impact: Because puffins are critically endangered in Iceland, it’s especially vital to avoid disturbing them or their habitats. We recommend boat tours that allow you to observe them from a distance.

Every year between November and March, the Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve northwest of Mexico City comes alive with the arrival of nearly a billion monarch butterflies. These beautiful animals migrate south from the U.S. and Canada to spend the colder months here; their journey spans some 2,500 miles (4,000 kilometres) and is one of the world’s longest insect migrations.

Positive impact: Visit one of the reserve’s protected sanctuaries which acts as a refuge for migrating insects. Make sure to stay on the marked trails and be careful not to accidentally step on any butterflies that may be resting on the paths.

South Africa’s Whale Coast extends along the Western Cape, beckoning travellers to its picturesque bays for a chance to spot southern right whales (and many other species), which migrate here from Antarctica between June and November. Walker Bay offers some of the world’s best land-based whale watching, as they breach within view of the shore.

Positive Impact: There are several protected wilderness areas throughout the Whale Coast, including Grootbos Private Reserve, which protects over 22,000 hectares of land and is part of our Positive Impact collection.

Seeing baby turtles hatch from their shells and shuffle toward the sea is one of the world’s most moving wildlife spectacles. In Costa Rica, this phenomenon occurs in Tortuguero National Park and the Ostional Wildlife Refuge every year; the best time to visit Costa Rica to watch sea turtles nesting and hatching is from around June to October.

Positive impact: Learn about nesting and hatching turtles with a knowledgeable guide at Tortuga Lodge, who offer experiences in conjunction with the National Park Service.

The Pantanal, located in south-central Brazil, is the largest tropical wetland on earth and home to thousands of jaguars. Here you can join the team at Onçafari, an organisation dedicated to safeguarding biodiversity, to learn about the dozens of jaguars (onças) they monitor. You can also embark on safaris from Casa Caiman to spot these elusive felines in the wild.

Positive impact: Part of Onçafari’s work has involved the creation of a Wildlife Refuge in Pará which protects 125 miles (200 kilometers) of the São Benedito River.

India is one of our favourite destinations for an alternative safari experience; in Rural Rajasthan you can spot leopards roaming among the ancient granite kopjes of the Aravalli Hills. Stay at SÚJAN JAWAI, a luxurious tented camp between Jodhpur and Udaipur, for the best game drives and wildlife spotting the area has to offer. 

Positive impact: SUJÁN JAWAI collaborates with several organisations and initiatives dedicated to protecting the region’s leopards and habitats, as well as empowering local communities. In fact, a portion of every guest’s fee goes directly to conservation projects.

One might not imagine that the deserts of Namibia offer some of the best wildlife tours in the world. But while the stark landscapes may at first seem devoid of life, a closer look reveals a stunning array of species that have evolved to thrive in this particular environment – from large mammals like lions and elephants to fog beetles and the endemic dune lark.

Positive impact: Around 17% of Namibia belongs to protected conservation and wildlife areas. And, at Wilderness Desert Rhino Camp a longstanding community conservancy partnership has helped to grow rhino populations and reduce poaching levels.

Kangaroos might be the most widely recognised symbol of Australia, and seeing them in the wild is a once-in-a-lifetime experience. One of the best places to do this is the aptly named Kangaroo Island off the coast of South Australia, home to around 65,000 kangaroos as well as koalas, wallabies, penguins and many other iconic animals.

Positive impact: On Kangaroo Island you can stay at Southern Ocean Lodge, which uses cutting edge technologies to harness reverse osmosis and solar power to reduce its impact on the island’s wildlife and environment.