Luxury walking safaris and boat cruises among rare wildlife in the world’s remarkable wetlands
Our wetlands safaris take you into deltas and floodplains, where seasonal waters support a remarkable variety of wildlife. Explore these landscapes on classic game drives, walking safaris and boat excursions.
You can cruise through Kerala’s backwaters aboard a traditional houseboat, passing plantations and paddy fields. Search for tigers in Nepal’s Chitwan National Park, or journey through the wetlands and lagoons of Argentina’s Iberá.
For a chance to see jaguars in Brazil, head to the Pantanal, the world’s largest tropical wetland. We recommend exploring by boat with expert naturalist guides, who know how to read the riverbanks for tracks, calls and other signs of wildlife, including giant otters. On foot, keep your eyes open for giant anteaters, marsh deer and elusive maned wolves.
In northern Botswana, the floodplains, palm islands and open savannah of the Okavango Delta provide habitat for the Big Five: lion, leopard, elephant, rhino and buffalo. Alongside cheetahs and antelope such as the semi-aquatic sitatunga.
In Romania, pair visits to historic castles with birdwatching in the Danube Delta, where you can spot Dalmatian pelicans, herons and colourful kingfishers. And in Australia’s Top End, venture through Kakadu National Park’s seasonal floodplains and permanent billabongs. Look out for black-necked storks and brolgas, known for their elaborate courtship dances.
Get in touch to start planning your own itinerary with our travel designers. They’ll arrange private, expert-led excursions, recommend luxury lodges and advise on the best times to visit for wildlife viewing.
Experiences picked by our marine safari specialists
Luxury wetlands safari accommodation
There are many incredible places to stay on a wetlands safari. Here are some of our favourites, handpicked by our safari experts:
Why book with Jacada?

Personalised design
We’ll plan your trip around your specific interests, tastes and preferences, providing helpful tips and honest advice based on first-hand knowledge of the destination.

Authentic experiences
Our expert guides and brilliant travel concierges are hand-picked to provide a genuine experience, bringing your destination to life with care and passion.

Responsible travel
Our luxury trips are designed with responsible travel principles that prioritise travel experiences that are both good for you and good for the planet.
Wetlands safari trip inspiration
Get inspired with our wetlands safari example trips and then get in touch to plan your own adventure
Where to go on a luxury wetlands safari

Chitwan
One of the best places to see Bengal tigers in Nepal, Chitwan National Park sweeps across the Terai lowlands in the south of the country. Other rare wildlife that resides in this reserve of tropical and subtropical forest and lakes includes one-horned rhinos and more than 500 species of birds.

Ibera
The Iberá Wetlands, or Esteros del Iberá, cover a vast, relatively little-visited region of northeastern Argentina. Guided excursions take you through a patchwork of marshes, lagoons and forests, where you can look out for caimans, giant otters and a remarkable variety of birdlife.

Keralan Backwaters
Cruise Kerala’s backwaters aboard a traditional houseboat or navigate narrower canals by canoe, passing coconut groves, rice paddies and waterside villages. Visit Alleppey, once an important trading port on India’s Malabar Coast, or explore the quieter waterways around Munroe Island near Kollam.

Okavango Delta
An exceptional destination for Botswana walking safaris, the vast Okavango Delta is Africa’s largest inland delta. Its floodwaters arrive during Botswana’s dry season, when water from the Angolan highlands fills its channels and floodplains. Wildlife here includes the Big Five, African wild dogs and rare bird species.

The Pantanal
Brazil’s Pantanal is the world’s largest tropical wetland, a mosaic of seasonally flooded grasslands, savannah and forest. We especially recommend Pantanal jaguar tours with a specialist habituation team, tracking these big cats on foot or searching for them by boat along the riverbanks.

Romania
Europe’s largest river delta, the Danube Delta, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site that mostly falls within Romania’s borders, with a smaller section in Ukraine. This crucial biosphere reserve has more than 300 species of birds around its lakes and marshes, including pelicans, herons and spoonbills.

Top End
Kakadu National Park, in Australia’s Top End, provides habitat for around a third of the country’s bird species. During the wet season, from November to April, its floodplains attract waterbirds including whistling ducks. As the waters recede in the dry season, wildlife gathers around the remaining rivers, creeks and billabongs.
When to go on a luxury wetlands safari
Botswana’s Okavango Delta reaches its highest water levels during the dry season, from May to October. Floodwaters from the Angolan highlands typically peak between June and August, spreading across the floodplains and attracting wildlife.
In Brazil, the Pantanal’s dry season, from July to October, is an excellent time for wildlife viewing, especially jaguars. During these months, receding waters concentrate animals around rivers and remaining waterholes. In Romania’s Danube Delta, visit between April and June for birdwatching, when migratory birds return and many species begin breeding.
Go birdwatching in the Danube Delta
April–June
Explore the Okavango Delta
June–August
Track jaguars in the Pantanal
July–October
Navigate the Iberá Wetlands
September–November
Cruise Kerala’s backwaters
December–February
Luxury wetlands safari guides
Plan your wetlands safari
Whatever you want from your luxury wetlands safari, our team of expert travel designers are ready to help.
Don't take our word for it

Your trip, your story
We craft trips deeply personal, delightfully surprising and entirely one of a kind. Every Jacada journey begins in conversation with a travel designer, a specialist in their destination of expertise. Behind each journey is a wealth of insight, gathered over years of on-the-ground exploration.
Once you’re booked, you’ll meet your concierge. Based in the region you’re visiting, they’ll take care of all the details so your mind is at rest. They make the trip truly special – and truly yours.
































