Our top 10 wildlife holidays
It’s no wonder that wildlife holidays are so popular. Watching animals feeding, playing and interacting with their natural surroundings is a great way to get back to nature and escape everyday life. With so many wildlife holidays on offer in so many fabulous locations it’s hard to decide where to go or what species to see. So we’ve put together our top 10 wildlife watching holidays around the world - some in the remote wilderness, and some closer to home.
Whether you have three weeks to spare or three days there’s a wildlife holiday to suit you. As many species featured on this list are endangered, we make sure that these trips are run responsibly and respectfully. Many of our tour operators are actively involved in conservation projects so you can rest assured that your wildlife holiday will look after the wildlife as well as you.
Whether you have three weeks to spare or three days there’s a wildlife holiday to suit you. As many species featured on this list are endangered, we make sure that these trips are run responsibly and respectfully. Many of our tour operators are actively involved in conservation projects so you can rest assured that your wildlife holiday will look after the wildlife as well as you.
Our Wildlife Holidays
Kayaking holiday in Indonesia, Komodo Dragon expedition
Sea kayaking to some of the most remote beaches on earth
From
£1795
10 days
ex flights
Wolverine photography tour in Finland
Photograph & watch wild wolverines, a very elusive species
From
£1495
5 days
ex flights
Madagascar in depth, small group tour
Madagascar's unique wildlife and off the beaten track gems
From
£2975
21 days
ex flights
Big game safari in Tanzania
Big game safari including luxury private camping
From
£3060 to £3470
8 days
ex flights
Namibia small group guided holiday and safari
A fabulous small group guided trip in Nambia
From
£2935 to £3300
13 days
ex flights
Ten day wildlife safari, South Africa
Award winning wildlife safaris in South Africa
From
£2270 to £2670
10 days
ex flights
Sweden holidays, Wolves, Moose and Beavers
Wildlife holiday in Sweden with full focus on large mammals.
From
£1250
5 days
ex flights
Tanzania safari and Zanzibar beach holiday, tailor made
Your tailor-made Tanzania Safari & Zanzibar Beach holiday!
From
£3495 to £5950
13 days
ex flights
Bird watching tours in Hungary
Visit Bukk N.P. with a birding specialist
From
£1085
7 days
inc UK flights
Cape to Windhoek Namib desert camping safari
Camping safari from Cape Town to Namibia, Sossusvlei, Etosha
From
€1990 to €2090
14 days
ex flights
Tiger tour in India, land of the Tiger tour
Wildlife tour through India
From
£2499 to £8899
16 days
inc UK flights
Gorilla Safari & the Masai Mara
Superb safari and trip to see gorillas
From
£3599 to £5499
18 days
inc UK flights
Borneo tour, Great Apes and Beach escapes
Explore bustling cities, lush jungles and paradise beaches.
From
£1495
9 days
ex flights
Blue Whale tour in the Azores
Visit the Azores at the best time to see Blue Whales
From
£1240
7 days
ex flights
Small group holidays to Madagascar
Experience the best of this enigmatic island continent
From
£2595 to £2965
17 days
ex flights
Borneo luxury holidays, tailor made
Rainforests, orangutans, beaches tailor made
From
£3150
13 days
inc UK flights
Whale & dolphin research in Ligurian Sea, Italy
Whale and dolphin conservation trip
From
€795 to €910
6 days
ex flights
Whale watching in the Azores
Sustainable whale watching in the beautiful Azorean archipelago
From
£555 to £745
7 days
ex flights
Trinidad and Tobago bird watching holidays
Introduction to neo-tropical bird life in Trinidad & Tobago
From
£3095 to £3695
13 days
inc UK flights
Orangutans and Ibans tour to Borneo
Vast jungles of Sabah and Sarawak & Iban Headhunter tribe
From
£3750
15 days
inc UK flights
Galapagos Islands holiday
Home to many interesting species of endemic wildlife
From
£4799 to £5249
15 days
inc UK flights
Sri Lanka wildlife and whales tour
Whales and the wildlife of Yala National Park
From
£2299 to £2699
11 days
inc UK flights
Borneo tailor made holidays, wildlife & beaches
A wonderful tour of the wildlife & beaches of Sabah, Borneo
From
£2765
15 days
ex flights
Bwindi mountain gorilla tracking, Uganda
Fly to Bwindi Forest and Trek Uganda's Mountain Gorillas
From
US $2239
4 days
ex flights
Galapagos & Amazon wildlife holiday, Ecuador
The ultimate wildlife trip to the Amazon and Galapagos
From
US $6190
16 days
ex flights
Wolf spotting in France
Wolf holiday - Mercantour National Park - South of France
From
€530 to €845
5 days
ex flights
Botswana safari and Victoria Falls
An unforgettable wildlife and scenery experience
From
US $3853
11 days
ex flights
Yellowstone and Grand Tetons NP tour
Explore wildlife trails of these famous national parks
From
£2899
8 days
ex flights
Trinidad and Tobago nature tours
An eco-adventure experience that includes every comfort
From
£2895 to £3695
16 days
inc UK flights
1. Gorilla tracking in Rwanda and Uganda
Watching gorillas is often described as one of the most life changing of all wildlife experiences. Being face to face with a wild gorilla is on many people’s ‘must do before you die’ list. Whether it’s because of their intimidating size combined with their unexpected gentle grace or because they behave so much like us, it’s easy to see why gorilla tracking is such an amazing experience. Whether you want to see mountain gorillas in Uganda's Bwindi Impenetrable Forest or in Rwanda's Virunga Mountains, we have a selection of responsible holidays for you. Take a look our gorilla safaris here.
2. A Big Five safari in Africa
An African safari is one of the most varied of all wildlife experiences. Go for a classic jeep safari in East Africa, following the Great Migration across the savannah, or opt for a self drive holiday in South Africa and Namibia. The intrepid can even step out of their vehicles in Botswana and Zambia for a Big Five bush walk, accompanied by an expert guide - or pole a dugout canoe along the Okavango Delta. The Big Five (lion, elephant, buffalo, leopard, black rhino) tend to take centre stage , but don’t forget that other creatures such as hippos, hyenas and zebra can be just as thrilling to see. Check out our African safaris here.3. Polar bears in the Arctic
Polar bears are an iconic species that symbolises climate change and puts a cuddly face to the ugly problem of global warming. With concern over the conservation status of the polar bear it is more important than ever to make sure that your bear watching holiday is run responsibly.That’s why all our polar bear watching holidays have to adhere to our criteria so that you know that your holiday is run to minimise environmental impacts to help conserve these magnificent creatures. Have a look at our Arctic cruise holidays for the ultimate wild polar bear experience in the company of wildlife experts, researchers and conservationists.
4. Tiger Safaris
An African safari is one of the most varied of all wildlife experiences. Go for a classic jeep safari in East Africa, following the Great Migration across the savannah, or opt for a self drive holiday in South Africa and Namibia. The intrepid can even step out of their vehicles in Botswana and Zambia for a Big Five bush walk, accompanied by an expert guide - or pole a dugout canoe along the Okavango Delta. The Big Five (lion, elephant, buffalo, leopard, black rhino) tend to take centre stage , but don’t forget that other creatures such as hippos, hyenas and zebra can be just as thrilling to see. Check out our African safaris here.
5. Galapagos Islands
The Galapagos Islands are one of the most biologically diverse areas on the planet and a must for any wildlife enthusiast. The archipelago's most famous visitor, Charles Darwin, began to form his theory of evolution here and it’s easy to see why. With birds and animals that are found nowhere else on earth, and which are completely unafraid of humans, the Galapagos Islands are a wildlife experience like no other. Take a look at our Galapagos cruises here.Our top Wildlife Holiday
Tiger tour in India, land of the Tiger tour
Wildlife tour through India
From
£2499 to £8899
16 days
inc UK flights
Small group travel:
2019: 29 Mar, 12 Apr, 11 Oct, 26 Oct, 1 Nov, 8 Nov, 15 Nov, 20 Dec
2020: 31 Jan, 14 Feb, 28 Feb, 13 Mar, 27 Mar, 3 Apr, 10 Apr, 9 Oct, 23 Oct, 6 Nov, 13 Nov, 20 Nov
2019: 29 Mar, 12 Apr, 11 Oct, 26 Oct, 1 Nov, 8 Nov, 15 Nov, 20 Dec
2020: 31 Jan, 14 Feb, 28 Feb, 13 Mar, 27 Mar, 3 Apr, 10 Apr, 9 Oct, 23 Oct, 6 Nov, 13 Nov, 20 Nov
Helpdesk
Hello. If you'd like to chat about Wildlife or need help finding a holiday to suit you we're very happy to help. Rosy & team.
6. Whale watching
Watching as an enormous whale breeches the ocean's surface and disappears to the ocean depths with a splash really can take your breath away. Whale watching is an increasingly popular activity and very widespread with boat trips operating wherever the whales are.From Norway to Newfoundland, Iceland to Italy, all our whale watching holiday are run responsibly, ensuring that whilst you get close enough to take great photos, you won't be disturbing these ocean giants. Whether you want to see playful orcas or mighty humpbacks we have a range of trips and one to suit you.
7. Grizzly bears in the rockies
Grizzly bears, a subspecies of brown bears, are amongst the eight remaining bear species on the planet. Many of the bear species, such as the sloth bear, are endangered or vulnerable but brown bears aren’t among them, so hopefully spotting one shouldn’t be too tricky! Watching a creature so huge and powerful can be an awe inspiring experience and if you go to the right place at the right time of year you might just be lucky enough to spot some little bear cubs out to play. Take a look at our bear watching holidays here.
8. Watching orangutans in Borneo
Watching orangutans in the wild makes regular appearances on travellers' bucket lists - and with good reason. Watching orangutans can be utterly magical. Widespread deforestation to make way for palm oil plantations has reduced this species' habitat to a tiny fraction of what it once was, and they are now listed as endangered. It’s therefore more important than ever to ensure that responsible tourism contributes their conservation. All our tour operators abide by a code of conduct and most holidays to Sabah include visit to Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre, which houses and then releases injured orangutans back into the wild when possible. Have a look at our orangutan holidays here.9. Antarctica
The vast, frozen continent of Antarctica is one of the planet's last true wilderness. Officially uninhabited and owned by no one, it is a place like no other on earth. But it's not empty; several penguin species, seal colonies, whales and albatrosses are among the creatures that call this frozen desert home. Small ship cruises incorporate onboard lecture programmes by biologists, geologists, conservationists and marine scientists, bringing the scenes to life. We have a selection of holidays in Antarctica here.10. Wildlife in Europe
You don’t have to travel too far from home to find a great wildlife experience. Europe's wildlife may be little celebrated - but it is no less impressive than other more exotic locations. Whether you want to see birds or bears, wolves or whales we have an exciting range of wildlife encounters in Europe. Take a look at all our wildlife holidays in Europe here.
Don’t forget that all of our trips have to meet our criteria for environmental, social and economic responsibility which means that they minimise their environmental impact, benefit the local community or provide employment in the local area. They also abide by strict codes of conduct so not to distress the wildlife (for example not getting too close, and ending encounters when animals leave, rather than following them). Also, many of our wildlife tour operators regularly donate to and support conservation projects to protect and preserve endangered wildlife. You can find our criteria here and the campaigns we support.
More about Wildlife
It is a good lesson to remember that, on wildlife holidays, it is the wildlife that calls the shots. They tell us when the best time to go on a wildlife holiday is.
This wildlife travel guide is meant to be like a trailer for the new Attenborough series. Because we also have individual travel guides for more specific wildlife holidays, such as our safaris, bear watching and whale watching.
Most people know that one day they would love to go to South Africa, Botswana or Namibia to see some of our planet’s great creatures in the wild.
Sometimes it is straightforward. It has always been your dream to see gorillas in the wild. Or polar bears in the Arctic. Others may need help working out how to choose a wildlife holiday.
Sometimes people wait until their kids have flown the nest before heading off on that trip of a lifetime to see our wilderness neighbours in the animal kingdom still brooding over theirs.
You don’t always have to fly to the other side of the world to see wildlife. In fact, Scotland is one of our top destinations for wildlife holidays in Europe.
Blue Planet returns to the BBC, inviting us into an extraordinary underwater world and inspiring us to explore and protect our oceans.
One thing we have learned at Responsible Travel is that the more respectful you are to wildlife, the more incredible your encounter will be.
One of the most important pieces of wildlife holidays advice isn’t about wildlife at all. It is about people. And their homes.
It is rare in the wonderful world of wildlife that watching wildlife in their natural habitats comes issue free. What can we say?…it’s complicated.
Is there really such a thing as an ethical wildlife selfie? The spread of social media has encouraged a worrying trend in pictures of tourists holding, hugging and feeding wild animals, and NGO World Animal Protection has campaigned to stop this.
This wildlife travel guide is meant to be like a trailer for the new Attenborough series. Giving you ideas of what you are going to see, when you can see it and where.
Why book with Responsible Travel
Photo credits: [Page banner: AdA Durden] [Whale: Sho Hatakeyama]
[Gorilla: Matijn.Munneke]
[Tiger: Christopher Kray]
[Grizzly Bear: Peter Mulligan]
[Woodpecker: Frank Vassen]
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