So the first film you ever watched was the Lion King. You used to always drag your family to the zoo every weekend and your collection of stuffed toys was out of hand. You also became a PRO at photography and got great shots of the neighbour’s dog doing something viral worthy. Now though, you’re bored of playing fetch with Milo and maybe fancy something a bit more roarsome? Luckily we have put together a collection of the top destinations for wildlife spotting below!
Masai Mara Nature Reserve
Get your cameras ready for one of Kenya’s most popular safari spots. All aboard the specialty safari vehicle, this nature reserve is home to thousands of animals. It’s also one of the places where you can spot the BIG FIVE! Lions, elephants, Cape buffalos, leopards and rhinos all inhabit this stunning region as well as cheetahs, hyenas and over 500 species of birds. If you want to walk right into a scene of the Lion King this one’s for you.
Galápagos Islands
You will be overwhelmed with the amount of spectacular wildlife available to see whilst cruising in the Galápagos Islands. Snorkel with playful sea lions, spot giant Galápagos tortoises as well as scores of species of birds. Flamingos, penguins, blue-footed boobies and Darwin’s finches will leave your feathers in a flap.
Amazon Rainforest
Well the largest rainforest in the world had to get a mention didn’t it? Spanning 9 countries and having one of the longest rivers in the world it is a haven of wildlife. It is home to 2.5 million insect species, tens of thousands of plants and around 2000 birds and animals. Caiman spot down the Amazon river at night, be lucky enough to catch a glimpse of the aloof jaguar and be amazed by the giant river otters. Just don’t forget your mosquito spray.
Borneo
This Asian island is perfect for those wanting to get off the beaten track and see nature at her finest. Spend your days in the Deramakot Forest reserve and watch the globally threatened orang-utan in the wild. Take part in a nocturnal safari and try and spot the clouded leopard as well as a river cruise through the Kinabatangan Region- just don’t feed the crocodiles! Don’t forget the Sun Bear Conservation Centre too- home to the world’s smallest bear species.
Costa Rica
Everyone loves sea turtles right? Well Costa Rica prides their conservation of them plus a host of other amazing creatures too. Explore Tortuguero National park and between the months of July and October you may be able to watch the hatching of them. Apart from our sea turtle friends there is also the local sloth sanctuary in Cahuita where you can see baby sloths up close and personal.
Antarctica
Explore the continent left to the bravest and catch sight of whales, penguins and dolphins. Although there are no mammals here, you have the chance to see a number of species including an abundance of seals and whales breaching the icy waters. If that isn’t a photo moment I don’t know what is!
Uganda
Trek through the Virunga mountains of Uganda and spot small families of gorillas. Watch the mighty silverbacks as they interact with baby gorillas in their natural habitat. A once in a life time opportunity indeed!
To follow in the paw-prints yourself why not check out our tours!
About the Author: Rosanna is on the Marketing team at Tucan Travel. She has travelled independently and on group tours through South East Asia, and Europe. You can find her on Twitter here
