Wildlife Holidays & Safari Tours
Take a walk on the wild side and enjoy close encounters with some of the world’s most incredible creatures. Whether it's tracking tigers in India, spotting mountain gorillas in Uganda, admiring bathing elephants in Sri Lanka or watching cute and clumsy giant pandas in China, our wildlife holidays will get you to the heart of the action.
For the classic animal adventure, it's hard to look beyond an African safari. Africa is home to an abundance of wildlife including the Big 5 - lion, elephant, leopard, rhino and buffalo. A large swathe of the continent is covered in national parks, and we offer both camping safaris and lodge accommodated safari tours which visit reserves including the mighty Serengeti in Tanzania, Chobe in Botswana and the Masai Mara in Kenya. We have a number of itineraries suited for wildlife lovers, where your trip is based around spotting wildlife. On other trips there's the opportunity to spend time in national parks whilst still taking in the main sights of interest in a country, so there's plenty of animal encounters available for culture vultures as well.
Top travel deals and upcoming departures for wildlife holidays
Trip Name | Starts | Departing | Price | Map |
---|---|---|---|---|
Whitsundays, Reef & Rainforest - 10 days | Brisbane, Australia | 13 Oct 2024 | €2,415 €4,025 save 40% | |
Daintree Rainforest Discovery - 4 days | Cairns, Australia | 19 Oct 2024 | €939 €1,565 save 40% | |
East Coast Encompassed - 17 days | Sydney, Australia | 20 Oct 2024 | €4,293 €7,155 save 40% | |
Sydney to Cairns Explorer - 14 days | Sydney , Australia | 20 Oct 2024 | €3,309 €5,515 save 40% | |
Shanghai to Chengdu Panda-monium - 11 days | Shanghai, China | 18 Oct 2024 | €2,279 €3,255 save 30% | |
Here's a selection of our best wildlife tours
The best of African wildlife
Home to a host of unique species and icons of our natural world, Africa is the ultimate wildlife destination, with safaris the favoured method of exploration. Check out some of the incredible animals you can expect to see on our Africa holidays.
Lions
The undisputed King of the Jungle, lions actually live out in the open African plains and grasslands in large prides. On our overland safaris, you'll have a great chance of spotting a pride hanging out in the shade or playfully rolling around with their cubs.
Recommended Tour:
Tanzania & Zanzibar
African Elephant
One of the Big 5, there's nothing quite like seeing a beautiful herd of elephants in the wild, trumpeting loudly and spraying water over thier backs to keep cool. Chobe National Park in Botswana has one of the greatest concentrations and is our top pick for an elephant safari.
Recommended Tour:
Etosha, Okavango & Chobe
Leopard
It's not easy to spot a well-camouflaged leopard, but keep your eyes focused on the trees and the long grasses of the bush, and head out at night for the best chance to spot this elusive big cat. We recommend Kruger in South Africa and Samburu in Kenya.
Recommended Tour:
Safari in South Africa
Black Rhino
Sadly, the Black Rhino is critically endangered, though conservation has improved the species' situation. The best chances to spot them come at Kruger National Park in South Africa and Hwange National Park in Zimbabwe where they can be found grazing peacefully.
Recommended Tour:
Sensational South Africa
Buffalo
Rounding out the Big 5 is the beautiful buffalo. Famously aggressive and often a match for lions, these bad-tempered giants can be found grazing in huge herds across southern and eastern Africa, from the Okavango Delta in Botswana, to the Serengeti in Tanzania and Kruger in South Africa.
Recommended Tour:
Kenya and Tanzania Trails
Hippo
Hippopotamus comes from the Ancient Greek "River Horse", and Africa's waterways are a great place to spot this species. The Luangwa River flowing through Zambia's South Luangwa National Park is our recommended place to spot them in the wild.
Recommended Tour:
Zambia to Nairobi (Accommodated)
Mountain Gorillas
Get up close and personal with these gentle giants of the jungle in their natural habitat - the dense tropical forests of Uganda. Trek into the steamy jungle and watch from a safe distance as some of our closest ancestors go about their lives.
Recommended Tour:
Lake Nakuru, Uganda & Gorillas
Cheetah
Sprinting in short bursts at over 100 km per hour, the impressive speed of the cheetah sets it apart from all other big cats. The open grasslands of Tanzania's Serengeti, South Africa's Kruger and Kenya's Masai Mara are best for sightings.
Recommended Tour:
East Africa Explorer
Wildebeest
For something truly spectacular, time your visit to Africa around the Great Migration when thousands upon thousands of wildebeest migrate across the plains of the Serengeti and Masai Mara in eastern Africa.
Recommended Tour:
Kenya Wildlife Week
Zebra
Few things are more recognisable than the black and white stripes of the zebra and you'll see large concentrations in the Masai Mara in Kenya, typically alongside lots of wildebeest.
Recommended Tour:
Zanzibar & Tanzania (Accommodated)
Giraffe
Possibly the most likeable of all African animals, you're bound to see lots of giraffe lazily munching the leaves off tree tops on most safaris in Africa with Etosha in Namibia being top of the list.
Recommended Tour:
Southern Africa Falls to Cape
Flamingos
It's a special moment seeing a flamboyance of flamingos with their pink shimmering reflections at the water's edge and it's hard to see past Lake Nakuru in Kenya as a top spot to do so.
Recommended Tour:
Kenya Up Close
Wildlife from around the world
Africa's not the only place you'll find wildlife with every continent on the planet offering a unique selection of animals from the north to the south poles and all four corners. Here are some of our top picks of wildlife elsewhere in the world.
Tigers
Head to one of India's many national parks for a chance to spot tigers in wild, supporting conservation along the way.
Recommended Tour:
Golden Triangle & Tigers
Leopards
Surprising but true, Sri Lanka's Yala National Park has the largest concentration of leopard in the world.
Recommended Tour:
Wild About Sri Lanka
Asian Elephants
With smaller ears than their African cousins, see Asian elephants in Sri Lanka, India, Nepal and further East.
Recommended Tour:
Colombo Caves & Kandy
Pandas
Come face to face with China's favourite mascot at the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding.
Recommended Tour:
Hong Kong to Beijing
Penguins
Head to Punta Arenas in Chile, Boulders Beach near Cape Town in South Africa or the wilds of Antarctica.
Recommended Tour:
Classic Antarctica
Polar bears
The remote Norwegian archipelago of Svalbard is home to more polar bears than people!
Recommended Tour:
Wild Wonders of the Arctic
Whales
Spot orcas, blue whales, humpbacks and more on a trip to Iceland during the warmer summer months.
Recommended Tour:
Iceland North & South
Iguanas
Take a cruise around the pristine Galapagos Islands, a nature lover's paradise and home to the marine iguana.
Recommended Tour:
Galapagos Encounters
Alpacas & Llamas
What better way to cap off your trek to Machu Picchu than by sharing the incredible view with a llama or alpaca.
Recommended Tour:
Lima to La Paz
Arabian Oryx
Visit Shaumari Wildlife Reserve in Jordan to see rare Arabian Oryx as you enjoy a thrilling jeep safari.
Recommended Tour:
Jordan Wildlife & Nature
Safari in Sri Lanka
Outside of Africa, Sri Lanka is probably the world's best safari destination. The country is home to the "Big Four" - elephant, leopard, sloth bear, and blue whale, all of which can be seen on a tour of the country.
The most impressive wildlife sight in Sri Lanka is probably the huge herds of elephants that grace some of the country's national parks, including Minneriya, Yala, and Udawalawe. Travellers on our Sri Lanka tours will have the opportunity to see these gentle giants for themselves.
Find out more
If you would like more information about the elephants of Sri Lanka, then have a read of this useful booklet by author David Alderton and writer and dancer Akara Heart.
It's packed with information about this incredible species, including where they can be found in Sri Lanka, their importance to Sri Lankan culture and details about the animals themselves, including what their tusks are for, and what causes a white elephant to be born. You can read the booklet here.
Further reading on the world's wildlife
Want to know more about the animals and destinations featured here? Check out our handy resources to get you started:
Africa Safari Wildlife Guide - where to see Africa's wildlife and when best to go
Spotting Africa's Big 5 - where you'll find lion, leopard, elephant, rhino and buffalo
The Great Migration - all you need to know on Africa's greatest wildlife spectacle
Spotting tigers in India - the best national parks to find Shere Khan for yourself
Visiting pandas in China - where you can see them and what's being done to save them
And if that wasn't enough, how about these great websites?
World Wildlife Fund - protecting animals across the globe
Ranger Diaries - the latest news from rangers working in Africa
Wildlife Extra - online wildlife magazine for those who like wildlife