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With hundreds of wildlife destinations, the world is an oyster when it comes to choosing the place to go. Factors that may play a role in this decision making may be earlier trips, friend recommendations, or distance from the home country.
Every wildlife destination has a unique landscape and a charm of its own, having some incredible bird and animal species that most people may never get to see outside of a zoo.
With so many wonderful options, here are some valuable tips to help you decide where to go for your next wildlife vacation, which not only has a diversity of wildlife, but where you have a reasonable chance of seeing the wildlife you want to see as well.
Choose the right tour company
On planning any kind of wildlife excursion, availing expert guidance from a reputed tour operator can go a long way in helping you decide on a destination perfect for you and what you are looking for and an undisputed trip.
Opting for wildlife holidays with Naturetrek will give you the freedom to craft a unique personal itinerary for your chosen dates. You can pace your trip with a few extra nights here and there, and create an overall active adventurous wildlife viewing experience.
Choose the right season
The season and timing of your wildlife tour is critical in deciding the destination you should go to. Weather conditions and animal behavior change from time to time, so knowing in advance these patterns will make your experience both rewarding and satisfying.
Choose your animal
Whether your cherished dream is to see a mountain gorilla in the wilds of Rwanda or a Royal Bengal tiger stalking prey in the jungles of India, it is imperative to choose the target destination accordingly.
Since these trips are pretty much animal oriented, they are usually accompanied by knowledgeable guides and may involve lectures and plenty of educational reading material to inspire you on the go.
Again since such an excursion may involve an arduous trek on mountain slopes or sudden encounter with a tiger at close quarters, safety norms should also be taken into consideration.
That said, going to a wildlife habitat for one species is just one way to choose a safari destination, as nowhere is the region limited to just one kind of an animal.
After you have narrowed down the place you like to go and the particular wildlife you want to see, filter the list down a bit further. Consider Amboseli in Kenya for large elephant herds or Lake Nakaru as the best place for rhino sightings
Chose your destination
Wildlife and wanderlust go hand in hand with each other. You might have a burning desire to see lemurs in Madagascar, but a visit will ensure that you see an array of other animal species that abound there.
It is also worth noting that you need not travel long distances to see wildlife.If you are staying in the UK, and Spain and Scotland are on your bucket list, then you can create an itinerary to see the other side of these two popular holiday destinations also.
You might be able to add a couple of countries to your list like, for example a wildlife expedition to the Galapagos can be combined with a cultural trip to Peru. A tiger spotting safari in India can incorporate cultural highlights like the Red Fort and the Taj Mahal.
Choose your travel style
The traditional mode of safari travel in India and Africa is by jeeps driven by expert guides who can communicate with other jeeps in the area in case of a sighting.
The jeeps vary from one country to another, while in India they are open-topped, in Africa they can be both open-topped or come with an open-topped roof for observation and photography.
If you are headed for Canada, the jeeps are replaced by tundra buggies designed to move on the frozen landscape.These are elevated vehicles with an observation deck for better viewing and safety when interacting with polar bears.
While Jeep and buggy safaris are a dream come true for many, adventurous wildlife watching on a walking safari with an expert tracker is the ultimate adrenaline pumping activity for others. It’s what we did in Kyrgystan!
You can also experience wildlife from the saddle, a growing trend among nature lovers in Kenya and Tanzania.Stay with Masai tribesmen on the way, not only see wildlife from up close, but for a real feel of Africa.
Cruising is another popular way to explore the wildlife of remote places like the North and South Pole, Galapagos Islands etc.A responsible wildlife cruise, with limited guest numbers to the Galapagos and the Polar regions provides an extraordinary experience.
The big draw of these cruises are sightings of penguins, whales, polar bears and fantastic bird life. Most wildlife cruises have good observation decks and include lectures and a library.
Choose the experiences you want
Before choosing the next destination for your expedition to the wild, consider your likes, dislikes and what traveling means to you.If you want to do a walking safari, make sure to factor that in the destination you want to travel to.
Do you want to bathe elephants or watch them from a safe distance in a safari vehicle? Is exploring the local markets and spending time in a village on your agenda?
There are many ways to combine a wildlife experience with different cultures and incorporate those things in your itinerary before you leave to ensure you get the best out of your adventure.
Choose who you travel with
Assuming you are a solo traveler, decide whether you want to travel with a larger group, a small group, on a private tour or you want to move around on your own.While in some destinations you are allowed to self-drive in national parks, in other places you need to hire the services of a qualified guide
There are different types of safaris which cater to the needs of every individual.Also there are many kinds of tours which either allow you to join other travelers or let you create your own bespoke itinerary.
After considering the many choices that go into planning your trip, it all boils down to how you like to travel.So do bit of research at the beginning to enhance your overall safari experience.
Conclusion
The final decision of choosing the right wildlife destination should only be done after a thorough research and analysis of the factors which are linked with your preferences and interests.Only after keeping this in mind you can begin your trip to the dream wildlife destination of your choice.
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