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Your first glimpse of an animal in the wild is always an unforgettable moment. Whether you’re fortunate enough to witness a regal Bengal tiger lapping at the edge of a rippling river, or catch a sluggish sloth crawling through the waxen green canopy… these increasingly rare and profound moments highlight the need to prioritise wildlife protection on a global scale.
At Exodus, we’re passionate when it comes to wildlife, and our adventures aim to give back more than we take, which includes supporting conservation efforts around the world. So, why not celebrate your love of wildlife on one of our top five bestselling wildlife adventures in 2023?
Wildlife Holidays
1) Wildlife & Wilderness of Botswana
In at number 5… The extensive and wild plains of Botswana are home to The Big Five; lions, leopards, elephants, black rhinos and buffalos. Seize the opportunity to sail down the Okavango Delta in a traditional makoro, carved from the trunk of a Kigelia tree.
Gaze up at the billions of stars twinkling from the inky canvas above the Makgadikgadi Pans, a spectacular salt pan shrouded in an eerie silence. Go in search of Africa’s celebrated wildlife on the Savuti Marsh and the Moremi reserve, or follow the Chobe river to find the highest concentration of elephants anywhere in the world.
Make a final call at Victoria Falls, it’s easy to see why David Livingstone once declared it was a scene ‘so lovely must have been gazed upon by angels in their flight.’
Taking you there: Botswana trips
2) Borneo Wildlife Discoverer
Whether you want to spot Proboscis monkeys or elusive Irrawaddy dolphins, the dense humid rainforests and glorious sweeping tropical coast allow wildlife to thrive.
Start the tour at the slate-coloured and majestic Mt Kinabalu, where your head will literally be in the clouds. Borneo is a wildlife paradise and the country’s stunning natural beauty never ceases to surprise, visit after visit.
Mulu National Park has an impressive cave system and is the perfect place for an underground adventure. Hosting the world’s oldest rainforest, nature lovers are sure to be stumped by the magnitude of flora and fauna here. See a flash of tangerine as orangutans swing through the trees at Sepilok sanctuary and then retire to a rustic bamboo longhouse in Sabah, situated in a tea plantation. Bliss.
Taking you there: Borneo trips
3) Costa Rica’s Coastal Secrets
The bronze medal is held by Costa Rica’s Coastal Secrets. Crowned as one of the most biologically intense locations on earth, a visit to Corcovado National Park is one of the biggest reasons to visit Costa Rica.
Spend three glorious nights in the award-winning wilderness lodge, Drake Bay. Whether you want to unwind in this stunning and peaceful location or go on to explore premier wildlife locations, Costa Rica provides some of the best opportunities to see monkeys, sloths, dolphins & whales, when the season is right.
The beaches of Tortuguero are also the treasured nesting sight of the green turtle. At certain times of the year, you can see the eggs hatching and the next generation scrambling back towards the rolling ocean, a really fantastic addition to the trip.
Taking you there: Costa Rica trips
4) Carpathian Walking & Bears
Brown bearShrouded in mystery, fascinating Transylvania’s wild beauty lures travellers from across the globe and is one of the best places to see wolves, lynx and bears. Almost half the European population of brown bears habit this central Romanian location, and you get the pleasure of watching their activity from a secret hide nestled in the thicket.
Embrace pastoral life with a trip in a horse-drawn cart and explore untouched dense forests, magnificent canyons and rural Saxon villages. Of course, no visit to Transylvania would be complete without a visit to the legendary Bran Castle, the home of Count Dracula.
Taking you there: Carpathian trips
5) Discover Costa Rica
Turtle in Costa RicaOur number one wildlife adventure is Discover Costa Rica. The leafy, vaporous canopies of Costa Rica are home to a variety of wildlife. This buzzing tropical paradise with rich rainforest, massive mountains and long lengths of coastline, supports an incredibly biodiverse ecosystem.
Boasting more protected land than any other country in the world, wildlife tourism has an ongoing love affair with Costa Rica. And with good reason – it offers unrivalled wildlife viewing. From lethargic sloths crawling across branches to screaming howler monkeys and tranquil green turtles, it’s a location teeming with fauna. Kick back in a characterful eco-lodge and bask in the refreshing spray of the 65-metre-high La Fortuna Waterfall.
It’s a wildlife treasure-trove, combined with ivory beaches which reach across the Atlantic and Pacific coastlines, it’s obvious why travellers keep coming back.
Taking you there: Costa Rica trips
