At Exodus, we’re passionate about travel and adventure and our wildlife holidays in Europe are designed to bring you closer to some of the world’s most awesome animals. Each of our itineraries is packed with unique experiences and our expert leaders have extensive knowledge about the places that you visit, the indigenous wildlife and the local history.
Our wildlife trips offer some of the most hair-raising adventures that take you deep into the heart of the natural habitats of species such as the brown bear, wild deer, wolves and golden eagles. The brown bear is one of the most revered creatures on earth and Europe is one of the best continents to see them roaming among the forests of Romania, Finland and Bulgaria. Trek to remote hides that are concealed in the heart of the bear’s territory and watch their fascinating behaviour in the wild. These mighty beasts are powerful yet graceful at the same time and it’s a privilege to adventure into their environment.
Paul Goldstein is an award-winning wildlife photographer and conservationist who leads several of our wildlife tours. During our Norfolk Photography trip you’ll discover the wild side of the county, exploring 500 acres of land which is home to a wealth of birdlife and other wildlife. Find the most advantageous spots to view the birds and hone your photography skills with tips from the expert.
Because our wildlife tours are guided by experts, you’ll enjoy unparalleled experiences in the midst of the most incredible animal kingdoms.
Central Apennines: Towering above the Italian landscape from the Tuscana border, the Central Apennines boast a rich ecosystem and diverse species of wildlife. The region comprises ancient beech forests, alpine grassland and hillsides where you’ll find the likes of wild boar, red and roe deer, and wolves. But more importantly, the mighty Marsican brown bear, an endemic subspecies, roams the mountain forests. A tour of the bear corridors is an eye-opening experience and it’s evident how hard the Bear Smart Communities work to repair and maintain these areas which are vital to the protection of the brown bears.
Carpathian Mountains: These wild and rugged mountains loom over Transylvania in central Romania. The history, geography and nature combine to make the Carpathian Mountains one of the most incredible regions for wildlife tours in Europe. Here you’ll find the highest concentration of lynx, bears and wolves recorded in Europe and a walking tour takes you through forests that are largely undiscovered to get up close to the wildlife. Witness beautiful meadows that open up along alpine trails and visit a mountain hide where you can sit and observe brown bears in their natural environment.
Oulanka National Park: Close to the Russian border, Oulanka National Park is one of Finland’s most magical natural treasures. The park is known for its steep gorges, rare species of plants, and rapids that are crossed by suspension bridges. Our guided wildlife tour of Oulanka teaches you basic wilderness skills and introduces you to some of the fabulous bird species such as white throated dippers and the white-tailed eagle. But the highlight of the trip is an evening trek to a bear hide where you’ll hunker down to spend several hours observing brown bears in the wild. In the summer months the bears are fed with carrion around the hide so there is usually a lot of activity, which you can watch through the large windows of the hide.
Rhodope Mountains: Spanning southern Bulgaria and northern Greece, this mountain massif is a hauntingly beautiful region with incredible biodiversity. Living among the peaks and cliffs is a plethora of flora and fauna, from various species of orchid and butterflies to the Balkan lynx and chamois. The birdlife here is prolific with the likes of peregrine falcons, golden eagles, woodpeckers and buzzards often being spotted in the area. Below the Rhodope Mountains lies the Buynovsko Gorge, which brown bears frequent at feeding time. Because the mountains are a significant breeding area for griffon vultures, it’s likely you’ll see these distinctive birds standing on the clifftops.
Riisitunturi National Park: In the winter months Riisitunturi National Park is drenched in snow and the trees transform into wonderful ice sculptures, but once the snow has thawed, the landscape comes alive with wildlife and brown bears awaken from their long sleep. Since the dawn of time the Sami people coexisted here with the animals, and they lived harmony among the ancient wilderness. The national park was created to protect both the wildlife and its heritage, and it now remains home to brown bears and lynxes and many other incredible creatures.
This is a great trip if you like your wildlife. Make sure you bring the best camera/lens that you have got as you can get some amazing photographs.
Having said that there are a few things that could be better:
– Tortuguero is famous for its turtles. We didn’t see any even though we went to the beach around dawn both mornings we were there. Subsequently we found out that you can go on a local guide tour overnight, they then liaise with other guides to share where the turtles are (it is a long beach) to give you the best chance of seeing them. You may have to ask about it at the Lodge about booking a guide
– Manuel Antonio. Likewise a local guide would help find more of the wildlife here, as they know the area & have the required spotting scopes
– Savegre. To see the Quetzal (which is the main reason for going there, & is spectacular) again, you need a local guide to take you to the right area. These can be booked via the hotel
Hopefully Exodus will include these local guides/trips going forward as I have shared this feedback with them.
We enjoyed the coffee/chocolate tour at La Fortuna, where you get to make your own chocolate (you need to add a lot of sugar otherwise it’s very bitter !)
We also did a night trip to see more frogs & other night animals while at Manuel Antonio which was good
This is a well planned and managed tour. We liked having the two days at the coast either side of the five days inland. Our tour guide Lucky was very good and it was very useful having Dineth, the naturalist, with us to help find and identify wildlife. The bus was very spacious and the hotels good. We didn’t see whales and leopards and, if that is a must for you, then this is not the right trip. However, if you enjoy wildlife generally then this is an excellent choice. The countryside is very beautiful and interesting, and the walks and game drives enjoyable. We saw lots of different birds and a good selection of mammals and reptiles.
