An encounter with members of the animal kingdom can be a truly life changing experience, and with animal tourism becoming increasingly popular its important to make ethical choices when seeking such activities. These experiences are special, memorable and gentle towards our animal friends and their environments.
We promise we’re not telling you porkies – you really can swim with pigs in paradise! On an idyllic island called Big Major Cay in The Exumas, Bahamas, you’ll find Pig Beach, inhabited by none other than a group of about 20 friendly pigs and piglets happy to join visitors for a swim in the crystal clear blue waters. You can also encounter other animals such as iguanas, stingrays and a variety of colourful marine life.
Track Yellowstone National Park’s top predator, the grey wolf, on this adventurous and educational safari-style experience with Safari Yellowstone and learn about the unique natural ecosystem of the world’s first national park. Make your way through mountains, lakes, forests and ancient volcanic geysers while spotting a range of animals including elk, bison, deer, coyotes, bears, and many more in what is referred to as the Serengeti of North America.
Stay in style at the luxury boutique hotel Giraffe Manor, a historic 1930s manor set on five hectares of landscaped gardens within a native forest in Nairobi. The friendly herd of giraffes that reside here often visit the manor in the mornings, poking their long necks in through the windows in the hope of scoring a treat from a guest’s plate, making for quite a start to the morning.
Known as the happiest animal in the world, the friendly Quokka is an insanely cute wallaby-like marsupial native to Rottnest Island, a protected nature reserve just off the coast of Perth. There are around 10,000 to 12,000 quokkas living on the island and thanks to their cute appearance and friendly nature, are one of the main reasons visitors come here. Get your camera ready, be patient and soon enough, one of these curious creatures should approach you for a happy snap.
In the Malaysian Borneo region of Sarawak, you’ll find Semenggoh Wildlife Centre and Matang Wildlife Centre, whose dedicated team of experts and volunteers work around the clock to rescue and rehabilitate orangutans and other wildlife, including sun bears, civets and wild cats. The Heart2Heart with Orangutan program allows you to actively participate in rehabilitation efforts at both centres, including feeding the animals, cleaning their shelters, and helping create activities for them, all the while learning about the challenges that face their species.
Renowned one of the world’s leading destinations for wildlife viewing, the Galápagos Islands is home to an incredible diverse amount of plant and animal life, many of which are not found anywhere else on the planet. Charles Darwin’s visit in 1835 inspired his famous theory of evolution, and the richness of biodiversity found within this archipelago off the coast of Ecuador may just inspire you to think differently about our world too. Meet its famous and ancient giant tortoises, watch the charming display of courtship between blue-footed boobies, see iguanas sunbathe on the beach and swim and dive with all manner of sea creatures from seals to seahorses.
A trek through wild jungles in search of gorillas is an experience that is sure to stay with you forever. The Bwindi Forest National Park in southwest Uganda is home to many of the world’s remaining mountain gorillas, making it a popular destination for gorilla safaris, and while the early morning trek is no easy feat, the reward of witnessing a gorilla family in its natural environment is one hundred per cent worth it.
Stretching for 260 kilometres along the northwest region of Western Australia, the UNESCO World Heritage listed Ningaloo Reef is one of the longest fringing coral reefs in the world. Thanks to its proximity to shore, its also one of the most accessible, and within its crystal clear waters lies one of the most vibrant and biologically diverse marine wonderlands. Snorkel its coral gardens, teeming with brightly coloured fish, witness turtle nestings and hatchings, and swim with whales, dolphins, manta rays and the reef’s most famous resident, the majestic yet gentle whale shark.
Topping nearly every traveller and wildlife enthusiast’s bucket list, is the quintessential African safari experience, and there’s arguably no better place to do it than Botswana. With 30 per cent of its land protected, this land-locked country is home to the largest concentration of wildlife in Africa and boasts some of the best safari experiences in the world. Explore the arid Kalahari Desert, the wetlands of the Okavango Delta and the sprawling plains Chobe National Park, encountering elephants, lions, cheetahs, rhino, zebra and more.
Get up close and personal to elephants in a meaningful, gentle and ethical way at one of Thailand’s rescued elephant sanctuaries. At camps such as Golden Triangle Asian Elephant Foundation you can feed the elephants, bathe them in a river and walk beside them on a forest trek.
