Top 10 Wildlife Viewing Destinations

This week, I have decided to tackle as my latest assignment, the question “What are the best places in the World to visit wildlife?” I wanted to know, of all the experiences available in the world, what are the Top 10 different places that I could to travel to. Of course, right off the bat, i had to discredit the Zoo’s of the world, because that just gives an unfair advantage, so this list focuses entirely on viewing in the wild. What comes to mind when first thinking of wildlife excursions, is of course one of the Big Five Safari’s in Africa, or penguins wandering around the Antarctic Island. Some might dream of exotic species wandering around the Galapagos Islands or the teeming sea life in the shallow waters of the world’s oceans. Regardless, the word “Safari” conjures up images of the Lions and Leopards on the Africa Savannah, and that is really just the beginning of wildlife viewing in the world. There are so many more.

The world is full of amazing wildlife viewing experiences. The task is deciding which ones are the most unique and deserve a little more attention than the others. It’s hard to compare experience’s that are each so different from each other, and give them a ranking, but I decided to give it a try. I scoured the internet for a few hours, and unable to find a list that I found acceptable, I decided to compile my own. I can’t speak entirely from experience, being i have only been to three of my own list (Tigers in India and Whales and Grizzlies in British Columbia and a trip along the Amazon by riverboat, but no individual park experiences), but I like to think i have a pretty good grasp on the subject. Everyone’s lists come down to their own opinions, this one simply covers mine.

So without further delay, here is the ContinentalDrifters.ca Top 10 Wildlife Viewing Destinations:

Top 10 Wildlife Viewing Destinations:

1. Big Five Safari in Sub-Saharan Africa.

This is of course the cream of the crop, but that’s also because i’ve grouped together some of the best individual viewing locations into one super category. This list includes many of the biggest and most well known parks in the world including The Serengetti National Park and Nogorono Crater in Tanzania, the Masai Mara National Park in Kenya, Kruger National Park in South Africa and Chobe National Park in Botswana’s Okavango Delta. The anual Wildebeast Migrations in East Africa and the flooding of the Okavango Delta draw out wildlife, making these some of the easiest places in the world to view wildlife.

2. Orangutans in Maritime South East Asia.

These trips allow for up close viewing of one of the great apes, known for their intelligence. Borneo’s Tanjung Puting National Park and Indonesia’s Gunung Leuser National Park, are the most renowned for Orangutan viewing. Gunung Leuser NP is also the only place in the world where you can visit four of the most impressive wild animals in the same park: Orangatun, rhinoceros, elephants and tigers.

3. Mountain Gorillas Central Africa (Uganda and Rwanda).

I think the most impressive part about these excursions is how close you can actually get to the animals without disturbing them, on small treks that have waiting lists to get on to in order to visit. There are a few places where it is possible to visit, with the most famous place being the Bwinidi National Park in the Impenatrable forest in Uganda.

4. Tiger tracking in Central Asia. (India and SE Asia)

There are several parks in which the Tiger habitats have been re-established, with the Corbett National Park and Khana National Park’s in India being two of the most famous. You are able to ride on top of elephant as you move in for a closer look, while the Tiger chew’s on their prey, which is a truely unforgettable experience.

5. Watch evolution on the Galapagos Island (Ecuador).

The place which inspired Darwin’s observations on Evolution, the island itself is declared a UNESCO World Heritige Site, and is home to some of the most bizarre species of all time. The island is home to animals such as the Giant Tortoise, the Marine Iguana, Waved Albatross and the Galapagos Penguin, many of the native species the only of its type which survived in a tropical climate.

6. Orca Watching in the coastal Pacific Waters (Washington, Alaska, British Columbia, US/Canada)

The Killer Whale or Orca as its known, is not actually a whale at all, but instead the largest species in the dolphin family. Coming to the coastal waters during the yearly salmon run, these mammals can be seen by boat, by shore if your lucky as well as through kayaking trips, which is the closest and most intimate experience. It’s also possible to see different types of porpoise and humpback whales in the same waters.

7. Great Barrier Reef (Australia).

Off the coast of Queensland in North East Australia, the Great Barrier Reef is the largest Coral Reef in the world, and is visible from space. Great for scuba diving or snorkling, the reef is one of the most impressive sights in the world, with it’s own underwater eco-system. A total of 32 different whale, dolphin and porpoisus call this place home, and 6 species of sea turtle.

8. Grizzly Bears During the Salmon Run (Alaska/Canada).

The Great Bear Rainforest in South-Western British Columbia, Canada is a great place to get up close and personal with a Grizzly Bear, where viewing excursions can be arranged. But the entire coast is littered with bears, and there are other great places to visit with Grizzlies, primarily when they concentrate on the rivers during the Salmon Run. Other animals in these forests include wolves, black bears, otters and bald eagles, as well as close proximity to the whale watching mentioned above.

9. The Amazon Rain Forest (Brazil, Peru, Bolivia, Columbia).

Its amazing that this sits so far down on my list, but many of the other lists overlooks this very important location. Home to millions of creatures and critters, the Amazon is huge and has a very diverse eco-system. It’s possible to see Pink Dolphins, Black Caiman (related to Aligators) and Howler Monkeys. Some of the best individual parks for wildlife viewing are Madidi National Park in Bolivia, or the Manu National Park in Peru, are two of the best destinations. It’s possible to go on canoe trips up tributaries of the river for even more remote exploration.

10. The Poles: The Arctic Circle and Antarctic Wildlife.

Its hard not to be impressed by two of the most extreme places in the world, forgetting that some of the most impressive animals call this place home, such as the Polar Bear in the North and the ___ Penguins of the South. There are of course hundreds of other animals, mammals and birds that call these remote (to us) places home. With the threat of global warming ever increasing, these habitats are even more fragile than before, and deserve more attention than they are given.

Honorable mention also goes to the other ones, which appeared on many lists, but fell short on my own. Many of these are equally impressive as the ones mentioned above, but when it came down to it, there were some that just did not make the cut. These one’s still deserve a visit if your in the area.

Honorable mention for Top 10 wildlife viewing:

Other Whale Watching Trips. (Humpback whales in Hawaii, Sperm Whales in New Zealand or Right Whales in South Africa).
The Panatal in Southern Brazil.
Lemurs on Madagascar.
The Rain-Forest’s of Gabon.
The Great Pandas of China.
Great White Sharks in South Africa.
Swimming with Dolphins.
The last remaining Everglades on Earth. (Florida, USA)
West Africa Safaris (Mole National Park and in Ghana, Panjari NP in Benin, and many more)
Whale Sharks in Australia.
Senegal Bird Watching. (Djoudj Bird Sanctuary in Senegal.).