This one’s for the animal lovers. Here’s a round-up of epic wildlife encounters you can feel good about.
Responsible animal encounters keep it kind and conscious. That means ditching the elephant rides and passing up on sketchy tiger selfies in favour of animal experiences that actually help – not harm – the animals you’re there to see.
Some Intrepid trips take you on a journey to spot wildlife (from a responsible distance) doing what they do best – living free in the wild. Others support animal welfare centres and Intrepid Foundation partners that give rescued wildlife a new lease on life. Either way, you can bet all animal encounters you have with Intrepid are carefully measured against a range of welfare standards to ensure the animals’ mental, physical and emotional wellbeing always come first.
Here are a few responsible animal encounters you can feel good about on your next adventure.
1. Walk side-by-side with rescued elephants in Laos
Wander through the jungles of Laos with rescued elephants leading the way on this Thailand & Laos Adventure. Connect with these gentle giants in the most natural way possible and find out how Intrepid Foundation partner MandaLao promotes ethical elephant care and creates community jobs. They turned the traditional approach to elephant tourism upside down by becoming the area’s first ethical non-riding elephant sanctuary.
2. Support a hospital for working animals in Upper Egypt
Take a break from exploring Egypt‘s ancient temples and tombs to meet some of Luxor’s hardest-working animals at Intrepid Foundation partner Animal Care in Egypt. This local NGO provides free veterinary care for wounded working animals in the region. Travellers on a selection of Intrepid trips, including Explore Egypt, get a tour of the veterinary centre and an introduction to the friendly horses, donkeys and other animals in recovery. You’ll get to know the animal’s stories and find out why they’re in care, how long they’ve been there and what’s next for their recovery.
3. Go on a gorilla trek through the Ugandan jungle
Pay a special visit to the veterinarians at the HQ of Intrepid Foundation partner Gorilla Doctors on Intrepid’s Gorillas & East Africa Safari and Remarkable Rwanda & Gorillas of Uganda trips.
Meet the guardians of East-Central Africa’s great apes and hear how this team of veterinarians monitor gorilla families and individually treat ill or injured animals with life-saving care. A few days later, team up with a local guide and trackers to climb through rugged terrain and see the elusive gorillas for yourself. Visits are strictly controlled to minimise disturbance to the animals but the mesmerising hour you get to watch as they eat, sleep, groom and play in their natural habitat will stick with you forever.
4. Spot zebras and rhinos on a Southern Africa safari
When it comes to animal encounters, it doesn’t get much better than a Southern Africa Safari. This nine-day trip hits all the right spots, taking you to Hwange National Park to check out its elephant population, Matobo National Park to track rhinos and Greater Kruger National Park in search of lions, leopards and more.
But before all the game drives, national park hopping and wildlife spotting, you’ll pay a special visit to Intrepid Foundation partner Victoria Falls Wildlife Trust. Here, you’ll learn how human-animal conflict plays out in the communities that border national parks and how the team rescues and rehabilitates wildlife caught too close to towns and local farms. You might even get a chance to see the rescued creatures currently in their care.
5. Get to know the gentle giants of the Galapagos
Intrepid’s Galapagos Family Holiday gives the whole gang a unique chance to experience the region’s rare and wonderful wildlife. Snorkel beside sea lions, spot blue-footed boobies and visit the Charles Darwin Research Station – a hub for conservation. Meet some of the giant tortoises and turtles that are at the research station as part of a breeding program. Then, head outdoors to watch giant tortoises roaming around in the wild.
6. Track wolves with a naturalist guide in Yellowstone National Park
Find more than hot springs and gurgling geysers on a trip to Yellowstone National Park with Intrepid. Most trips, including the Yellowstone and Grand Tetons Adventure, will team you up with an expert naturalist guide on a wolf-tracking expedition in the wee hours of the morning. Together, you’ll explore a lesser-known part of the park – an ideal place to look for wolves and plenty of other wildlife like bison, elk and bears.
7. Meet the wild residents of an animal rescue centre in Vietnam
Find yourself on Intrepid’s Classic Vietnam trip (a certified fan-favourite), and you’ll meet rare animals in a Cuc Phuong National Park rescue centre. Intrepid Foundation partner Save Vietnam’s Wildlife is taking a stand against the country’s rife wildlife trafficking industry by rescuing animals from captivity and releasing them back to the wild after proper rehabilitation and quarantine.
You’ll join a wildlife veterinarian for a tour of the centre, where you’ll meet long-term residents – including pangolins, otters and civets – hear their rescue stories and discover why these critters now call the sanctuary home full-time.
8. Get closer to an Aussie icon on this 18 to 35s adventure
Arguably one of the country’s cutest and fuzziest faces, Australia’s iconic koala is listed as endangered across many states. With populations in decline due to global warming and habitat loss, the Koala Conservation Hospital in Port Macquarie rescues injured koalas and rehabilitates them before releasing them back into the wild. On Intrepid’s Real Australia trip for 18 to 35s, you’ll visit the hospital and meet the animals in care.
9. Learn about endangered wildlife in Costa Rica with the kids
One of the most biodiverse places on the planet, Costa Rica seriously delivers when it comes to wildlife encounters. Hit the road on a two-week Best of Costa Rica Family Holiday that explores the wildest spots.
In Tortuguero National Park you’ll hear more about how the park, established in 1907, is now home to 13 of Costa Rica’s 16 endangered mammals and a nesting ground for green turtles. Later, head into the rainforest of Sarapiqui on an evening excursion to learn about the region’s nocturnal creatures – including sloths, howler monkeys, snakes and frogs. And that’s just the start of it!
Learn more about Intrepid’s stance on animal welfare and find the right wildlife trip for you.
