The African bush has long been a big draw for wildlife lovers. And in a world emerging from the pandemic, it seems we are reaching out in even greater numbers for the ultimate healing experience. Africa bookings have increased by 43 per cent since January 2020, according to Simon Lynch of travel operator Scott Dunn, underlining the strong desire to reconnect with nature.

Nonetheless, the way we interact with the bush is changing. “Seeing the Big Five is no longer enough,” says Lindy Rousseau, chief strategist for Singita, the African luxury lodge operator noted for its sustainability and conservation practices. “Modern travellers value a safari destination which supports the long-term protection of pristine ecosystems, and safari operators whose work benefits local communities in terms of job opportunities, health and education. Sustainability and regenerative travel are an absolute must.”

Philippa Henley, senior Africa specialist at Audley Travel, has also noted this trend. “We are seeing increasing numbers of visitors getting involved in the day-to-day management activities of conservation areas, from meeting and training with anti-poaching dog units in Kenya, to participating in big game counts, looking for snare traps in South Africa and helping to rehabituate chimps in Tanzania.”

Get back in the swing of things: help rehabituate chimpanzees in Tanzania Credit: Getty

On the flip side of the coin, the desire for stress-free travel in recent times – avoiding all the form-filling and Covid-testing required – has led to a boom in wildlife holidays on home shores. Dan Free of the Travelling Naturalist says the company has added more than 50 trips to its UK portfolio to meet demand, and notes that clients are also looking for a more relaxed experience: “People don’t want to spend a weekend running around frantically ticking things off. They want it to be restorative as well, with a nice place to stay and good food.

“People are also looking for destinations where they have a higher chance of seeing specific iconic species such as eagles, meerkats or pangolins.”

Andy Tucker of Naturetrek has also noted the demand for stress-free local wildlife experiences – but the company is also responding to two years of pent-up demand from those who have had to postpone once-in-a-lifetime trips celebrating significant birthdays or recent retirement. “People are now fulfilling dreams they put on the back-burner. Finally, our clients can go on that whale-watching cruise to Baja California, a birding tour to Indonesia or a polar adventure to the Arctic or Antarctica.”

“Much of Latin America has been closed for two years,” Tucker continues, “so we are experiencing a big rebound of traffic to Peru, Colombia and Ecuador. Other popular options are seeing the jaguars of Brazil’s Pantanal wetland, or bird-watching in the Andes. Clients want to spend as much time overseas as possible, to make the most of their flight and its carbon footprint – so they are often extending their holiday by combining a city break with a wildlife trip.”

Head in the clouds: explore the forest canopy by gondola in Ecuador’s Mashpi Reserve Credit: James Lowen

Another growing trend is in photography and video tours led by well-known snappers and videographers. With such charismatic subjects in stunning locations, even those with little experience can quickly improve their skills and pick up the tricks of the trade both from the tour leader and fellow enthusiasts. Fieldwork during the day is usually followed by debriefs reviewing the day’s work and tutorials covering everything from the basics of lens choice to creative use of ambient lighting and digital editing.

With these trends and the new consciousness in mind, here are 20 wildlife trips that will really make a difference.

People power in Africa

Walk in the wilderness, Zambia

On this safari you will stay at three camps in Zambia’s South Luangwa National Park centred around Tafika Camp run by on-site owners who have spent their lives in the bush. Activities focus on walking safaris in areas devoid of roads as well as game drives, mountain biking and community visits. In the company of an expert guide, you may find yourself sidling past a sleeping elephant, waiting by a hyena den, circumnavigating a vast buffalo herd, or surprising a leopard on its kill.

Expert Africa (020 3405 6666; expertafrica.com) offers seven-night stays from £4,200, including full-board accommodation and all activities but not flights. Safaris are available from May to October during Zambia’s dry season

Meet the anti-poaching dogs, Kenya

Ol Pejeta’s canine unit was one of the first private anti-poaching dog units in Kenya. Clients learn about the work of the unit and everything it takes to look after the specially-trained canine team. As well as a tour of the kennels, visitors have the opportunity to test the animals’ skills by trying to evade the sniffer dogs. As well as being fun for guests, the exercise is a genuine training opportunity for the dogs as they practise tracking a new scent. The experience is part of an itinerary that includes stays at the Ol Pejeta Conservancy, the Masai Mara and the island of Zanzibar.

Audley Travel (01993 460591; audleytravel.com) offers a 15-day itinerary from £5,960, including accommodation, most meals and flights

Stay at Ol Pejeta bush camp to learn about Kenya’s first anti-poaching dog unit Credit: Audley Travel

Become ‘bush buddies’, Africa

Wilderness Safaris’ bush buddies service is now available at its family-friendly camps in Botswana, Zambia and Zimbabwe. This complimentary service pairs children with a highly-trained mentor by tailoring each experience to suit the children’s ages and individual interests. Daytime activities include nature walks, tracking lessons, and bird and animal-call identification while coming close to wildlife wandering near the camp. The bush buddies programme is designed for children aged 6-12.

Wilderness Safaris (enquiry@wilderness.co.za; wilderness-safaris.com) can tailor-make a seven-night family safari – staying at two camps in Zimbabwe – from £4,650, including full-board accommodation but not flights

Conservation and citizen science

Save leatherback turtles, Costa Rica

Scientists studying the leatherback sea turtles on the Pacific coast of Costa Rica are dedicated to saving a species whose numbers have dropped by more than 90 per cent since 1980. Leatherbacks are threatened by climate change, boat traffic, fishing gear and humans harvesting their eggs. You’ll walk the beach at night when turtles are active, attaching transmitters to track their movements. Female leatherbacks dig holes with their flippers and lay about 80 eggs that you will relocate from dangerous spots.

Earthwatch (01865 318838; earthwatch.org.uk) offers a nine-day trip from £1,850, including accommodation in a local field station and most meals but not flightsA tiny leatherback turtle enters the ocean at Playa Ventanas Credit: National Geographic Image Collection

Make friends with chimps, Tanzania

Help researchers habituate chimpanzees to the presence of humans on Rubondo Island Camp in the north of Lake Victoria. Guests head out on foot with local rangers and guides through the dense rainforest listening out for the chimpanzees’ calls. You will also join game drives and boat trips with birdwatching opportunities of more than 300 species, including the densest population of sea eagles in Africa.

Audley Travel (01993 683827; audleytravel.com) offers a nine-night Tanzania itinerary taking in Rubondo Island from £6,250, including accommodation and most meals, international flights and transfers

Never forget an elephant, Thailand

This Asian elephant conservation volunteer expedition to northern Thailand takes place in the tropical highlands and Himalayan foothills in the shadow of Doi Inthanon, Thailand’s tallest peak. There you will conduct close-encounter behavioural and other studies on Asian elephants and make an important contribution to elephant conservation in Thailand. The elephant herd studied lives in the forested area surrounding a remote hill tribe village where the expedition will be based.

Biosphere Expeditions (01603 251760; biosphere-expeditions.org) offers a nine-day trip for £1,572, including full-board accommodation in the local village but not travelHelp the elephant conservation effort in northern Thailand Credit: LILLIAN SUWANRUMPHA/Getty

Help protect iconic species

Get in step with Bengal tigers, India

Give yourself the best possible chance of seeing the critically endangered Royal Bengal tiger in Ranthambore, Rajasthan – the best place in the world to observe tigers in the wild. Your guide will be Jaisal Singh, one of India’s top conservationists, who has a family connection to Ranthambore spanning three generations and has dedicated his life to protecting these majestic big cats. His knowledge of the region, along with his team of expert drivers and trackers, make this a unique conservation safari.

Book through the Sujan Life (01295 758150; thesujanlife.com). Full-board prices at Sujan Sher Bagh start at £685 per night, based on two people sharing; rates for Jaisal as a private guide are available on request Burning bright: track Royal Bengal tigers in Rajasthan Credit: Getty

Track brown bears, Finland

Step into the world of a nature documentary while tracking and spotting brown bears on a trip to Kuhmo in Finland’s remote eastern wilderness. There is no better place to seek out these charismatic animals than in their natural habitat of the ancient taiga forests. You will be staying at the timber-built Hotel Kalevala on the shores of Lake Lammasjarvi with one overnight in a bear hide on the edge of the lake and a visit to the Petola Nature Centre.

Discover the World (01737 214250; discover-the-world.com) offers a four-night stay from £840 including most meals but excluding flights. Departs May-SeptemberIf you go down to the woods today…you might spot brown bears in the forest around Kuikka Lake Credit: Getty

Feel the lynx effect, Spain

This in-depth itinerary goes in search of the Iberian lynx of the Sierra Morena mountains of southern Spain. Although numbers are now on the rise with a population of around 500, at the turn of the millennium it was estimated there were only 100 left. With birds, otters, bison, wild boar and red deer also to be seen, the itinerary has been created in conjunction with wildlife and conservation experts at the European Nature Trust. You will meet with local researchers working to protect the lynx.

Steppes Travel (01285 880980; steppestravel.com) offers a six-day guided trip from £2,995, including accommodation and most meals, flights and a donation to lynx conservation

Focus on fabulous birds, Worldwide

Swarovski Optik and &Beyond have developed a portfolio of five itineraries to key birding hotspots around the world including Bhutan, Sri Lanka, Ecuador, South Africa and Botswana. While many itineraries focus on specific species rather than on luxury accommodation, these do both – so birders and non-birders alike will enjoy the experience. Avid birders will be given time alongside fellow twitchers, while non-birders can immerse themselves in the culture and wildlife.

&Beyond (0152 796 2339; andbeyond.com) offers eight- and 10-day itineraries from £4,900, including half-board accommodation and guides but not flights. Departures from November 2022 to May 2023Bhutan Ducks flying past a monastery Credit: Getty

Go longer and further

Explore by air, land and sea, Ecuador

Beginning in Ecuador’s Mashpi Reserve, you will explore the forest canopy in the adjoining 2,500 hectares of cloud forest from a sky bike and canopy gondola. Led by expert guides, you will also explore the forest on foot and observe expert naturalists at work. On the Galápagos Islands, their exotic wildlife can be observed up-close on an island-hopping safari staying on both Isabela and Santa Cruz Islands. Experiences include day trips on the Sea Lion yacht, a visit to see the famous giant tortoises of El Manzanillo and a visit to the Charles Darwin research station.

Scott Dunn (020 3553 1706; scottdunn.com) offers a 12-night itinerary from £9,800 full-board, including transfers and return flights from London

Cruise the White Continent, Antarctica

On this polar adventure aboard the expedition cruise ship Ocean Endeavour, you will see large colonies of many of Antarctica’s eight species of penguin, including orange-breasted emperor and king penguins. You will also see many of the region’s six species of seal, including weddell and leopard seals, as well as whales in deeper water. After cruising down the Beagle Channel and crossing the Drake Passage, you will explore the Antarctic Peninsula, making landings from Zodiac inflatables before returning via the South Shetland Isles.

Intrepid (0808 274 5111; intrepidtravel.com) offers a 14-day trip from £9,210, including full-board accommodation on the ship but not flightsA Leopard Seal hauled out on an iceberg in the Drygalski Fjord, Antarctic Peninsular, with a Zodiak full of tourists on an expedition cruise Credit: Getty

Return to Latin America

Have a whale of a time, Mexico

After two years, Latin America’s wildlife could do with some help – and  demand for holidays there is now strong. On Mexico’s Baja California peninsula, take in the whale-watching areas of Loreto, Magdalena Bay and Los Cabos. In the Sea of Cortés, dubbed “the aquarium of the world” by Jacques Cousteau, snorkel with sea lions and search for blue whales. At Magdalena Bay, spot grey whales and their calves before finishing at Los Cabos with its humpback whales.

Last Frontiers (01296 653000; lastfrontiers.com) offers a 15-day trip from £4,020, including half-board accommodation in boutique hotels, car hire and local flights from Mexico CitySpotted: the tail of a humpback whale in Mexico Credit: Getty

Jaunts with jaguars, Brazil

Brazil is a wildlife hotspot and two of its most wildlife-rich destinations, the Pantanal and Iguazú Falls, offer the very real possibility of spotting a jaguar in the wild. The Pantanal, the largest freshwater wetland in the world, is renowned for its birds, butterflies, mammals and reptiles including caimans, armadillos, anteaters and howler monkeys. Iguazu, the largest waterfall system in the world, is also home to a huge variety of tropical birdlife in the surrounding rainforest. The dry season (May to October) is best for jaguar sightings.

Journey Latin America (020 3553 3313; journeylatinamerica.co.uk) offers this 11-day trip from £4,930, including accommodation, local flights and excursions but not international flights

Go local

Meet mesmerising mammals, Scottish Highlands

Based on the south coast of the Ardnamurchan peninsula, the westernmost area of the British mainland, you will make guided day- and night-time excursions to look for the region’s special mammals, including the elusive wildcat. The nearby woodlands contain a high density of pine marten, as well as badger, fox, and several deer species. The sheltered bays are also home to otters, seals and seabirds while on boat trips to nearby islands, you will search for dolphins, minke whales and other cetaceans.

Naturetrek (01962 733051; naturetrek.co.uk) offers an eight-day tour from £1,395, including full-board accommodation in a comfortable guest house

Island hop to the animals, Pembrokeshire

Atlantic grey seal, dolphin, porpoise, puffin, Manx shearwater and colonies of northern gannet are all likely to be encountered on this wildlife tour of Pembrokeshire and its offshore islands including Skomer, Grassholm and Ramsey. The former is home to the largest colony of Atlantic puffins in the south of Britain as well as little and short-eared owls, fulmar, guillemot, razorbill, shag and oystercatcher. Time and weather permitting, you will also visit Stackpole and Bosherston Lakes renowned for their otters.

Travelling Naturalist (01305 267994; naturalist.co.uk) offers this five-day tour from £1,295, including hotel accommodation, most meals, guides and boat tripsA Pembrokeshire puffin. Credit: Getty

Learn from an expert, Somerset

Explore the Somerset Levels, an internationally-important wetland adjacent to Glastonbury Tor, with TV naturalist, Mike Dilger. This network of reserves is home to bearded tit, Cetti’s warbler and several species of rare orchids. It is also the best place in the UK for seeing herons, while common cranes have been successfully re-introduced. The ancient wet grasslands are also home to newts, reptiles and dragonflies, which in spring provide prey for migrating hobbies. You will also visit a heronry and listen for booming bitterns in the reedbeds.

Wildlife Worldwide (01962 302086; wildlifeworldwide.com) offers four days from £795 including half-board accommodation

Care and share

Frame bears, wolves and wolverines, Finland

The forest along the Finnish-Russian border around Kuikka Lake is a stronghold of the brown bear along with Europe’s other large predators, wolverines and wolves. Based in a nearby lodge, guests will join workshops covering a range of video techniques, including macro, time-lapse and long lens filming. There will also be the chance to see how camera traps can be used to capture hidden and intimate moments. With more than 20 hours of daylight in midsummer, the evening sessions in the hides are usually extremely productive.

Wildlife Worldwide (01962 302086; wildlifeworldwide.com) offers a seven-day trip from £2,995, including accommodation, most meals and return flights

Get snappy with orangutans, Borneo

Photograph wildlife in the Tanjung Puting National Park, Borneo, with the Orangutan Foundation. As well as more than 4,000 orangutans, this bio-diversity hotspot is home to 30 other mammal species, 260 types of birds and 17 different reptiles. The park has no roads so you will explore by boat and on foot, visiting feeding stations for released orangutans and the famous Camp Leakey research centre. Staying at an eco-friendly rainforest lodge, you will be escorted by a local guide, photographer Ian Wood and Ashley Leiman OBE, director of the Orangutan Foundation. Group size is seven people.

Responsible Travel (01273 823700; responsibletravel.com) offers this 12-day trip from £2,375, including accommodation and most meals but not flightsThe Tanjung Puting National Park is home to more than 4,000 orangutans Credit: Getty

See lemurs through a lens, Madagascar

Hone your photographic skills while visiting the Andasibe, Isalo and Ranomafana National Parks of southern Madagascar capturing their landscapes, culture and rare species with award-winning travel photographer, Matthew Williams-Ellis. You will encounter many of the country’s 12 lemur species, possibly including Madagascar’s largest lemur, the Indri. Along the way, you will learn, practise and experiment with new skills, while developing your own unique style.

Pioneer Expeditions (01202 798922; pioneerexpeditions.com) offers the 14-day trip for £3,950, including full-board accommodation, tuition, guides, park fees and internal flights but not international flights. Departs Oct 3 2022