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Safari so good By RICHARD MADDEN THE WEEKEND AUSTRALIAN MAGAZINE 12:00AM JULY 16, 2022
Wildlife has long been a big draw for tourists. And as the world emerges from the pandemic, we’re reaching out in droves for the ultimate healing experience in nature: international tourist arrivals to Africa, for example, grew by 51 per cent in the 12 months to early 2022, according to the UN World Tourism Organisation. The way we interact with nature, however, is changing. “Seeing the Big Five [African megafauna] is no longer enough,” says Lindy Rousseau, chief strategist for Singita, an African luxury lodge operator known 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.” Another growing trend is in photography and video tours led by wellknown 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 from the tour leader and fellow enthusiasts. Fieldwork is usually followed by debriefs of the day’s work and tutorials covering everything from the basics of lens choice to creative use of ambient lighting and digital editing.
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Here are 15 wildlife trips that tick all the boxes for sustainability and authenticity. 1 Hang with orangutans Photograph wildlife on Borneo in the Tanjung Puting National Park, Kalimantan, with the Orangutan Foundation. As well as more than 4000 orangutans, this biodiversity 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 in a small group by a local guide, photographer Ian Wood and director of the Orangutan Foundation, Ashley Leiman. responsibletravel.com
A tiny leatherback turtle at Playa Ventanas, Costa Rica.
2 Help save the turtles Scientists studying the leatherback sea turtles on the Pacific coast of Costa Rica are dedicated to saving a species whose numbers have dropped by
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more than 90 per cent since 1980. Leatherbacks are threatened by climate change, boat traffic, fishing gear and humans harvesting their eggs. On an Earthwatch expedition 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.org.au/costa-rican-sea-turtles 3Get up close with chimps Track chimpanzees through pristine tropical forest at Rubondo Island Camp in Lake Victoria, Tanzania. 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 – there are more than 300 species of bird, including the densest population of sea eagles in Africa. The camp is operated by Asilia (meaning “authentic” in Swahili), a longstanding East African safari company lauded for its focus on community and conservation. asiliaafrica.com
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https://amp.theaustralian.com.au/weekend-australian-magazine/... Mahout playing with an elephant in Thailand.
4 Never forget an elephant 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 of 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 Biosphere expedition is based. biosphere-expeditions.org
Zebra in Zambia.
5 Be a bush buddy Wilderness Safaris’ bush buddies service is now available at its familyfriendly camps in Botswana, Zambia and Zimbabwe. This complimentary service pairs children with a highly trained mentor, tailoring each experience to suit the children’s ages and individual interests. Daytime activities include nature walks, tracking lessons and bird and animal-call
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identification while coming close to wildlife wandering near the camp. The bush buddies program is designed for children aged 6-12. wilderness-safaris.com 6 Go, go Galapagos Iguanas and tortoises, sea lions, blue-footed boobies and flamingos… just as a journey through the Galapagos Islands is a non-negotiable for nature lovers, sustainable eco-tourism is more important than ever for the local economy in this fragile ecosystem 965km off the coast of Ecuador. Local projects include a captive breeding program to prevent the extinction of the pink iguana and efforts to reintroduce 13 locally extinct species including the Floreana mockingbird, which was described by Charles Darwin. Abercrombie & Kent has a variety of itineraries by land or sea, including four nights aboard 48-guest island-hopping expedition vessel La Pinta, with certified naturalist guides onboard. abercrombiekent.com.au
Tiger in Ranthambhore National Park, India
7 Eye the Bengal tigers
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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. Stay at the Singh family’s luxury camp Sujan Sher Bagh, with 12 tented suites under a canopy of indigenous trees planted over the last three decades as part of a rewilding initiative. thesujanlife.com/sher-bagh 8 Feel the lynx effect 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 about 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 six-day guided expedition 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. steppestravel.com
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Humpback whale on the Mexican Pacific coast. Picture: Alfredo Martinez/Getty Images
9 Have a whale of a time Latin America’s wildlife could do with some help – and demand for holidays there is now strong. On Mexico’s Baja 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. Baja Expeditions’ eco-friendly sailing yacht El Mechudo puts guests in the thick of underwater action on expeditions that support local conservation and research programs. bajaex.com 10 Walk in the wilderness In Zambia’s South Luangwa National Park, Tafika Camp is 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,
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circumnavigating a vast buffalo herd, or surprising a leopard on its kill. Safaris are available from May to October during Zambia’s dry season. southluangwa.com 11 Track brown bears 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. Discover The World has fournight itineraries including accommodation at 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.com 12 … and big cats Two of Brazil’s 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 world’s largest waterfall system, is also home to a huge variety of tropical birdlife in the surrounding rainforest. Abercrombie & Kent has an 11-day Amazon, Pantanal & Iguazu Falls itinerary featuring a day and night tracking the elusive jaguar with Onçafari’s Jaguar Conservation Team; dry season (May to Oct) is best for sightings of the big cat. abercrombiekent.com.au
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Shore excursion in Antarctica. Picture: Wolfgang Kaehler/LightRocket via Getty Images
13 Go with the science Visit penguin rookeries, spot humpback and minke whales and look out for leopard seals, all while calving glaciers crack through the immense Antarctic silence… and as you head out on your guided Zodiac cruises and shore landings, the research team travelling with you on expedition cruise ship Ocean Endeavour will be conducting crucial research on the migration and feeding patterns of baleen whales. On Intrepid’s 11-day Giants of Antarctica itinerary, departing Argentina for the Antarctic Peninsula in March 2023, guests can unwind at night with onboard lectures and presentations by scientists from World Wildlife Fund Australia. Optional extras include kayaking and photography workshops. intrepidtravel.com/au 14 Focus on birds Swarovski Optik and &Beyond have developed a portfolio of five itineraries to key birding hot spots 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
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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. Departures from November 2022 to May 2023. andbeyond.com
Puffin off the coast of Wales, United Kingdom. Picture: Tim Graham/Getty Images
15 Island hop Atlantic grey seals, dolphins, porpoises, puffins, Manx shearwaters and colonies of northern gannet are all likely to be encountered on this fiveday Travelling Naturalist wildlife tour of Pembrokeshire, Wales 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, fulmars, guillemot, razorbills, shags and oystercatchers. Time and weather permitting, you will also visit Stackpole and Bosherston Lakes, renowned for their otters. naturalist.co.uk The Telegraph
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