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The Best Places to View Wildlife
Yesterday we posted an article with the top places to view penguins in the world. Here are five more amazing places to view wildlife from around the globe.Serengeti National Park, Tanzania
The wide open grasslands of the Serengeti National Park in Tanzania have one of the most impressive displays of wildlife that you could ever hope to see. Each year, one of the greatest natural spectacles on the planet takes place when literally hundreds of thousands of zebra and gazelle, along with over a million wildebeest make the Great Migration across the great savannah in search of grasslands to graze upon. Following in their wake are lions, leopards, elephants, buffalo, and dozens of other species. The migration is unmatched for the size and scope of wildlife, and is awe inspiring to see.
The Amazon Rainforest, South America
The Amazon Jungle in South Africa is so vast that it it covers parts of eight countries. It is also the home to the highest concentration of birds and freshwater fish on the planet, and more than one third of the world's animal species call the Amazon home. Highlights of these species include jaguars, anacondas, giant anteaters and a variety of monkeys. The Amazon River contains plenty of interesting creatures as well, such as electric eels, freshwater dolphins, pirarucu, which grow to more than 2 meters in length, and of course the piranha.
Alaska, USA
America's 50th, and largest state, is home to a wide variety of wildlife as well. The remote backcountry is a perfect habitat for migrating herds of caribou, moose, elk, and reindeer. Alaska also boasts polar, kodiak and black bear, large populations of bald eagles, and packs of wolves. Head out to the coastal regions, and you'll find seals, sea lions, and walrus. But best of all, the waters that surround Alaksa offer some of the best opportunities for spotting whales that you'll find anywhere anywhere on Earth, with beluga, blue, humpback, and even killer whales on display.
The Galapagos islands, Ecuador
The Galapagos Islands may have made yesterday's list for great places to view penguins too, but they have plenty more to offer as well. Located 600 miles off the coast of Ecuador, the small volcanic archipelago is home to a host of animals that are found no where else on Earth, such as marine iguanas the only lizard in the world that lives in the ocean. There are plenty of lizards that live on land as well, along with several breeds of turtles and sea tortoises, an array of distinct birds, and a large colony of sea lions and fur seals.
Kruger National Park, South Africa
When it comes to spotting wildlife in its natural habitat, few places on Earth can compare to Kruger National Park in South Africa. Kruger is the home to hundreds of species of animals, including more than 500 species of birds alone. But visitors to this park, the largest in South Africa, don't really come for the birds. Instead, they come to see the hippos, zebras, giraffes and other exotic beasts. Kruger has a reputation, and deservedly so, for being the best place on the planet to spot the "Big Five", which include lions, elephants, leopards, cape buffalo, and rhinos.
Any one of these places will give you the opportunity to see ome of the most impressive and amazing animals on the planet, and fortunately they are all accessable to travelers, offering unique and wondrous experiences.
America's 50th, and largest state, is home to a wide variety of wildlife as well. The remote backcountry is a perfect habitat for migrating herds of caribou, moose, elk, and reindeer. Alaska also boasts polar, kodiak and black bear, large populations of bald eagles, and packs of wolves. Head out to the coastal regions, and you'll find seals, sea lions, and walrus. But best of all, the waters that surround Alaksa offer some of the best opportunities for spotting whales that you'll find anywhere anywhere on Earth, with beluga, blue, humpback, and even killer whales on display.
The Galapagos islands, Ecuador
The Galapagos Islands may have made yesterday's list for great places to view penguins too, but they have plenty more to offer as well. Located 600 miles off the coast of Ecuador, the small volcanic archipelago is home to a host of animals that are found no where else on Earth, such as marine iguanas the only lizard in the world that lives in the ocean. There are plenty of lizards that live on land as well, along with several breeds of turtles and sea tortoises, an array of distinct birds, and a large colony of sea lions and fur seals.
Kruger National Park, South Africa
When it comes to spotting wildlife in its natural habitat, few places on Earth can compare to Kruger National Park in South Africa. Kruger is the home to hundreds of species of animals, including more than 500 species of birds alone. But visitors to this park, the largest in South Africa, don't really come for the birds. Instead, they come to see the hippos, zebras, giraffes and other exotic beasts. Kruger has a reputation, and deservedly so, for being the best place on the planet to spot the "Big Five", which include lions, elephants, leopards, cape buffalo, and rhinos.
Any one of these places will give you the opportunity to see ome of the most impressive and amazing animals on the planet, and fortunately they are all accessable to travelers, offering unique and wondrous experiences.
Filed under: Africa, North America, South America, South Africa, Tanzania, United States, Ecuador, Ecotourism
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Bill Mar 12th 2009 8:29AM
Great post -- add to the list a visit to Mfuwe Lodge, in Zambia, for intense, closeup critter interaction.
http://www.mfuwelodge.com/
Kraig Mar 12th 2009 8:31AM
Believe me, it was hard to narrow it down to just five, and I can think of several others just in Africa alone, such as the Congo or watching the gorillas in Uganda, but all in all, you can't go wrong with any of these I think. :)
Fiznatty Mar 12th 2009 11:17AM
Based on my travels as a wildlife photographer, I can certainly endorse your recommendations of the Serengeti and the Galapagos. The Galapagos are one of the most memorable wildlife spots for me, mainly because the animal encounters reliably match and exceed what you see on TV. Add to the fact that you can have great encounters on land and under water, as well as the absence of needing to slog through muddy rain forest or endure hot, dusty savanna, and you have one of the most laid back yet exciting wildlife adventures on earth.
As for additions to the list, Yellowstone is still my top spot for wildlife. I think the park gets a little backlash due to all the discussions about big summer crowds, but it's still the best place in North America to find an abundance of large and medium-sized wildlife in such a small space (relatively speaking, compared to the sprawl of Alaska).
Also, Costa Rica is near the top of my list. Wildlife encounters there have been much more numerous and intimate on my trips compared to what I experienced in the Amazon, so it remains my top destination (particularly Corcovado National Park).
Max
nismo334 Mar 12th 2009 1:25PM
You said elephants twice. Perhaps you kent gireaffes (on phone don't think I spelled that right).
Kraig Mar 12th 2009 1:52PM
Good catch! I meant cape buffalo. They're the other member of the "Big Five".
Zuri Mar 13th 2009 8:16AM
The Galapagos Islands are the most incredible living museum of evolutionary changes, with a huge variety of exotic species (birds, land animals, plants) and landscapes not seen anywhere else.
http://www.galapagos-islands-tourguide.com
Zach Mar 13th 2009 11:36AM
What, no mention of Virginia Safari Park?
http://www.virginiasafaripark.com/
Sandy Salle Apr 20th 2009 11:19AM
Love this blog post, thank you! One of my favorite places for viewing a variety of wildlife is the Okavango Delta. Duba Plains is very special because of the lion/buffalo interaction. Also Savuti in the Linyanti Reserve is another favorite due to the large numbers of elephant that come to camp in the dry season, particularly September/October. Some days you can see 1000 elephant at the waterhole. Oh there are so many, thank you so much for this wonderful post. Sandy