Famous Five - My Top Wildlife Locations

GUYANA

Guyana really is a destination like no other. Nothing quite prepares you for the untouched nature and sheer scale of its habitats. However, it’s the wildlife that really captures the imagination. Whether it’s marvelling at giant river otters by boat in the North Rupununi or spotting harpy eagles perching in the trees of Iwokrama Rainforest, Guyana’s wildlife is incredibly diverse  and, most importantly, rewarding. Picking out a specific moment from my trip is difficult, but seeing a weird and wonderful giant anteater just after dawn at Karanambu is hard to forget. And this is all without mentioning the spectacular Kaieteur Falls, the world’s largest single drop waterfall.

ALASKA

Alaska is the last great wilderness in North America. Everything - mountains, views and wildlife - is on a massive scale. From the caribou migration in the Arctic to the bald eagles in the forests around Haines, there is so much to see. However it’s the brown bears of Katmai National Park that captured my imagination and Hallo Bay, in particular, was a very special location. Access is by light aircraft, and the beach acts as the airstrip - the same beach where grizzlies can be seen digging for razor clams. All bear viewing is done on foot and one memorable afternoon we sat on log overlooking a river as bears attempted frantically to catch salmon. The climax was when a particularly inquisitive female walked past only a few metres away - an incredible experience! 

Masai Mara, KENYA

The Mara is one of those quintessential places that any wildlife enthusiast should visit at least once in their lifetime. I’m fortunate to have had that privilege, and it certainly lived up to its awesome reputation. It goes without saying that the wildlife was plentiful and varied, but the highlight that lives on in my memory was a morning spent watching a family of cheetahs. We spent almost two hours tracking them on the prowl across the savannah in search of prey. My safari ended with the iconic image of the three cheetahs sat around the termite mound – mother on top, with a cub on either side.

INDIA

It’s some years since I visited India, however it remains one of my favourite places. The country is renowned for its vibrant culture that enthrals the senses, but its wildlife is every bit as intriguing, and grey langurs, sambar, sloth bears and dholes are just a few of its fascinating animals. However, tigers are why most people go. I visited Bandhavgarh and Ranthambore, and saw tigers in both, but Ranthambore provided the best sighting. We were admiring the famous lake with the ruins of the Raj Bagh on its shore when a call came on the radio that a tiger had been spotted deep in the forest. We arrived to find not just a tiger, but a female with three small cubs taking shade under a banyan tree before they disappeared into the trees. 

Churchill, CANADA

It has to be said that Canada in the grip of winter isn’t everyone’s idea of a holiday. However in October and the first half of November the small town of Churchill in Manitoba is the place to see polar bears. Bears congregate along the shore of Hudson Bay waiting for sea ice to form so they can start hunting. We made daily sorties by tundra buggy out onto the bleak, snowy tundra to watch these extraordinary animals sparring, scavenging and wandering in every direction. All of our outings provided excellent sightings and multiple photo opportunities. In fact, some of the pictures that I took still take pride of place in my hallway to this day! 

Choose your next wildlife experience from over 350 locations, or speak to Wildlife Consultant Chris Smith for more inspiration!