Where Our Team Have Travelled This Year
What makes the Wildlife Worldwide team special and experts in our field is that we all have a passion for wildlife and nature, and often spend our free time - including holidays - wildlife watching. Here, we share exactly where our team have travelled to this year, including on work trips, to give you holiday inspiration and trust that you can talk to us about any of your wildlife travel questions, as we've been there and done it ourselves.
Emma Healey - Wildlife Sales Consultant & Photography Tour Leader
"My year of travel started in March in Botswana, on our Heart of the Delta Photo Safari. We had a phenomenal 24 hours with three leopards, a lion in a tree, and an active pride attempting a hunt. Leading two trips back-to-back, the second group enjoyed daily big cats, and the phrase of the trip was "oh - there's a leopard". Sightings included lions, leopards, African wild dogs, and loads more, including a terrapin to mix things up. I of course found time for insects and butterflies too. You can read the tour report from that trip to find out more about our daily sightings.
May is one of my favourite times of year as it's macro season! In Sheepleas, Surrey, we saw some of the usual suspects and enjoyed some amazing finds including horned treehopper, cockchafer and hazel leaf roller.
In June, I was in Bulgaria, leading our inaugural macro photography holiday. We had a brilliant few days filled with rare species: spoonwings, owlflies laying eggs, Balkan lizard orchids, Eastern green lizards, antlions, Eastern festoon butterflies, bronze glandular bush crickets and a kaleidoscope of other butterflies and damselflies. There were lots of fab opportunities to discover Europe’s hidden biodiversity.
Later that same month, I returned to Botswana, this time for our Photo Safari. We had an amazing time, with lion, leopard, cubs, and a memorable experience with an elephant and baby in the Chobe River. The African wild dog pups were arguably the stars of the show.”
Travel with Emma, and see all tours she leads.
Ben Sutcliffe - Wildlife Sales Consultant & Photography Tour Leader
"The first photography trip I led this year was to the Netherlands in April, for our inaugural Polecats, Martens, Badgers & Bird Photography holiday. We recorded all four mustelids – pine marten, beech marten, polecat, and badger – on the first evening, and again on the second! Read more about our encounters and see the photographs from the trip in the tour report.
In May I then travelled to Brazil with my colleague Ian Loyd. The Southern Pantanal is a hub of wildlife activity from the minute you set down in the state capital of Campo Grande to the first time you set foot on the plains of the Cerrado. Hyacinth macaws flew overhead voicing their arrival with their raucous calls and giant anteaters paraded the fields looking for ants and termites to prey on. It's a spectacular place.
In May and June, I led two trips to Skomer Island to photograph the Atlantic puffin colony. There are many places you can visit to see the characterful Atlantic puffin but none are quite as breathtaking as Skomer Island off the Pembrokeshire coast in Wales. Over 40,000 puffins reside here during the breeding season as well as many other seabirds including guillemots and razorbills, allowing for perhaps the most immersive wildlife experience you can have in the UK."
Travel with Ben, and see all tours he leads.
Dan Free - General Manager
"In August I headed out to Kruger National Park in South Africa, fulfilling a promise made to school friends over 30 years ago! Splitting our time between Imbali Safari Lodge in the central area and Jock Safari Lodge in the south, we enjoyed some outstanding sightings. Based on private concessions within the park, but with access to the public areas, we enjoyed the best of both worlds and were able to self-drive between lodge drives and on transfer days. It worked perfectly for us, and alongside the exceptional hospitality, we returned with some wonderful memories of leopard, lion, wild dogs and so much more."
Bret Charman - Product Executive & Photography Tour Leader
"At the start of the year I went straight to Japan for our Wildlife Photography Special. A perfect snowfall in Yamanouchi created magical scenes with snow monkeys. Guests photographed them in falling snow – one of those moments that justifies the long journey. Find out more about the daily sightings of the trip.
Another long journey, my next trip was our Australian Wildlife Photo Safari in February. Some of my group saw Tasmanian devil whilst others saw spotted-tail quoll. We had amazing echidna as well as platypus. We went to Cradle Mountain National Park, which has only ten cloud-free days a year, and we happened to visit on one of these ten! We had incredible luck with unforgettable scenery and snow on the peaks. Read the detailed trip report to find out more.
April saw me lead our Nagarhole Photo Safari. Six dhole in one sighting, a leopard in a tree, and two tiger encounters made this a memorable tour. Alongside Asian elephants, the birds were on top form, with changeable hawk eagles, crested serpent eagles, Eurasian spoonbill, grey-headed fish eagle, osprey and red-naped ibis. Patient guests were rewarded with a glimpse of a tigress and a chance encounter with a male tiger. To find out more about the day-to-day sightings read our tour report."
In May, our Isle of Mull Wildlife Photography tour enjoyed wall-to-wall sunshine and puffins galore on the Treshnish Isles! A corncrake calling among the bluebells, a super pod of dolphins off Mull, stunning landscapes and encounters with three minke whales made for a superb Scottish adventure.
Later that same month, the Svalbard Photo Expedition was an epic trip with unreal sightings. 13 polar bears quickly turned into 14 when one appeared in front of the boat just as I was updating the team! Then to top if off we had a pod of 30-40 beluga. You can find out more in the tour report.
June was spent in the Tropic of Capricorn and then the Arctic Circle for a complete contrast! In Zambia, Kafue presented lion, puku, and the elusive African finfoot, which was a 'lifer' (bucket-list bird) for me. Lower Zambezi National Park gave us seven leopard sightings in just four days, and was absolutely outstanding.
In Finland, my Boreal Predators Photography group and I were treated to quite a show as a family of bears, a mother and three of last year’s cubs partook in a game of chase with a lone wolf. Taking it in turns, the two species chased one another around, from side to side, before finally the mother bear had enough. Coming face-to-face with apex predators is always a thrill, but to see such incredible behaviour is quite remarkable. To top it all off the wolf decided to howl right in front of the hides. There’s something magical about sitting in the hides of Finland’s boreal forests, waiting to see what might appear."
Travel with Bret, and see all tours he leads.
Helen Bryon - Product Executive & Tour Leader
"In Baja in February, we approached Ensenada and were joined by a pod of long-beaked common dolphins. This was when I knew this was going to be a fantastic trip! We witnessed northern elephant seals mating off West San Benito, en route to San Ignacio Lagoon where we interacted with the undisputed stars of the trip, friendly grey whales. Further south, eight hours of humpback activity in one day was a thrill, and in the Sea of Cortez, blue whales stole the show. We spent five uninterrupted hours with them, alongside sightings of sperm whales, a Bryde’s whale, and a massive superpod of common dolphins, all moving in synchrony. Snorkelling with inquisitive Californian sea lions was simply the icing on the cake! The whole trip was ridiculously endorphin inducing, and you can read more in the tour report.
In March, the Kalahari was in green season, and my word, the bush was lush, beautiful and spectacular - a carpet of grass and devil’s thorn in bloom that stretched as far as the horizon. Migratory bird activity has picked up noticeably since my last visit in September and youngsters, particularly wildebeest, hartebeest and eland were out in force keeping predators well fed. We had numerous lion sightings, including two prides with cubs, plus wild dog and cheetah monitoring, which is always a pleasure on this wildlife conservation holiday. Sightings of both white and black rhinos with calves, and a brown hyena during sundowners one evening gave us plenty of opportunity to indulge in quiet observation. A real highlight was success with pangolin on three consecutive afternoons – incredibly lucky moments that I detail further in the trip report.
Our Galapagos Wildlife Cruise was back for a second time this April and we were treated to a parade of iconic species including waved albatross, red-footed, blue-footed and Nazca boobies, frigatebirds, glorious red-billed tropic birds, land and marine iguanas, giant tortoises, penguins, Sally lightfoots, and so much more. The myriad of life found here, reptilian and avian especially, is only enhanced by what lies beneath the waves. Discover a whole new world when snorkelling with sharks, marine iguanas, rays, tropical fish, penguins and Galapagos sea-lions. We even experienced a manta ray swimming directly beneath us that left Team Galapagos on a ridiculously massive marine high. Unrivalled biodiversity and stunning volcanic scenery made this trip truly magical, and unforgettable. It's a firm favourite! Read the tour report here.
In May, it was a short hop over to the Azores for our whale and dolphin watching holiday. Mornings are spent out on the water (where possible) with afternoons exploring the ‘Isla Verde’, pristine Sao Miguel, epitomised by its blue hydrangeas, day lilies, azaleas and thousands upon thousands of cows! Our first excursion provided 20 minutes of bottlenose dolphin magic as they ducked and dived right next to us. We also had a very shy juvenile sperm whale on the surface who was collected briefly by an adult before disappearing. Later in the week we were rewarded with multiple sperm whales, resting and fluking, making for a spectacular finish. Discover more in the tour report.
At the end of May it was back to Tswalu Private Game Reserve for our South Africa's Rare Mammals in Style tour. Aardvark, pangolin, porcupine, brown hyena and black rhino are all target species and I’m pleased to say we enjoyed success with all of them under vast African skies – all in my favourite place in the world! The action started shortly after departing the airstrip with snoozing lions, and continued along the way to the lodge with roan, klipspringer, mountain zebra, kudu, giraffe and more. Other wildlife highlights included oryx showdowns with hunting wild dogs (the former won!), meerkat families, cheetahs and black and white rhinos. The scenery is stupendous, the lodge is exclusively booked, complete with private vehicles, guides and trackers, so it's easy to understand why I return year after year … and love it!
June's Svalbard Wildlife Expedition proved to be an absolute cracker! In addition to epic scenery, a fabulous group and wonderful wildlife, there's so much to be said for privately chartering a small vessel sleeping just 12. During the course of our adventure, we viewed four polar bears (each encounter more memorable than the last), numerous walrus, Arctic fox, Svalbard reindeer, seals galore, distant beluga whales and brilliant birdlife (who can forget ‘that’ black-legged kittiwake?)! We explored the pack ice coming within a staggering nine degrees of the North Pole, some partook in the ‘Polar Plunge’, and the sea conditions were kind. With great weather too, this was truly a voyage to remember! Read the tour report.
Also in June, the Best of Brazil tour was everything we could have hoped for and more. We indulge in a lot of birding on this trip, but the mammal sightings were off the scale this year! We were delighted to experience four maned wolf sightings, all possible through masterful tracking and spotting by our guides. Later, we added giant anteater, hog-nosed skunk, six and seven-banded armadillo and black-tufted marmoset to our list before heading to the Amazon where the unreal sightings continued! Multiple tapir, white-nosed saki monkeys, scent-marking and mating neotropical otters, white-whiskered spider monkeys and capuchin monkeys all delivered. In the Pantanal, our last stop, we logged jaguars on multiple occasions, including mothers with cubs and the mammal diversity was exceptional – from jaguarundi to ocelot. In many respects, the highlight of the trip was another cat, a big one, but not one you’d typically expect to see here, a puma! We literally couldn’t get over our ridiculous luck and fortune with this once-in-a-lifetime sighting.
In August, our inaugural South Africa’s Wildlife of Land & Sea certainly proved to be a success. African penguins en route to Hermanus, cliff top whale watching, sightings of Cape mongoose, rock hyrax and birding was supplemented by three consecutive morning whale watches out in Walker Bay. In addition to one lone humpback whale and Cape fur seals, the Southern rights put on quite a show with lob-tailing, breaching and inquisitive babies checking us out under clear African skies. We were incredibly fortunate with the weather! Flying directly on to Hoedspruit, elephants accompanied us throughout our time in the Greater Kruger area at Klaserie, but it was through spotted hyenas that we witnessed some fantastic behaviour. Lion stand offs with them at a kill, an individual being mobbed by black-backed jackals and three being chased off by adult wild dogs as puppies played nonchalantly nearby. We spent over an hour with two male leopards, the older using his bulk to steal the kill of his younger rival, as well as witnessing mating lions and a very relaxed wild cat. All in all, we were spoilt, and we loved it!
September saw a return to South Africa, this time to a remote corner of North West Province, to South Africa’s largest private Big Five reserve for our ever-popular Kalahari Conservation Experience. Our focus is very much on predator monitoring, wild dogs in particular, and searching for them on a daily basis. Following them off-road through the bush as they hunt, uninterrupted for potentially hours at a time, is a truly phenomenal privilege. Lion, black and white rhino, and cheetah are also well represented here, with elephant and leopard to be considered bonus sightings should we come across them. Another special draw card for this trip, is pangolin. A dedicated release site for individuals rescued from poaching, a number are currently tagged and more are in the offing. Intensive tracking of them is required initially and both groups this September, were fortunate enough to walk with two of this most sought after of species. With brief glimpses of aardwolf and aardvark spotted this year for the first time in five years of visiting too, this wonderful holiday offers not only great wildlife viewing potential, but a behind the scenes look at wildlife management and conservation in action.
Even on annual leave, we’re indulging our passion for wildlife, and October was spent on a busman's holiday experiencing our Indonesia Wildlife Highlights on board Heritage Adventurer itinerary first hand. Lured in by the prospect of walking with Komodo dragons, snorkelling Wakatobi, spending days in stunning Raja Ampat, glimpsing several species of birds of paradise, swimming with whale sharks in West Papua and finally visiting the Sepik River in Papua New Guinea, the trip well and truly delivered.
Image not taken on my trip
In addition, unexpected highlights included ridiculously warm welcomes from remote island villagers, dedicated birding walks, and umpteen opportunities to immerse yourself in the underwater treasures of this rich and diverse marine hotspot. Would I like to go back? In a heartbeat.
Image not taken on my trip
It has truly been an extraordinary year, visiting extraordinary places, enjoying encounters with extraordinary wildlife. I count my blessings regularly doing what I do, savouring the chance to travel with like-minded, interesting clients, who wish to immerse themselves in the natural world as much as I do. With four new adventures to look forward to next year; Snorkelling with Humpbacks on Silver Bank, Antarctic Circle Penguin & Whale Safari, The Lure of Luangwa, and Swimming with Whales in Norway, in addition to many established firm favourites, I am very much looking forward to further updates in 2026!"
Travel with Helen, and see all tours she leads.
Jordan Fry - Product Manager
"In March I travelled to Botswana and South Africa. I had a great first couple of days in the Central Kalahari Game Reserve (CKGR), which was so pretty and teeming with life in the green season, butterflies were literally everywhere! On our first drive we found a host of white-backed vultures and tawny eagles close to the ground leading us to two male lions on a wildebeest kill. Then it started hammering it down with spectacular thunderstorms but we persevered and headed to the airstrip for sundowners where two really inquisitive young black-backed jackals came to check us out. On the first morning we had good sightings of plains game - oryx, red hartebeest, zebra, kudu, springbok. We had zebras come to drink at one of the hides and spent six hours on a game drive tracking white rhino, eventually finding a crash of seven individuals. In the afternoon we visited a sunken hide where four oryx came to drink and then visited a viewing tower for sunset. And on our final morning in the Kalahari, we found a female lion and three subadult cubs.
I toured some really nice camps camps in the CKGR and Okavango Delta with amazing staff and good guides. All the camps I saw had brand new six seater vehicles with three rows, charging points, storage boxes and a shelf in front of the seats for cameras etc, they all have adjustable padded armrests for photography as well. Okuti is currently the only camp in Moremi that can offer mokoro safaris. Guests can do a walking transfer between Shinde and Shinde Footsteps. In terms of wildlife, I had good sightings of general game at each camp in the Delta; leopard briefly in Moremi, amazing leopard sighting with a four month old cub at Shinde, we spent all morning with them and a male lion at night. I'm sure game viewing only intensifies once the floods come.
Next I went to Timbavati Private Game Reserve, part of the Greater Kruger National Park area, staying at Rockfig Safari Lodge, which delivered an exceptional personal service. We had sightings of many of Africa’s renowned classic species, zebra, giraffe, elephant, three lion sightings and to top it off, a pack of 20 plus African wild dogs hunting impala. Heading south within the Timbavati, we visited Shindzela Tented Camp and loved the rustic feel. Our guide was excellent and true to the reserve’s reputation we enjoyed another lion sighting, this time two females with two very playful cubs on a wildebeest kill before they headed to a puddle to drink.
Our next stop was Arathusa Safari Lodge in the Sabi Sands Game Reserve, famed for its leopards, this was another destination that lived up to expectations. In just two game drives we saw four of them: a mother with her cub hidden down by a small waterhole and a young male ambushed by an older individual in a territorial spat, not to mention another lion sighting amongst plentiful herbivore viewing. Back at the lodge, we watched hippos, terrapins and saddle-billed storks making use of property’s enormous waterhole from the privacy of our room’s verandah. As we departed for the Klaserie Private Nature Reserve, we were slowed by the presence of a fifth leopard who slowly meandered along the road in front of our vehicle. Perched atop a hill overlooking the Klaserie River, Klaserie Drift Misava Camp was a picture of serenity as a soft breeze drifted through camp we watched elephants in the riverbed below. White rhino were the stars of our stay here, with four individuals including a month old calf. Baobab Ridge was our final stop where we encountered more white rhinos, lions and one more leopard under spotlight.
Following my experience in the Greater Kruger National Park area and visiting several camps and lodges, I've written this article about how to choose your accommodation in the park, and we've also launched our Desert & Delta in Style safari to Botswana.
Ian Loyd - Product Manager & Tour Leader
"Earlier this year, I helped lead our inaugural Rare Mammals tour to Sri Lanka in March. It was a superb trip with a wide range of highlights, but stand out sightings included three different fishing cats, close views of both sloth bear and leopard, a rare breaching Indo-Pacific humpback dolphin, and being surrounded by a super pod of spinner dolphins. Read more about our encounters and see the photographs from the trip in the tour report.
In May, I visited the much less busy Southern Pantanal on a recce trip visiting several of its most intimate lodges for the first time. I was struck by the vastness of the landscapes and enjoyed the different range of habitats found here. In contrast to the Northern Pantanal, the greater extent of savannah here produced wonderful sightings of anteaters, armadillos, peccaries, tapirs, and sensational birding."
Travel with Ian, and see all tours he leads.
Lauren Boyd - Product Manager
"In April I was fortunate enough to join a repositioning trip on board Ocean Albatros in the British Isles. From red squirrels to red kites, we sailed from the Scilly Isles, exploring the beautiful Tresco Abbey Gardens, along the southern coast of England, stopping at Fowey and Portland. It was a gentle yet rich experience of spring in the UK, filled with glorious plants and chorus of bird song. Zodiac trips and wildlife encounters offered something different on every shore.
In June I travelled to Alaska. An absolutely stunning place, a wilderness like no other. Towering mountains, endless green forests, and a real sense of being somewhere remote, rugged, and wild. I encountered a wealth of wildlife, from bald eagles and giant jellyfish to sea otters, brown bears, and humpback and grey whales, along with fascinating intertidal life. The ship was a great size, comfortable, with excellent food and a lovely lounge to relax in. It wasn’t flashy, but it had everything we needed. I especially loved the EZ dock for kayaking and paddleboarding. It was a brilliant adventure—long, full days from early morning to late evening, taking advantage of the extended daylight and incredible scenery. This trip is ideal for explorers of any age—and with boots and binoculars provided, all you need to bring is your sense of adventure."
Marketing & Operation Teams
A special shout-out goes to our marketing and operation teams, who have also been travelling this year! Katie has been to Montenegro, visiting Lake Skadar and Durmitor National Park - both of which are visited on our Unknown Adriatic tour. Katie heard cuckoo calling, and also had encounters with Eurasian blackcap, black redstart, common chaffinch, crested tit, common chiffchaff, dunnock, black woodpecker, Eurasian penduline tit, squacco heron and great white pelicans.
Em had a superb day out in Northumberland and the Farne Islands. One of the many highlights of her trip was a sunset cruise to the Farne Islands where she saw puffins, razorbills and guillemot chicks, locally known as ‘jumplings’. Accurately named, this young and mighty seabird takes a vast leap out of the nest and into the sea, just weeks after hatching!
Sue visited Tanzania earlier this year and witnessed the Great Migration moving through the Serengeti, enjoyed multiple elephant encounters in Manyara National Park and incredible big cat sightings in the eastern Serengeti.
Carolyn from our Operations team travelled on our Highlights of Northern Botswana trip in spring, and said: "The Okavango Delta – wow, what an incredible place! Considering we travelled during the Green Season, I was blown away by the amount of wildlife we saw. One morning we’d be watching a pack of 14 wild dogs resting in the shade, followed by some adorable lion cubs tumbling around together, and a mating pair of leopards sauntering down from a tree in the late afternoon."
All images in this blog were taken by the relevant team member unless stated.
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We post regular updates on Instagram called 'News from the Field', showcasing our team's experience and wildlife encounters live from the field. It's the perfect way to get a flavour of our trips and what to expect. Follow us on Instagram to keep up-to-date, or browse our tour report library for further inspiration.
