This Is The Best Wildlife Destination For You, Based On Your Favorite Animal

By Libby Ryan   ‧   Updated   07/06/2018   ‧   Explore /
where to go to see your favorite animal

Unsplash/Cara Fuller

If you’re the kid who never grew out of the animal obsession stage (like us), a wildlife-themed vacation is probably calling your name. Here’s where you should go around the world, based on your favorite animal.

Horses — Chincoteague, Virginia, U.S.

This island off the coast of the Chesapeake Bay is one of the last places in the States where you can spot wild horses.

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Pigs — Exhumas, Bahamas

Everyone’s favorite island-dwelling bovines are waiting to meet you in the Bahamas, where you can feed, swim with and pet these famous pigs.

Elephants — Serengeti, Tanzania

You have access to elephant habitats not only in the Tanzanian Serengeti but also the Selous Game Reserve (one of the biggest in the world).

Penguins — Cape Town, South Africa

Yes, you could go to Antartica, but that’s hella expensive. Cape Town’s Boulder Beach is home to adorable rare penguins. Added bonus? No snow.

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Bears — Glacier National Park, Montana, U.S.

You’ll have a great chance of spotting grizzly bears (from a comfortably safe distance) in Montana, where the protected park makes a great home for the giant predators.

Dolphins — Azores, Portugal

We are hands-down against Sea World-style swimming with dolphin expeditions, but in the Azores, you could encounter them completely naturally.

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Lions — South Luangwa National Park, Zambia

There’s a place literally named “Lion Camp” in Zambia, so it’s the place to be for lion lovers. It’s glamping plus Simba sightings.

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Wolves — Southeast Alaska, U.S.

It’s really hard to see wolves in the wild (they don’t love people), but there are 10,000 wolves in Alaska. So the northern state is your best bet to spot a pack.

Whales — Baja California, Mexico

There are as many places to see whales as there are species of whale, but we like Baja for variety. You can spot blue, grey and humpback whales here.

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Monkeys — Manuel Antonio National Park, Costa Rica

You’ll probably see more monkeys than you bargained for here, with an added sloth for another tree-dwelling furry creature spotting.

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Sharks — Beqa Lagoon, Fiji

You don’t have to physically swim with sharks to enjoy their existence. But if you want to really go for it, Beqa Lagoon has some of the most sharks in the world.

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Zebras — Masai Mara, Kenya

Although plenty of zebras congregate in the Masai Mara, you can also count on giraffes, wildebeest and elephants.

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Pandas — Chengdu, China

Wolong Nature Reserve is home to the jolly black and white animals you watch on repeat on YouTube, and you can even volunteer to assist with the lovable creatures.

Tigers — Bandhavgarh National Park, India

A shy cat, there’s no guarantee of seeing a tiger. But this is where you’ll have the best odds, especially if you go between April and June.

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Otters — Monterey Bay, California, U.S.

Otters hang out all along the general Big Sur coast, so you can see the cute critters in Monterey, Carmel or further along the Cali ocean.

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