Star wildlife destinations

Article by: David Lukas, March 2008

Monarchs in the Mexican highlands

If you want to commune with monarch butterflies you'll have to get yourself to the mountain forests in Mexico's central highlands. Here, from November to March, an estimated 250 million monarch butterflies spend the winter sleeping and lazily fluttering among the branches of fir trees. Visitors to the El Rosario Sanctuary and Sierra Chincua Reserve wander in a daze among trees utterly carpeted in brilliant orange butterflies - as many as 4 million butterflies per acre. And you can feel good about your presence, because these mountain forests are highly threatened by logging activities and your visit helps support a blossoming alternative economy for the local villagers who own and manage the butterfly preserves.

How to: A visit to the monarch preserves is an easy add-on from Mexico City, only four hours away by bus or car. Travel west from Mexico City on Highway 15 to Zitacuaro, turn north to the village of Angangueo, then rent a horse or walk for the final short leg of your journey.

Salt-licking macaws in Peru

It's sunrise and in the first morning light is a sight you'll never forget - more than a thousand macaws squabbling in a blizzard of colour and noise. There are so many fluorescent reds, greens, yellows and blues you can hardly take them in. These incredible birds arrive every morning for the same reason - to gather salts and minerals from clay riverbanks along the Rio Tambopata. During your visit, expect to see many of the region's 500+ species of birds and 13 species of monkeys, as well as giant otters, tapirs, ocelots and maybe even a jaguar.

How to: Under the leadership of professional guides, the salt licks of the Tambopata Research Center, or the Manu Wildlife Center, can be visited year-round. Both options are popular sidetrips from Lima or Cuzco, requiring a short plane flight to either Puerto Maldonado (for Tambopata) or Boca Manu (for Manu Wildlife Center), then a motorised canoe trip for the final leg to your lodge. Plan on staying at least a couple days; no matter how long your stay, you'll wish it was longer.

Predators in Africa

The African safari is the classic wildlife adventure. If you're serious about seeing predators, head for Tanzania's Ngorongoro Crater, where you'll find the highest density of predators in Africa. Surrounded on all sides by sheer crater walls, this lush bowl of lakes and brilliant green grass is a haven for zebras, gazelles and wildebeests - and for lions, leopards, hyenas, jackals, and cheetahs - so expect to see lots of action. Keep your eyes open for rare black rhinos or immense flocks of dazzling pink flamingos.

How to: Many people travel to Tanzania solely to see Ngorongoro Crater rather than adding it onto another trip, but there are many other premier destinations in Tanzania (how about Serengeti National Park, or Mt. Kilimanjaro?). The crater is a few hours drive west of the lively regional capital Arusha. Many visitors stay at one of the half dozen lodges perched dramatically on the crater rim, but consider camping or safari options. In the dry season (from July to October) animals congregate around water, but the grasslands turn a stunning green with the arrival of rains in November.

Bajillions of bats in Borneo

Sitting in the dim interior of Borneo's Deer Cave you're surrounded by the squeaking of wrinkle-lipped bats, but in the vastness of the world's largest cave chamber (big enough to house 47 jumbo jets!) you may not see a bat, much less realise how many lurk in the gloom. For this you must visit the cave's mouth at sunset, when over 3 million bats pour out into the gathering night like swirling clouds of smoke. By day, wander among the fantastic limestone formations that have made Borneo's Gunung Mulu National Park world famous. At any time of year, expect to observe some of the most unusual plants and animals you'll ever see.

How to: Travel from Miri, the second largest city in Sarawak, by plane or an adventurous 10-hour longboat ride. Gunung Mulu National Park offers accommodations ranging from rustic tent sites (not recommended given the daily rains) to simple cabins or a luxury resort. Many park activities require the hire of a park guide, which is not a bad idea anyway.

Penguins on the Antarctic Peninsula

Like a giant finger stretching north, the Antarctic Peninsula separates the Weddell and Ross Seas, both of which contain some of the world's greatest concentrations of wildlife. Sailing into this biological wonderland on a cruise ship, skipping between islands and remote beaches, you'll certainly encounter many of the region's 700,000 pairs of Adelie penguins or 900,000 pairs of chinstrap penguins, and you'll definitely come nose-to-nose with some of the five species of seals and eight species of whales that ply these waters, not to mention giant icebergs and more shades of blue and grey than you can imagine.

How to: It goes without saying that Antarctica is difficult and expensive to get to. However, a surprising number of cruise ships, each with its own itinerary, now regularly make the journey from Ushuaia, in Argentina, between November and March. Try to book a berth on a smaller ship (preferably less than 50 passengers) because only 100 passengers at a time are allowed on land; also make sure that your ship is certified by IAATO, which means they'll follow environmental guidelines.