Oceania
- For sea life, it doesn't get much better than Shark's Bay, says wildlife documentary filmmaker Nick Stringer. On the western Australia coast near Francois Peron National Park, you'll see dolphins, sea turtles, dugongs, rays and sea snakes swim by in this marine reserve, also a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Camp in one of the park's many campgrounds, take a canoe or sea kayak tour of the bay and relax in the Peron Homestead's hot tub, fed by artesian hot springs.
Africa
- Lions, leopards, chimpanzees, hippos, elephants, hyenas, antelopes, warthogs and flamingos are just a few of the species you'll see in Uganda's Queen Elizabeth National Park. With more than 760 square miles to explore, this vast preserve is home to 95 mammals and more than 600 bird species, with far fewer tourists than the Serengeti, notes Stringer. Between Lakes Edward and Gorge, the park encompasses a variety of habitats such as grasslands, plains, mountains, savannah and euphorbia forests -- in other words, incredible bio-diversity. You can take a photo safari or opt for a boat ride with one of the many local guides.
North America
- For a glimpse of grizzlies in their natural habitat, head to Wyoming's Yellowstone National Park. Since 1872, this American treasure has amazed visitors with its resident wolves, elk, bison, eagles and, of course, grizzly and black bears. The park also contains 300 geysers -- including the famous Old Faithful -- 12 camping areas, historical cabins, nine lodges, restaurants and miles of hiking trails. Kasey Austin, head guide for Austin-Lehman Adventures, suggests looking for the resident elk herd in the area around Mammoth or the bison roaming in the Hayden Valley.
Asia
- For a true jungle experience, tour the world's tallest tropical rainforest canopy. Borneo's Danum Valley is home to orangutans, elephants, proboscis monkeys, gibbons, snakes, civets, tarsiers; if you're lucky, you may even catch a glimpse of the rare -- and endangered -- clouded leopard and Sumatran rhino. The Danum Valley Conservation Area encompasses 272 square miles of undeveloped wilderness, lush with more than 200 species of tree. You can birdwatch along the 88-foot-high, 984-foot-long walkway suspended in the forest canopy, relax in the -- leech-free -- hot pool and take a dip in the park's many pools and waterfalls.
South America
- For an adventure that "Lonely Planet" describes as "the wildlife experience of a lifetime," head for a chain of 19 islands about 600 miles off the coast of Ecuador. First made famous by Charles Darwin in 1835, these isolated islands' remote location, dearth of indigenous species and setting at the meeting point of three major ocean currents have nurtured creatures found nowhere else on earth. Evolving for thousands of years without major predatory species, the iguanas, tortoises, sea-lions, bats, seals, penguins, finches, flightless cormorants and other bird species have little fear of humans, so expect to get some up-close photos. The waters around the islands are part of a UNESCO World Heritage Centre marine reserve and are home to sharks, rays, turtles and dolphins. Lodging options are limited, so plan well in advance.
