Six of the best: Wildlife experiences

The call of the wild is a powerful one. Nothing is as humbling, exhilarating or awe-inspiring as coming upon a pride of lions feasting on a fresh kill, swimming with a pod of dolphins or eyeballing a polar bear as it navigates the chill Arctic sea. Seeing animals in their natural habitat is also one of the best ways to experience wildlife –one that doesn’t cruelly impact on the animal’s well-being, safety or conservation.

Find Gorillas in the mist

Volcanoes National Park, Rwanda

In the shadow of the Virunga volcanoes, small guided groups can trek the dense jungle in search of the dwindling mountain gorilla population. This is where American naturalist Dian Fossey first began her research into mountain gorillas and where she was murdered in 1985. Today there are 10 habituated mountain gorilla families in a population that accounts for half the remaining 1000 in the world. At US$1500, permits aren’t cheap and the high-altitude trek can be steep, slippery and difficult. But it’s worth it for an hour in the company of these gentle giants who share 98.4 per cent of our DNA. See volcanoesnationalparkrwanda.com

Best time to visit: December to January or June to September when the hiking is easier and the malaria risk low.

Snorkelling with Manta Rays

Baa Atoll, Maldives

Anantara Kihava Villas enjoys a prime location in the Maldives' Baa Atoll island archipelago on the doorstep of Hanifaru Bay. This makes it a perfect location to swim with manta rays. Each year from May to November huge amounts of krill and plankton collect in Hanifaru Bay, attracting large numbers of manta rays as they make their natural annual migration across the Indian Ocean. Watching as these gentle giants of the ocean (some with wingspans of up to 7 metres) as they glide, swoop, swerve and somersault around you is one of life’s truly spectacular experiences. See anantara.com/en/kihavah-maldives/

Best time to visit: May to November on their annual migration

Tracking Wolf packs

Yellowstone, Wyoming USA

In 1973, the northern Rocky Mountain wolf was listed as an endangered species. In a bid to counter this, in 1995, 41 wild wolves were released into Yellowstone National Park. As of December 2016 there were 108 wolves in the park and an estimated 528 wolves in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. And you can hopefully get a look at them by joining a late autumn wolf trek in the park with experienced local guides. They’ll even throw in elk, bison and a few grizzlies if you’re good. See wolftracker.com

Best time to visit: Late autumn.

Swimming with Whale sharks

Ningaloo Reef, Western Australia, Australia

Between April and July large numbers of whale sharks are drawn to the plankton-rich waters of Ningaloo Reef. The biggest fish on earth – they can weigh up to 15 tonnes and grow to 12 metres in length – they are incredibly docile and pose no risk to divers. Some evidence suggests that they can live up to 70 years and many of the more than 200 fish that visit Ningaloo have been coming back for years. Stay in wilderness luxury on the edge of marine paradise at glamping outpost Sal Salis. Ningaloo Blue is one of a number of operators that take swimmers out from Exmouth to meet these incredible creatures. See ningalooblue.com.au

Best time to visit: April to July

Chasing the big five

Africa

The Big Five is the name coined by safari hunters of old to describe the wild animals that were notoriously difficult – and dangerous - to hunt on foot. These included the African lion, African elephant, Cape buffalo, African leopard, and the rhinoceros. Today, it’s a list that every African safari-goer wants to see…and photograph. You can self-drive in South Africa or Namibia, go on a guided Big Five bush walk in Zambia or canoe along the Okovango Delta in Botswana. Along the way, you’ll also see hippos, hyenas, painted wild dogs, zebras and any number of birds. Another must-see bucket list experience is watching the annual Great Migration of two million wildebeest from the plains of the Serengeti in Tanzania to the grasslands of the Masai Mara in Kenya.

Best time to visit: Safaris are good pretty much any time, though the Great Migration occurs in November/December.

Polar bear walking safari

Churchill, Manitoba, Canada

If you think of the famous Hudson Bay in Canada as a clock face, the town of Churchill sits at about 9 o’clock. And every autumn this tiny spot in the middle of nowhere is transformed. For it’s then that scores of polar bears pass through the town, migrating from their summer homes in the forests of northern Manitoba to cross the frozen, seal-rich Hudson Bay. Not for nothing is Churchill called the Polar Bear Capital of the World. Around 60 per cent of the world’s polar bears live in Canada and the largest polar bear maternity denning area is in Manitoba, about midway on their journey. See churchillwild.com.

Best time to visit: October to December.