The world’s best ethical wildlife encounters

An archipelago situated over 1,300km off the coast of Ecuador, the Galapagos Islands’ remote location has been instrumental in its rise to fame. When Charles Darwin set foot here in 1835, he found several species that showed evolutionary traits endemic to individual islands. This inspired Darwin’s famous Theory of Evolution, explained in his book Origin of the Species. Today, visitors can follow in the footsteps of Darwin, taking one of Metropolitan Touring’s multi-day tours through the region. Islands such as Isabela are home to endangered Galapagos penguins, or you can watch the Galapagos hawks circle overhead in Espanola. On South Plaza Island, the Darwin cactus finch and swallow-tailed gull chirp among the spiky flora – while both blue and red-footed boobies nest within the uninhabited corners of San Cristóbal. Oh, and there are the endemic sea lions, land and marine iguanas and giant tortoises to see, too.

Throughout the year, the islands of Ramsey and Skomer, off the coast of St. David’s in Pembrokeshire, provide shelter for an impressive 24,000 puffins, 80,000 gannets, hundreds of Atlantic grey seals, common dolphins, harbour porpoise and even the odd whale. In fact, the Welsh coastline is teeming with seabirds and marine mammals. Puffins can be seen nesting from May to late July, while cute seal pups appear from August onwards. Falcon Boats, run by local marine expert Ffion Rees, organises specialist rib boat tours along this wild, stunning coastline.

Surrounded by dramatic glaciers, lush forests and salmon-rich rivers, Alaska is one of America’s most wild and remote states. Home to brown bears, caribou, moose, bald eagles and everything in between, the landscape is beautiful – and nothing compares to the exhilaration of getting close to a brown bear (known locally as grizzlies). Booking with experienced bear guides – such as Alaska Photo Tours – is essential. Unforgettable photography experiences to Katmai National Park leave from the main traveller hubs of Anchorage and Seward during summer.

With just 1,000 mountain gorillas remaining in the equatorial African rainforest around Rwanda, Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo, going in search of silverbacks and their families is undoubtedly a bucket-list experience. On arrival at Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park, visitors are divided into small groups and assigned a gorilla family to track, with experienced guides leading the hike. Just 96 permits, costing $1,500 (approx. £1,085) per person, are issued each day – and advanced bookings are essential. Reassuringly, the surrounding community – who have adapted to widespread tourism – receive 10 percent of the revenue, while a large proportion goes towards forest conservation and anti-poaching units.

Imagine snow-capped peaks towering high into a rumbling cloudy sky and glistening blue icebergs twisting and crackling under the early morning sun. This is Antarctica – where the eau de seal becomes embedded in your nostrils and spotting gigantic whale tails is an everyday sport. Perhaps the most breathtaking encounter, however, is observing thousands of penguins as they nest, feed and go about their penguin business. The best way to reach the southernmost continent is by expedition ship; Lindblad Expeditions offer 14-day itineraries, leaving from Ushuaia in Argentina, from approximately £11,000 per person.  Even better, Lindblad is one of the few companies that carry under 150 passengers, meaning your carbon footprint – and physical footprint – will be far less. It’s worth it – excursions are led by a team of scientists-turned-lecturers, who teach you a lot about this formidable continent.

Fiji’s Shark Reef Marine Reserve is one of the few marine sanctuaries in the world where humans can come face-to-face with wild bull sharks. Biologists have been collecting data here since 2004, working alongside villagers to protect the region’s no-fishing zone and maintain a healthy reef. As a result, eight species of shark and more than 400 tropical fish species can be found here. Beqa Adventure Divers take experienced scuba divers to see the sharks feeding at approximately 25 metres below the surface. Fees go towards reef conservation and supporting nearby villages.

Known as some of the most curious and friendly marine mammals in the world, grey whales often allow you to get really close. The phenomenon takes place during spring in southern Baja California, when the whales are breeding and rearing their young. In the safety of Baja’s sheltered bays, they become playful around boats, sometimes letting people see the bristle-like filter-feeding system in their upper jaw known as baleen. Palapas Ventana offers tours to witness this spectacle in a safe and considerate way.

Indonesia’s rainforests are vital ecosystems for orang-utans, and with just 14,000 Sumatran and 800 Tapanuli orang-utans remaining in the wild, conserving these habitats are crucial. In the northern Sumatran town of Bukit Lawang, travellers trek into the Gunung Leuser National Park, where several ‘critically endangered’ Sumatran orang-utan can be found. Operators, such as Sumatra Ecoventures, hire trained and knowledgeable local guides to lead small group and bespoke tours – investing a percentage of their profits in rainforest conservation and the surrounding communities.

As one of southern Africa’s main safari hubs, Botswana is always busy during peak season – with the worry of overtourism becoming increasingly apparent. This is why it’s vital to choose wildlife-focused and community-conscious operators, such as Wilderness and Great Plains Conservation. Both have been praised for their ethical and educational safaris, as well as community partnerships. Alongside providing opportunities for tourism guide training and employment, Great Plains Conservation has trained a small group of women in remote Okavango villages to install and maintain solar-run home lighting systems. The Wilderness’ Children in the Wilderness organisation works to inspire and educate kids around conservation and coexistence via weekly Eco-Clubs.

Play-fighting, grooming and even posing for pictures: it only takes a few minutes in their presence to understand chimpanzees really do share around 98 percent of our DNA. These playful primates are found in equatorial Africa – particularly in Kibale Forest National Park – and spend much of their time in the canopy, feeding on fruit and leaves, and sleeping. However, when they do decide to roam around the ground foliage, the experience will leave you mesmerised, especially when you end up just metres away from several chimpanzees grooming each other.  Tracking permits $200 (approx £150) in Kibale. While sightings can’t be guaranteed, the experienced local trackers and rangers have a nose for sniffing out the chimpanzee families. We recommend the more intensive and rewarding four-hour Kibale ‘habituation experience’ for $300 (approx £225). Fees are reinvested in anti-poaching initiatives and forest conservation.

Between June and October, humpback whales make their way from the polar regions to the tropical waters of the South Pacific with one main purpose – to breed. Experienced operators, such as Tongan Expeditions, take small groups on day tours, with snorkel equipment at the ready in case you encounter humpbacks. The team maintain safe distances and apply considerate surface behaviour at all times. Nothing can compare to that mind-blowing moment when you first set eyes on a humpback under the surface of the water – and it will forever be etched in your memory.